The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1913-12-17
o." shouted Simon JeiYei son.


down the rebellious dress. +; don't
put leads on me-" she said With con.
triton. "Ill be floating away. When
feel good. I always want to do some.
thing wrong-it's awfuily dangerous
Tor a person to feel good. I guess. Mrs.
Gregory. you say l can belong to you
when ] think about that. I want to
dance. guess you hardly
know what IL Q for Fran to be-
long to n person. You're going to tnd
out. Come on" she shouted TO Mrs.
Jefferson, without using the trumpet
always q subtle compliment to those
nearly stone-deaf. II mustn't wheel
myself about. so I'm going to wheel
you"
A she passed with her charge into
tho garden. her mind o busy with
thoughts OF Grace Noir. Belonging to
Mrs. Gregory naturally suggested get.
ting rid Of the secretary. II would
be exceedingly difficult. But two
months ought to settle her." Fran
unused.
In tho meantime. Grace Noir and
Gregory sat In the library. silently
turning out an immense amount OF
work. feeding the hungry and consoi.
Ing the weak with stroke Of pen and
click OF typewriter.
About this case. number one hun.
dred forty.three." Grace said. looking
up from her work as copyist. the
girl whose father wouldn't acknowl-
edge her . . :"
Write to the matron TO give her
good clothing and good schooling" He
spoke softly. There prevailed an at.
mosphere Of subtle tenderness: on
this island-the iibrary--biossomed
love Of mankind and devotion to lofty
ideals. These two mariners found
themselves ever surrounded b. 4 sea
OF Indifference; there was not a sail
In sight. 1T IL q sad case he muir.
INJURED.
You think number one hundred
~forty.three q sad case?" she repeated,
always. when possible. building her
next step out OF the material furnished
by her companion. But suppose she
Is an lmpostor. He says she's o his
daughter. this number one hundred
forty-three. Maybe she isn't. Would
you call her conduct sad?"
Gregory took exquisite pleasure In
arguing with Grace. because her sc.
rene assumption OF being In the right
gave to her beautiful face a touch Of
the angelic. Il should call It impos.
sible."
Impossible? DO you think It's i'm.
possible that Fran's deceiving you?
How can you know that she 10 tho
daughter OF your friend?"
He grew pale. oh. II he could have
denied F.an-if he could have Joined
Grace In declaring her an impostor!
But she possessed proofs so i~rrefu.abie
that safety lay in admitting her claim.
lest she prove more than he had al.
ready admitted. II know II. absolute.
ly. She 10 the daughter OF one who
was my most--my most intimate
friend"
Grace repeated with delicate re-
proof-"Your intimate friend!"
II know II was wrong for him TO de.
sert his wife,"
"Wrong." How inadequate seemed
that word from her pure lips!
But" he faltered, I'VE must make
allowances. My friend married Fran's
mother In secret because she was ut.
terly worldly-frivolous--a butterfly.
Her own uncle was unable TO control
her--to make her go to church. Soon
after the marriage he found on, his
mistake-it broke his heart. the trag.
edy OF It, ] don't excuse him for go.
ing away to Europe"
II am glad you don't. He was no
true man. but a weakiing. am glad
| have never been thrown with such
IA degenerate"
But, Miss Grace he urged plead.
ingly. do you think my friend, when
he went back to find her and she was
gone-do you think he should have
kept on hunting? DO you think. Grace.
h a he should have remained yoked
TO an unbeliever. after he realised his
folly?"
There was heavenly compassion In
her eyes. for suddenly she had di.
vined his purpose In defending rran's
father. He was thinking Of his own
wife. and OF his wifc's mother and
brother-how they had ceased to show
sympathy In what he regarded as the
essentials Of life. Her silence suggest.
ed that as she could not speak without
casting reflection upon Mrs. Gregory.
she would say nothing. and this tact
was grateful to his grieved heart.
II have been thinking OF something
very strange" Grace said, with a
marked effort to avoid the Issue lest
she commit the indiscretion OF blam.
ing her employers wife,. IL remem.
Der having heard you say that when
you were a young man. you left your
fathers home 70 live with a cousin In