Show I 11 A K I FRAN ERA c a. I mis CHAPTER V. Continued V Continued fran Frail cl choked oke back the words Dont she gasped Don t reproach me mel or Ill I'll reproach you ou and I do du that I 1 want to hide my real heart I from front you you from from all the world I want to E smile milc and be like respectable peo- peo plc pic For Ol God Gods God's IS sake whispered theother tho the other frantically y I hush hush I 1 hear my wife coming Yes es yes es Ill I'll do everything everything every every- thil thing you say but oh h dont don't ruin me You Yuu shall hall have hac a home with us you shall hall have e cr everything everything e K l' l Except a n welcome w I Fran ran faltered frightened ri at the emotion she had betrayed be be- l' l Can Can you ou show shoT me mc to a n room quick before quick before your our wife comes comes comes' J I Ilont lon t want to meet her now Im I'm terribly torn terri lily bly tired 1 Ive I've ve come conic all the way from Now York to find you I reached Littleburg Littleburg Little Little- bur burg only at dusk dusk and and Ive I've been pretty b busy sy ever e since Come then ho bo said hastily This Ill I'll show to room way way Ill YOU von a Its It's too late he be broke off striving I. I desperately to regain composure The door Boor opened and a woman en en- entered I J red the room loom hastily I t CHAPTER VI r y r. r Mrs Gregory f f. f The Tho wind bad had suddenly increased in ini i and arid a 1 few raindrops ba had already al- al ready fallen Apprehensions of a storm t paused caused used hurried movements mo throughput throughout bout tho the house Blinding Blindin flashes of li lightning sug suggested a gathering of the family inthe in inthe inthe the reception hall where bere according to tradition there was wag less dDn danger er ap as the unknown la lady r opened the thedoor thedoor door of the front room Fran heard beard footsteps upon the thc stairs and caught aught a glimpse of Grace Noir Noir- descending The lady closed the door behind her before sh she j perceived Fran so intent was she upon securing from front threatening threatening threaten threaten- ing rain SOme unfinished silk work lin linon lying on on the tho window n ow sill She pau paused d abruptly ab ab- her honest brown eyes opened wide Fran regarded rc her with that elfish smile which to the thc secretary had suggested suggested sug sug- c a fox It was the coolest little liure smile mile slyly playing upon her twisted month mouth Tho pcr perspiration shone on Hamilton Gre Gregorys Gregory's orys ory's forehead Just lust a mot moment he uttered incoherently Ill I'll Ill I'll beback bo be boback boback back when I J sure my library windows window's win win- lows dow's closed close He left the room his bis brain in an agony of lion ion How much must be bc told 7 And how bow would the they re regard r him after the thO telling It Who Who are OU 1 asked the lady of 35 mildly but with gathering wonder The answer came can with a broken en la Tali laugh Ii I lam am Fran FranI It was spoken a a little menacingly ly as if the tired spirit was bracing itself for foJ battle battIe The lad lady Jadv wor wore orp her wavy waw a hair parted in tho the middle after that fashion which perhaps was never novel new and no impudent impudent impudent dent ribbon or arrogant flounce stole ones oDes attention from front the mouth that was WIS just sincere and aud sweet It was wasa a face face- one wanted to look at because because- well Fran didn't know why n no prettier than I was Frans Fran's 8 decision decision deci deci- sion i n measuring from the natural standard stan stan- dard tho ilard-tho tho standard e cr every woman oman hides bides in her own breast The nose was too sli slight ht but it seemed cut to Frans Fran's liking lik lik- ing Ii Fran Pran smiled in a different way a way a smile that did not instantaneously flash JL but darted out of the tho corner of her eye I and slipped along alon the slightly parted lips as as if afraid o of being caught and vanished leaving ing a wistful face l' l And An who is Franl Tan Fran 11 ask asked d the mild voice oice The lad lady smiled so tenderly it was like a mellow light ht stealing Iroma hogs from froma a a fairy fairy- rose garden arden of souls Fran caught her breath while her face showed hardness but hardness but not a against the theo o other She Sho felt something like holy noly wrath as her presentment sounded forth But pr But who are you I I am Mrs Gregory Oh no cried Fran Flan with violence U nol nol She added rather wildly It I cant can't bo I bo-I I mean but mean but say you arc not Mrs Gregory I am am m Mrs Gregory the other repeated repeated re re- peat d mystified Fran tried to hide hido her emotion with witha a a smile but bout it would d have been easier for her to cry just because c she of the tho patient brown eyes was waa 38 MrA i Gregory or I At that moment Hamilton Gregory reentered re re- reentered entered tho rooms room br brought u ht back b by the tho I fear that Fr Fran n mu might bt tell all during his