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FRAN BRECKENWDGE RLUS Qlu stations by O. Inrrti Myers He was deeply wounded. "I've tried to give good advice?M "I don't need advice, I want help In carrying out whet I already know." Her voice vibrated. "You're afraid of losing your position If you havo any? thing to do with me. Of course I'm queer. Can I help it, when I have no real home, and nobody cares whether I go or stay?" *Tou know I care, Fran." Fran caught her lip between her teeth as If to hold herself steady. "Oh, let s lrtve." she said recklessly, strik? ing at the dashboard with a whip, snd shaking her hair about her face till ohe looked the elfish child he had first known. 'Tran, you know I care?you know ?V "Well drive into Sure-Enough Country." she ssld with a half-smile showing on the side of her face neit hits. "Whoa! Hess we are. All who live In Sure-Enough Country are sure enough people?whatever they ssy Is true. Goodness!" She opened her eyes -cry wide?"It's awful dangerous to talk in 8ure-Enough Country." She put up her whip, and folded her hands. "I'm glad wo're here, Fran, for you have your friendly look." "That's because I reslly do like you. Let's talk about yourself?how you ex? pect to be whst you'll be?you're noth? ing yet, you know, Abboti; but how did you come to determine to be some? thing r Into Abbott's smile stole something tender and sscred. "It was all my mother," he explained simply. "She died befcre I received my state cer? tificate, but she thought I'd be a great man?so I am trying for It." "And shell never know." Fran lamented. She slipped her hand Into his. "Didnt I have a mother? Oh, these mothers! And who can make mother-! wishes come true? Well! And you just studied with all your might; and ysu'll keep on and on. till you're . . . out of my reach, of course. Which would have suited your motiier. too." She Withdrew h*r hand. M* m.-*1 er wo\,1 i t yo'i," he declared, for he did not understand, so wsll as Kran, shout mothers' liking for strange young ladlea who train Hons. "Mine would you," Fran asserted, with more reason. Abbott, conscious of a dreadful emp? tiness, took Fran's hand again. "I'll nsver be out of your reach, Fran." 8be did not seek to draw away, but said, with dark meaning, "Remember the bridge at midnight." "I remember how you looked, with the moonlight silvering your face?you ware just beautiful that night, little Nonpareil." "Mr chin Is so sharp," she mur? mured. "Yes," he said, softly feeling the warm little fingers, one by one. as 11 to make wire all were there. "That's the way I Mke it?sharp." "And I'm so ridiculously thin?" "You're nothing like so thin as when you first csme to Littleburg," he declared. "I've noticed how you are?have been?1 mean . . ." Tilling out?" cried Fran gleefully. "Oh, yes, snd I'm so glad you know, because since I've been wearing long dresses, I've been afraid you'd never find it out, and would always be think? ing of me as you saw me at the be gianlng Rut I am?yes?filling out." "And your little feet, Fran?" "Yes, I slwsys had a small foot. But lei's get off of this subject." "Not until I ssy something about your smile?oh, Frsn, that smile'." The uibject. no*," remarked Fran, ?naturally return* to Grace Nolr." "Please. Fran!" "I'll tell you why you hurt my feel-, logs, Abbott. You've disappointed seed twice. Oh, if I were a man, I'd show , any meek iced littln hypocrito if she could prise secrets out of me. Just because it wears drets?s and long bair, jnu think It an angel "Meaning Miss Grace, I presume?" remarked Abbott dryly. "Out what Is the secret, thlj timer' "Didn't 1 trust you with the secret that I m*ant to apply for tbo position of secretary as soon ss Irsce Noir was out of the wty? And I was juet about to win the tight whsjg here she came?hadn't been to the city at all. because you ?old hat what I meant to do?handed her the secret, like a child giving up something it doesn't v ant" "You are very unjust. I did not t- il her your plan. I don't know how who found It out." "From you; nobody alti knew It." "fihe did not lesrn It from me " "?And that's what gets me!? you tell her everything, and don't ? I | know you tell Just hypnotised! An sw?r my questions, the morning ?fter 1 ?