Putnam patriot., 1913-04-18

"I Don't Want to Follow You Any
 where. This Is Where l Want to
 Stay"
 her. Then" she said slowly, "I will
 be definite. I will tell you the things 1t would have been better for you to
 tell me. Your early home was in New
 York, but you had a cousin living in
 Springfield, where there was a very 1 good college. Your parents were anx-
 ious to get you away from the temp tations of big city until you were l of age. So you were sent to live I with your cousin and attend college.
 You were with him three or four years, and at last the time came for l graduation. Shall I go on?"
 He fought desperately for self-pres- ervation. What is there in all this?' You had married, in the mean 1 time." Fran said coldly; married se- 1 cretly. That was about nineteen years
 ago. She was only eighteen. After l graduation you were to go to New
 York, break the news to your father,
 come back to Springfield for your
 wife, and acknowledge her. You grad
 uated; you went to your father. Did you come back?"
 My God!" groaned the man. So
 she knew everything; must he admit it? What is all this to you?" he
 burst forth. Who and what are you,
 anyway-and why do you come here | -t0
 'True!' said Fran. bitterly. If | you've forgotten, why not go to l Springfield and ask the first old citi-
 zen you meet? Or you might write I to some one you used to know, and
 inquire. If you prefer, I'll send for
 one of your old professors, and pay
 his expenses. They took a good deal of interest in the young college stu
 dent who married and neglected Jo-
 sephine Derry. They haven't forgot
 ten it, if you have"
 You don't know" he gasped, "that
 there's penalty for coming to
 peoples houses to threaten them with
 don't know that the jails are ready to l punish blackmailing. for you are only
 little girl and don't understand such
 things. give you warning. Although you are in short dresses"
 "Yes,'' remarked Fran dryly, T
 thought that would be an advantage 1 to you. It ought to make things easier.'
 How an advantage to me? Easier? ? l What have to do with you?" q thought" Fran said coldly, that I it would be easier for you to take me
 into the house as little girl than as a grown woman. You'll remember
 told you I've come here to stay"
 ITO stay!" he echoed, shrinking
 back Your"
 'Yes," she said, all the cooler for
 his attitude of repulsion. T want a
 home. Yes, I'm going to stay. I want
 to belong to somebody"
 He cried out desperately, But what
 am I to do? This will ruin me-oh, it's true, all you've said--I don't deny it. But I tell you. girl, you will ruin
 me- Is all the work of my life to be overturned? I shall go mad" No, you won't" Fran calmly as- sured him. You'll do what every one
 has to do, sooner or later--face the
 situation. You're a little late getting
 to it, but it was coming all the time.
 You can let me live here as an adopt ed orphan, or any way you please. The important fact to me is that I'm
 going to live here. But l don't want
 to make it hard for you, truly I don't"
 Don't you?" He spoke not loudly, but with tremendous pressure of de-
 sire. Then, for Gods sake, go back! Go back toto wherever you came from. I'll pay all expenses. You shall have all you want"
 All I want" Fran responded, "is a home, and that's something people
 cant buy. Get used to the thought of
 my staying here; that will make 1t easy"
 "Easy!" he calculated. "Then It's your purpose to compel me to give you shelter because of this secret you mean to ruin me. I'll not be able to account for you, and they will question-my wife will want to know, and-and others as we'll" Now, now" said Fran, with sudden gentleness, don't be so excited, don't take it so hard. Let them question. I'll know how to keep from exposing you. But do want to belong to some body, and after I've been here 8 while, and you begin to like me. I'll tell you everything. I knew the Jo- sephine Derry that you deserted-she raised me. and I know she loved you to the end. Didn't you ever care for her, not even at the first. when you got her to keep your marriage secret until you could speak to your father face to face? You must have loved her then. And she's the best friend I ever had. Since she died I've wan dered-and-snd want home" The long loneliness of years found expression in her eager voice and pleading eyes. but he was too en- grossed with his own misfortunes to heed her emotion. Didn't go back to Springneld?" he cried out ~Of course 1 did. l made inquiries for her: that's why I went back-to nnd out what had become of her. I'd been gone only three years. yes, only three | years. but, good heavens, how I had | suffered! I was so changed that no body knew me-" He paused. appalled, l at the recollection. T have always l had a terrible capacity for suffering I tell you, it was my duty to go back to find her, and went back. I would have acknowledged her as my wife. ! would have lived with her. I'd have
 done right by her, though it had killed me. Can I say more than that?" 1 T am glad you went back. said