The Washington herald., 1913-04-06
CHAPTER xIE.
Alliance with Abbott.

| EOl the most part, tndt was silcnt
walk to Hamilton Gregory's. Abbott
Ashton pushed the wheel-chair, and it
was only Mrs. Jefferson, ignorant of
what had taken place, who commented
on the bright moon, and the relief of
rose-scented breezes after the musty
auditorium of Walnut Street Church.
They were bent and determined on
Fran going to choir practice the old
lady told Abbott, so Lucy and | went
, along to encourage her. for they say
she has fine voice, and they want all
the good singing they can have at
Uncle lobe Fuller's funeral Uncle
lobe, he didn't know one tune from
another, but now that he's dead, he
knows 'em all-for he was good
man. l despise big doings at funerals,
but | expect to go, and as | can't hear
the solos, nor the preacher working
up feelings, all I'll have to do will be
to sit and look at the coffin"
Mother" said Mrs. Gregory, you
are not cheerful tonight"
No." the other responded, 81 think
it's from sitting so long by the Whited
Sepulcher"
Mrs. Gregory spoke into the trumpet.
Will ICdt OlSlItSS- NlOINel, HlOt0eI.
Abbott won't understand you; he
doesn't know you are using figure of
i speech"
| YES" said the old lady, Number
Thirteen, if there's anything unlucky
in figures"
| Abbott effected diversion Mrs.
Gregory. I'm glad Miss Noir agreed TO
say nothing about her discoveries, for
the only harm in them is what people
might imagine. ] was pretty uneasy, at
first; of course | knew that if she felt
she ought to tell it, she would. I
never knew anybody so conscientious"
There was pause, then Mrs. Greg
DRY responded, "She will not tell
Abbott had seen them safely into the
house. and had reached the gate on
his departure, when Fran came run
ming up. In pleased surprise he opened
the gate for her. but she stopped in
the outside shadow, and he paused
within the yard.
i Franz he exclaimed with pleasure.
rs the practice ended?"
She made no response
:. Fran, what's the natter"
Silence
) Abbott was both perplexed and hurt.
, Remember what we said on the new
bridge" he urged; we're friends while
we're together and after we partr'
Somebody ought to burn that new
bridge" said Fran, in muf1ed tonel
It's no good making wishes come true"
: why do you say that? Aren't We
the best of friendse"
, Fran collected herself, and spoke
with cool distinctness: Il have a pretty
hard battle to fight, Mr. Ashton, and
, its necessary to know who's on my
side, and who isn't. l may not come
out ahead; but I'm not going to lose
, out from taking foe for a friend"
Which you will kindly explain?"
{ You are Grace Noir's friend-ti1at
, explains it"
Il am your friend, too, Fran"
MY friend. too!' she echoed Bit
terly. ooh, thanksAalso"
Abbott came through the gate, and
tried to read her face Does the fact
that l am her friend condemn me?"
"No-just classifies YOU You
couldn't be her friend if you were not
mirror in which she sees herself;
her conscience is so sure, that she
hasn't use for anything but faithful
reflector of her opinions. She. empties
her friends of all personality, and
leaves them filled with their magma
ton of her character"
Her friends are mere puppets. it
appears" Abbott said, smiling. But
!, that's rather to her credit, isn't it?
Would you mind to explain your inn
, agination of her character"
His testing tone made her impatient.
Il don't think her character has ever
had chance to develop; she's too
fixed on thinking herself what she
: isn't. Her opinion of what she ought
to be is so sure, that she has never
discovered what she really is. And
you can't possibly hold a secret from
her, if you're her friend she takes it
from you as one snatches toy from
little child"
Abbott was still amused "Has she
) emptied me of all she wants"
Eyes. You have given her strong
weapons against me. and you may be
sure she'll use them to her advantage"
Fran, step back into the light-let
me see your face; are you in earnest?
Your eyes are smoldering-Oh, Fran,
those eyes! What weapons have | given
herr"
Fran set her back against the fence,
and looked at him darkly. Now and
then some one passed. with curious
look. and constrained greeting-for in
Littleburg every one was known "The
secret of my age, and the secret of my
past
81 told her neither"
Gas soon as you and Mrs. Gregory
wheeled away Mrs. Jefferson" said
Fran, Il went right down from the
choir loft, and straight over to her. I
looked her in the eye, and I 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 well say it, it 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 subjects. Here
we are at the same gate, but | guess
there's not much danger, nowp
Franz cried Abbott, with burning
cheeks, Il 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 a
stranger. She saw. us in the shadow.
and guessed-that other. / didn't tell