Show I I A t l i I I If f II I FE AN I CHAPTER IV Continued What What is to bo lID done donot Grace in in- Her iler o of reserve toward Gre Gregory which Fran Frans Fran's Rn s s pr presence nce had bad inspired int in in- t melted to potential helpfulness I at the tho same time her dislike o for forthe the girl irI rl solidified That Frau Fran should have ha I Jau aloud in iii the tent removed her ber front from tho tim secretary's un understand iu ing Dut indictment had been pronounce pronounced 1 a against her by y her OTTO shameless ton tongue ue That one ono so young roun without a a. L home borne without fear of dark streets streets should hould have o all the mone she sho wants What do advise Gregory eI e- e his secret secretary rv gently Grace cast a 1 di disdainful d nul look at Fran I I Then rhen she turned to her empl employer yC and andI I her deliciously curved face changed most charmin charmingly l I uI think sho responded re re- re with a faint shake of rebuke o I for lor his leniency II that that you should not t DI my ad in this matter She I had occasionally feared that his irresolution ution lution at moments calling for import import- important tnt ant nt decisions hinted at weakness Wh Why I should he stand apparently helpless before be belore lore fore this small bundle of arrogant ant impudence im Gregory turned upon Fran with nf affected af harshness You Yott must go o. o He Henas I Iw w was nas s annoyed that Grace should il imagine agine him w-c w weak k Frans Fran's Lace face hardened It became an anI I u of stone at each end I with eyes nose nose and mouth in a narrow Hue line of ot cold defiance To Grace tb tho CUte wed wedge e of white forehead gleaming gleam I jn ing its nl to tho roots of th tho 1 block black blackhair hair antI and tb the sharp chin chiu cutting its way nay down dorm on from the thc ti tightly drawn mouth spoke only of c cunning She Sho re regarded regarded Te re- re Fran as a fox brought bt to b bay y Fran ran spoke with calm deliberation I Iam am not going away awny I I would advise you said ahl Grace I I looking down n at her from under drooping drooping droop droop- in ing lids II to to go at once for a storm is risi rising tr Do you vou want aut to o be bc cau caught bt inthe iu in the thc raint ramt Fran looked up at Grace un undaunted I III 1 want to speak to Mr Ir If you Oll arc are tho manager of this hou house e be he and I cau can go o outdoors I dont don't mind getting ettin wet ct I Ive I've 0 been becu iu in all kinds of Grace looked at Gregory Gregor- Her silences T were effective weapons I H r c no u sc secrets from this lady ad I he said looking lookin into Graces Grace 8 eyes answering an an- her silence II What do you ou want rant to say pay a to me 1110 child Fr Frau u shrugged b l cd her her- shoulders always nh I looking at Grace while whilo neither of the thc others looked at Very well then o. o I nf course it doesn't matter to mc me mc but butI butr ut J I r bt it mi might bt to Mv Mr Gregory I Since Shieo ho brian hasn't t au auy secrets from you of course he has tol told 1 you yon that one of nearly near near- twenty years cars a ago ago ago- oIt o- o It It was as not the rumble of distant thunder but a 3 strange exclamation from frim tho the man mau that interrupted hoi her it p coma oma such cry as human creatures may have uttered before tho crystallizing crystal crystal- I of recurring experiences into the tho thoi i terms of speech h. h Fran t r n gave ave quick relentless SS blows blow I Of IlOf courso he lie has bas told you vou all about hi his life life life- I Silence shouted Gre Gregory or quiver quiver- I i ing irIg fr from m bead to foot The word was Wai wasi i t lik Jik like an imprecation and for fol n a time i it k Kept pt hissing between his locked oel cc teeth And And of course Frau Fran continued tilting up her ber c dim chin in as if to drive in tho I w rd since you ou know all aU of his se- se e e- ets-ahl ets I ts all o of them them them- you them you ou have naturally I b been en told the tho most t important one And ual I I g so gou vou ou know that when ho bo was boarding w with th bits cousin in iu field and aud at ut attending utI at- at I i tending the colle college c there something like liko twenty years ago ago ago- i Leave cLea e us Gregory cried waving aI a a. I violent arm at lt his bis s secretary as if to I Y 6 p. p b her r. r bc beyond the tho possibility of f. f overhearing another word 1 Leave us with us-with with her Grace stam stain I d. d too by his attitude to toI I feel feol offended r rl TTo Tro I Yes yes yes Go at once seemed tho the victim of some mysterious mj toTTer terror Grace GIace compressed her full Iun lips till J I re thinned l to It u white line Hue Do I 4 you Jour OU me mean n i for ever cr T Oh Oh Grace Grace J T be beg your our pardon pardon- lardon-I lardon I Miss I Grace Grace I dont don't mean that of rOUT rOUTH What could rould I T do without you yon Nothing nothing Grace you Grace you u are aro the of my tuy work Dont Don't look at nt me Ule so cruelly Th Then D you just jUt mean Grare said for for mc me to too go away for a little lit lit- while tic the Only half nu au hour that's all only all only half balf an hour and aud then thou como come back tome to toI tome I me and I will Trill explain in 