BX JOHNBRECKENMDGB ELLIS U SYNOPSIS. ! fc - \ Fran arrives at Hamilton Gregory's home in Littleburg, but finds him absent, - conducting the choir at a camp meeting.^ She repairs thither In search of him J laughs during the service and is asked ti m leave. Abbott Ashton, superintendent ot schools. escorts Fran from tlie tent. He ‘tells her Gregory is a wealthy man. deeply interested in charity work, and a pillar of the church. Ashton becomes #rreatly Interested in Fran and while tak ing leave of her, holds her hand and is peen by Sapphira Clinton, sister of Rob ert Clinton, chairman of the school board. [Fran tells Gregory she wants a home (with him. Grace Noir. Gregory's private /secretary, takes a violent dislike to Fran «.nd advises her to go away at once. [Fran hints at a twenty-year-old secret, and Gregory In agitation asks Grace to leave the room. Fran relates the story jof how Gregory married a young girl at flpringtield while attending college and then deserted her. Fran Is the child of that marriage. Gregory had married his present wife three years before the death •of Fran's mother. Fran takes a liking to [Mrs. Gregory. Gregory explains that [Fran is the daughter of a very dear friend •who is dead. Fran agrees to the story. Mrs. Gregory insists on her making her borne with them and takes her to her arms. Fran declares the secretary must go. Grace begins nagging tactics in an effort to drive Fran from the Gregory borne. Abbott, while taking a walk alone «at midnight, finds Fran on a bridge tell !ing her fortune by cards. She tells Ab bott that she is the famous lion tamer, Fran Nonpareil. She tired of circus life and sought a home. Grace tells of see ing Fran come home after midnight with u. man. She guesses part of the story and surprises the rest from Abbott. She idee ides to ask Bob Clinton to go to Springfield to investigate Fran’s story. Fran enlists Abbott in her battle against Grace. Fran offers her services to Greg ory as secretary during the temporary •absence of Grace. The latter, hearing of Fran’s purpose, returns and interrupts a touching scene between father and daughter. Grace tells Gregory she in tends to marry Clinton and quit his serv ice. He declares that he cannot continue his work without her. Carried away by passion, he takes her in his arms. Fran walks in on them, and declares that Grace must leave the house at once. To Gregory’s consternation he learns of Clinton’s mission to Springfield. Clinton returns from Springfield and. at Fran's re quest. Ashton urgest him not to disclose what he has learned. On Abbott’s assur ance that Grace will leave Gregory at once, Clinton agrees to keep silent. Driven in to a corner by the threat of exposure. Gregory is forced to dismiss Grace. CHAPTER XVIII.—Continued. “All? You can prove she’s no fraud?” “My pockets are full of proofs,” Robert exclaimed, looking significant ly at Gregory. “Dear Fran!” murmured Mrs. Greg ory with a sweet smile of reminis cence. "Abbott,” Mr. Gregory gasped, as he began to realize the compromise that was offered, “you have always been my friend—and you have been inter ested in my charities—you know how important my secretary is to my work. It is true that I did wrong, years ago —very wrong—it is true that I bitter ly—what shall I say?—antagonized the Interests at Springfield. But that was long ago. Am I to be punished now—” "Mr. Gregory,” said Abbott, clearly and forcibly, “I have nothing to do with any punishment, I have nothing to do with demanding the release of your secretary. I am a mere agent of the interests, sent to you to demand that your secretary be dismissed in the morning; and if you cannot see your way to promise me now that you will dismiss her, my office is ended. If you can promise to send her away, I give you my word the transactions shall be forever hushed up, so far as we are concerned. If you cannot prom ise, all will be revealed at once ” "In just ten minutes,” said Robert Clinton, consulting his watch. Grace stood looking at Gregory as if turned .o stone. She had listened in tently to every word as it fell from Abbott's lips, but not once had she turned her head to look at him. "You are cruel,” Gregory flared out, "you are heartless. If I send away the only one who is in perfect knowl edge and sympathy with my work—” "Then you refuse?" “Of course I refuse. I'll not permit the work of years to perish because of an unreasonable and preposterous demand. You wouldn’t exchange your position here for Bob’s grocery, would Ingly. “Yes—if you dismiss me,” Grace an you, Miss Grace?” he ended appeal Bwered, her eyes smoldering. “Lucy''—Gregory was almost beside himself—“tell her she must stay—tell these men we cannot go on with our work, without her.” Not for worlds would Mrs. Gregory have betrayed her eagerness for Grace to go. but for no consideration would *he have