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

Iif you're her friend; she takes II from
you a. one snatches toy from lit
tie child"
Abbott was still amused. "Ias she
emptied me of all she wantsf"
Eyes. You have given her strona
weapons against me, and you may BE-
sure she'll use them to her advantage
Fran, step back into the light--let
me see your face; are you In earnest?
Your eyes are smoldering-Oh, Fran,
those eyes! What weapons have J
given her?'
Fran set her back against the fence,
and looked at him darkly. Now and
then some one passed. with q curious
look, and constrained greeting--for n
Littleburg every one was known. THE
secret Of my age, and the secret Of
my past
II told her neither
"As soon as you and Mrs. Gregory
wheeled away Mrs. Jefferson" said
Fran. Il went right down from the
choir loft. and straight over to her.
looked her in the eye, and asked
what you had been telling about me.
Why. you told her everything. even
that was trying to find out whether
you and I would ever--would ever get
married! might as we'll say 1t, It
came pat enough from her--and you
told! Nobody else knew. And you
dropped your king Of hearts over the
fence-you told her that! And when
we we're standing there at the gate.
you even tried-but no, I'll leave you
and Miss Grace to discuss such sub
fleets. Here we are at the same gate.
but I guess there's not much danger,
now!"
FRAN" cried Abbott, with burning
cheeks, II didn't tell her. upon my hon
or didn't. had to admit dropping
the card. to keep her from thinking
you out here at midnight with .
and guessed-that other. didn't tell
mention the carnival company"
Fran's concentrated tones grew
milder: But Mrs. Gregory has known
about the show all this time. She
would die before she'd tell on me-"
| II never told, Fran. I'm not going
to say that again; but you shall be-
lieve me-
"Of course, Abbott But 1t just
proves what said, about her empty
ing her friends, about taking their
secrets from them even without their
knowing she's doing 1t. I said to her
sharp and quick, What have you been
saying about me, Miss Noir?' She
| said--I understand from Professor
| Ashton that you are not young girl
at ALL but a masquerader OF at least
eighteen years. answered-'Being
masquerader of at least thirty-five, you
should have found that out, yourself
hardly think she's thirty-fve It
wasn't fair blow, but you have to-
| fight Indians in the brush. Then your
friend said, Professor Ashton informs
me that you are a circus girl. Don't
you think you've strayed too far from
the tent?' she asked said-'Oh, l
brought the show with me; Professor
Ashton Is my advance advertising
agent Then she said that II I'd
leave, Mr.. Gregory need never know
that I'm an impostor. But I told her
no tickets are going to be returned. !
said-'This show absolutely takes
place, rain or shine"
i Fran" said Abbott In distress, Il
want to talk this overcome here In
the yard where you're not 80 con.
spicuous."
"show girls ought to be conspicuous.
No, sir, stay right here In the glar.
ing moonlight. It doesn't call for
darkness to tell me anything that Is on
your mind, professor" #
Fran, you can't hold me response
BILE for what Miss Grace guessed. 4
tell you, she guessed everything. i
was trying to defend you-suddenly
she saw through 1t all. didn't know
how 1t was-maybe Mrs Gregory can
explain, as she's a woman. You shall
not deem me capable of adding m
atom to your difficulties. You shall
feel that I'm your friend while we're
together and after we part You must
believe me when tell you that need
your SMILE" His voice trembled with
sudden tenderness. you must accept
what say az the greatest fact In my.
life-that I can't be happy, II you are
angry with me-" s..
She looked at him searchingly, then
her face relaxed to the eve Of revolu-
ton. who have you been trying to
get glimpse OF, all the times you
parade the street in front of our
house?"
| Abbott declared, "You!" In mute
appeal he held out his hand.
| You're 4 weak brother. but here =
And she slipped her hand into his. "If
she'd been in conversation with me, I
wouldn't have let her have any pre-.
sentiments. It takes talent to keep
from telling what you know, but genius
to keep the other fellow from guess.
ing. What hate about 1t 10, that the
very next time you fall into her hands,
you'll be at her mercy. II told you
q scheme I've been devising, she'd
take it from you in broad daylight. She
can always prove she's right, because
she has the verse for it-and to deny
her Is to deny inspiration. And II she
had her way-she thinks I'm sort
of dissipation-there'd be national
prohibition of Fran" @
/ If there were national prohibition
of Fran. I'd be the first to smugglo
you In somehow, little Nonpareil.
do believe that Miss Grace Is the most
conscientious person ever knew, ex.
cept Mr.. Gregory. Just the same, I'm
your friend. Isn't 1t something for me
to have taken you on trust as have.
| from the very beginninRw