4 You rott needn't go o at nt all on my ins' acI ac ac- I count o observed ser cd Fran with ith a 3 twist of her ber mouth uIt Its 8 nothing to m me DIC whether you go o or stay IC She 81 0 has learned a 3 secret Gre Gregory I stammered H that that vitall vitally affects affect f nf af affects fe fet b some pome people people some some friends of mine mine I i must talk to h her r about about about-about about I that secret ju just t for a a. little while Half I an Rn hour Miss Grace that is all That Thatis is really lealh all then all th then u conic como back hack to mo i i Ii You understand that it it on aCC account of oft t I tile the secret that T r ask aak you to leave cw n US You understand that T would never Deer send you vou away from me mc if I had my way war dout you yon ou Grace e J I II J i understand th that t. t you want me to toI togo togo I go o n now n- n Grace Noir replied e. e She ascended 1 tho the stair stairway a at 1 loach step tcp seeming to mount that much j tho the hl higher h r into an au atmosphere of ri righteous right right- bt I eons remoteness No Ono who separated G I one r OT from fromI I his secretary could enjoy his bis toleration hilt but Fran had struck far below the tile SUrface surface sur SUr- face of f likings s and nud She had harl turned back the covering of conventionality conven- conven to lay blue bare the quivering heartstrings 5 of life ifo itself There was no notime notime notime time to hesitate The rhe stone ax av which on other occasions might be bo laughing elfish face was now held read ready lor for battle we wc w hotter botter go go in a room where wo we can cau talk privately Fran ran asked r I dont don't like this thi hall ball That woman woman would just s as soon listen over the banisters as 9 not I Ive I've o seen lots o of people ikc ert and I T understand her kin kind f CHAPTER V. V We Reap Heap What We Sow l If could have hao prejudiced Hamilton Gre Gregory ory against Frans Fran's interests inter inter- ests cats it wo would have ha been her ber slighting allusion to the one who nho typified his hit most exalted ideals ideal as U that that woman But Bat Fran was to him hint nothing but an ant agent t brill bringing iu out of the past a a. secret ho hc had e preserved for almost twenty years ars This stranger er knew of his you youthful youth youth- b- b ful folly and sho she must bo bl prevented pre from communicating it to o others It was from no sense of f aroused conscience conscience con con- science that he he hc hastened d to lead herto her herto herto to the front room loom In this crisis something some SOUle th thing nt other than shuddering recoil from haunting deeds was imperative imperati c unlovely I ly hp specters must be made to vanish How much did this girl irl know And how could her silence be purchased t tHi Hi His conscience was seldom asleep but coals of remorse are aro endurable howe however howe galling if the winds t of publicity do not threaten t to fan then them to toa a a bl blaze I Ho lIo tried desperately to to oer his dread under a voice oice of harshness What have hwo you von to say sar to me Fran had lost the insolent composure composure com corn which the thic secretary had in in- Now that she was alone with ith Hamilton Hamiltou Gregory it seemed impossible sible to speak jhc hc clasped and aud unclasped un tin- clasped her hor hands bands She opened her mouth but her lips WelO dry The wind bad had ri risen en and aud as it went moaning past tho the window it seemed to t speak of tho the yearning of years cars passing in the tho night unsatisfied At last came the tho wor words s muffled fri frightened 1 I I know all about it ct All Il Il about what hat child 7 lb Ho JIo had lost his harshness His Ills voice oice wa as 1 almost al al- al most coa coaxing as if cuti eating the mercy of i ignorance Fran gasped I kno know all about it itE itI it- it E I know know know- SIte She was u terrified b by the thought bt that perhaps she would not be he beable beable heable able to tell him Her head grew light s she he seemed scented floating floating- awa away into dark space as if drawn by the fleeing wind while the mat man before her ler waR wan magni fied Lied She leaned bea heavily n upon a table with ith lind I ud turned backward whitening whiten ing int her ber tips finger b by the weight thrown on them I I About what he hc repeated with the thc caution of ono one who fears He Ire could not doubt the tile genuineness of oC her COUld emotion emotion emotion emo- emo emo emo- tion but he lie would not accept her statement of f its cause until he ho must Oh Ob cried Oh Frau Fran catching a tempestuous tem tern ble breath uneven violent you know kno what I mean mean that that The dew glistened on ou his brow but buthe buthe buthe he doggedly sto d l on the defensive You are indefinite he muttered trying hine to appear bold Ship She knew bo ho did not understand because because be be- cause he ho would not DOt and now she realized that ho would if possible Ills His bearing suggested something so foreign n to her own 01 nature that it H gave ga her ber strength She had been afraid d to witness the thc emotion her ber knowledge l might excite but all nil he revealed ro was a a. determination to avoid the tho issue Pretense and sham bam always hardened