Putnam patriot., 1913-04-11


 teen, perhaps. Her face was so strangely eloquent in It's yearning for something quite beyond his compre- hension, that he decided, then and there, to be her friend. The unsteady light prevented definite perception of her face. There was, in truth, an ele- ment of charm in all he could discern of the girl. Possibly the big hat helped to conceal or accentuate-at any rate, the effect was somewhat elfsh. AS for those great and lumi- nously black eyes. he could not for the life of him have said what he saw in them to set his blood tingling with a feeling of protecting tenderness. Pos sibIy it was her trust in him, for as he gazed into the earnest eyes of Fran, 1t was like looking into a clear pool to see oneself.
 "Nobodys little girl?" he repeated, inexpressibly touched that it should be so. What treasure somebody was denied! Are you a stranger in the town?"
 Never been here before" Fran an- swered mournfully.
 But why did you come?"
 'I came to find Hamilton Gregory"
 The young man was astonished. Didn't you see him in the tent, lead ing the choir?"
 "He has a house in town" Fran said timidly. q don't want to bother him while he is in his religion. I want to wait for him at his house. 0h," she added earnestly, If you would only show me the way"
 Just as if she did not know the wayl
 Abbott Ashton was now completely at her mercy. 50 you know Brother Gregory, do you?" he asked, as he led her over the stiles and down the wagon-road.
 Never saw him in my life," Fran replied casually. She knew how to say it prohibitively, but she purposely left the bars down, to find out if the young man was what she hoped.
 And he was. He did not ask a question. They sought the grass grown path bordering the dusty road; as they ascended the hill that shut out view of the village, to their ears came the sprightly Twentieth Century hymn. What change had come over Ashton that the song now seemed as strangely out of keeping as had the peacefulness of the April night, when he first left the tent? He felt the prick of remorse because in the midst of nature, he had so soon forgotten about souls
 Fran caught the air and softly sang We reap what we sow"
 Don't" he reproved her. Child. that means nothing to you"
 "Yes. 1t does, too." she returned, rather impudently. She continued to sing and hum until the last note was smothered in her little nose. Then he spoke: "However--it means a differ ent thing to me from what 1t means to the choir"
 He looked at her curiously, How different?" he smiled.
 "To me, it means that we really do reap what we SOW, and that If you've done something very wrong in the past-ugh! Better look out-trouble's coming. That's what the song means to me"
 And will you kindly tell me what it means to the choir?"
 Yes, I tell you what it means to the choir. It means sitting on benches and singing, after sermon; and it
 
 and 8 celebrated soloist-and then go- ing home to act as if it wasn't so."
 Abbott was not only astonished, but pained. Suddenly he had lost No body's little girl" to be confronted by an elfish spirit of mischief. He asked with constraint, Did this critical at tituGe make you laugh out, in the tent?"
 q wouldn't tell you why I laughed" Fran declared, flor a thousand dol lars. And I've seen more than that in my day"
 They walked on. He was silent, she impenetrable At last she said. in a changed voice, My names Fran. Whats yours?"
 He laughed boyishly. Mines Alb bolt"
 His manner made her laugh sympa- thetically. It was just the manner she liked best-gay, frank, and a little mischievous "Abbott?" she repeated; ; "well--is that all?"
 Ashton. And yours?"
 The rest of mine is Nonpareil- funny name, isn't it!-Fran Nonpar reiL It means Fran, the small type; or Fran who's unlike everybody else; or-Oh. there are lots of meanings to me. Some find one, some another. some never understand"
 It was because Abbott Ashton was touched that he spoke lightly:
 What a very young Nonpareil to be wandering about the world. all by yourself!"
 She was grateful for his raillery. How young do you think?"
 Let me see. Hum! You are only about" She laughed mirthfully at his air of preposterous wisdom About thirteen-fourteen, yes, you are more than h-i-ifteen, more than But take off the. enormous hat, little Nonpareil. There's no use guess ing in the dark when the moons shining"
 Fran was gleeful. All right" she cried in one of her childish tones. shrill, fresh, yibratory with the mu- sic of innocence
 By this time they had reached the foot-bridge that spanned the deep rar vine. Here the wagon-road made it's crossing of tiny stream, by slipping under the foot-bridge. some fifteen feet below. On the left lay struggling Iittleburg with it's four or five hun