<dd von whst I meant to do?stand lag there at the fence by the gate confiding in you. telling you every? thing? I say the next morning, didn't you tell Grsee Nolr all about It?" "Csrtsluly not.'' Abbott tried to remer-ber, then rnld caiually, "I Ojelleve we did meet on the street that morning." "Yes," laid Fran ironically", "I bo Here you did meet somewhere. Of course she engaged you In her pecul? iar style of Inquisitorial conversation?" "We went down the street together." "Now, prisoner at the bar, relate ?11 that was said while going down the street together. "Most charming, bat unjust Jud#e, not a word that I can remember, go It couldn't have been of any interest. I did tell her that since she?yes, I re? member now?since she was to be out of town all day, I would wait until to? morrow to bring her a book she want? ed to borrow." "Oh! And she wanted to know who told you she would be out ot town all day, didn't sher Abbott reflected deeply, then said with triumph, "Yes, she did. She asked me how I knew she was going to the He Understood What Those Wlae Nods Had Meant. city with Bob Clinton. And I merely said that It was the understanding they were to select the church music Not another word was said on tho sub? ject" "That was enough. Mighty neat. As soon as she saw you were trying to avoid a direct answer, she knew I'd told you. That gave her a clew to my, leaving the choir practice before the! rest of then. She guessed something' Important ? as up. Well, Abbott, you ili certainly an Infant in her hands, but I guess you can't help it" Self-pride was touched, and he re? taliated: "Fran, I hate to think of your Doing willing to take her posi? tion behind her back." She crimsoned. "You'd know how I feel about it," he went on, ' if you understood her better. I know her duty drives her to act In opposition to you, and I'm sorry for it. But her religious Ideals?" "Abbott, be honest and answer?la there anything in it?this talk of do? ing God's will? Can people love God and hate one another? I just hate shams," she went on, becoming more excited. "I don't care what fine names you giro them?whether it's marrltvfe, if education, or culture, or religion, if there's no heart In it, It's a sham, and I hato it I hate a lie. But a thou? sand times more, do I bate a life that is a lie." "Fran, you don't know what you are saying." "Yes I do know what I'm saying. Is religion going to church? That's all I can see In it. I want to believe there's something else, I've honestly searched, for I wanted to be comforted, 1 tell you, I need It. But I can't find any comfort In mortar and stained-glass windows. I want something that makes a man true to his wife, and makes a family live together in bles? sed harmony, Something that's good on the streets and In the stores, some? thing that makes people even treat a show girl well. If there's anything in it, why doesn't father?" She snatched away her hand that she might cover her face, for she had burst Into passionate weeping. "Why doesn't a father, who's always talking about religion, and staging about it, and praylug about it?why doesn't that father draw his daughter to his breast . . . close, close to his heart?that's the only home site asks for?that's tho] hon? ?'; - - has a right, to, yes a right, I don't earethow far she's wandered?" "Fran!" crlod Abbott, in great dis? tress. "Don't cry, little one!" He had no intelligent word, but his arm was full of meaning as it slipped about her. "Who has been unkind to you. Nonpareil?" Sbe lot her head sink upon his shoulder, as she sobbed without restraint. "What shams have pierced your pure heart? Am I the causa of any of these tears? Am 1?" "Yes." Fran answered, between her sobs, "you're the cause of all my happy tears." She nestled there with a move meat of perfect trust; he drew her closer, and stroked her hair ten? derly, trubtiug himself. Presently she pulled herself to rights, lifted his arm from about her, and rested it on \ho back of the seat? a friendly compromise. Then she shook back her hair and raised her eyoa and a faint smllo came into tho rosy face "I'm so funny." she declared, "flow times 1 seem so strange that 1 Deed gl introduction to myself." She looked Into Abbott's eyes lie, tingly, and drew in the corners of her mouth. "I guess, after all, thero's something In religion!" Abbott was srt wartned by returning BOnshlne that his eyes shone. "Dear Fran!" he said?it was very bard to ROt p his arm where she had put it. <: