The Detroit times., 1913-01-04
CHAPTER XIX.
The First NiciorX.

When Grace re-entercd the parlor,
tu. find Hamilton GreGoIy alone her
eyes were full % rer"oach without
tenderness He dropped his head be-
fore her ACCUSING face. but, al the
same, he felt buoyaLt relief because
she was there.
AS she came straight toward him.
an open letter in her Iand. his body
grew erect, and fiE bruNsn eyes. losing
their glazed ligh., burned from the
depths.
Read it," .Grac said. In thin brit
tie voice.
In taking the letter, Gregory touch
cd her hand. With recaptured alert
ness, he held the miss..e to the light,
ard read:
My Dear Miss hoir--
This is To officially offer you the
position OF bookkaepcr at my
grocery store, now that Hamilton
Gregory has decided TO make
Fran his secretary Come over
early in the morning and every
thing will be trraTccd to your
satisfaction. I am,
ROBERT CLINTON
Gregory locked up, and marked the
fixedness OF her gaze. 1t seemed 10
call upon him to dveng, an Insult He
could only buster. Wfo brought this
thing here?" He flung the note upon
the table.
"A messenger" Grace's lotk did
not waver.
The impudepccl" re exclaimed
The affront."
However" said Grace, Il presume
1t Is final that ] am dismissed"
But his unseemly haste in sending
this note-it's infamous, that's what
| call IT, infamous!"
And you mean TO taae Fran ~ my
lace, do you not!'
You see" Gregory explained, Bob
Clinton came back to town this even
lng from Springfield, yyu understand,
and Abbott came with him-er-and
MS. Gregory was N the room So they
could not speak exactly openly. and
Abbott made the cohdition-I can
hh.dly explain so elicate an AFFAIR OF
--ci business-bu1y you see, Bob is evil
DC ntly very much In i've with you,
and he has 1t in his power TO de-
mand-"
Grace calmly waited for the other
10 lapse into uncertain silence then
s2id, This note tells me definitely
THAI ] am offered another position. but
you tell me something II was | who
sent Mr.. Clinton - Springfield To look
into the private r,cord Cf that Fran. >"
You see" Gregory explained "he
was afraid / might think IL prcsump-
tI:ous OF him to do that, il was like
doubling my word, SO he came to me
however, he is back and there is
nothing TO reveal, abso. ltely nothing
TO reveal
is he sure that the girl is no i'm
pcstor?"
He knows she isn't. His pockets
are fun OF PROOFS | know yop sent
Fob on my account, G..ce. but alas
y: an is a reality She can't be dis
missed
1T seems can be. But of course
I am nothing
Grace, You are everything"
She laughed: Everything AT the
.vtld Of an Abbott Asht II, a disgraced
schoo-teacher, YOU make me less
tran nothing"
lie cried out in;petuoisly. Shall 1
toll YOU why we must part?"
Grace returned with somber look,
80 Fran is TO have NV place!'
Gregory interpreted Dassionat(ly, 1T
is because | love YOU.
so Fran is to be your secretary"
she persisted
Grace, you have read my heart. i
have read yours; We thought We could
associate in safety. after that-but |
am weak. You never come into lie
room that / am not thrilled with rap
ture. Life hasn't any brightness for
me except yOir presence. What can
I do but protect you?
Mr. Gregory. Fran hasn't any In
terest in your work
Il love you. Grace adore you.
Beautiful darhng-dont you see you