The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1913-07-31


be- wandering about the world, all by
yoursClf!"
she was grateful for his ralliury
How young do you Think"
Let me see. Hum You are only
about" She laughed mirthmlly at
his air OF prcposterous wisdom.
About thirteon-tourtcen. yes, you
are more than AI.iftcen, more than
But take off that enormous hat,
little Nonpareil There's no use guess.
ing IN the dark when tho moons
shining"
Fran was glccful All right" she
cried in one Of her childish tones.
shrill fresh, ylbratory with the mu.
sic Of innocence
BY this time they had reached the
footbridgc that spanned the deep ra.
vine. Here tho wagon-road made its
| crossing OF a tiny stream, by slipping
under the bridge, some fifteen
feet below. On the left lay struggling
Littleburg with it's four or five hun.
drcd houses. family twinkling. and be
yond the meadows on the right, q
fringe OF woods started up as If 1t did
not belong there. but had com. TO be
seen, "hile above the woods swung
the Dig moon with Fran on the foot
bridge to shine for
fran's hat dangled Idly in her hand
as she drew herself with backward
movement upon the railing, The moon.
ilght was full upon her face; so was
IN" young mans gaze. One Of her
ieet found. after leisurely exploration,
Il devastating board upon the edge
vi "hicn Sho pressed her heel for sup
port inc other loot swayed to and
.'o ABOVE the HoofihE, while little
mana on eltheF side OF her gripped the
'op ran
mere am she said shaking back
rebeIlious hair
Abbott Ashton studied her with
grave doliberation-it Is doubtful II he
had ever before so thoroughly en-
/ loyed his duties as usher. He pro
nouhced judtcially. You are older
IMAM you LOOK
Yes Fran explained. my expe-
rionce accounts for that I've had
lots
Abbott's lingering here beneath the
moon when he should have been hur.
rying back to the tent showed how
uncqually the good things OF Ilfe-ey.
perioncc, for instance-are divided
You are sixteen" he hazarded CON.
scious Of a strange exhilaration.
Fran lodged the issue behind n
smllc-"And ] don't think you are so
awfully old"
Abbott was brought 10 himseIf with
Jolt that throw him hard upop soI,.
consciousness "T am supsrint,rd,nt
of Inc puhlic school" Tho worry eornd
NJ Tho words rapr no "a ,,,rrtrc ,,d
he became prrfnrnoturolIv solemn
"Goodncss," cried Fran consider.
ING his grave mouth and tbop,b,uI
eyes docs it hurt that badq"
Abbott smiled All tho s,uo Tho
poisson OF superintendent must NOT
be bartered away for the transjtory
pleasures Of a bootbridge. we had
DbLltt hurry, II you please, he said
gravely
81 am so afraid Of you" murmurcd
Fran. But | know the meeting will
last n long time yet. Id hate to have
to wait long at Mr.. Gregorys with
that disagreeable lady who isn't Mrs.
Gregory"
Abbott wns startled. Why did she
thus designate Mr.. Gregorys secre-
tary? He looked keenly at Fran, but
she only said plaintively:
Cant we stay nere?"
He was disturbed and perplcNed. 1t
was as If fitting shadow from some
uniformed cloud of thought.mist had
fallen upon the everyday world out OF
his subconsciousness. Why did this
stranger speak OF Miss Grace Noir as
the lady who isn't Mrs. Gregory"
The young man at times had caught
himself thinking OF her in just that
way.
School superintendent do not eD;oy
being mystified. Really" Abbott de-