asked her to stay. “Mr. Gregory,” she responded, “I cannot conceive of your being in the power of (business interests to such an extent Rs to drive you to anything that seems like taking your heart’s blood.” “I refuse!” cried Gregory, again. “Of course I refuse.” “Very well,” said Abbott, turning. "But what are you going to do?" Gregory asked shrinkingly. "I shall go now; my endeavor to straighten out things—or rather to keep everything peaceful and forgot ten—comes to nothing, it seems. Good evening, Mrs. Gregory.” "But wait! Wait! Let us discuss this alone—" “It is useless now, for the time has expired.” “That's right,” Clinton confirmed, clicking to his watch. "And all of It is going to be told? Everything?” “Unless you will dismiss your sec retary.” "But you insult Miss Grace to speak in that way. Good heavens, Abbott, wliat are you doing? How can you insult that—the best woman in the world?” There was a moment’s silence. Then Mrs. Gregory turned to her husband and said quietly, "If Miss Noir is the best woman in the world, you should be the last man in the world to say so.’’ He covered his face with his hands. "Everybody has turned against me,” he complained. "I am the most miser able man on earth because for mere caprice, for mere spite, for no earthly good, it is the determination of people who have lost positions and the like, to drive me wild.” Robert Clinton thumped the keys of the piano with one hand. “Why, hello,. Mr. Bob!” cried Fran, dancing into the room. "So you’re back, are you?” She shook hands breezily. “Come back, Abbott, come back!” called Gregory’, discovering that the young man was indeed going. “You know what I must do, if you drive me to the wall. I am obliged tc do what you say. State the condition again if you have the courage to say it aloud.” “The past will be forgotten,” said Abbott solemnly, "if you give your word that your secretary shall go in the morning.” “And you'll take me in her place,” spoke up Fran decidedly. "The time is up,” said Clinton harsh ly. "It’s too late now, for I shall tell—” “I promise, I promise!” Gregory cried out, in an agony of fear. “I promise. Yes, I’ll dismiss her. Yes, I nil "In Just Ten Minutes.” she shall go! Yes, let Fran have the place.” “Do I understand you to dismiss me, Mr. Gregory?” asked Grace, in a low concentrated tone, leaning slight ly forward. Fran turned on the lights to their fullest extent, and looked about with an elfish smile. Hamilton Gregory was mute. "1 have your promise,” said Abbott, bowing gravely. “That’s enough." “Yes,” groaned Gregory, “but it is infamous.” Fran looked at Abbott inscrutably. "Third time’s the charm," she said in a whisper. “I’m proud of you this time, Abbott.” Grace turned with cold dignity, and moved slowly toward the hall door. Fran slipped between Clinton and the piano, and began to play softly, I carelessly with one hand, while she j watched the retreating figure. In a very short time, Gregory found himself alone in the parlor. Abbott and Clinton had withdrawn rather awkwardly, Mrs. Gregory had melted away unobtrusively, and Fran, last of all, had given the piano a final bang, and darted out of the house. Gregory stood pale and miserable. It seemed as if all the world had de serted him. The feature without Grace would be as dreary as now seemed his past with Fran’s mother. He suffered horribly. Was suffering all that life had left for him? Per haps he was reaping—but is there no end to the harvest? One sows in so brief a time; is the garnering eternal? A bell rang, but he was not curious. Voices sounded at the front door, foot steps passed, then silence once more— silence and despair. Gregory went to the open window, and leaned heavily on the sill, taking great breaths, star ing dully. Footsteps were heard again. They were near by. They stopped at the door—they were hers. Gregory start ! ed up with a low cry of reanimated hope. Whatever happened—he was ; about to see Grave Noir once more. • CHAPTER XIX. The First Victory. When Grace re-entered the parlor, to lind Hamilton Gregory alone, her eyes were full of reproach without tenderness. As she came straight toward him, an open letter in her hand, liis body grew erect, and his brown eyes, losing their glazed light, burned from the depths. ‘‘Read it,” Grace said, in a thin, brittle voice. , In taking the letter. Gregory touched her hand. With recaptured alertness, he held the missive to the light, and read: "My Dear Miss Noir: "This is to officially offer you the position of bookkeeper at my grocery store, now that Hamilton Gregory has decided to make Fran his secretary. Come over early in the morning and everything will be arranged to your satisfaction. I am, ROBERT CLINTON.” Gregory looked up, and marked the fixedness of her gaze. It seemed to call upon him to avenge an insult. He could only bluster, “Who brought