The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1913-11-27

II she would show half AS much inter.
est in her souls welfare"
He left the sentence unfinished. The
thought OF Grace had grown supreme
1t seemed to illuminate some wide
and splendid road into n glorious fu
ture
The bookkceper's desk was in a gal.
lery near the ceiling OF the Clinton
grocery store; one looked thence,
through a picket-fencc, down upon the
only floor, Doubtless Grace, thus look.
ing, saw him coming When he reached
her side, he was breathless, partly
from the struggle through the masses,
principally from excitement OF fancicd
security.
She was posting up the ledger. and
made no sign OF recognition until he
called her name.
Mr. Clinton is not here" she said
remotely. Can | do anything for
your"
He admired her calm courtesy. n
at the same time she could have been
reserved and yielding he would have
found the impossible combination per.
feet Because II was impossible. he
was determined 10 preserve her an
Eelic purity in Imagination and to re-
store her womanly charm to actual
being.
How cay you receive me so coldly,"
he said impulsively, when I've not
seen you for wecks?"
You sec me at church." she an.
swered impcrsonally.
But | have been dying to be near
you, to talk TO you"
Stop" she held up her hand. You
should know that Mr.. Clinton and /
arc"
"Gracc!" he Rroaned.
She whispered, her face suddenly
growing pale, Are engaged" The
tete-a-tetc was beyond her supposed
strength
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? It's
a crime! Don't commit the horrible
blunder that's ruined my life See
what wretchedness 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 out OF the house to make room
for Fran. that | ought to stay single
because you married unwisely?"
Grace. don't say you are driven
out"
What do you call It? A reslgna-
tom"
"Grace!--we have only n few mo-
ments to be alone. For PHYS sake,
look at me kindly and use another
tone--a tone like the dear days when
you were by my side. We may
never be together again"
She looked at him with the same re.
pollent expression. and spoke in the
same bitter tone: We'll, suppose we're
not? You and that Fran will be to-
gether."
In his realization that It was Fran,
and Fran alone, who separated them,
Gregory passed into a state OF anger.
to which his love added recklessness.
Grace, hate me II 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 low, passionate
voice. 81 am resolved that you should
know everything. Fran-is my own
daughter"
She gave no sign save sudden
compression of the mouth: neverthe-
/ iss. her surprise was extreme. Her
mind flashed along the wires of the
past and returned illuminated to the
present ENHANCEMENT.
He thought her merely stunned, and
burst forth: Il 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 Ash.
ton hung over my head-the traitor!
after Id befriended him! All of my
ungrateful friends have conspired to
ruin me. to force you from me by this
secret. But you know It now, and I've
escaped its danger. You know IT."
And does your wife know"
Would tell her, and not tell your
It's you 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 a boy-a
mere college youth When ! realized
the awful mistake I'd made. thought
It best to go away and let her live her
own life. Years after. put all that
behind me, and came TO Littleburg