The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1914-01-16

"
If she would show half as much inter
est in her souls welfare"
He left the sentence unfinished. The
thought of Grace had grown supreme
it seemed to illuminate some p6de
and splendid road into glorious flu
ture.
The bookkeeper's desk was in gal.
lery near the ceiling of the Clinton
grocery store; one looked thence,
through picket-fence, down upon the
only floor. Doubtless Grace, thus look
ing, saw him coming When he reached |
her side, he was GREATNESS, partly |
from the struggle through the masses,
principally from excitement of fancied |
security.
She was posting up the ledger, and |
made no sign of recognition until he
called her name.
"Mr. Clinton is not here" she said
remotely, Can l do anything for
you?"
He admired her calm courtesy. If
at the same time she could have been
reserved and yielding he would have
found the impossible combination per-
feet. Because it was impossible, he
was determined to preserve her an
gelic purity in imagination, and to re-
store her womanly charm to actual
being.
How can you receive me so coldly,"
he said impulsively, when I've not
seen you for weeks?"
'You see me at church." she an
swered impersonally.
"But have been dying to BIO near
you, to talk to you"
"Stop!" she held up her hand. you
should know that Mr.. Clinton and |
are"
"Grace!" he groaned.
She whispered, her face suddenly
growing pale, Are engaged" The
tete.a.tete was beyond her supposed
strength.
Engaged" he echoed, as If she had
pronounced one of the worlds great
tragedies. "Then you will give your
self to that man-yourself, Grace, that
beautiful self-and without love? It's
crime Don't commit the horrible
blunder that's ruined my life. See
what wretchedness has come to me"
"Then you think" very slowly, that
ought to let Fran ruin my whole life
because your wife has ruined yours !?
Then you think that after have been
driven out of the house to make room
for Fran, that ought to stay single
because you married unwisely?"
Grace, don't say you are driven
out"
What do you call it? A resigna-
tion?"
"Grace!-we have only a few.=mo-
ments to be alone. For PHYS sake,
look at me kindly and use another
tone-a tone like the dear days when
you were by my side. :. We may
never be together again"
She looked at him with the same re-
pellent expression, and spoke in the
same bittsr tone: We'll, suppose we're
not? You and that Fran will be to
gether."
In his realization that it was Fran
and Fran alone, who separated them
Gregory passed into state of anger
to which his love added recklessness
"Grace, hate me il you must, but you
shall not misunderstood mel"
She laughed. please don't ask me
to understand you, Mr.. Gregory, while
you hide the only secret to your TN
derstanding. Don't come to me viii
pretended liking when what you cal
mysterious business interests al
Springfield drive me from your door
and keep Fran at my desk
He interposed in low, passionate
voice. 81 am resolved that you should
know everything. Fran-is my owl
daughter"
She gave no sign save suddeI
compression of the mouth; neVefthe
less, her surprise was extreme He
mind flashed along the wires OF thu
past and returned illuminated to thu
present ENHANCEMENT.
He thought her merely stunned, ant
burst forth: 81 tell you, Fran is m.
child. Now. you know why I'm com
PEELED to do what she wants. That
the secret Bob brought from Spring
field. That's the secret Abbott Ash
ton hung over my head-the traitor
: after I'd befriended him! All OF M
;. ungrateful friends have conspired T
n ruin me, to force you from me by, thi
secret. But you know it now, and "
], escaped its danger. You know ill.,
I and does your wife know
!, Would tell her. and not tell you
: It's you I'VE tried to shield marrie
!. Josephine Derry, and Fran IS on
9 child. You know Fran. Well, ne
!. mother was just like her--frivoloui
4 caring only for things of the world
. irreligious. And | was just boy
: mere college youth. When realize
the awful mistake I'd made, though
49,. :, oyd iat hnr live he