Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1914-01-22

to Simmtown to meet him In the sur
rey. so Miss Grace is alone down
there" She nodded ponderously
"Alone!" he exclaimed involuntarily.
"Yes-I look for Bob and Abbott
now just any minute" She added,
eying the crowd-"I saw Fran on the
street. long and merry ago!" Her ac-
cent was that of condemnation. Like
a rock she sat, letting the tickle pop
ulace drift by to minstrel show and
snake den. The severity Of her double
chin said they might all go thither-
she would not.
This was also Gregory's point of
view; and even in his joy at finding
the coast clear, he paused to say, 81
am sorry that Fran seems to have lost
all eason over this carnival company.
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 wide
and splendid road into a glorious flu.
ture.
The bookkeeper's desk was in a gal.
lery zeal the ceiling of the Clinton
grocery store; one looked thence,
through a picket-fence, down upon the
only floor. Doubtless Grace, thus look.
ing, saw him coming. When he reached
her side, he was breathless, 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. Ii
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 be neal
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 haC
pronounced n of the worlds great
tragedies. Then you will give YOU
self to that man-yourself, Grace, tina
beautiful self-and without love? It's
a crime! Don't commit the horrible
blunder that's ruined my life. See
what wretchedness has come to me
Then you think" very slowly, tina
I ought to let Fran ruin my whole life
because your wife has ruined yours
Then you think that after | have beer
driven out of the house to make rcon
for Fran, that l ought to stay single
because you married u~nwisely?"
"Grace, don't say you are driver
out"
What do you call it? A resigna
tom"
"Grace!-we have only a few nc
ments to be alone. For PHYS sake
look at me kindly and use anothe
tone-a tone like the dear days whel
you were by my side. We ma,
never be together again"
She looked at him with the same re
pellent expression, and spoke in tn
same bitter tone: We'll, suppose we'r
not? You and that Fran will be tc
gether."
In his realization that it was Frar
and Fran alone, who separated then
Gregory passed into a state of anger
to which his love added recklessnes.
"Grace, hate me if you must, but 70
shall not misunderstood mel"
She laughed. please don't ask m
to understand you, Mr.. Gregory, Will
you hide the only secret to your III
~derstanding. Don't come to me wit
pretended liking when what you ca
mysterious business interests 6
Springfield drive mi from your doc
and keep Fran at my desk"
He i~nterposed in a low, passlonat
: voice. Il am resolved that you shoul