Show oB od H I Ij II I FRAN jJOHN j w JOHN EL ISi 1912 The 1 CHAPTER Continued Oh lOh she's the his nil all ri right ht child t his only al wife vile that s why wh h she he Utile tune t thinking b her fa father ther would on It do 10 dothe the right thin thing him hm that's always ray pray n to be gU guided right anti and balking a I king illg Whenever th the halters halter's f pulled straight ht Then Abbott ut a in mo rod 1 Mrs Mrs rs Gregory Gregor is II it itU e U Yap ap aj is jR with b question mark Hut But theres there's i on one tiling thing the she i isn't nt she isn isn't lIt t what I H the legal wife of thi pirate always lt n upon tho the consciences of oC folks that thinks they're wor worse e than him As At s for or Mr Ir Gregory GregorJ Abbott bLott bean be be- gait an sternly sternly Robert obert pursued p the name with a vigorous vigorous vig ig orous expletive and growled II One One I thing Mr Gre Gregory on has lias dOIl done for me i hp's hes opened flood nood rates gates that have o been Leen so 80 Jon long dammed yea dammed e yes i r say Hl dimmed J I I I soy say say- Bob 1 Bob Abbott exclaimed dont you volt understand Fans Fran's eTan 8 object in keeping keep keepin in lag ing the secret It Its It's 5 on account of Mrs Ger ory If sho finds it that out she's not l legally married married- married dont ont you ou sec f for or Of course it would bo be to Fran Frans Fran's 8 inter rats eats bless bless- her heart What a what a-what what o n nonpareil Taint natural r returned turned Clinton for any girl rl to consult the interests ot of atthe the tho woman that's supplanted her er cr r. r No Fran's Frans afraid to have it told for fear shed she'd bo be injured by br cut cutglass cutlass glass lass paragon your our religion stuffed pillow that calls himself a man I Fran afraid f That's a joke I T tell you yon ou she's thinking of Mrs rs Greg Gre ory Im sorry for lor Mrs Gregory IJ Robert Rob Rob- Ro crt ert rt allowed nit but Grace e Noir is more to me mo than any am- other woman on earth You dont don't see Bce the tho point When I think of a a. girl girt like liko Grace Noir living ivin under the name samo roof with that that that-that- that ll Mr Mr r. r Gre Gregory or- or Abbott supplied And ADd And sh she so pure so high so much above bo e us It It makes nie nJ crazy And all aU the time shell she's been breathing the tho same air she's thou thought ht him a Moses in the tho wilderness and us UR nothing but b the sticks Think of her believing in in that j jelly Uy p pulp p that tb steel engraving engrain in ina inn a n family Bible No I T mean man to open her cr eves aYes and get et her out of bi his spiders spider's web I I see your Jour point of view You do if you vou have eyes oyes Think nf of that perfect angel anel 1 out angel out ut gust just say lIay Grace Noir and you youve you've e called caned all aU tho the virtues s. s And her in n his house house- house Yon You still believe in angels inquired inquired in in- inQuired Abbott gravely ely Yap and devils dc with lon long lone sort of curly urI urI- hair and ana pretty womanish faces and nd voi voices es like molasses But t Fran wants Mrs bars Gregory spared spared- spared l Abbott t when I think of Grace Noir spending one more ni night bt under the tho roof of that burrowing mole molo that crocodile with tears in his eyes and the thc rest of him nothing but bone and gristle gristle gristle- Bob if I assure you yon that Miss Ko Noir r will never spend another day under un un- pier der his bis roof Toof will you a agree ce to l keep cep this discovery c to yourself You cant can't make no such assurance J If she sho aint put wi wise c to what bran branch h of ot the animal kingdom ho twigs to shell she'll not leave ne his roof Bob if she loa loaves es that house in inthe inthe the mo morning niu forever wont won't you a agree reo to silence for Mrs frs Gregorys Gregory's sake sake salte- and because and because Fran asks it Frans Fans another angel anfel bless bess her he heart rt but 1 you oU cant can't work it Leave it to me Bob Ill I'll bo guided by the spur of tho moment I l 1 need a bookkeeper at m my ray store Robert Robort said ruminating T I promise you yon that Miss Noir will soon b be open to offers U See S c here Abbott I cant can't afford afford afford af af- af- af ford to lose lOBO m my chances on ott on this thing Im I'm going into that house before before be be- fore forb this Di night ht passes and ancl Im I'm going to see eco co tho the feathers fI fly No No-I No I dont don't want Mrs Irs Gregory to learn about it Rn any moro more th than n you or Fran but Ill I'll limit the thing to Grace GraceI Grace Grace- I Shed She'd tell teU Mrs Gre Gregory orf Dont Don't you OU say anything a against Graco Grace Noir lorr Abbott for thou though h you von vou are arc my mp friend friend friend- I III I say nothing a against her I say only ony that she's a woman Well Nell Clinton reluctantly a agreed rec I I f reckon she i is iff Ill I'll tell you what Til do I Ill I'll II go o with you OU into that wolfs wolf's den and Ill I'll let you OU do all the talking and if you rou can can mana manager er things thing in half an hour just hour just thirty minutes by bv my TO watch watch watch-so BO that Grace leaves t there nero tomorrow Ill I'll lea leave C you to