Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-02-20

Fran, please don't be always showing
your worst side to the town; when
you laugh at peoples standards, they
think you queer and you cant
imagine just how much you are to
me-
"Huh!" Fran shifted. "rd hate to
be anybody's friend and have my
friendship as little use as yours has
been to me-"
He was deeply wounded. "I've tried
to give good advice"
II don't need advice, want help IN
carrying out what already know.
Her voice vibrated. You're afraid or
losing your position II you have any
thing to do with me. OF course I'm
queer. Can help 1t. when I have no
real home. and nobody cares whether
i 70 or stay?'
You know care. Fran"
Fran caught> her lip between her
teeth as If to hold herself steady. "Oh.
let's drive" she said recklessly, strik-
ing at the dashboard with the whip,
and shaking her hair about her face
till she looked the elfish child he had
first known.
Fran. you know I care--you know
f."
well drive into ure-Enough Coun-
try" she said with half-smile show
Inc on the side of her face next him.
"Whca Here we are. All who i've IN
Sure Enough Country are sure.enough
pecple-whatever they say Is true.
Goodness! She opened her eyes very
w!de-"It's awful dangerous to talk IN
Sure-Enough Country" She put up the
whip, and folded her hands.
"Tm glad we're here, Fran, for you
have your friendly look"
That's because really do like you.
Let's talk about yourself-how you ex-
pect to be-. what you'll be- you're
nothing yet, you know, Abbott; but
how did you come to determine to be
something's"
Into Abbott's smile stole something
tender and sacred. ut was all my
mother" he explained simply. She
died before received my state certifi-
cate. but she thought I'd be great
man-so am trying for 1t.
"And she'll never know" Fran Ia
mented.
She slipped her hand into his.
Didn't have a mother? oh, these
mothers. And who can make mother
wishes come true? Well! And you just
studied with all your might; and youll
keep on and on. till you're !.
out of my reach. Of course. Wnlcn
would have suited your mother, 100.
Shesa withdrew her hand. ).
"My mother would have loved you,
he declared, for he did not understand,
SO we'll as Fran, about mothers liking
for strange young ladies who train
lions.
Mine would you," Fran asserted,
with more reason.
! Abbott, conscious of a dreadful
emptiness, took Fran's hand again.
"Ill.never be out of your reach, Fran.
| She did not seek to draw away. but
said. with dark meaning, Remember
the bridge at midnight"
"A remember how you looked, with
the moonlioht silvering your face =
you were just beautiful that night. lit
tie Nonpareil!"
! "But not quite so in daylight" muir.
| INJURED Fran wickedly, "as this morn
ing?"
/ Anyway" he answered desperately
you look as I'd have you look can
you ask more than that. since
canf?"
my chin is so sharp" she muir
mured
yes he said. softly feeling the
warm little fingers one by one. as u
| to make sure all were there. That's
the way I like it-sharp."
"And I'm so ridiculously thin
You're nothing like 80 thin as when
you first came to Lttleburg." he de-
clared, give noticed how you are
| have been-I mean
"Filling out?' cried Fran gleefully
| "Oh, yes. and I'm SO glad you know
because since I've been wearing long
dresses. I've been afraid you'd never
find II out and would always be think.
| ing of me as you saw me at the be-
ginning. But -yes-filling out.
| "Apd your little feet, Fran
eyes. always had small foot But
let's get off of this subject"
mot until say something about
yorr smile--oh, Fran, that smile!"
"Fhe subject now" remarked Fran,
returns to Grace Noir."
please. Fran"
! "Yes-and am going to say some.
| thing to offend you; but honestly. Alb
! hott, it's for your good. If you'll keep
holding my hand, I'll know you can
st-rd unpleasant truths. When you
/, hold my hand IT seems to make every
thina so--e 80 close
"F-ery"hing is" Abbott declared.
III! tell gov why you hurt my feel
ings. Abbott You've disappointed me
twice. Oh. # were man. I'd show
any smock-faced little hypocrite IT she
could rrizo secrets out Of me. Just be-
cause, it wears dresses and long hair
yor Think IL an an~el."
Meaning Mrs Grace, presume?"
remarked Ahro-t drv1y. But what is
! the secret. this timer
Didn't l trust you with the secret
that nreant to amply for the rosftion
! Of secretary rs soon as Grace Noir was
out Of the way? And was just about
/, to win the fight when here she came
hadn't been to the city at all, be-
cause you told her what I meant to
tdc- handed her the secret like a child
giving no something it doesn't want. :
You are verv unjust. I did not tell
her your plan. don't know how she
+, found 1t out"