Rocky Ford enterprise., 1913-11-14
vol" shouted Simon Jefferson.

Fran widened her fingers to push
down the rebellious dress. 'If don't
put leads on me-" she said with con-
triton, I'll be floating away. When
l feel good. always want to do some
thing wrong-it's awfully dangerous
for person to feel good, l guess. Mrs.
Gregory. you say 1 can belong to you
when I think about that, want to
dance. guess you hardly
know what 1t means for Fran to be-
long to person. You're going to find
out. Come on" she shouted to Mrs.
Jefferson, without using the trumpet
always subtle compliment to those
nearly stone-deaf, II mustn't wheel
myself about, SO I'm going to wheel
you."
AS she passed with her charge into
the garden, her mind was busy with
thoughts of Grace Noir. Belonging to
Mrs. Gregory naturally suggested get
ting rid Of the secretary. 1t would
be exceedingly difficult. But two
months ought to settle her." Fran
mused.
In the meantime, Grace Noir and
Gregory sat in the library, silently
turning out an immense amount of
work, feeding the hungry and consol-
ing the weak with stroke of pen and
click of typewriter.
About this case, number one hun
dred forty-three," Grace said, looking
up from her work as copyist. the
edge her :"
Write to the matron to give her
good clothing and good schooling" He
spoke softly. There prevailed an at
mosphere of subtle tenderness: on
this island-the library-blossomed
love of mankind and devotion to lofty
ideals. These two mariners found
themselves ever surrounded by 4 sea
of indifference; there was not sail
in sight. ut is a sad case" he muir
INJURED.
You think number one hundred
forty-three a sad case?" she repeated.
always. when possible. building her
next step out of the material furnished
by her companion. But suppose she
is an impostor. He says she's not his
daughter. this number one hundred
forty-three. Maybe she isn't Would
you call ner conduct sadF
Gregory took exquisite pleasure in
arguing with Grace, because her Sc
rene assumption of being in the right
gave to her beautiful face a touch of
the angelic. 'T should call It impos-
sible."
Impossible? Do you think it's i'm
possible that Fran's deceiving you? ?
How can you know that she is the
daughter of your friend?"
He grew pale. oh. II he could have
denied Fran-if he could have Joined
But she possessed proofs SO irrefutabl
that safety lay in admitting her claim.
lest she prove more than he had al
ready admitted. 81 know 1t. absolute
ly. She is the daughter of one who
was my most-my most intimate
friend"
Grace repeated with delicate re-
proof-"Your intimate friend!"
81 know 1t was wrong for him to de-
sert his Wife"
"Wrong!" How inadequate seemed
that word from her pure lips!
But" he faltered, I'VE must make
allowances. My friend married Fran's
mother in secret because she was ut
terly worldly-frivolous- butterfly.
Her own uncle was unable to control
her-to make her go to church. Soon
after the marriage he found out his
mistake-it broke his heart, the trag-
edy of 1t. | don't excuse him for CO.
ing away to Europe"
81 am glad you don't He was no
true man. but weakling. I am glad
I have never been thrown with such
"a degenerate"
But. Miss Grace" he urged plead
ingly, do you think my friend. when
he went back to find her and she was
gone-do you think he should have
kept on hunting? Do you think. Grace.
that he should have remained yoked
| to an unbeliever. after he realized his
folly?"
There was heavenly compassion in
her eyes, for suddenly she had d.
vined his purpose in defending Fran's
father. He was thinking of his own
| wife, and of his wife's mother and
brother-how they had ceased to show
| sympathy in what he regarded us the
| essentials of life. Her silence suggest
ed that as she could not speak without
casting reflection upon Mrs. Gregory.
she would say nothing. and this tact
was grateful to his grieved heart
II have been thinking of something
| very strange" Grace said. with a
marked effort to avoid the Issue lest
she commit the indiscretion Of blam-
ing her employers wife. 81 remem-
Der having heard you say that when
| you were q young man, you left your
fathers home to live with a cousin in
distant town who happened to be q