steer t things and its it's mum for keeps But Im I'm Im I'm going oin to be bo present though I dont don't want to say y one word to that that- that that But if Jio ho dont don't crawl out of his wool far 1 enough h to suit my m- purpose purpose pur pur- pose in short hort if ho he don dont don't t cave C and andin andIn in half an hour hour hour- Half an hour will nm do the tho busine business S s said Abbott stoutly Como Come I t Como Bo uDo sutra s sure to c call Il for Mr Gregory by bv himself said Robert as 3 they walked aked swiftly ba back k to the tho Gre Gregory or residence II If J Graco Grace comes into the th-c room while n were we're talking or Mrs Gre F ory e If If they do Abbott paid aid i quick quickly you arc are not to utter on word not nol Doton on one about Sprin Springfield ou you you under under- stand Its It's tho the bargain and I 1 shall shaH hold you joU to your our word o of honor bonor l For cY l' l half an hour I w wont won't nt say a word ord Clinton declared II unless its it's sonto sonto O word just drawn ont out of my mJ bosom i T b bv by the sight sigh 1 ht of or that villain Como Come I CHAPTER 1 Just Thirty Minutes During the weeks spent by 11 Robert Hubert Clinton in in search of mans Fran's life i ecret a 11 L l rons of a absence and anil its cause cane was like liko a hot iron branding Gregory Gregorys brain What VIm VIma a mucking totality fatality that it should have c been Grace to send fond Robert on his m. m terrible errand an 1 nn errand which much mach result to in iu ruin Whenever Gregory trial hicel to anticipate results result he stood appalled I hour by hour his mind was wag ever CI darting forward into in to the tho future tr trying in to tu build it of 01 ie- ie parts of probabilities 1 Mrs Irs Gregory Gregor would woul be pitied when it became known n how he Iho had hud been deceived de dc de- de Fran would bo ho pitied because she slie was a disowned daughter Graco GracI would bo be pitied for trusting in iii th the tho integrity in to rity of her cr employer but employer but Gregory Gregor who of a all men needed pit pity roost most would bo utterly despised Ilo Tie lid did not think of himself himself alone but of hi his works work of charity charity they they too would fall faH in his disgrace and aud Walnut Wl street church church- even religion ion itself would itself would be discredited discredited dis dis- discredited credited bc because ome of an expo exposure ure that could avail I. nothing Gregory had been too It long n proclaiming proclaim proclaim- in ing tho the living Irving God GOll not to feel him as a presence and in this presence lie he felt feU felta feUa a shuddering fear that tb could t s suggest e t no nort rt relief 1 c but propitiation Ho Re as all well Tell as Abbott Ashton had kept himself informed informed in in- formed of or Roberts Koberl's movements mO as far faras faras farne as ne they to Miss Mass iliS Sapphira hence the day of turn found his thou thought ht of atonement at its most frenzied stage tage As evening n wore on ho made up p hi his mind to tho the fatal step Before Defore Robert could expose him Gre Gregory on- on would confess It had md seemed it ine inevitable ble since learning learning- of the school directors director's 5 mission but he ho could not shorten by one hour the sweet comradeship com coin hip radee-hip in the library Now that the thelast thelast last Jast hour had conic come ho sought ht his wife reeling like littO a sick man luau as he descended descend ed the hail stairs Mrs Gre Gregory Gregor or wa was softly playing an anold anold old od hymn When he discovered her presence in tho the brilliantly li lighted par par- lor lot Grace was expecting a a. visit from front Clinton and amI had hud mado made the room cheerful cheerful cheerful cheer- cheer ful for his comin coming and Mrs Mis Gre Gregory or looking in iu and finding no one pre present ent had sunk Bunk upon tho the stool before the She did not see bee her husband for tor or her ller face was bent low T as sho she feelingly feel feel- feelingly in ly played crl II I 1 Need Thee Every elY Hour Gregory well yen ni nigh h overwhelmed with the realization of what ho he meant to todo todo todo do grasped rasped the tho door for support Presently Presently Pres Pres- ho he spoke brokenly I Lucy how horn true that is we Is-we we do indeed indeed need him every h hour ur Silo Sho did not start at his voice thou though h his presence had bad beon boon unsuspected She Sue raised her serious eyes re and observed his rd face I Mr haggard hagard ag Gregory Gregorj you 3 are ill In J No the tho tho light hurts burts my eyes He turned off tho the lights and drew a chair near her Tho room was partly revealed revealed re reo re- re by an electric arc that sw swung n at atthe tho the street sheet corner its corner its mellowed beams entered the open window Lucy I have havo something very important to say J to vou ou Her Tier fi fingers 1 ers continued to wander amon among the keys makin making the hymn barely barel- audible then Jettin letting it it die lie awn away only anI to bo ho revived Sho She supposed supposed sup sup- posed it was tho the old matter of her ber going go o ing to church church but but since since her name nama bad had been taken off the book what was left to