Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1914-01-16

despair. My heart Is broken. Tell
me what I can do"
At last Grace spoke In a thin tone:
where is that woman?"
Trans mother?"
She did not reply; he ought to know
whom she meant.
"She died a few years ago-but I
thought her dead when I married Mrs.
Gregory. l didn't NEAR any wrong
to my wife, I wanted everything legal,
and supposed it was. I thought every
thing was all right until that awful
n~ight-when Fran came. There'd been
10 divorce, so Fran kept the secret
not on my account. oh. no. no. not on
her fathers account! She gave me
no consideration. It was on account
of Mrs. Gregory"
(which Mrs. Gregory"
you know-Mrs. Gregory"
"Can l believe that?" Grace asked,
with q 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; if it weren't for her, Bob would
have told you long ago."
Suppose l were in Fran's place
would l have kept the secret to spare
man or woman? No! Fran doesn't
care a penny for your wife. She
couldn't. 1t would be monstrous-un-
natural. But she's always hated me.
That's why she acts as she does-to
triumph e me. l see it all. That.
is the reason she won't have the truth
declared-she doesn't want me to
know that you = Free"
Grace started up from the desk, her
face deathly white. She was totter-
ing, but when Gregory would have
leaped to her side, she whispered,
"They would see u.s." Suddenly her
face became crimson. He caught his
breath, speechless before her imperial
loneliness.
"Mr. Gregory" her eyes were burn
ing into his, have you told me all the
secret?"
"Yes-all."
"Then MIR. Clinton deceived met"
HE agreed to hide everything, If
I'd send you away"
ooh, / seel So even he is 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 Gracel I thought
1t all right. l believed
She did not seem to hear him.
"Then she is not your wife," she said
In a low whisper.
"She believes"
"She b~elievesi" Her voice rose
scornfully. And so that is the fact
Fran wanted hidden; you are not real
ly bound to Mrs. Gregory"
mot legally-but-"
"In what way, Them"
"Why, in no regular way-I mean
but don't you see, there could be no
marriage to make it binding, without
telling her"
"You are not bound at ALL" Grace in
terrupted. you are free-as free as
air-as free as I am. Are you deter
mined not to understand me? Since
you are free, there is no obstacle, in
Heaven or on earth, to your wishes
His passage from despair to sudden
hope was so violent that he grasped
the desk for support. "What?-Then
-You-you-Grace, would you = But
-"
"You are Free" said Grace, land
since Mr.. Clinton's treachery, / dc
not consider myself bound"
"Gracei" he cried wildly, Grace
star of my soul-go with me. go with
me, fly with me In a week-darling
Let us arrange it for tomorrow
mo. l will not go with you, unless
you take me now"
Now? Immediately? he gasped
bewildered.
without once turning back" she
returned. There's a train in some
thing like an hour"
For ever?" He was delirious
"And you are to be mine-Grace, you
are to be mine-my very own!"
Eyes. But you are never to SEE
Fran again."
"Do 1 want to see her again? Blu
Grace, If we stay here until train
time, Bob will come and-er-and fine
u.s. don't want to meet Bob"
Then let us go. There are sucl
crowds on the streets that we can cas-
lily lose ourselves"
Bob will hunt for you, Grace, il
he gets back with Abbott before oul
train leaves. Miss Sapphire said she
was looking for him any minute, ant
that was a good while ago."
IF you can't keep him from finding
me-" Grace said, "let him find. / dc
not consider that I am acting in the
wrong. This is the beginning of ouI
lives" she finished, with sudden Joy
"And if Bob sees me with you, Grace
after what he knows, you can guess
that something very unpleasant