absence e. e no How different life lift would have havo been if he c could uld have found her flown down I but but he lie read in her fa face c no promise of f departure His ma wife was not surprised at his ha haggard ard face for lor he was always working work work- in lug ing too hard worrying over o his bis ext extensive ex ex- t planning editorials forI for I his philanthropic journal devising i means ns to better the tho condition of tho the II J local church But the presence of this this' stranger strange doubtless doubtless ono one of his countless 1 objects of charity demanded charity demanded explanation tion He loathed th the necessity that confronted con cons fronted him above all the uncertainty of his situation Hitherto the mistakes of his life ifo had bad passed over his bis head without t dan dangerous crous explosions explosions' ho he had gone ne away from them and they had seemed m d somehow to ri right ht themselves Come Cornel Comer he lie said said addressing u neither directly t l wo we Wo needn't t stop here h re I T I ha have Fome some explanations to make malce ar 31 aid d they night might as well welt bo be made before everybody onCe and for all He Tc paused wretchedly seeing no outlook outlook out out- look no possible escape Something must bo be told told not not n a lie hilt but possibly n not not all t 1 idl l the truth that would rest with Fran lIe He was as much in h her r power as aK a if i ghe herself had been the effect of his sin sin lIe IIo opened the door and walked with rith with heavy y step into t the c hall ball Mrs rs Gregory or followed wondering 1001 rather at Fi Fran n t than an at her husband Frans Fran's s 's keen eyes eyes' searched icar hel the apartment for the tho actual source of Hamilton Gregorys Gregory's regrets 0 p Yes Yc there stood the thc secretary CHAPTER VII A Family Conference With the the coming of ot the rain the thc thep p thunder had grown strawn less violent and tho the wind had fallen but tho thos p who I o the reception room for safety found in in f Fran Fran's Frans an a 15 pr presence something as ns startling It and nd as as in incomprehensible astha as tho tha most st vivid hid lightning Of 51 the 1118 e group it W was 8 the thc secretary who h claimed fi c Jaim aimed Fran Fran's s attention In Jn a way war Grace Noir l dominated the place Perhaps it was because of oC her ber splendidly developed de body her b beauty auty her attitude of unclaimed unclaimed yet recognized authority that she stood distinctly first Att As A for Mrs rs Gregory her mild aloofness aloofness aloof aloof- ness suggested that she sho hardly belon belonged ed to the tho family Hamilton Gregory found himself himself- instinctively turning to Grace rather than to his is wife Mrs Gregorys Gregory's face did indeed ask wh why Fran Frau was was there but Gr Grace standing at the foot of the stairs nu and looking at Gregory with memory of her recent dismissal dismissal dis dis- missal demanded explanations Mrs Mrs Gre Gregory s or 15 s mother confined by paralysis arat is to a wheel chair fastened upon the newcomer oyes oes whose whoso brightness bright bright- ne ness seventy years cars or moro more ha had not dimmed The group roup was S completed by Mrs Gregorys Gregory's bachelor brother older than his s sister fter b by fifteen years This brother Simon J Jefferson thou though h stock- stock iJ ily built and evidently well wen fed wore worean worean worean an air of lassitude as if perennially tired As ho leaned back in a ball hall chair he seemed see see-me tho the only one ono present who did not care why Fran an was there Gregory broke tho the silence by b- clearing clearing clear ing lag his Ius throat with evident embarrass ment A peal poal of thunder offered him reprieve e and aDd after its reverberations bad died awn away he still hesitated This I he said presently II is is a a thc the orphan orphan orphan-an an orphan orphan ono one who has cometo come como cometo comoto to me from from from- She says her name name- is Frances I f I Fran u-Fran fame came the abrupt correction correction corree tion just Fran I There was a general feeling that an nn orphan should speak less positively oven even about her own name should name should hould be as it were were verc subdued from the tho mere fact of A Simon J Jefferson An orphan ejaculated ejaculated moving mo in restlessly in his effort to find the thc easiest corner of his Ms chair I J hope noth nothing n is going Join r to excite me I have heart disease little girl and Im I'm liable to topple off at any momen moment I tell feU you I must not be excited I l I aon dont don't It think I replied Fran Frau with cheerful l interest in in his m malady lady that orphans are very erY exciting Hamilton Gregory resumed cautious cautious' cautiously ly l stepping over o dangerous dang ground wound while the others looked at Fran Pran an and Grace never ceased to o look at him She came camo hero bero tonight after tho the services services ser ser- vices at tho the Bi Big Tent She came bore