this thing here?” He flung the note upon the table. “A messenger.” Grace’s look did not waver. The impudence! he exclaimed. “The affront!” "However," said Grace, “I presume it is final that I am dismissed?” "Hut his unseemly haste in sending this note—it’s infamous, that's what I call it, infamous!” “And you mean to take Fran in my place, do you not?” “You see,” Gregory explained, "Bob Clinton came back to town this even ing from Springfield, you understand, and Abbott came with him—er—and Mrs. Gregory was in the room so they could not speak exactly openly, and Abbott made the condition—I can hardly explain so delicate an affair of —of business—but you see, Bob is evi dently very much in love with you, and he has it in his power to de mand—” Grace calmly waited for the other to lapse into uncertain silence, then said, “This note tells me definitely that I am offered another position, but you tell me nothing. It was I who sent Mr. Clinton to Springfield to look into the private record of that Fran." "You see,” Gregory explained, "he was afraid I might think it presumptu ous of him to do that, it was like doubting my word, so he came to me— however, he is back and there is noth ing to reveal, absolutely nothing to reveal.” “Is he sure that the girl is no im postor?” “He knows she isn’t. His pockets are full of proofs. I know you sent Bob on my account, Grace, but alas! Fran is a reality—she can’t be dis missed.” "It seems I can be. But of course i am nothing.” (COPYRIGHT 1912 ^ B03B5-MEPPILLC0.) “Grace, you are everything.” She laughed. “Everything! At the word of an Abbott Ashton, a disgraced school-teacher, you make me less than nothing!” He cried out impetuously, “Shall I tell you why we must part?” Grace returned with a somber look, “So Fran is to have my place!” Gregory interposed passionately, "It is because I love you.” "So Fran is to be your secretary!” she persisted. “Grace, you have read my heart, I have read yours; we thought we could associate in safety, after that—but l am weak. You never come into the room that I am not thrilled with rap ture. Life hasn’t any brightness for me except your presence. What can I do but protect you?” “Mr. Gregory, Fran hasn't any in terest in your work.” “I love you, Grace—I adore you. Beautiful darling—don’t you see you must go away because you are so in expressibly precious to me? That's why I mustn't have you under my roof." He sank upon his knees and caught her hand. “See me at your feet—should this thing be?" Grace coldly withdrew her hand. “In spite of all you say, you have en gaged Fran in my place.” “No one can take your place, dear.” Graces voice suddenly vibrated: “You tell me you love me, yet you agree to hire that woman, in my place—the woman I hate, I tell you: yes, the spy, the enemy of this home.” "Y’es, Grace, I do tell you that I love you— would I be kneeling here worshiping you, otherwise? And what is more, you know that you love me— you know it. That's why I must send you away.” “Then send Fran away, when you send me away." “Oh, my God, if I could!” he ex claimed, starting up wildly. “But you see. it's impossible. I can't do that, and I can't help you." “Why is it impossible? Must you treat better the daughter of an old college friend, than ‘ the woman you say you love? What are those myste rious Springfield interests?” “—And you are the woman who loves me!” Gregory interrupted Quick ly. “Say it, Grace! Tell me you iovi jSShL He Sank Upon His Knees and Caught Her Hand. me before you go away—just those three words before I sink back into my lonely despair. We will never be alone together in this life—tell me, then, that you love me—let me I ear those words from your beautiful lips—" “It makes me laugh!” Grace cried out in wrath that could not be con trolled, 'to hear you speak of love in one breath and of Fran in the next. Maybe some day you’ll speak both In the same breath! Yes, I will go and you can hire Fran.” “But won’t you tell me goodby?’ he pleaded. “As soon as I have become complete master of my love for you, Fran shall be sent unceremoniously about her business. I fancy Abbott Ashton wants to marry her—let him take her away. Then she will be gone. Then my—er—duty—to friend ship will be fulfilled. And if you will come back again then, we might be happy together, after all.” She stamped her foot violently. “This need not be. and you know it. You speak of being master of your self. What do you mean? I already know you love me. What Is there to hide?” “But others would see. Others would suspect. Others would betray. Good heavens, Grace, all my life has been made horribly miserable because I’ve always had to be considering what others would think and do!” “Betray? What is there to betray? Nothing. You are what you have al ways been, and so am I. We didn’t commit a crime in speaking the truth for once-—you