Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1913-12-18
From you; nobody else knew it,"

"She did not learn it from me"
And that's what gets me!-you
tell her everything, and don't even
know you tell. Just hypnotized! An
swer my questions: the morning after
| told you what l meant to do-stand-
ing there at the fence by the gate
confiding in you, telling you every
thing-I say the next morning, didn't
you tell Grace Noir all about it?"
Certainly not"
Abbott tried to remember, then said
casually, 81 believe we did meet on
the street that morning"
YES" said Fran ironically, Il be-
lieye you did meet somewhere. OF
course she engaged you in her pecul-
lar style of inquisitorial conversation? ?"
we went down the street together"
Nov, prisoner at the bar, relate all
that was said while going down the
street together.
Most charming, but unjust judge,
not a word that l can remember, so it
couldn't have been of any interest. I
did tell her that since she-yes, l re-
member now-since she was to be out
Of town all day, | would wait until to-
morrow to bring her a book she want
ed to borrow"
ooh! And she wanted to know who
told you she would be out of town
all day, didn't she?"
Abbott reflected deeply, then said
with triumph, Yes, she did. She asked
me how l knew she was going to the
city with Bob Clinton. And l merely
said that it was the understanding
they were to select the church. music.
Not another word was said on the sub
ject."
That vas enough. Mighty neat. AS
soon as she saw you were trying to
avoid a direct answer, she knew I'd
told you. That gave her a clew to my
leaving the choir practice before the
rest of them. She guessed something
important was up. Well, Abbott, you
are certainly an infant in her hands,
but 1 guess you can't help it."
Self-pride was touched, and he re-
taliated; Fran, ! hate to think of
your being willing to take her posi-
ton behind her back"
She crimsoned.
You'd know how | feel about it,
he went on, "if you understood her
better. l know her duty drives her
to act in opposition to you, and I'm
sorry for it. But her religious Ideals
abbott, be honest and answers
there anything in it-this talk of do
ing Gods will? Can people love God
and hate one another? | just hate
shams," she went on, becoming more
excited. 81 don't care what fine names
you give them-whether it's marriage,
or education, or culture, or religion, il
there's no heart in it, it's a sham, and
l hate it. l hate a lie. But a thou
sand times more, do l hate a life that
is a lie."
Fran, you don't know what you are
saying"
Eyes | do know what I'm saying. Is
religion going to church? That's all ]
can see in it. | want to believe there's
something else, I've honestly searched,
for I wanted to be comforted, l tell
you, l need it. But l can't find any
comfort in mortar and s~tained-glass
windows. l want something that
makes a man true to his wife, and
makes a family live together in bles
sed harmony, something that's good
on the streets and in the stores, some
thing that makes people even treat
show-girl well. II there's anything in
it, why doesn't father
She snatched away her hand thai
she might cover her face, for she hat
burst into passionate weeping. why
doesn't a father, who's always taIkinf
about religion, and singing about it
and praying about it-why doesn't tina
father draw his daughter to his breas
close, close to his heart--that'i
the only home she asks for-that's thu
home she hasa right to, yes a right
I don't care how far she's wandered
Franz" cried Abbott, in great dis
tress. Don't cry, little onev' H,
had no intelligent word, but his arm
was full OF meaning as it slipped abou
her. Who has been unkind to you
Nonpareil?" She let her head sin
upon his shoulder, as she sobbe,
without restraint. What shams hav
pierced your pure heart? Am l tn
cause, of any Of these tears? Ain /?
! yes" Fran answered, between he