Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-05-23

Your eyes are sfholdering- oh, Fran,
those eyes! What weapons have
given hef?''
Fran set her hack against the fence,
and looked at him darkly. 'The secret
Of my age, and the secret Of my past /"
Il todd her neither"
As soon as you and Mrs. Gregory
wheeled away. Mrs. Jefferson" said
Fran, II went right down from the
choir lofs, and straight over to her.
I looked her in the eye. and l asked
what you had been telling about me.
Why, you told her everything. even
that was trying to find out whether
you and would ever-would ever get
married! might as we'll say it, 1t
came pat enough from her-and you
told! Nobody else knew. And you
dropped your King OF Hearts over the
fence-.you told her that! And when
we were standing there at the gate.
you even tried-but no. I'll leave you
and Miss Grace to discuss such sub
jects. Here we are at the same gate,
but I guess there's not much danger,
now!"
"Tran!" cried Abbott, with burning
cheeks, n didn't tell her. upon my
honor I didn't had to admit drop
ping the card, to keep her from think
ing you out here at midnight with q
stranger. She saw US in the shadow,
and guessed-that other. I didn't tell
her anything about your age. I didn't
No
Fran's concentrated tones grew mild
er: But Mrs. Gregory has known
about the show all this time. She
would die before she'd tell on me"
Il never told. Fran. I'm not going
to say that again: but you shall be-
lieve me-"
"Of course, Abbott. But It Just
proves what said, about her empty.
ing her friends, about taking their Sc
crets from them even without their
knowing she's doing it. i said to her.
sharp and quick. What have you been
saying about me. Miss Noir?' She
said-I understand from Professor
Ashton that you are not . young girl
at al. but masquerader Of at least
. masquerader Of at least thirty.five,
you should have found that out, your.
SELF hardly think she's thirty.five;
It wasn't fair blow, but you have to
fight Indians in the brush. Then your
friend said. Professor Ashton informs
me that you are q circus-girl. Don't
you think you've strayed too far from
the tent?' she asked. I said-Oh, I
brought the show with me; Professor
Ashton 1s my advance advertising
agent Then she said that II I'd
leave, Mr.. Gregory need never know
that I'm an impostor. But told her
no tickets are going to be returned.
l said-'This show absolutely takes
place, rain or shine'"
Fran" said Abbott in distress. II
want to talk this overcome here in
the yard where you're not 80 con-
spicuous."
"Show-girls ought to be conspicu-
GUS. No. SIR, I stay right here in the
glazing moonlight. It doesn't call for
darkness to tell me anything that IL
on your mind, Professor"
Fran, you can't hold me responsible
for what Miss Grace guessed. I tell
you. she guessed everything. I was
trying to defend you-suddenly she
saw through it all. don't know how
1t was-maybe Mrs. Gregory can ex.
plain, as she's q woman. You shall
not deem me capable of adding an
atom to your difficulties. You shall
feel that I'm your friend while we're
together and after We part You must
believe me when tell you that need
your SMILE" His voice trembled with
sudden tenderness.
She looked at him searchingly, then
her face relaxed to the eve Of revo-
luton. who have you been trying
to get glimpse of, all the times you
parade the street in front Of our
house?"
Abbott declared. "You!" In mute
appeal he held out his hand.
You're a weak brother, but here"
And she slipped her hand into his.
III she'd been in conversation with
me, wouldn't have let her have any
It takes talent to keep
AVN ISAAAA6 WuosA yV1A A0VWp UOe Scue
ius to keep tho other fellow from
guessing. What hate about It IL, that
the very next time you fall into her
hands, you'll be at her mercy. If I
told you . scheme I've been devising,
she'd take. It from you In broad day
light. She can always prove she's
right, because she has the verse for
it-and to deny her 10 TO deny Inspira-
ton. And II she had her way-she
thinks I'm q sort Of dissipation
there'd be . national prohibition Of
Fran"
IF there were national prohibition
Of Fran, I'd be the first to smuggle
you in somehow, little Nonpareil.
Isn't It something for me to have tax
en- you on trust as I have, from the
very beginning?"
His brown eyes were 80 earnest that
Fran stepped into the shadow. ''lt's
more than something, Abbott. Your
trust is about all I have. It's just
like me to- be wanting more than !
have. I'm going to confide in you
my scheme. Let's talk 1t over in whis-
pers." They put their heads together.
Tomorrow. Grace Noir 10 going to
the city With Bob Clinton to select mu.
sic for the choir-he doesn't know
any more about music than poor Uncle
TObe Fuller, but you see. he's still