here and or or I should sa say to request to ask ask Miss Miss Grace saw raw her ber when she came Miss Grace knew of her being being being be be- ing here Ho TIe seized upon th this is fact as if to lift himself hims over oer pitfalls Graces Grace's eyes oyes were gravely judicial She would not condemn him bim unheard rd but at the same time timo she sho lot let him bim see that her knowledge of Fran would not help his case It did not surprise Mrs Gregory re or p that Grace had known of the strange c Pre presence presence- th the secretary usually knew know of events before tho the rest Test of the family Gregory continued delicately picking picking pick pick- ing ing his way way But the child asked aske to see me ine alone because sho she bad had a special cial cill message message-a e-a- e a yes yes es a message e to deliver deliver de de- liver lher to me So I asked Miss Grace to leave us 15 for half an hour Then I r beard heard the girl girls girl's B story stor- stor while Miss Grace Graco waited upstairs Well Simon Jefferson interposed irritably Miss Graco Grace is accounted for Go on broth law brother if we wo must ha have hac haveThe c it The fact is isy Lucy Lucy LucT I Gregory at this point turned turned to hi his wife for forat forat forat at certain o odd d moments he found real relief in doin doing s so- so so the tho fact is the is tho fact is is this girl is is the er dau the daughter cr- cr daughter of of- of-of of oi of a 3 y very ry old friend of mine mine a a friend who was was-was was was a friend years rea ago a o. o long lou before I moved to Littleburg Little Little- burg burA lou long before I saw you ou Lucy That was vms when m my home hame was in in Now York I b have o tol told mr you Jou all about that time timo of my mx youth when I lived with my father in in New York Well before my m- father r died I was ae acquainted with this this friend I owed lowed that person a great debt not riot of money money money-a a d debt bt of of- of what shall I say say Fran su suggested Honor Gro Gregory ory mopped his brow while all looked looks from Fran to him Tint Ho He resumed resumed re re- desperately I I owed a great debt to that f friend friend oh oh not of f money of course a course a d debt bt which circumstances circumstances cir cir- prevented mo me from irom pan paying from from meeting which which meeting which I still stilt owe to the memory or of that that that-or-of r of that dead friend The friend is dead you ou understand un un- yos yes dead Mrs l Gre Gregory orp could not understand her husbands husband's unaccustomed hesitancy She inquired of Fran ran H And And is your mother dead too little tittle girl irU That simple question tion preferred preferred pre pre- directed tho Uio course of future events event Mr fro Gre Gregory rr had bad not Dot intentionally intentionally intent spoken o or of his friend in ill such sucha a a- away way its as 45 to throw doubt upon the sex Now that he realized how hose his bis wife's misunderstanding might save savo him ho he had bad not the coura courage o to undeceive undeceive unde unde- o he her Fran waited for him to speak The delay had bad lost him tho the J power ower to reveal ro re re reveal veal cal the truth Would l Fr Fran n. n betray him Ho He wished that the tho thunder mi night might ht drown out th the sound of her words but tho the storm seemed holding bolding its breath to listen Fran said aid quietly My mother d died ed three e years ears a ago o Mrs Gregory tory asked lies her husband Did you yon ever tell me abo about t this friend f Id I'd remember from his name nano what was it ill iU It seemed impossible for tor hint him to utter the tho th name which bad had sounded from his lips tips so o often in love loye He opened h his s lips b but t he ho could not say ay Josephine Jo Besides the last name would do Derry he gasped Come Como hero Fran piau Derry Deny said sail Mrs Gre Gregory on reaching out ont h her r h hand band nd with that sweet smile that somehow made Fran feel el the tho d dew w of tears h Hamilton amilton Gregory or plucked d up spirits 1 I couldn't turn away aR tho the daughter au of my old friend You wouldn't wouldn t want mo me mo to do that None o of you yet would Now that Ive I've explained everything e I hope there 11 II bo no objection to her I staying hero bero in the that house house that i If is ii it she wants to stay She has come to todo todo do it she sho says says all all the way from NewYork New NeT i York I Mrs 8 Gregory slipped d her arm about tb the tho t shoulders avid and e drew the thc girl irl do down D bc be beside side ide hot hoi upon a divan Do you know B she ehe e paid aid gently you aro are the very first of all aU his Ne New York pork friends friend who has come coma into ray my life Ufo Indeed I am nm willing and indeed you ou shall shan stay with us just dust as Ion long as you I swill will t Fran asked impulsively as bbc ho I clasped her ber hands bands Do you rou think hink you Jon could like ike mo mot met Could you Could you I r To ba |