i tO look mi him steadily, but one how thfl light hurt bor eyes. Sh eould fe.?l its warmth burning DM oIm ? as "Oh, Fran/1 cried Abbott Impul lively, lbs biidg* im the uoohligut wftK nothing to the way you look now ?so beautiful?and so much more than jiiBt beautiful . . "This won't do," Fran exclaimed, hiding her face. "We must get back to Grace Nolr Immediately." "Oh, Fran, oh, no, please!" "I won't please. While we're in Sure-Enough Country, I mean to tell you the whole truth about Grace Noir." The name seemed to settle the atmos? phere?she could look at him, now. "I want you to understand that something is going to happen?must happen, Just from the nature of things, and the nature of wives and husbands ?and the other woman. Oh, you needn't frown at me, I've seen you look that other way at me, so I know you, Abbott Ashton." "Fran! Then you know that I?" "No, you must listen. You've noth? ing important to tell me that I don't know. I've found out the whole Greg? ory history from old Mrs. JefferBon, without her knowing that she was tell? ing anything?she's a sort of 'Profes? sor Ashton' in my hands?and I mean to tell you thst history. You know that, for about .hroe years, Mrs. Greg 01 y hasn't gone to church?" "You must admit that it doesn't ap? pear well." "Admit It? Yes, of course I must And the world cares for appearances, and not for the truth. That's why |t condemns Mrs. Gregory?and me?and that's why I'm afraid the school-board will condemn you: just on account of appearances. For these past three years, the church has meant to Mrs. Gregory a building plus Grace Noir. I don't mean that Mrs. Gregory got jealous of Grace Noir?I don't know how to explain?you can't handle cob? webs without marring them." She paused. "Jealous of Miss Grace!" exclaimed Abbott reprovingly. "Let's go back, and take a running Jump right into the thick of it When Mr. Gregory came to Littleburg, a com? plete stranger?and when he mar? ried, she was a devoted church-mem? ber?always went, and took great In? terest in all his schemes to help folks ?folks at a distance, you understand . . . She Just devoured that relig? ious msgazine he edits?yes, I'll ad? mit, his religion shows up beautifully In print; the . IctureB of it are good, loo. Old Mrs. Jefferson took pride In being wheeled to church where she could seo her son-in-law leading the music, and where she'd watch every gesture of the minister and catch the round of his voice at the high places, where he cried and, or nevertheless. Sometimes Mrs. Jefferson could get c. lozen ands and buts out of one die course. Then comes your Grace Nolr." Abbott listened with absorbed atten? tion. It was impossible not to be in? fluenced by the voice that had grown to mean so much to him. "Grace Nolr is a person that's su perhumanly good, but she's not happy In her goodness; it hurts her, all the time, because other folks are not as good as she. You can't live in the houso with her without wishing she'd maku a mistake to show herself hu? man, but she never does, she's always right. She's so fixed on being a mar? tyr, that if nobody crosses her, she Just makes herself a martyr out of the shortcoming? of others." "As for instance??" "As for instance, she suffered mar? tyrdom every time Mrs. Gregory nestled in an arm chair beside the cozy hearth, when a Ladies' Aid, or a Rally was beating Its way through snow? drifts to the Walnut Street churcb. Mr. Gregory was like everybody else about Grace?lie took her at her own value, and that gave the equation: to him, religion meant Walnut Street church plus Grace Nolr. For a while, Mrs. Gregory clung to church-going with grim decerminatlon, but it wasn't any use. The Sunday-school would have button contents, or the Ladies' Aid would give chicken pie dinners down-town, and Mrs. Gregory would be a red buttou or a blue button, and Bhe would have her pie; but she was always third?In her home, or at church, she was the third. It was her husband and his secretary that under? stood the Lord. Somehow she seemed to disturb conditions, merely by being present." "Fran, you do not reallzo that your words?they intimate?" "Sho disturbed conditions, Abbott. She was like a turned-up light at a seance. Mr. Gregory was appalled be? cause his wife Bjtttt attending church Grace sympathized in his sorrow. It made him feel toward Grace Noir? but I'm up against a stone wall, Ab? bott, I haven't the word to describe his feeling, maybe there isn't any. "Fran Nonpareil! Such wisdom terrifies me . . . such suspicions!" In this moment of hesitaucy between conviction and rejection, Abbott felt oddly out of harmony with his little friend. She realized the effect she must DOCOStarlly be producing, yet she must continue; she had counted the cost an 1 the danger. If she did not convince him, his thought of her could never be the same. "Abbott, yotl may think I am talk? ing from jealousy, and that. I tried to get rid or Grace Nolr so I could better my condition at her expense. 