be said aid f I Luc Lucy I have never Dever spoken of this before before but hut it has seemed to mo moo for a aIon along along Ion long time that we have bave wan wandered ered rathar rather rath rath- ar er far apart yes apart yes ver very far apart We sit close cose to together alone our oui hands bands could touch ch but our sou souls live Jive in different dif dif- ferent worlds Do you rou ever feel that way a 1 She Sho ceased playing abruptly and ana answered a almost in a whisper Yes Perhaps it is my fault said Gregory ory although I know that if it you vou had llad taken moro more interest in what interests inter interest 5 est eats ests me me if you had been true to the faith as I have bae tried to be beI be be- I II r ha have hac c been true to you Jou ou n. n said eaid Mrs Gregory ory r Of r Of course course of of there course course there is no question of our bein being true to each other But its it's you have o alienated yo yourself from what hat I look I upon as toe the only oi y duty in life that we I kayo o drifted and drifted and you could have prevented pro pre vented that I feel foet that I am om not wholly to blame Lucy it has been mV my fault fautt and it has been your YOUl fault fault fault- that is how I look at it I There Thera W was 9 silence then sho she said aid There Thoro seems seems' seems seems' nothing to be done I How do de you meant You speak asif asif as as' asif if our love Joo were dead and buried buried buried- Sho rose y saying sayin tc And its And And tits lits grave unmarked Sit Sit down Lucy Lucy Luc I haven't t told ld you what I came to toll you toll you must listen and arid try to tosea see sea it as I see sea it Let us be bo reasonable and discuss the future futuro in a ain ain ain in in a sensible and matter of fact way If If you ou will agree agree astree- I Ir will wilt not agree to it sho she answered answered answered an an- firmly c Let Lct et me mo go o Mr Gregory Greg ory there thero is no no need ever to brin bring up that subject Ho had risen and now in blink blank amazement he stared at her repeat repeat- repeating lug ing You will not agree to it HI To what You are unreasonable What subject have I l brou brought ht up Il SIt It It is very r true that we c have o drifted too far apart to be as we were jn in tho beginning But there is still something left to o me mc and this something some something thing I shall cling to as long as I can I mean moan to avoid a the publicity the open ore exposure the shamo of of a of a neglect neglected ed eel wife My 1 God whispered Gregory falling back II then somebody v has his toll told you about bOllt Springfield Springfield-it it it w was J Trail H 1 dont don't know what you mean J she sire returned apparently without emotion What 1 I 1 mean is il that 1 shall hall never consent to a 1 d divorce e A divorce orce Good heavens Lu Lucy arc are you yon mad t r Do you 1 0 think I want a n separation sep set because you on disown tho the church What ha have 1 I ever done to tomake tomake make you 01 imagine ine such uch au an absurdity She answered gently Yes it I T But Hut said seems you OU said J you ou wanted to discuss the future in m a matter of fact way rind and nd I couldn't think of the future futuro-as futuro as in ba having any W other matter of fact fad solution Gregory on was hotly hoth indignant Lucy Lu if that is meant as as an In insinuation against against- Mrs Gregory on rai raised c ll l her hand band 1 com com- I I Do Do not Hot sneak peak on any name she sho said looking at him steadily Ican T I T TeRn can eRn endure much she went event on OU in to a u milder tone fiu finding in him silent I L Loften l 1 loften often won wonder cr if many women could endure endure en en- dure as silently silently but but there must never be e a name nJ mentioned between ns us Her manner was so o unwontedly final that ho he stood looking at her not knowing bow how to resume the pressing subject of his past Mast a t. t The They were Ire in that thin same silent att attitude when Grace Noir came in from fonn the hall haJJ Grace turned up 1111 the Ji lights and aud then thou thou- thlu OlIH Oh OhI It was WIS impo impossible to prevent pre an au unpleasant com compression of the mouth ut at di discovering Gle Gregory orp so 0 near his hill wife Am Am I 1 in iu the thc way f I t Iain Iam tam ain am looking for foi company and I T heard the door bell please bell please excuse O me sho she added biting off the words II Of Of course yon are aie not in the wa way Gre Gregory ory returned desperately Company Com Conn pany you rou say And Aud you JOl heard thedoor tho the door bell is ben is Bob Clinton Clinton- He lie grew white My liMy eyes are sue bad ball for some settle reason he muttered and switched off the Ii lights n again ain II How flow How very err dark you OU have hae it in inhere here gore lore I said Grace reprovingly in lY tI Of Of course Mr Clinton has been shown in inthe inthe inthe the back parlor where it is light I will go o to him kiln there and leave you you ou two two two- she paused irresolutely but put neither spoke Grace had no sooner Moner gone gono than Gregon Gregory Greg Greg- ory orv with an effort found his voice Lucy trey m my conscience has tormented me u until til it will not let me mo rest about Test about you yop Its |