Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1913-11-14
was to be seen.

49, 6S18f
Had she darted into one of the scat
tered cabins that composed the fringe
of Littleburg? At the mere thought,
he felt a nameless shrinking of the
heart. Surely not. But could she pos
sibly. however fleet of foot, have
rounded the next corner before his
coming into the light? Abbott sped
along the street that he might know
the truth, though he realized that the
less he saw of Fran the better. How
ever, the thought of her being alone
in the outskirts of the village, most as
suredly without her guardians knowl-
edge, seemed to call him to duty. Call
or no call, he went.
It seemed to him a long time before
he reached the corner. He darted
around it-yonder sped Fran like a
thin shadow racing before the moon.
She ram. Abbott ran. It was like a
foot-race without spectators.
At last she reached the bridge SPAN
ming a ravine in whose far depths
murmured a little stream. The bridge
was new, built to replace the foot
bridge upon which Abbott and Fran
had stood on the night of the tent
meeting. Was 1t possible that the SUI
p~erintendent of instruction was about
to venture a second time across this
ravine with the same girl, under the
same danger of misunderstanding, re.
vealed by similar glory of moonlight?
Conscience whispered that it would
not be enough simply to warn; he
should escort her to Hamilton Greg
ory's very door, that he might know
she had been rescued from the wide
white night; and his conscience was
possibly upheld by the knowledge that
a sudden advent of a Miss Sapphire
was morally impossible.
Fran's back had been toward him
all the time. She was still
of his presence, as she paused in the
middle of the bridge, and with critical
eye sought a position mathematfcally
the same from either hand-rail. Stand
ing there, she drew a package from
her bosom, hastily seated herself upon
the boards. and, oblivious of surround
ings, bent over the package as it rest
ed in her lap.
Abbott, without pause, hurried up.
His feet sounded on the bridge.
Fran was speaking aloud, and, on
hat account, did not hear him, as he
came VI behind her. Grace Noir,"
she was saying-"Abbott Ashton-Bob
Clinton - Hamilton Gregory Mrs.
Gregory-Simon Jefferson-Mrs. JEFF
ferson-Miss Sapphire = Fran - the
Devil She seemed to be calling the
roll of her acquaintances. Was she
reading a list from the package?
Abbott trod noisily on the fresh pine
floor.
Fran swiftly turned, and the noon
beams revealed a flush, yet she did not
attempt to rise. "Why didn't you an
swer when you heard your name
called?" she asked with a good deal of
composure.
FRAN" Abbott exclaimed. Here all
alone at midnightZan aloneL4sIt-
possible2'
mo. it isn't possible" Fran returned
satirically, for | have company"
Abbott warmly urged her to hasten
back home; at the same time he drew
nearer and discovered that her lap was
covered with playing-cards.
But you mustn't stay here" he said
~imperatively. Let us go at once"
Just as soon as I tell the fortunes.
OF course | wouldn't go to all this
trouble for nothing. Now look. This
card is Fran-the queen of hearts.
This one is Simon Jefferson-and this
one is Bob. And you-but it's no use
telling all of them. Now; we want to
see who's going to marry"
Abbott spoke in his most authori-
tative tone: Fran! Get up and come
with me before somebody sees you
here. This is not only ridiculous. it's
wrong and dreadfully %imprudent."
Fran looked up with flashing eyes.
Il won't!" she cried. mot till I've