1 don't know how to make you gee that my story is true. It (oils itself. Oughtn't that to prove it? Mrs. Gregory has the dove's nature; she'd let the tnomy have tin spoils rather than come to blows. She lots hint take his choice? hero is she, yonder's the secretary. He Isn't worthy of her if he chooses Grace? but his hesitation has proved him unworthy, anyhow. The old lady -her mother- is a fighter; she'd have driven out the secretary long ago. Hut Mrs, Gregory's Idea seems to be?'If he < an want hor, after I've given him myself, I'll not make a movement to lntorfere.1" V''>' ? pla> ed dellt ately with the UiHK- husk of tins auiwuudiug rsvelw tton: "Have you talked wjth old Mrs. Jefferson about?about KI* "She's too proud-?wouldn't admit it But I've shyly hinted . . . however, it's not the sort of story you could pour through the funnel of an ear trumpet without getting wheat mixed with chaff. She'd misunderstand?-the neighbors would get it first?anyway she wouldn't make a move because her daughter won't It's you and I, Ab? bott, against Grace and Mr. Gregory." He murmured, looking away, "You take me for granted, Fran." "Yes." Fran's reply was almost a whisper. A sudden terror of what he might think of her, smote her heart But she repeated bravely, "Tee!" He turned, and ahe saw in his eyes a confiding trust that seemed to ; hedge her soul about. "And you can 1 ? always take me for granted, Fran; and ! j always 1b a long time." "Not too long for you and mc," said Fran, looking at him breathlessly. "I may have felt," he said, "for some j time, in a vague way, what you have told me. Of course it is evident that lie profers Miss Noir's society. But 11 have always thought?or hoped?or wanted to feel, that it was only the 1 common tie of religion?" "It was not the truth that you clung to, Abbott, but appearances. As i for me, lot truth kill rather than live ? as a bham. If Grace Noir stays, the worst is going to happen. She may not know how far she^s going. He may not suspect he's doing wrong > People can make anything they want! ? seem right in their own eyes. But I've j found out that wickedness isn't sta-! , tionary, it's got a sort of perpetual \ motion. If wo don't drive Grace away, i the crash will come." "Fran?how you must love Mrs. Gregory!" "She breaks my heart" "Dear faithful Fran! What can we do??I say we, Fran, observe." "Oh, you Abbott Ashton . . . just what I thought you! No. no, you mustn't interrupt. I'll manage Grace Noir, if you'll manage Bob Clinton." "Where does Bob Clinton come ln?"i "Grace is trying to open a door so I he can come In. I mean a secret in Mr. Gregory's past. She suspects that there's a secret in his past, and she intends to send Bob to Springfield! where Mr. Gregory left that secret. Bob will bring it to Littleburg. He'll hand it over to Grace, and then she'll have Mr. Gregory in her power?j there'll be no getting her hands off him, after that." | j "Surely you don't mean that Mr. ' Gregory did wrong when he was young, and that Miss Noir suspects , lt?" I "Bob will bring home the secret? I ?nd it will kill Mrs. Gregory, Abbott ! ?and Grace will go off with him?I i know how it'll end." "What is this secret?" j "You are never to know, Abbott" "Very well?so be it. But I don't believe Mr. Gregory ever did very ' wrong?he Is too good a man." j "Isn't he daily breaking his wife's heart?" retorted Fran with a curl of ' the lip. "I call that murder." "But still!?But I can't think ho realizes It." "Then," said Fran satirically, "well just call It manslaughter. When I think of his wife's meek patient face ^-oon't you recall that look in hen ; eyes of the wounded deer?and the thousands of times you've seen those1 I two together, at church, on the street, I , in the