are sending me away forever, and yet you try to temporize on this eternity. Well—keep your Fran! It’s fortunate for me that I have one friend.” She snatched up the open letter, and hurried toward the door. "Grace!” Gregory followed her imploringly, “not Bob Clinton! Hear me, Grace. If you ever marrry that man, I shall kill myself.” She laughed scornfully as she snatched open the door. “Grace, I tell you that Fran—” “Yes!” exclaimed the other, her voice trembling with concentrated an ger, “let that be the last word between us, for it is that, and that only which separates us. Yes—that Fran!” CHAPTER XX. The Enemy Triumphs. Old Mrs. Jefferson would long ago have struck a blow against Grace Xoir had she not recognized the fact that when one like Grace wears the helmet of beauty and breastplate of youth, the darts ot the very angles of justice, who are neither beautiful nor young, are turned aside. Helplessly Mrs. Jef ferson had -watched and waited and now, behold! there was no more Drag on. Fran had said she would do it— nothing could have exceeded the con fidence of the old lady to the new sec retary. Mrs. 'Gregory's sense of relief was not so profound as her mother’s, be cause she could not think of Grace’s absence except as a reprieve. Surely she would return—but the present was to be placidly enjoyed. Grace was gone. Mrs. Gregory’s smile once more reminded Fran of the other's half-for gotten youth. When a board has lain too long on the ground, one finds, on its removel, that the grass is withered; all the same, the grass feels the sun shine. Fran thanked herseii that uraee was no longer silhouetted against the hori zon. and Gregory, remarking this atti tude of self-congratulation, was thrown more than ever out of sympathy with his daughter. Fran was indefatigable in her duties as secretary, but her father felt that it was not the same. She could turn out an immense amount of work because she was strong and playing for high stakes— but she did not have Grace’s method ical ways—one never knew how Fran would do anything, only that she would dc it. Grace was all method, but more than that she was as Gregory phrased j it to himself—she was all Grace. Gregory missed her every minute of the day, and the harder Fran tried to fill her place, the more he resented it. Fran was separated from his sympa thies by the chasm in his own soul. The time came when Gregory felt that he must see Grace again and be alone with her. At first, he had thought they must not meet apart from the world; but by the end of the week, he was wondering what ex cuse he could offer to induce her to meet him—not at Miss Sapphire's, where she now boarded, not at the grocery where Bob was always hover ing about—but somewhere remote, somewhere safe, where they might talk about—but he had no idea of the conversation that might ensue; there was nothing definite in anything save his fixed thought of being with her. As to any harm, there could be none. He had so long regarded Grace as the best woman in the world, that even after the day of kisses, his mind con tinued in its inertia of faith—even the gravitation of material facts was un able to check its sublime course. (TO BE CONTINUED.) HISTORIC SPOT IS UNMARKED 'Location of Nation’s First White House, in Philadelphia, Known, but That Is All. Excepting for a few months, Wash ington lived In Philadelphia during his entire administrations as presi dent of the United States, and John Adams did likewise during his term. jThere was no White House, but a brick house, and, as quite generally Iknown, it stood on the south side of Market street between Fifth and iSixth streets. The house itself long since disappeared, and it seems strange that Philadelphia has never taken the trouble to make in a suit able way the spot where the nation's executive mansion stood when occcu pied by the Father of His Country. When Washington came to Phila delphia to attend the continental con gress before taking command of the army, he lived in the swellest board ling house In the city. It was kept by IMrs. Trlste, at the southwest corner of Fifth and Market streets. But (while more fashionable, the house has been far less famous than the hore modest one, two blocks farther west, at the southwest corner of Seventh and Market streets. It was in the lat ter that Jefferson boarded, and on the second floor, corner room, in which he wrote the Declaration oMn dependence. According to John Adams, who could have qualified as chief gossip at any quilting party, Philadelphia was then away ah^d of Boston and New York as a fashionable center. The great patriot told his impressions in those voluminous letters to his wife. He was quite awed by the lo cal splendor.