Putnam patriot., 1913-05-09

any excuse"
 "Oh, Miss Grace, If my wife were only-like you-I mean, about going to church."
 'I consider it," she responded, the most important thing in the world" Her emphatic tone proved her sin- cerity. The church on Walnut street stood, for her, as the ark; those who remained outside, at the call of the bell, were in danger of engulfment
 After a long silence, Grace looked up from her typewriter "Mr. Greg ory," she said pausingly, you are un- happy"
 Nothing could have been sweeter to him than her sympathy. except happi- ness itself. "Yes," he admitted, with great sigh, "I am very unhappy, but you understand me, and that is little comfort If you should marry Bob Clinton-Grace, tell me you'll not think of it again"
 And you are unhappy" said Grace, steadfastly ruling Bob Clinton out of the discussion, "on account of Fran"
 He burst forth mpulsively-'Ever since she came to town." He checked himself. But I owe it to my friend to shelter her. She wants to stay and and she'll have to, if she demands it."
 Do you owe more to your dead friend" Grace asked, with passionate solemnity, than to the living God?"
 II1 rI- 11~ her away" he persisted in nervous haste. q can't. But heaven bless you, Grace, for your dear thought of me-"
 You will bless me with more req son." said Grace softly, when Fran decides to go away. She'll tire of this house. promise it. She'll go-just wait!-sheIl go, as unceremoniously as she came. Leave it to me. MT. Greg ory." In her earnestness she started up, and then, as if to conceal her growing resolution, she walked swiftly to the window as if to hold her manu- script to the light Gregory followed her.
 "If she would only so!" he groaned. Grace! Do you think you could?- Yes. will leave everything to you"
 She'll go." Grace repeated ixedly.
 The window at which they stood overlooked the garden into which Fran had wheeled old Mrs. Jefferson. z Fran, speaking through the ear trumpet with as much caution as deaf ness would tolerate, said. Dear old lady, look up at the library window, if you please, for the muezzin has climbed his minaret to call to prayers"
 Very little of this reached its desti- nation-muezzin was in great danger of complicating matters, but the old lady caught library window" and held 1t securely. She looked up. Ham, ilton Gregory and Grace Noir were standing at the tower window, to catch the last rays of the sun. The flag of truce between them waA only a typewriter sheet of manuscript, Grace held the paper obliquely toward the west; Hamilton leaned nearer and, with his delicate white finger, pointed out a word. Grace nodded her head in gentle acquiescence.
 Amen" muttered Fran. ''Now let everybody sing!"
 The choir leader and his secretary vanished from sight.
 "Just like the play in Hamlet" Fran said half-aloud. And now that the inside play is over, I guess it's time for old Ham to be doing something"
 Mrs. Jefferson gripped the arms of her wheel-chair and resumed her tale, ho hod Af fptnrr1Intn6 n was of no interest as story, yet pos sessed sentimental value from the fact that all the characters save the raconteur were dead, and possibly all but her forgotten. Fran loved to hear the old lady evoke the shades of long ago, shades who would never again assume even the palest manifestation to mortals, when this old lady had gone to join them.
 Usually Fran brought her back. with gentle hand, but today she di- vined subterfuge; the tale was meant to hide Mrs. Jefferson's real feelings. Fran ventured through the trumpet:
 q wish there was man-secretary on this place, instead of a woman. And let me tell you one thing, dear old soldier-there's going to be fight put up on these grounds. l guess you ought to stay out of it. But either I or the secretary has got to git"
 Fran was not unmindful of gram mar. even of rhetoric, on occasion. She knew there was no such word as "git." but she was seeking to symbol ize her idea in sound. AS she closed her teeth. each little pearl meeting pearly rival, her "git" had something of the force of physical ejectment.
 Behind large spectacle lenses. sparks flashed from Mrs. Jefferson.s eyes. She sniffed battle. But hers tightly compressed lips showed that she lacked both Trans teeth ana Fran's intrepidity. One steps eau tiousiy at seventy-odd.
 Fran comprehended. The old iady must not let it be suspected that she was aware of Gregory's need Of cotton fin straining ears, such as had saveo TTlvsses from siren voices. The pre- tense of observing no danger kept the fne old face uncommonly grim.
 Little girls shouldn't fight" was her discreet rejoinder. Then leaning over the wheel. she advanced her snow-white head to the head Of coal h,ack Better not stir up dragons.
 Fran threw back her head ana laughed defantly. Bring on your dr.ron..s she cried boastfully. There's not one of 'em I'm afraid or She extended one leg and stretched forth her arm. 'I1l say to the Dragon, .c,.nd up'--and she'll stand; I'll say sov,r,-and down she'll lie. I'll