library?everywhere . . J ! seeing only each other, leaning closer, smiling deeper?as If doing good; meant getting close?Oh, Abbott, yout know what I mean?don't you, don't j you?" I "Yes!" cried Abbott sharply. "Fran, I you are right I have been?all of us She Had Burst Into Passionate Weep? ing. ( have been?clinging to appearances. i Yes, I kuow what you mean." "You'll keep Bob Clinton from tell , ing thot secret, won't you? He's to go tonight, on tho long journey?tonight, after the board meeting* It'll take him three or four days. Then he'll come back . . ." "But he'll never tell the secret," Ab? bott declared. His mouth closed as by a spring. Fran snatched up the whip, and leaned over as If to lash the empty shafts. She had suddenly become the child again. "We must drive out of Sure-Enough Country, now. Time to get back to tho Mako-Belteve World." She stood up, and the lap robe fell about her like green waves from which springs a laughing nymph. Abbott still felt stunned. The crash of an ideal arouses the echo?"Is there no truth in the world?" But >es ?Fran was here, Fran the adorable. "Fran." he pleaded, "don't drive out of Sure Knough Country. Wait long enough lor mo to tell you what you Ul t wU UlUi" "I know what I am to you," Fran retorted?"Git ap!" "But what am I to you? Don't drive ; ?o fast?the trees are racing past like mad. won't leave Sure-Enough Coun? try u/tll I've told you all?" J "Yol Small! No, I II not let you take this *hip?" "I vlll take it?let go?Fran! Bless? ed daillng Fran?" She gripped the whip tightly. He could not loosen her hold, but be could tcop her hand in his, which was just sb well. Still, a semblance of struggling was cu'led for, and that is why the sound of approaching wheels was d: owned in laughter. "He 'e we are!" Fran cried wickedly ?"Make-Believe World of Every-Day, and some of its inhabitants . . ." A surrey had come down the seldom used road?had Miss Sapphtra fol? lowed Abbott in order to discover him with Fran? The suspicion was not just, but his conscience seemed to "We M JSt Drive Out of Sure Enough Country, Now." turn color?or was it his face? In fact,' Fran ard Abbott were both rather red ?cause 3, possibly, by their struggle over tho whip. On ths front seat of the surrey were Miss Sf pphira and Bob Clinton. On the bac l seat was Simon Jefferson whoso hairy hand gripped a halter' fastened to a riderless horse; the very horee w iicn should have been between I I the shafts of the Gregory buggy. Miss Sapphira stared at Abbott. i speechless. So this is what he had meant t y wanting the air unstrained by window-screens. Studying, indeed! i Abbott, In bis turn, stared speechless j ly at Um led horse. i Bob Clinton drew rein, and grasped his bay-colored mustache, inadequate to the si uation. He glanced reproac h i fully at Abbott; the young fellow must know th it his fate was to be decided this vorj night Abbott could not take his fill of the sight of Simon Jefferson whom be bad fancied not far away, eyes glued on cork, bands in pockets to escape mos? quitoes, tun on back, serenely fishing. He had supposed the horse grazing near by, enjoying semi-freedom with his grast. Now it seemed far other? wise. Kiss Sapphira had even had him telephone Bob to bring her hither. With bis own hands he had dug his pitfall. Fran, suddenly aware of her ridicu? lous attitude, sat down and began to laugh. Bob Clinton inquired: "Taking a drive, Abb?" Miss Sapphira set her heavy foot upon her brother's unseemly jocular? ity. "Unfortunately," said Miss Sap? phira, speaking with cold civility: "Mr. Jefferson had to come clear to town before he could recapture the horse. We were giving blm a lift, and bad no idea?no Idea that we should find?should come upon? We are sorry to intrude." Had her life de? pended on it, Miss Sapphira could not, have withheld a final touch?"Pos? sibly you were not looking for Mr. Jef? ferson to come back so soon." "Why," answered Abbott, stepping to the ground, "hardly so soon." At any rate, he felt that nothing was to be gained by staying in the buggy. "Is that the horse that belongs to this : buggy? Let me hitch It up, Mr. Simon." j "This has been a terrible experience for me," growled Simon. All the same, he let Abbott do tho work, but not as If he meant to repay Mm with grati? tude^ (TO BE CONTINUED.) Tonight. Tonight if you feel dull and stupid, or bilious and constipated, take a i dose of Chamberlain's Tablets and' you will feel all right tomorn w. For salo by all dealers.?Advt. BURGLARS MAKE $12,000 HAUL. Bank Suspends Business on Account ?f Heavy Loss. Montour Falls, X. Y.. Nov. 7.?Bur glara last night went through e brick wall In th? rear of B. A. Dunham & Co.