The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1913-11-25

Springfield and ask the first old citt
zen you meetf Or you might wri,
to some one you used TO know, and
inquire. II you prefer. III send for
one of your old professors. and pay
his expenses. They took a good deal
OF Interest In the young co''ege stu.
dent who married and neglected 10
sephine Derry. They haven't forgot
ten IL, II you have"
you don't know" he gasped, that
there's a penalty for coming to
peoples houses to threaten them with
supposed facts In their lives. You
don't know that the jails are ready 10
punish Matchmaking. for you are only
a little girl and don't understand such
things. l give you warning. Although
you are In short dresses"
Yes" remarked Fran dryiy, II
thought that would be- an advantage
TO you. It ought to make things
easier"
How an advantage to met Easierf
What have ! TO do with your"
Il thought" Fran said coldly, that
II would be easier for you to take me
into the house az a little girl than az
q grown You'll remember I
told you I've come here 70 stay"
ITO stay!" he echoed, ~shrinkins
back. your"
YES" she said, all the cooler for
his attitude OF repulsion. Il want a
home. Yes. I'm going to stay. I want
TO belong 70 somebody"
He cried out desperately, But what
I'm I TO do? This will ruin me-oh,
It's true. all you've said don't deny
Il. But I tell you. girl. you will ruin
me. Is all the work Of my life to
be overturned shall go mad"
mo. you won't" Fran calmly as
sured him. You'll do what every one
has 10 do, sooner or iatcr-face the
situation. You're a little late getting
to IL, but II was coming all the time.
You a let me live here M an adopt
ed orphan. or any way you please.
The important fact 10 me Is that I'm
gsing to live here. But I don't want
70 make II hard for you. truly l don't"
Don't your" He spoke not loudly.
but with tremendous pressure Of do
sire. Then, for Gods sake. 90 back!
Go back TOTO wherever you came
from. I'll pay all expenses. You shalt
have all you want"
"All I want" Fran responded, els
home. and that's something people
cant buy. Get used To the thought OF
my staying here; that will make Il
easy"
Easy" he calculated. 'Then it's
4nsaR nssRNAnA 80 AaN.- 49,. 49,
you shelter because of this secret
you mean to ruin me. I'll not he able
70 account for you. and thsv will
question-my wife will want TO know.
and-and others al we'll"
Now. now" saii Fran, with sudden
gentleness, don't be SO excited, don't
take II SO hard. Let them question.
I'll know how 10 keep from exposing
you. But | do want to belong to some
body. and after I've been here .
while, and you begin to like me, III
tell you everything. knew the Jo-
sephine Derry that you deserted-shs
raised me. and I know she loved you
TO the end. Didn't you ever care for
her, not even at the FIRST, when you
got her 70 keep your marriage secret
until you could speak to YOU father
face to face? You must have loved
her then. And she's the best friend
ever had. Since she died I've wan.
dered-and-and | want a home"
The long loneliness OF years found
expression In her voice and
pleading eyes, but he was too en-
crossed with his W misfortunes to
heed her emotion. Didn't ! 20 back
TO Springfield" he cried out. "Of
course I did. I made inquiries for
her: that's why I went back-to find
out what had become OF her. I'd beer
gone only three years. yes. only three
years. but. good heavens. how | had
suffered! ! was so changed that no.
body knew me" He paused. appalled,
at the recollection. II have always
had a terrible capacity for suffering
tell you. 1t was my duty 70 go back
20 find her. and J went back. I would
have acknowledged her as my wife.
would have lived with her. I'd have
done right by her. though It had killed
me. Can ] say more than that?"
Il am glad you went back" said
Fran softly. she never knew II. !
am so glad that you did-even that
Yes. | did go back" he said. more
firmly. But she was gone. tell
you all this because you say she was
your best friend"
"A while & you asked me who ]
am-and what"
1T doesn't matter" he int~erjected
you we her friend; that is all ]
care to know. | vent back to Spring
field. after three years-but she waa
gone l was told hat her uncle had
cast her OF, and she had disappeared
II seems that she'd made friends
with a class of people who were not
who were not--respectable."
Fran's eyes shone brightly. "Oh,
they were not" she agreed, "they
were not Mt all what yop vouId anu