The Washington herald., 1907-08-24

fAdiiO Only LlOUgnt / would trV to
talk about hats until you felt more at
ease"
The girls eyes twinkled.
1 would really Ike to hear you try 10
discuss spring millinery. Mr.. Courtney.
some day when l feel like laughlng-but
Tonight don't feel like laughing a bit
The trouble Is this the morning the ex-
animation was held I was so sick
couldn't hold up my head. and Rose took
the card sdmitting me to the examina-
tion-and stood It for me.
The rector sat upright. and gave an un-
ministerial whistle
You poor little girl" he said compre-
hensively.
I have come to argue with you as 10
whether l can accept the appointment"
the glrl continued Il want it-and /
need IL badly. There Is no doubt that I
could have passed the examination as
creditably, or even more so than Rose
did-we were in the same classes AT
school, and my marks were always higher
than hers"
The rector INDUCED in the to him un-
usual luxury of fidgeting in his chair
and hopping his forehead with his hand
kerchief
1t is an involved point Of ethics. Miss
Marion he said feebly.
want you to clear il up for me.
but I'm afraid want you 70 see It my
way she acknowledged.
You have come to fOrtify yourself by
getting me to substantiate your opinion
that you are justified in accepting the
appointment" he asked slowly.
We viii accept the premises that there
was no fraud premeditated-that there
was no reason for your preferring Miss
Lawrence to take the examination except
that you were temporarily too ill., You
are, by education, entirely qualified to
MI the position. and I think We may
also claim that you have a more practi-
cal business mind and stronger
physique than Miss Lawrence-both Of
these being recognized as desirable busi-
ness qualifications
The girls face grew brighter and she
nodded her head eagerly.
You don't see how you could posi-
bly, be injuring any one. If you filled the
position satisfactorily, you can't under
stand how you could be defrauding the
government-I don't see that either" the
rector concluded musingly
The girls face beamed upon him.
Then you think I may take II? I need
1t so badly" she spoke with rapid in
tensity
The rector leaned over and took heI
hand
DO you think you could feel happy
and satisfied. little girl?" he asked. look |
Ing her sqUaTely in the eyes
Her eyes wavered and finally turned |
away from his.
L thought perhaps 1 could. if you |
told me it was all right" she said family. |
I don't know how to explain II to |
you-tt Is a proof that is powerful-yet |
intangibly abstract. ! can, logically. see
no wrong in your accepting the position |
yet / could not be happy to do so. and /
l feel sure you could not either"
But l need it-so badly" she faltered 1
Il only have $50 a year of my own. and /
l can't expect Uncle James to take care |
of me forever-Pm Old enough to be self |
supporting"
The rectOr's cOuntenance commenced /
steadily growing redder and redder.
There are other things you could do" |
he said finally, with no trace Of his usual |
brilliancy of speech.
'What?' she asked, her young voice /
stern with the responsibility of giving I'D /
something upon which her heart was /
set.
I wish you wOnld come and make the l
rectOry homelike for me" he stammered. /
a minister couldn't marry fraud and /
a cheat she whispered, her face paling. I
Little girl, you are not a cheat-you /
simply met with a temptation. VIII you /
go to Westinghouse will you come to /
the rectory?'
She picked UP the official envelope that |
had fallen to the floor and looked at him 1
iesitatingly
/ don't think I'm good enough for a |
minister's wife, but you can be the judge |
In the case"
He caught one glimpse of her eyes /
and pronounced his sentence:
Imprisonment for life. little woman.
ne said, taking Ter in his arms
Copyrighted, 1907, By E c. Parcellsl