Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1914-02-05

t.ilntonS Keen jealous gaZe-one OF
those happenings In the soul, which,
however ~momentous, passes unob-
served in the midst of the throng.
mot so fast!" Grace cautioned
Gregory. "We must wait up here till
the very last-don't you see Mr.. Gin
ton? And Simon Jefferson is now
pointing us out. We can't go down
that way"
wei" Gregory harshly echoed.
1--WE! l have nothing to do with you,
Grace Noir. Go to him, If you will"
Grace turned ashen pale. What do
you mean?" she stammered. you tell
me to go to Mr.. Clinton?"
II tell you to go where you please.
That girl yonder is my daughter, do
you understand? Don't hold me back!
shall go to her and proclaim her as
my child to the world. Do you hear
me? That's my Franz"
Grace shrank back in the suspicion
that Hamilton Gregory had gone mad
like the rest of the crowd. do you
NEAR that you never want to see me
again? Do you mean that you want
me to marry Mr.. Clinton?"
Il do not care what you do" he
said, still more roughly.
"You do not care?" she stammered,
bewildered. what has happened?
You do not care-for me?"
She looked deep into his eyes, but
found no incense burning there. The
shrine was cold.
"Mr. Gregory! And after all that
has passed between us? After | have
given you my--myself2"
Gregory seized her arm, as If to hold
her off. His eyes we're burning dan
gerously: Il saw murder in your heart
while you were watching Fran" he
whispered fiercely. That's my daugh-
ter, do you understand? l know you
now, | know you now. /"
Grace stared after him with blood
less cheeks and smoldering eyes.
Clearly, she decided, the, sight Of
Fran's fearful danger had unbalanced
his mind. But how could he care SO
much about that Fran? And how
could he leave her, knowing that Rob.
ert Clinton was beginning to climb
upward with eyes fastened upon her
face?
But it was not the sight Of FranAs
danger that had for ever alienated
Gregory from Grace Noir. In an in
slant, she had stood revealed to him
as an ~unlovely monster. His sensitive
nature, always abnormally alive to out.
ward impressions, had thrilled re-
sponsively to the %exultation of the au'
dience. He had endured the agony of
suspense, he had shared the universal
enthusiasm. If, in a sense, he vas a
series Of moods, each the result of
blind impulse, it SO happened that
Grace's hiss-"It's the hand Of God"
turned his love to aversion; she was
appealing as a justification Of person
al hatred, to the God they we're both
~betraying.
Grace began to tremble as she
watched Robert Clinton coming up,
and Hamilton Gregory descending.
She had trusted foolishly to a broken
reed, but it was not too late to pre-
serve the good name she had been
about to besmirch. The furnace-heat
in which rash resolves are forged, was
cooled. Gregory had deserted Fran's
mother; he was false to Mrs. Gregory;
he would perhaps have betrayed Grace
in the end; but Clinton a at hand,
and his alteration would endure.
In the meantime, the voice Of Fran
was to be heard above that OF the
happy crowd: Il love you all. You
helped me do it. l should certainly
have been mangled but for you per
feet heroes. Yes, thank you.
Yes, / feel fine. . And, oh, men
and women, / could just feel your
spirits holding mine up till | was SO
high was in the clouds. That's what
subdued Samson. He knew / wasn't
afraid. He knew it! And I wanted ia
win out for your sakes as well as my
own-yes l did! Thank you men
Thank you, women.
Well, il here aren't the children, too
bless your brave hearts! And
is that your baby? My goodness, ant
what a baby 1t is! No, I'm moi
a bit tired"
She stopped suddenly, on feeling
crushing grip. She looked down, Q
frown forming on her brow. but the
sun shone clear when she saw Abbott
Ashton. She gave him a swift look, al
IL to penetrate his inmost thoughts.
CTo BE CONTINUED)