The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1913-08-14

brother a fresh interest in life
Old Mrs, Jefferson beamed upon
Fran and added her commentator:
"She pushes me when want to be
pushed, and pulls me when l want to
be pulled
Fran clapped her hands like child,
indeed "Oh, what a gay old world! .
she cried. There are SO many people
in it that like me-" She danced before
the old lady, then wheeled about with
such energy that her skirts threat
ened to level to the breeze.
Don't, don't" cried Mrs. Gregory
precipitately. "Fran!"
"Bravo!" shouted Simon Jeffe1 son.
"Encore!"
Fran widened her fingers to push
down the rebellious dress. IF | don t
put leads on me" she said with con-
triton, I'll be floating away When
| feel good l always want to do some
thing wrong-it's awfully dangerous
for person to feel good, guess. Mrs.
Gregory, you say l can belong to you
when | think about that, l want to
dance. l guess you hardly
know what it means for Fran to be-
long to person. You're going to find
out Come on" she shouted to Mrs.
Jefferson, without using the trumpet
always a subtle compliment to those
nearly stone-deaf, Il mustn't wheel
myself about, SO I'm going to wheel
YOU"
AS she passed with her charge into
the garden. her mind was busy with
thoughts OF Grace Noir. Belonging to
Mrs. Gregory naturally suggested get
ting rid of the secretary. 1t would
months ought to settle her." Fran
unused.
In the meantime, Grace Noir and
Gregory sat in the library, silently
turning out an immense amount of
work, feeding the hungry and consol-
ing the weak S'itn stroke of pen and
click of typewriter
About this case, number one hum
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 library-blossoyned
love of mankind and devotion to lofty
ideals. These two mariners found
themselves ever surrounded by j sea
of Indifference; there was not a sail
in sight. ut is sad case" he muir
INJURED.
you think ndmber one hundred
forty-three a sad case?" she repeated,
always, when possible, building her
next step out of the material furnished
by her companion. "But suppose she
is an impostor. He says she's not ais
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 81 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 is the
daughter of your friend?"
He grew pale. Oh, if he could have
denied Fran-if he could have joined
Grace in declaring her an impostor!
But she possessed proofs so irrefutable
that safety lay in admitting her claim,
lest she prove more than he had al
ready admitted. Il know it, absolute
ly. She is the daughter of one who
was my most-my most intimate
friend"
Grace repeated with delicate re-
proof-"Your intimate friend!"
81 know it was wrong for him to de-
sert his wife"
"Wrong!" How inadequate seemed
that word from her pure lips!
But he faltered, 1--WE must make
allowances. My friend married Fran's
mother in secret because she was ut
terly neutrality-suspicious. butterfly.
Her own uncle was unable to control
her-to make her go to church. Soon
after the marriage he found out his
mistake-it broke his heart, the trag-
edy Of it. | don't excuse him for 60
ing away to Europe
Il am glad you don't. He was no