Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-03-01

Gregory passed into a state OF anger,
to which his love added recklessness.
Grace. hate me II you must. but you
shall not misunderstood met"
She laughed. please don't ask me
to understand you, Mr.. Gregory. while
you hide the only secret to your under
standing. Don't come to me with pre-
tended liking when what you call 'myg
terious business interests at Spring
field drive me from your door, and
keep Fran at my desk"
He interposed In a low passionate
voice. II am resolved that you should
know everything. Fran-is my own
daugL .er."
She gave no sign save sudden com.
pressi I. Of the mouth: nevertheless.
her surprise was extreme. Her mind
| flashed along the wires Of the past and
returned Illuminated to the present
entanglebent.
He thought her merely stunned,
and burst forth: ~ tell you. Fran ID
my child. Now you know why I'm
compelled to do what she wants. That's
the secret Bob brought from Spring
field. That's the secret Abbott Ashton
hung over by head--the traitor! after
I'd befriended him! All of my un-
grateful friends have conspired to ruin
me, to force you from me by this sec.
ret. But you know It now, and I've
escaped Its danger. You know it!"%
"And does your wife know"
Would I tell her, and not tell you?
It's you I've tried to shield. I mar
ried Josephine Derry, and Fran IL our
child You know Fran. Well. her
motj.er was just like her-frivolous.
caring only for things Of the world
lirreligious. And I was just boy--a
more college youth. When realized
the awful mistake I'd made. thought
1t best just to 90 away and let her live
her own life. Years after. put all
that behind me, and came to Little
burg. I married Mrs. Gregory and
wanted to put all my past life away
clear away-and live a good open life.
Then you came. Then I found out I'd
never known what love meant. II
means fellowship of souls. love does:
/ it has nothing to do with the physical
man. It means just your soul and
mine and it's too 1ate!"
Grace. with hands locked upon her
open ledger. stared straight before her.
as II turned to stone. The little
fenced-in box. hanging high above
eager shoppers, was as a peaceful
haven in a storm Of raging noises.
From without, gusts of merriment
shrioked and whistled, while above
them doomed the raucous cries Of
showmen, drowned in their turn by the
Iindefatigable Grassland, The atmos-
phere Of the bookkeeper's loft was =
wedge of silence, splitting solidarity
Of tumult
Gregory covered his face with his
hands. do you despise me, you pure
angel of beauty? Oh, say you don't
utterly despise me. I've not breathed
this secret to any living soul but you.
you whom love with the madness Of
despair. My heart is broken. Tell me
what I can do"
At last Grace spoke In thin tone:
"Where Is that woman"
'"Fran's mother?"
She did not reply; he ought to know
whom she meant.
"She died a few years ago-but l
thought her dead when l married Mrs.
Gregory. didn't mean any wrong
to my wife, wanted everything legal,
and supposed 1t was. thought every
thing was all right until that awful
light-when Fran came. There'd been
no divorce, 30 Fran kept the secret
not on my account, oh, no, no, not on
her fathers account! She gave me no
nsideration. 1t was on account OF
Mrs. Gregory"
(Which Mrs. Gregory"
"You knOw-Mrs. Gregory"
Can you believe that?" Grace asked
with a chilled smile. "You believe
Fran really cares for your wife? You
think any daughter could care for the
woman who has stolen her mothers
rightful placer"
'But Fran won't have the truth de-
clared: II It weren't for her, Bob would
have told you long ago"
Suppose I were In Fran's place
would I have kept the secret to spare
man or woman? No! Fran doesn't
care a penny for your wife. She
couldn't. It would be mOnstrous--tin-
natural. But she's always hated mo.
That's why she acts as she does-to
triumph over me. see 1t all. That -
the reason she won't have the ruth
|declared-she doesn't want me to
know that you are-are free
Grace started up from the desk, her
face deathly white. She was totterinE.
/ but Gregory would have leaped to her
side, she whispered, "They would SEQ
u.s." Suddenly her face became Grim
son. He caught his breath. speechless
before her imperial 1oveliness.
"Mr. Gregory" her eyes were burn
ing into his, "have you told me all the
secret?"
| "Yes-all."
"Then Mr.. Clinton deceived mel"
"He agreed to hide everything, II
I'd send you away"
ooh, I see! So even he 10 one OF
Fran's allies Never mind-did you
say that when you married the second
time, your first wife was living, and
had never been divorced?"
But Grace-dear Grace! thought
| it all right I believed"
She did not seem to hear him. Then
she is not your wife" she said in low
whisper.
|