Rocky Ford enterprise., 1914-01-09

ner closer, ana StrOkeQ ner nalr Ten
derly, trusting himself.
Presently she pulled herself to
rights. lifted his arm from about her,
and rested 1t on the back of the seat
friendly compromise. Then she
shook back her hair and raised her
eyes and faint smile came into the
rosy face. I'm SO funny" she declared.
Sometimes I seem so strange that
/ need an Introduction to myself" She
looked into Abbott's eyes feetingly,
and drew in the corners of her mouth.
81 guess, after all. there's something
in religion"
Abbott was SO warmed by returning
sunshine that his eyes shone. Dear
Fran!" he said-it was very hard to
keep his arm where she had put 1t.
She tried to look at him steadily. but
somehow the light hurt her eyes. She
could feel its warmth burning her
cheeks
"oh, Fran" cried Abbott impul-
sively. "the bridge in the moonlight
was nothing to the way you look now
so beautiful-and SO much more
than Just beautiful
hiding her face. I'VE must get back
to Grace Noir Immediately"
"Oh, Fran, oh. no, pleased"
I won't please. While we're in
Sure-Enough Country. l mean to tell
you the whole truth about Grace Ncir."
The name seemed to settle the atmos-
phere-she could look at him, now.
Il want you to understand that
something is going to happen-must
happen, Just from the nature OF things.
and the nature of wives and husbands
and the other woman. Oh. you
needn't frown at me. I've seen you
look that other way at me. SO I know
you, Abbott Ashton"
Fran! Then you know that l."
mo. you must listen. You've moth
ing important to tell me that I don't
know. I've found out the whole Greg
ory history from old Mrs. Jefferson,
without her knowing that she was tell
ing anything-she's a sort of 'Profes-
sor Ashton In my hands-and ! mean
to tell you that history. You know
that, for about three years. Mrs. Greg
ory hasn't gone to church"
You must admit that it doesn't ap-
pear we'll"
Admit It? Yes, of course l must.
And the world cares for appearances.
and not for the truth. That's why 1t
condemns Mrs. Gregory-and me-and
that's why I'm afraid the school-5oard
will condemn you: just on account Of
appearances. For these past three
years. the church has meant to Mrs
Gregory a building plus Grace Noir.
/ don't mean that Mrs. Gregory got
jealous OF Grace Noir-I don't know
how to explain-you can't handle cob
webs without marring them" She
paused.
Jealous of Miss Gracel" exclaimed
Abbott reprovingly.
Lets go back. and take running
jump right into the thick of it. When
Mr.. Gregory came to Littleburg, a COM
plete stranger-and when he mar
ried, she was a devoted church.mem-
ber-always went. and took great in
terest in all his schemes to help folks
folks at distance. you understand
She just devoured that relig-
ious magazine he edits-yes. I'll ad-
nit, his religion shows up beautifully
in print: the pictures of 1t are good,
too. Old Mrs. jefferson took pride
in being wheeled to church where she
could see her son-in-law leading the
music, and where she'd watch every
gesture of the minister and catch the
sound of his voice at the high places.
where he cried and, or nevertheless.
Sometimes Mrs Jefferson could get a
httt nf dtC-
course. Then comes your Grace Noir"
Abbott listened with absorbed atten-
ton. 1t was impossible not to be in
fuenced by the voice that had grown
to mean so much to him.
Grace Noir is a person that's su-
perhumanly good, but she's not happy
in her goodness; 1t hurts her, all the
| time, because other folks are not as
good as she. You can't live in the
house with her without wishing she'd
make mistake to show herself hu-
man, but she never does, she's always
right. She's SO fixed on being a mar
tyr, that II nobody crosses her, she
Just makes herself a martyr out of
the shortcomings of Others"
"As for instance-T
"As for instance. she suffered mar
tyrdom every time Mrs. Gregory
nestled in an armchair beside the cozy
hearth. when Ladies' Aid, or a Rally
was beating its way through snow
drifts to the Walnut Street church. Mr..
Gregory was like everybody else
about Grace-he took her at her own
value, and that gave the equation: to
him. religion meant Walnut Street
church plus Grace Noir. For while.
Mrs. Gregory clung to church-going
with grim determination, but 1t wasn't
any use. The Sunday-school would
have button contests. o. the Ladies'