The Detroit times., 1913-01-06
By
John
Breckenridge
Ellis.
"Grace!" ne groaned.

| Grace! ne groaned.
She whispered. her face suddenly
growing pale, Are engaged" The
strength. His melodious voice. asso
ciated In her mind with divine wor,
ship; the burning OF those beautiful
eyes in which she seemed to see her
own love; the attitude OF his arms as
II. not knowing IL. he were reaching
out for her-all this was hard for hIr
TO resist.
Engaged" he echoed, as II she had
pronounced one OF the worlds great
tragedies. Then you will give your
self To that man-yourself. Grace that
beautiful self-and without love? lis
a crime! Don't commit the horrible
Dlunder that's ruined my life. See
what Indebtedness has come to me-
Then you think" very slowly. that
| ought TO let Fran ruin my whole
life because your wife has ruined
yours? Then you think that after
have been driven eat-ef the house 10
make room for Fran, that | ought to
stay single because you married un.
wisely?"
Grace, don't say you are driven
out"
What do you call it? A resigna-
tion?"
"Grace!-we have only few mo-
ments to be alone. For PHYS sake.
look at me kindly and use another
tone-a tone Hike the dear days when
you were by my side, We may
never be together again"
She looked at him with the same
repellent expression. and spoke in the
same bitter tone: well, suppose
we're not? You and that Fran will
be together"
In his realization that ii was Fran,
and Fran alone, who separated them,
Gregory passed into a state OF anger
10 which his love adde d recklessness
Grace, hate me IL you must, but you
shall not misunderstood mel"
She laughed. Please don't ask ME
to understand you, Mr. Gregory, while
you hide the only secret to your un.
Outstanding Don't come to me with
pretended liking when what you call
mysterious business interests at
Springfield drive me from your door,
and keep Fran at my desk"
He interposed in a low passionate
voice. II am resolved that you should
know everything. Fran--is my own
daughter
she gave no sign save a sudden
compression OF the mouth: neverthe-
less, her surprise was extreme. Her
mind flashed along the wires OF the
past and returned illuminated 10 the
present ENHANCEMENT.
He thought her merely stunned, and
burst forth: II tell you, Fran is my
child. Now you know why I'm com
PEELED TO do what she wants. That's
the secret Bob brought from Spring
field. That's the secret Abbott Ashton
hung over my head-the traitor. after
-beffteHGed- hiHi,-AtI OF my-uil-
grateful friends have conspired to ruin
me, to force you from me by this sc.
cret But you know ii now, end I've
escaped its danger. You know it,"
And does your wife know
Would | tell her. and not tell you?
Ttssyou I've tried to shield. | married
Josephine Derry, and Fran is our
child. You know Fran. Well, her
mother was just like her-frivolous,
caring only for things of the world
irreligious. And was Just boy-a
mere college youth. When | realized
the awful mistake I'd Inade. thought
1t best just TO - away and let her
live her own life Years after, | put
all that behind me, and came TO Lit
tleburg. | marie Mrs. Gregory and
| wanted to put ! my past life away
clear away--anh live a good open
life. Then you come. Then | found
out I'd never known what love mean.