The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-04-27

a good deal of her Well, it's to her
interests for the whole affair to be
laid open to the world"
Il think so much of Fran" was the
low, earnest rejoinder, that If / were
better fixed, I'd ask her to marry me
| without moments delay And I think
enough of her, not to ask her to marry
me until | have a good position. Now
it was Fran who asked me to see that
you didn't betray the secret. And I
think so much of her, that I'm going
to see that you don'tp'
For a moment Clinton was silent
then he said in desperation: Where is
your nice dark alley? Come on. then.
let's get in itp
When they were safe from Interrupt
ton, Clinton resumed: You tell me
that Fran wants that secret kept? I'd
think she'd want it told everywhere.
This secret is nothing at all but the
wrong that was done Fran and her
mother: And since you are so frank
about how you like Fran, I'll follow
suit and say that | have asked Grace
Noir to marry me, and | know III
! stand better show by getting her out
of the hypnotic spell of that miserable
scoundrel who poses as bleating
sheep"
Abbott interrupted: "The wrong
done Fran? How do you mean?"
Why. man, that-that hypocrite in
wool, that weed that infests the ground,
that"
In short, Mr. Gregory? But what
about the wrong done Franz"
Amt | telling you? That worm
eaten pillar of the church that's made
me lose so much faith in religion that
| amt got enough left worth the
postage stamp to mail it back to the
revival meeting where it come from"
For heavens sake, Bob, tell me
what wrong Mr.. Gregory did Franz
Didn't he marry Fran's mother
when he was college chap in Spring
field, and then desert her? Didn't he
marry again, although his first wife
Fran's mother-was living, and hadn't
been divorced? Don't he refuse to ac-
knowledge Fran as his daughter. max
ing her pass herself off as the daugh-
ter of some old college chum? That's
what he did, your choir leader! I'd like
to see that baton of his laid over his
back; I'd like to lay it, myself"
1t was impossible for Abbott to re-
ceive all this as a whole; he took up
the revelations one at time. rs it
possible that Fran is Mr.. Gregory's
daughter?"
"Oh, she's his, all right, only child
of his only legal wife--that's why she
came, thinking her father would do the
right thing, him that's always praying
to be guided Alright, and baking when
ever the halter's pulled straight"
Then" Abbott stammered, "Mrs.
Gregory is = :"
zap; is, with a question mark. But
there's one thing she isn't; she isn't
the legal wife of this pirate what's al
ways a-preying upon the consciences of
folks that thinks they're worse than
him.
"As for Mr.. Gregory" Abbott be-
gan sternly-
Robert pursued the name with a
vigorous expletive, and growled, Zone
thing Mr.. Gregory has done for me,
he's opened the floodgates that have
been so long dammed-yes, / say
dammed-I say
Bob" Abbott exclaimed, don't you
understand Fran's object in keeping
the secret? It's on account of Mrs
Gregory If she finds it out-that she's
not legally married-don't you see? OF
course it would be to Fran's interests
bless her heart! What a-what a
Nonpareil!'
"Tain't natural" returned Clinton,
"for any girl to consult the interests of
the woman that's supplanted her moth
for fear she'd be injured by your cut
glass paragon, your religion-stuffed pill
low that calls itself a man"
Fran afraid? That's joke, I tell
you, she's thinking only of Mrs. Greg
ory"
'I'm sorry for Mrs. Gregory" Rob-
ert allowed, "but Grace Noir is more
to me than any other woman on earth.
You don't see the point When I
think of a girl like Grace Noir living
under the same roof with that-that-"
"Mr Gregory" Abbott supplied.
And she so pure, so high, so much
above u.s. 1t makes me crazy. And
all the time she's been breathing the
same air, she's thought him Moses
in the Wilderness, and us nothing but
the sticks. Think of her believing in
that jelly pulp, that steel engraving in
a family Bible! No. / mean to open
her eyes, and get her out of his spiders
web"
Il see your point of view
you do if you have eyes. Think of
that perfect angel-but just say Grace
Noir and you've called all the virtues.
And her in his house -"
you still believe in angels" in
quired Abbott gravely.
"Yap; and devils with long sort-of-
curly hair, and pretty womanish faces,
and voices like molasses."
But Fran wants Mrs. Gregory
spared"
Abbott, when | think of Grace Noir
spending one more night under the
roof of that burrowing mole, that croc-
odile with tears in his eyes and the
rest of him nothing but bone and gris-
tie"
Bob, if I assure you that Miss Noir
will never spend another day under his
roof will you agree to keep this dis
covery to yourself?"
"You can't make no such assurance.
If she amt put wise to what branch of
the animal kingdom he twigs to, she'll
not leave his roof"
Bob. if she leaves that house in the
morning. forever, won't you agree to
silence, for Mrs. Gregorys sake-and
because Fran asks it
"Fran's another angel, bless her