Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-02-04


He paused wretchedly, seeing no out.
look, no possible escape. Something
must be told--not lie. but possibly
not all the truth: that would rest
with Fran. He was as much In her
power as If she, herself, had been the
effect of his sin.
He opened the door. and walked
with heavy step into the hall. Mrs.
Gregory followed. wondering. looking
rather at Fran than at her, husband.
Fran's keen eyes searched tie apart
ment for the actual source of Hamil-
ton Gregcry's acutest regrets.
Yes, there stood the secretary.
CHAPTER VII.
A Family Conference.
With the coming of the rain, the
peals of thunder had grown less
violent, and the wind had fallen; but
those who had sought the reception
room for safety found In Fran's
presence something as startling, and
as incomprehensible, as the most vivid
lightning. -...
or the group, 1t was the secretary
who first claimed Fran's attention. In
way, Grace Noir dominated the
place. Perhaps it was because of her
splendidly developed body, her beauty,
her attitude of unclaimed yet recog-
nized authority. that she stood dis
tinctly first. ~
AS for Mrs Gregory, her mild aloof-
ness suggested that she hardly be-
longed to the family. Hamilton
Gregory found himself instinctively
turning to Grace, rather than to his
wife. Mrs. Gregory's face did. indeed,
ask why Fran was there; but Grace,
standing at the foot of the stairs, and
looking at Gregory with memory OF
her recent dismissal, demanded ex-
plantations.
Mrs. Gregorys mother. confined by
paralysis to a wheel-chair, fastened
upon the new conner eyes whose
brightness seventy years or more had
not dimmed. The group was COM
pleted by Mrs. Gregorys bachelor
brother. older than his sister by iii.
teen years. This brother, Simon JET.
ferson, though stockily built and evi.
IDENTIFY well-fed, wore an air of lassi-
tude, as If perennially tired As he
leaned back in hall chair he seemed
the only one present who did not care
why Fran was there.
Gregory broke the silence by clear
ing his throat with evident embarrass-
ment. A peal of thunder offered him
reprieve, and after it's reverberations
had died away, he still hesitated.
This" he said presently. "is a-the
orphan-an orphan one who has
come to me from-She says her name
is Frances
Fran" came the abrupt correction;
lust Fran"
There was general feeling that an
orphan should speak less positively,
even about her own name-should be,
as it were, subdued from the mere
fact of orphanhood.
"An orphan" Simon jefferson
calculated, moving restlessly in his ef-
fort to find the easiest corner of his
chair. Il hope nothing is going to ex-
cite me. I have heart disease, little
girl and I'm liable to topple off at any
moment. tell you, must not be ex-
cited"
II don't think" replied Fran, with
cheerful interest in his malady, that
orphans are very exciting"
Hamilton Gregory resumed,
SduIlOu5ly SIcPPluS OScI udA6olOuS
ground. while the others looked at
Fran. and Grace never ceased to look
at him. "She came here tonight, after
the services at the big tent She came
here, and. or should say, to request,
to ask--Mlss Grace saw her when she
came. Miss Grace knew of her being
here" He seized upon this fact as If
to lift himself over pitfalls.
Grace's eyes were gravely judicial.
She would not condemn him unheard,
but at the same time she would let
him see that her knowledge OF Fran
would not help in his case. 1t did not
surprise Mrs. Gregory that Grace had
known Of the strange presence; the
secretary usually knew of events be-
fore the rest OF the family.
Gregory continued. delicately pick
ing his way: But the child asked to
see me alone, because she had spe-
cial message-a- yes. a message to
deliver to me. So asked Miss Grace
to leave us for half an hour. Then I
heard the girls story. while Miss
Grace waited upstairs"
We'll" Simon Jefferson interposed
irritably, Miss Grace Is accounted
LOT. 70 On, DrOkHSI-lH-ldW, 30 OH, IL we
must have It,"
"The fact is, Lucy" Gregory at
this point turned to his wife for at
certain odd moments he found real re-
lief in doing so-the fact is-the fact
is. this girl Is the-er-daughter Of
Of very old friend Of mine-a friend
who was-was friend years ago,
long before I moved to Littleburg,
long before saw you. Lucy. That was
when my home was In New York. I
have told you all about that time Of
my youth, when I lived with my
father in New York. Well, before my
father died, I was acquainted with -
this friend. owed that person great
debt, not of money! debt of-what
shall I say2"
Fran suggested, Honor
Gregory mopped his brow while all
looked from Fran to him. He resumed
dnSnerat pIv. "T owed great debt tn