Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-02-15

! gate ,H liza sa g.rt
ooh" Grace exclaimed, disagree
ably surprised. II did not know that
you play cards, Professor Ashton. Do
you also attend the dances? had
always thought OF you as one Of the
most faithful members OF the Walnut
street church--one who Is always there
when you can come-not like some
members whose names are on the
book. Surely you haven't been dane
ing and playing cards very long?"
mot for great while," responded
! Abbott, with the obstinacy of good
conscience wrongfully accused.
The secretary no longer held him
under her foot-the last icicle-prick Of
her tongue had liberated him.
| "Cnly since Fran came, am sure
she said, feeling him escaping. She
! looked at him with something like
s2orn. inspired by righteous indigna-
ton that such as he could be influ.
enced by Fran. That look wrought
havoc with the halo he had so long
blinked at, as It swung above her
head.
Does that men," he inquired, with a
steady look, that you imagine Fran
has led me into bad habits?'
Il trust the habits are not fixed,"
| rather CONTEMPORARY. II hardly
think you mean to desert the church.
and lose your position at school, for
the sake of-of that Fran"
Il hardly think so, either" returned
Abbott. And now I'd better go to
my school work." ,.
Fran is imprudent," said Mrs.
Gregory, in distress, "but her heart is
pure gold. don't know what all this
means, but when have had a talk
| with her"
Don't go, Professor Ashton" inter
posed Grace, as he started up, until
you advise me. Shall tell Mr..
Gregory? Or shall conceal it on the
assurance that 1t will never happen
again.
ABBOTT seated himself with sudden
responsiveness. Conceal it, Miss
Grace, conceal it," he urged.
| IF you will frankly explain what
happened-here before Mrs. Gregory.
80 she can have the real truth, we will
never betray the secret. But II you
can not tell everything, shall feel 1t
my duty don't know how Mrs.
Gregory feels about it-but must tell
Mr.. Gregory"
II would rather wait" said Mrs.
Gregory, 'and talk with Fran. She
will promise me anything. trust
you, Abbott; know you would never
lead my little girl into wrong doing.
She is wild and unframed, and sus-
/ pect you were trying to help her. last
night. Leave 1t all to me. will have
a good talk with Fran
And" said Abbott eagerly, III we
both solemnly promise"
! Grace bit her lip His I'VE" con-
demned him.
| II don't ask you to hide the affair
on my account" he said, holding UP
his head. 81 don't want Fran put in
an unjust light She isn't to be
judged like other people,"
oh murmured Grace, then you
think there is more than one stand
ard of right? don't. There's one
God and one right. No, can not con.
sent; what might satisfy Mrs. Gregory
might not seem best to me. No, pro-
lessor, If you feel that you can not ex-
plain what saw last night, shall feel
obliged to tell Mr.. Gregory as soon as
the choir practice ends"
Didn't Fran refuse to tell?' Abbott
temporized.
"Yes," was the skillful response;
| "but her retience must have been to
save you, for the girl never seems
ashamed of anything she does. I'M
agine she hated to get you into
trouble"
Gregory say that she trusts me-and
she is Fran's guardian. ask you to
do the same"
II must consider my conscience"
That answer closed all argument.
"You had better tell her." said Mrs.
Gregory, "for she is determined to
know"
II was taking a walk to rest my
mind Abbott said slowly, proceeding
as if he would have liked to fight his
ground inch by inch, "and it was
rather late. l was strolling about
Littleburg. Yesterday was a pretty
hard day, getting ready for commence.
ment-my mind was tired OUT
did you get your mind rested ?"
Grace permitted herself the slight re-
Taxation of sarcasm.
Eyes. At last found myself at the
new bridge that leads to the camp
meeting grounds, when ahead of me,
there was-I saw Fran. was much
surprised to find her out there. alone"
II can understand that" said Grace
quietly, "for should have been sur
prised myself
Mrs. Gregory turned upon Grace.
LET him go on" she said with flash
that petrif1ed the secretary.
when I came up to the bridge, she
was sitting there, with some cards
all alone. She had some superstition
about trying fortunes on new bridge
at midnight. and that explains the
lateness of the hour. So I persuaded
her to come home, and that is ALL"
Mrs Gregory breathed with relief
What an odd little darling!" she muir
INJURED, smiling.
What kind Of fortune was she tell
ing?" Grace asked.
whatever kind the new bridge
would give her"
ooh, then the cards stood for peo-
pie, didn't they! And the card you
dropped in the yard was your card,
of course"
"Of course"