Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-03
truculent. though there was a wistfulness

II
| ooh. Susan. Just fancy having to
| punish. for, of course, justice needs pun
| fishing as we'll as praising. Now an ange!
has such a nice time. helping people ana
comforting them. and bringing sunshine
into dark places. Putting down fresh
dew every morning: making the flowers
grow. and bringing babies and taking
| care of them till their mothers find them
OF course God is very good. and very
sweet and very merciful but oh, He must
be very terrible
"All the same I would rather be God
and be able to do things!'
Then the children moved of out OF ear
shot.
The two seated on the tombstone looked
after. them. The first to speak was the
girl. who said:
That's very sweet and good of Mar
jorie, but do you know. Harold. I like
Susie's idea better"
(Which idea was that. Stephen"
why. didn't you notice what she said
I'd like to be God and be able to do
| things?' ="
Yes" he said. after q moments re-
Election. That's fine idea in the alb
stract but 1 doubt of its happiness in
the long rum"
Doubt of its happiness? Come now
what could there be better. after all?
Isn't It good enough to be God: What
The girls tone was quizzical. but her
great black eyes blaEed with some
thought Of sincerity which. lay behind
the fun; the sensitive nOstrils Of her
The young man shook his head with q
smile Of kindly tolerance as he answered:
ut isn't that-surely you must know 1t.
I'm ambitious enough. goodness knows.
but there are bounds to satisfy even me-
But I'm not sure that the good little
thing isn't right. She seemed. somehow.
to hit a bigger truth than she knew
fancy having to be just"
II don't see much difficulty in that. Any
one can be just!'
Pardon me-" he answered, "tlfere is
perhaps nothing so difficult in the whole
range of a mans work." There was dis
tinct defiance In the girls eyes as she
asked:
Isn't it woman's work also?" She beat
with a certain Impotence with her riding
whip on the side of her boot.
"Well. i suppose it ought to be- theo-
I'retically. hut practically 1t isn't"
And why not, pray" After the man.
ner of the elders Of her sex the mere sue-
gestion Of any disability of woman as
such aroused immediate antagonism. Her
companion suppressed the smile which was
growing round his mouth as he answered
deliberately, after q pause:
Because, my dear Stephen. the Al.
mighty in His wisdom has so ordained
matters that justice is not a virtue which
women can practice. Mind. do not say
WOuuSu dTc UNJUST. Ut IIOIu WHcTc
there are no interests Of those dear to
them they can be Of a sincerity Of justice
that can now and again make q mans
blood run cold. But Justice in the alb
stract is not an ordinary virtue; It has
to be considerate as well as stern. and
above all interest Of all kinds and of
every one The girl interrupted
hotly: E-2' :
az don't agree with you at all. You
can't give an instance where women are
\ a - nj n
vidual instances, but classes OF cases
where injustice is habitual." The sup
pressed smile cropped out now uncon-
sciously round the mans HIPS in . way
girl and made her feel quite hot.
It'll just give you q few he said. did
you ever yet know mother just to boy
who outclassed her own boy at school?"
The !s sirl rejected: then she spoke poke ,.,..
I don't altogether admit 1t. but accept
it as not on my side. But this Is only
one case"
"a pretty common one. all told. Do
you think that sheriff Of Galway. who, in
with his own hands. would have done 50
II he had been woman? The girl an
swered at once:
FRANKLY. no. I don't suppose the
mother was ever born who would do such
thing. But that IL not very common
case, Is It? Have you any other?" The
young man paused. as II thinking before
he spoke:
that I can 60 into it fairly with you"
why not?'
"Well. because after all you know, Ste
phen. you are only girl and you can't
be expected to know" The girl laughed.
well, II It's anything about women
surely girl, even Of my tender age,
must know something more of 1t, OF be
able to guess at all events. than any
young man can. However, say what you
think and I'll tell you frankly II agree
with you-that is. IL a woman can be Just
in such q matter
THAT is the very point. AS you are
student Of logic 1 may point out that the
question involves a petitio principii.'
Il understand, begging the question:
Let us have the point"
Shortly 1t is this: Can a woman be
just to another woman. or to man. for
the matter Of that, where either her own
affection or fault OF the other is con-
cerned?"
II don't see any possible reason to the
contrary. Surely pride alone should In
sure justice In the former case. and the
consciousness Of superiority In the other"
The young man shook his head.
pride and consciousness Of superior
ity! Are they not very much the same
thing. But whether or no. II either of
them has to be relied on, I'm afraid the
scales of justice would want regulating.
and her sword should be blunted a bit in
case its edge should be turned back on
herself. I have an idea that although
pride might be a guiding principle with
you individually. 1t would be g. failure
with the average. However. as 1t would
be in any case a rule subject to many
exceptions must let It co.
He looked at his watch and rose up.
Stephen followed him: transferring her
whip into the hand which held up the
skirt. she took his arm with her right
hand in the pretty way in which q very
young girl clings to her elders Together,
she leaning heavily on his arm, they
went out at the lich-gate. The groom
drew over with the horses. Stephen pat
ter hers and gave her q lump of sugar
from her pocket. Then putting her foot
lightly into the saddle. Harold swung
of an accomplished rider.
AS the two rode up the road. keeping
on the shady side under the trees, Ste
phen said, quietly, half to herself, as II
the idea Of the sentence had impressed
itself on her mind
ITO be God and be able to do thinRs,'
Harold rode on in silence. The gravity
of some vague growing thought was upon
him.
CHAPTER I.
Stephen.
Stephen Norman of Normanstand had
! remained bachelor until close on middle