her Then ho sho said slowly I 1 willbe will willbe be d definite I will tell you OU the things s' s sit it would 1 have been better for you to toll me inc Your tour early eady home was 16 in New New- York but you had bad a cousin living Ii in in Springfield where hero there was ras a D. very er good college c. c Your were wera anxious ious lout to get ct you ou R away a from the temptations temptations of a big bit cit city until you were Verc oCa of oC a age e. e So you rou ou were to live with your our cousin and attend college You wore with him bim three thice or four years cars and at last the time came came camo f for r graduation Shall I go 00 on ont Ho lie f fought desperately for sell self preservation What is is' is there in all this this' You You had married in tb the meantime mean mean- time Fran Fian said coldly H married That was about nineteen years calS ago Sho She was was only about eighteen After graduation you OU were ere to go to toNe Ne York break the news t to your father come como ba back k to Sprin Springfield for your wife and Sand acknowledge e her You graduated you went to your father falber Did you ou c come m back Mj My II God groaned the tho man mau So Soshe she knew everything must he admit WI What is nil all this to you ou he be burst forth Who and what arc alC you vou anyway and and wb why Tiby do you come conie here bere herewith with your jour our story Jf If it were cre true true truo- True Truc i said aid id l Fran ron bitterly If you youve you've vo forgotten why riot not go o to Springfield Spring Spring- field auf and ask the first old citizen you OU meet Or you on might wr write to to omo ionio ono one used to know and aua inquire If you jou ou you ou prefer Ill PH scud for ono one of your old professors lor and pa pay hi his The They took a good deal leal of interest iu mu l the young joung college who married and aud ll neglected Josephine Derry They ha haven't ent forgotten it if you c You dont don't know kno he be gasped that theres there's a penalty for comin coming to tl peoples people houses Louses to threaten them with supposed f facts ct in iii their lives ies You II dont lent know that the jails are arc r ready lul to punish blackmailing for for you ou are am area a 0 little girl and don dont don't t understand such things 9 JL I I give you Jou warning Although you are arc in short dresses dresses- Yes remarked Fran Fian dry dryly I I thought that would be bo an advantage to you ou It ou ought ht to make male things easier How an advantage to Easier What What- have I l' to do 10 with you youl ou I uI thought Fran ran sold said coolly it that that it would bo be easier easie- for you to take mo inc into the house as a little girl irI than a grown crown o n woman oman You'll remember remember ber T J told you l' l Ive I've 0 come como here to 10 stay JJ To Pta Ita stay he hc echoed shrinking back baek You tY Yes s she he said aid all tho cooler for forbis his bis attitude of repulsion I I want n a home borne mc Yes Im I'm going to stay Ita I want to belon belong to somebody Ho Hc cried out desperately But what am ala I to do dol This will ruin me me oh oh its it's true truc all you youve you've c said said saidI I dont don't deny it Cut But I tell you OU girl you will ruin DIe me Is all aU tho the work of my life to bo be overturned over over- turned f I shall go goo t mad I Xo No wont won't t Fran n calmly No you jou I assured him hull do what every everyone one ouo has to do sooner or later later lace face the situation Youre You're a lit little tic late Into getting getting get get- ting tint to it but it was 35 coming all the time You can call let et mo me live Jive here herc as an adopted orphan or any way you please The rhe important fact to mo urn is is that I Im I'm going oin to live here But 1 I 1 dou dont don't want to make it hard hurel for lor you rou truly I don dont t Dont Don't you YOU He lIe spoke not loudl loudly but with tremendous pressure of de tle- sire Then for Gods God's sake go back Go back to to-to to to cr wherever you yOU came camo fr from m. m Ill I'll pay all expenses You ou shall i all want want want- have hayo you jou ou All All I 1 Irant want rant l Fran ran responded If is isa is I Ia a home and that's something people cant can't bu buy Get used to the thought ht ormy ot or my stay staying n her here that will make mal it easY easy Easy b ho ejaculated Thou Then its it's your purpose to 10 compel me to give e you shelter because of this secret you secret you moan to ruin me Ill I'll not be able to account for foi you 3 OU and aud the they will question ques ques- tion tion tion-my my wife will frill want to know and and and others as wc well Now now said mid Fran with sudden sud dont be bo excited den gentleness so dont don't take it so 50 hard bard Let them ques ques- tion Ill I'll know how bow to keep from exposing cx ex posing you But I do want to belong to and after alter I Ive I've 0 been here a awhile awhile while and you bc begin in to like me mc Ill I'll tell teU you rou everything I knew the tho Josephine Jos Jos- ep ephine Derry that you jou deserted slie she d-she she raised me mc and aud I t know kno she loved d you ou to the cud Didn't you over eer c are care for her not riot oven o at tho the fi first t when you ou got ot fl lt her herto |