* privat i bank and robbed th^ hank's caal box of about $12,000. To? day the l>; nk doors Wi re closed and Fred J. Dunham, of the Arm, said he di.i not know what arrangements would be made about the resumption ?>i" business. The Dunham BanK has been in burlness since 1886. Pain in Back and lUieuniatlaai 'Torment thousands ol people daily. Don't be one "f these suffer? ers when t or so little cost > ou can get well rid oi the cause. Poley Kid n y Pills tx-Rln their good work from the very ftrsl dose They exert so direct an uction un ilie kidneys und bladder that the pain and torment of backache, rheumatism and kidney trouble IS soon dispelled. Albert's L>rug ?t?ji vVUv I, 1 HaW EXTRADITED. got. felkxer OF nfw hamp? shire honors extradition for PCGinvfc. Governor's Decision .Witornatic*ll> Throws St Into United States Tri? bunal, Where Application for Ha iH'a? Corpus is Pending. Won * Be Moved at One?. Concord, K. H., Nov. 8.?Gov. Fel kner today honored the requisition of the State of New York for :he extra? dition of Harry K. Thaw, the fugitive from the New York State Hospital for the Criminal Insane at Mattes wan The case is now transferred auto? matically to the federal courts, where a writ of habeas corpus on behalf of Thaw is pending. The governor baaed his decision ou the indictment returned against Thaw in New York county, which charged him with conspiracy to escape from the asylum, to which he was commit? ted after his second trial for the kill? ing of Stanford White. Thaw mads his sensational flight on August 17, and a few days later was arrested near Ooaticook, Canada. Thaw's attorneys announced that they would immediately file an amendment to their petition for a writ of habeas corpus, application for which was made soon after Thaw was arrested in this State following his deportation from Canada, 1JIG VERDICT TS BROWS CASE. Jury Decides that Railroad Should Pay $10,000 for Killing of L. V. Brown. From The Daily Item, Nov. 8. The verdict in the case of W. 8. Frierson, administer of the estate of L. V. Brown, against the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company, W. P. Holman and J. W. Johnson, came to a close last night In the court of common pleas when the Jury returned a verdict of $10,000 in favor of the plaintiff. The case had consumed two days of court and it was after eleven o'clock last night before the Jury decided uv on a verdict, when which was left sealed until this morning, when it was announced when court convened. This case has attracted considerable Interest because of the large amount sued for, the verdict being Just one-tenth of th<? damages asked for. The arguments in the case were strong ones on both sides and eloquent pleas were made on behalf of the piaintiff and defendant by the attor? neys on the respective sides and Were heard by a large crowd which had gathered in the court house. It is probable that there will be no appeal. CAN YOU DOUBT IT? When the Proof Can Be So Easly In? vestigated. When so many grateful citizens of Sumter testify to benefit derived from Doan's Kidney Pills, can you doubt the evidence The proof is not far away?it is almost at your 6oor. Head what a resident of Sumter says about Doan's Kidney Pills. Can you demand more convtncm.tr testimony P. g. Copleston, 8 E. Bartlette St., umter, s. c, sayB: "I have taken i'can's Kidney Pills and have found them to be a remedy of merit. Back? ache and pains across my loins an? noyed me and I knew that my kid? neys were at fault Doan's Kidney Pills, which I got at China's Drug Store, brought me prompt relief and in return I give them my heartiest ? ndorsement." The above statement must carry conviction to the mind of every read? er. Don't simply ask for a kidney remedy?ask distinctively for Dosn's Kidney Pills, the same that Mr. Copleston had?the remedy backed by homo testimony. 50c all stores. Foster-Mlburn Co., Props., 3uffe.lo, N. Y. "When Your Back is Lame?Re? member the Name." No. SI. a Consumptive Coagji. 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