—Philadelphia Ledger. Calling for William Penn. The conservatism of the law as It is practiced in Philadelphia received an illustration recently in the loud sum mons by the clerk of the court to Wil liam Penn, Richard Penn and John Penn to Appear in court in order that a certain title to the grantors could be cleared of an incumbrance. No one suggested to his honor, the presiding judge of Common Pleas No. I, that William Penn had been dead * 200 years, and his sons, Richard and John, nearly as long. There was no need of such a suggestion. Every one within hearing of the clerk's voice knew that it was a vain show and an empty form that was proceeding be fore their eyes. Through the Idle crying of the names of men two centuries dead the demands of the law were satisfied and a title was cleared.—Case and Com ment. Sad Memories. The curse of this life 1b that what ever is once known can never be un known. You inhabit a spot, which be fore you inhabited it is as indifferent to you as any other spot upon earth, and when, persuaded by some neces sity, you think to leave it, you leave it not; it clings to you, and with mem ories of things, which in your experi ence of them, gave no such promise, revenges your desertion. Time flows on, places are changed; friends who were with us are no longer with us; yet what has been seems yet to be, but barren and stripped of life.— Percy Bysshe Shelley. GREAT NAMES HAVE GONE Long List of Men of Genius Whose Line la No Longer Represented on the Earth. When one considers how many fam ilies there are which trace their an cestry in a direct line for many gen erations, it is rather a surprising fact that there is not a single living de scendant in the male line of some of the greatest men the world has ever produced. For the preservation of our illusions regarding genius, it probably is far better that there should be no disap pointing ordinary persons left in the world to represent the men whom we delight to honor. To find a Milton engaged In the in surance business, or a Byron on the stock exchange would jar dreadfully on one’s sense of the fitness of things. The following is a list of some of the illustrious men whose line never will be represented on the earth again as long as the world stands: Chaucer, Shakespeare, Spencer, Mil ton, Cowley, Butler, Dry den, Pope, Cowper, Goldsmith. Byron. Moore, Sir Philip Sidney, Sir Walter Raleigh, Drake, Cromwell, Hampden, Monk, Peterborough, Nelson, Bolingbroke, Walpole, Chatham, Pitt, Fox, Burke, Washington, Canning, Bacon, Locke. Newton. Davy. Hume. Gibbon, Mac auley, Hogarth, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Sir Thomas Lawrence, David Garrick. John Kemble, Edmund Kean. Advancement in Argentina. Argentina is about to put through a number of large engineering schemes. The municipality of Bahia Blanca is asking for estimates for a drainage scheme to cost $1,500,000. A new wa ter supply and sewerage scheme is to be undertaken in the capital, which will cost over $20,000,000. An im portant electric light and power plant will probably be the outcome of the arrangements now being concluded be tween the governments of Argentina and Grazil for utilizing the Iguazu waterfalls, which afford sufficient wa ter power to supply the two states and also the republic of Uruguay with light and Are "probably for a hundred years to coma.” Many a man who gets in on the ground floor never gets any higher. Don’t buy water for bluinz. Liquid blue is almost all water. Buy Bed Cross Ball Blue, the blue that’s all blue. Adv. The most annoying thing in connec tion with matrimony is married life. Foley Kidney Pills Succeed because they are a good honest med icine that cannot help but heal kid ney and bladder ailments and urinary irregularities, if they are once taken into the system. Try them now for positive and permanent help. 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My back ached, I had no appetite and was so nervous I could not sleep, then I would be so tired mornings that I could scarcely get around. It seemed almost im possible to move or do a bit of work and I thought I never would be any better until I submitted to an opera tion. I commenced taking Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound and soon felt like a new woman. I had no pains, slept well, bad good appe tite and was fat and could do almost all my own work for a family ox four. I shall always feel that I owe my good health to your medicine.” —Mrs. Hayward Sowers, Cary, Me. Charlotte, N. C—“I was in bad health for two years, with pains in both sides and was very nervous. If I even lifted a chair it would cause a hemorrhage. I had a growth which the doctor said was a tumor and I never would get well unless I had an operation. A friend advised me to take Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vegeta ble Compound, and I gladly say that I am now enjoying tine health and am the mother of a nice baby girl. 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