The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-04
| FRA N

amazement, he stared at her. repeating
You will not agree to it? To what
You are unreasonable. What subjec
have l brought up?"
1T is very true that we have driftet
too far apart to be as we were in tn
beginning. But there is still somethin,
left 10 me, and this something ] shall
cling to as long as / can. | mean t
avoid the publicity, the open exposure
the shame of--of-a neglected wife"
"My God!" whispered Gregory, fall
ing back, then somebody has told yo,
about Springfield was Fran!
81 don't know what you mean," sh
returned. apparently without emotion
What / mean is, that | shall neve
consent to divorce"
"A divorce? Good heavens, Lucy
are you made Do you think wan
a separation because you disown TIL
church? What have | ever done t.
make you imagine such an absurdity !?
She answered gently, yes, it seem
| misunderstood. But you said yol
wanted me to discuss the future in
matter-of-fact way, and couldn't thin
of the future as having any other mat
ter-of-fact solution"
Gregory was holly indignant Lucy
if that is meant as an insinuatloi
against"
Mrs. Gregory raised her hand com
pellingly. DO not speak any name.
She said looking at him steadily. :
can endure much" she went on. II
a milder tone. finding him silent; :"
often wonder if many women could en-
dure as silently-but there must nevel
be a name mentioned between us.
Her manner was so unwontedly final
that he stood looking at her, not know
ing how to resume the pressing subJec
of his past They were in that SAINT
silent attitude when Grace-Noir came
in from the haH
Grace turned up the lights, and ther
OH" 1t was impossible to prevent
an unpleasant compression of the mouth
at discovering Gregory so near HI:
wife. Am / in the way? | am look
ing for company, and | heard the door
bell-please excuse mel" she added, bit
ing off the words.
"Of course YOU are not in the way,
Gregory returned desperately Com
pdny, you say. hlu you hSaiu 'N>
door-bell-is Bob Clinton" He grew
white. MY eyes are bad, for some
reason" he muttered, and switched Oh
the lights again.
How very dark you have it II
herer' said Grace reprovingly. "
course Mr.. Clinton has been shown II
the back-parlor, where it is light.
will 90 to him there, and leave yot
two" she paused irresolutely, but
neither spoke.
Grace had no sooner gone thar
Gregory with an effort found his voice
"Iucy. nv conscience has tormentec
me until it will not let me rest-abou'
YOU It's your right to know some
thing more about my life than L have
ever told" 80,
Right in there. said the maid
voice. from the hall, and Abbott Ash
ton and Robert Clinton entered ths
half light. =,
While Robert was greeting Mrs
Gregory with exaggerated pleasure, IN
order to escape facing her husband
Abbott spoke to the other with an odd
sense of meanness, as if he partook, by
mere nearness, of the others coward
ice. q wish to speak1to you for a
few minutes. Mr.. Gregory.
Gregory, like an animal brought to
bav, said, Il suppose you've some ex-
cuse about playing cards with Fran.
More important than playing cards,
Abbott returned He could not meet
the eyes of this man he had once high
" venerated-it was like beholding an
ideal Invested of imagined beauty,
shivering in the shame of its naked
ness.
Gregory fought off the inevitable
IF you refer to losing your position
at the public school"
mo. Clinton has come home from
Springfield, and we have. a matter
Its pressing business" spoke up
Robert. who all this time had been
asking Mrs. Gregory if her mother was
well. if Simon Jefferson was no worse,
if Fran was hearty. if Grace Noir was
at homeland private business
Abbott looked warnlngly at his friend
to remind him. of his promise not to
utter a word Robert, remembering,
tightly compressed his lips, and
marched over to the piano. He leaned
upon it heavily.
Il have no business Mr.. Gregory
exclaimed. in fear, that my wife need
not know"
This is" cried Robert. Then re-
membering, he struck the keys a re-
sounding chord.
Mrs. Gregory was about to leave
the room.
No. no. exclaimed Mr. Gregory,
starting to the door to intercept her,
Il want YOU to stay. I'll have no
secrets from you, Lucy. | want you
to hear what these gentlement have
to say" He glared at Abbott as il
daring him ts speak the words that
must destroy his wife's last feeble hold
on her position.
81 hope Mrs. Gregory will excuse
us" said Abbott, smiling at her as
cheerfully as he could, "but she knows
that there are matters of business that
women don't understand, or care to
learn. This is something that relates
merely to you. Mr. Gregory, and our
selves"
"Of course, | understand you, Alb
bott," said Mrs. Gregory gently, "and
Mr. Gregory is wrong to insist on my
nterrupting-women are always in the
way" She smiled, and, slipping
around Gregory, had reached the door,
when she came face to face with Grace
Noir. entering. At sight of her-for
Grace did not pause, but went over to
the piano-Mrs. Gregory apparently re-
considered, and stepped to her hus-
bands side.
so you did come" Grace said,
smiling at Robert. Shall we 60 into