Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1913-06-20

AAcs aio 81 mdHNeiOusly --Sr--Uu
friendly"
I'm glad you ended up that way.
Now look me in the eyes. Suppose
you should see the school-board sail
ing down the road, Miss Sarphira.
| thrown in. What would you do?"
What should l dot"
Hide. ] suppose" said Fran, sud
denly rippling
Then you look me In the eyes and
listen to me-" he said impressively.
Weigh my words-have you scales
strong enough"
Put 'em on slow and careful"
Il am not Mr.. Chameleon for | show
my true color. And am a real friend.
10 matter what kind of tree am
He paused. cropping for a word.
"Up?" she suggested, with a sudden
,chuckle. "All right-let the school
board come. But you don't seem sur
prised to see me here in the buggy
without Mr. Simon
When Mr.. Simon comes he'll find
me right here" Abbott declared.
fran, please don't be always showing
you laugh at peoples standards, they
think you queer-and you can't mag
inc just how much you are to me-"
HUH" Fran shifted. I'D hate to
be anybody's friend and have my
friendship as little use as yours has
been to me-
He was deeply wounded. 1--WE tried
to give good advice"
81 don't need advice. want help in
carrying out what / already know"
Her voice vibrated You're afraid of
losing your position If you have any
thing to do with me. OF course I'm
queer. Can l help it, when | have
no real home, and nobody cares
whether l go or stay?"
you know / care, Fran
Fran caught her lip between her
teeth as if to hold herself steady. ooh,
| let's drive she said recklessly, strik-
| ing at the dashboard with whip, and
| shaking her hair about her face till
| she looked the elfish child he had first
| known.
"Fran, you know l ,care-you know
It,"
We'll drive into Sure Enough
| Country" she said with a half-smile
showing on the side of her face next
him. Whoa! Here we are. All who
/ live in 6ure-Enouxh Country are sure
| enough people-whatever they say is
true. Goodness" She opened her
eyes very wide-'1t's awful dangerous
to talk in Sure-Enough Country" She
put up her whip and folded her
hands.
I'm glad we're here, Fran, for you
have your friendly look"
That's because / really do like ysu
Let's talk about yourself-how you ex-
pect to be what you'll be- you're moth
ing yet, you know, Abbott; but how
did you come to determine to be some
thing?"
Into Abbott's smile stole something
tender and sacred. at was all my
mother" he explained simply "She
died before / received my state GER
tificate, but she thought I'd be great
man-so / am trying for it,
and she'll never know" Fran
lamented
She slipped her hand .nto his.
Didn't l have a mother? Oh, these
mothers! And who can make mother
wishes come true? Well! And you
just studied with all your might; and
you'll keep on and on, till you're
out of my reach. of course. Which
would have suited your mother, too"
She withdrew her hand.
My mother would have loved YOU
he declared, for he did not understand,
SO well as Fran. about mothers liking
for strange young ladies' who train
lions.
Mine would you," Fran asserted,
with more reason.
Abbott, conscious of a dreadful emp
tiness, took Fran's hand again. "I'll
never be out of your reach, Fran"
She did not seek to draw away, but
said, with dark meaning, Remember
the bridge at midnight
Il remember how you looked, with
the moonlight silvering your face-you
were just beautiful that night. little
Nonpareil."
MY chin is SO sharp" she muir
INJURED.
yes" he said, softly feeling the
warm little fingers, one by one, as if
to make sure all were there. That's
the way like it--skarp'
And I'm so ridiculously thin"
You're nothing like so thin as
when you first came to Littleburg,"
he declared. I've noticed how you
are-have been--I mean -
Filling out?" cried Fran gleefully.
ooh, yes. and I'm so glad you know,
because since I've been wearing long
dresses, I've been afraid you'd never
find 1t out, and would always be think
ing of me as you saw me at the be-
ginning. But I am-yes-filling out"
And your little feet. Fran"
Eyes, always had a small foot
But let's get off OF t.is subject"
Not until I say something about
your smile-oh. Fran. that smile."
THE subject. now" remarked Fran,
NATURALLY returns to Grace Noir."
Please. Franz"
"Yll tell you why you hurt my feel
ings. Abbott You've disappointed me
twice. oh, If were a man, I'd show
any meek-faced little hypocrite If she
could prize secrets out of me. Just
because IL wears dresses and long hair,
you think IL an angel"
Meaning Miss Grace, ! presume7"
remarked Abbott dryly. But what is
the secret, this timer"
Didn't trust you with the secret