Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1913-11-28

AA-E L-1 = N(A0Rf
she's too fixed on thinking herself
what she isn't. Her opinion of what
she ought to be is so sure, that she
has never discovered what she really
Is. And you can't possibly hold a Sc
cret from her, if you're her friend; she
takes 1t from you as n snatches a
toy from a little child"
Abbott was still amused. HAS she
emptied me of all she wants p
yes. You have given her strong
weapons against me. and you may be
sure she'll use them to her advantage"
Fran, step back into the light-let
me e your face: are you in earnest?
Your eyes are smoldering-Oh, Fran,
those eyesl What weapons have !
given herr"
Fran set her back against the fence,
and looked at him darkly. THE secret
Of my age, and the secret of my past"
II told her neither"
"As soon as you and Mrs. Gregory
wheeled away Mrs. Jefferson" said
Fran. Il went right down from the
choir loft. and straight yer to her.
I looked her in the eye. and I asked
what you had been telling about me.
Why, you told her everything, even
that | was trying to find out whether
you and ] would ever-would ever get
married! I might as we'll say 1t, 1t
came pat enough from her-and you
toldi Nobody else knew. And you
dropped your King of Hearts over the
fence-you told her thatl And when
we were standing there at the gate.
you even tried-but no, I'll leave you
and Miss Grace to discuss such sub
jects. Here we are at the same gate,
but I guess there's not much danger,
nowi"
"Fran!" cried Abbott, with burning
cheeks, q" didn't tell her. upon my
honor l didn't. l had to admit drop
ping the card, to keep her from thinks
Ing you out here at midnight with a
stranger. She saw US in the shadow,
and guessed-that other. / didn't tell
her anything about your age. I didn't
mention the carnival company"
Fran's concentrated tones grew mild
er: But Mrs. Gregory has known
about the show all this time. She
would die before she'd tell on me-"
Il lever told, Fran. I'm not going
to say that again; but you shall be-
lieve me-"
"Of course, Abbott. But 1t just
proves what l said, about her empty
ing her friends, about taking their Sc
crets from them ever without their
knowing she's doing 1t. l said to her,
sharp and quick, What have you been
saying about me, Miss Noir?' She
said-I understand from Professor
Ashton that you are not a young girl
at all, but a ~masquerader of at least
eighteen years. l answered-Being
a m~asquerader of at least thirty-five,
you should have found hat out, your
self / hardly think she's thirty-fve;
1t wasn't a fair blow, but you have to
fight Indians In the brush. Then your
friend said, Professor Ashton informs
me that you are a circus-girl. Don't
you think you've strayed too far from
the tentr she asked. I said-'Oh, I
brought the show with me-; Professor
Ashton is my advances advertising
agent, Then she said that If I'd
leave, Mr.. Gregory need never know
that I'm an impostor. But l told her
no tickets are going to be returned.
I said-'This show absolutely takes
place, rain or shine"
Fran" said Abbott in distress, 81
want to talk this - here in
the yard where you're not SO CON
%spicuous."
"Show-girls ought to be %ccnspicu-
Gus. No, sir, l stay right here in the
glazing moonlight. 1t doesn't call for
darkness to tell me anything that is
on your mind, Professor"
Fran, you can't hold me responsible
for what Miss Grace guessed. l tell
you, she guessed everything. l was
trying to defend you-suddenly she
saw through it all. l don't know how
it was-maybe Mrs. Gregory can ex-
plain, as she's a oma You shall
not deem me capable of adding an
atom to your difficulties. You shall
feel that I'm your friend while we're
together and after we part You must
believe me when | tell you that / need
your SMILE" His voice trembled with
sudden tenderness.
She looked at him searchingly, then
her face relaxed to the eve of revo-
luton. who have you been trying
to get a glimpse of, all the times you
parade the street In front of our
house?"
Abbott declared, "You!" In mute
appeal he held out his hand.
You're a weak brother, but here"
And she slipped her hand into his.
IF she'd been in conversation with
me, / wouldn't have let her have any
presentiments. It takes talent to keep.
from telling what you know, but gen
ius to keep the other fellow from
guessing. What I hate about it is, that
the very next time you fall into her
hands, you'll be at her mercy. If I