The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-04
CHAPTER XVIII.
just Thirty Minutes.

just Thirty Minutes.
During the weeks spent by Robert
Clinton in search of Fran's life-secret
a consciousness of absence and ITS
cause was like hot iron branding
Gregory's brain. What knocking IA
tally, that it should have been Grace
= ia. send Robert on his terrible Grand
an errand which must result IN ruin
Whenever Gregory tried to anticipate
results. he stood appalled,; hour by
hour his mind was ever darling for
ward into the future, trying to build
it of related parts of probabilities.
Mrs. Gregory would be pitied when
il became known how she had been de-
ceived; Fran would be pitied because
she was disowned daughter; Grace
would be pitied for trusting in the in
tegrity of her employer-but Gregory
who of all men needed pity most, would
be utterly despised He did not think
of himself alone, but of his works OF
charity-they. too, would fall, in his dis
grace, and Walnut Street church-even
religion itself-would be discredited be-
cause of an exposure that could avail
nothing.
Gregory had been too long proclaim
ing the living God not to feel Him as
a Presence. and in this Presence he
felt shuddering fear that could sug-
gest no relief but Precipitation. He as
we'll as Abbott Ashton had kept him.
self informed of Roberts movements
as far as they were known to Miss
Sapphira. hence the day of Roberts
l.. 81, ~ ~
at its most frenzied stage.
AS evening wore on, he made up his
mind TO the fatal step.
Before Robert could expose him,
Gregory would confess. 1t had seemed
inevitable since learning of the school
directors mission; but he could not
shorten, by one hour, the sweet COM
radeship in the library Now that the
last hour had come, be sought his
wife. Keeling like sick man as he de-
scended the hall stairs.
Mrs. Gregory was softly playing an
old hymn, when he discovered her pres
ence in. the brilliantly lighted parlor.
Grace was expecting visit from Gin
ton and had made the room cheerful
for his coming, and Mrs. Gregory, look
ing in and finding no one present, had
sunk upon the stool before the piano.
She did not see her husband, for her
face was bent low as she feelingly
PLAYED, Il Need Thee Every Hour"
Gregory. well-nigh overwhelmed with
The realization of what he meant to
do grasped the door for support.
Presently he spoke. brokenly, Lucy,
how true that is-wc do, indeed, need
Him every hour"
She did not start at his voice, though
his presence had beep unsuspected She
raised her serious~ eyes, and observed
his haggard face. Mr.. Gregory, you
are i'll"
"No-the light hurts my eyes" He
turned off the lights and drew chair
near her. The room was partly re-
vealed by an electric arc that swung
at the street corncr-its mellowed
beams entered the open window. Lucy,
have something very important to
say to YOU"
Her fingers continued to wander
among the keys. making the hymn
barely audible, then letting it die away,
ONLY to be revived. She supposed it
was the old matter of her going to
church-but since her name has been
taken "off the book" what was left
to be said?
Lucy. | have never spoken of this
before. but it has seemed to me for a
long time that we have wandered rather
far apart-yes, very far apart. We sit
close together, alone, our hands could
touch. but our souls live in different
worlds. Do you ever feel that way!'
She ceased playing abruptly, and an
swered almost in whisper, Yes.
Perhaps it IS my fault" said Greg
ory, although | know that if you had
taken more interest in what interests
me. if you had been true to the Faith
as | have tried to be-
Il have been true to you,' said Mrs.
Gregory.
''Of course-of course-4there is no
question of Our being true TO each
other But it's because you have alien
ated yourself from what | look upon
as the only duty in life. that we have
drifted-and you could have prevented
that. | feel that | am not wholly to
blame. Lucy, it has been my fault
and it has been your fault--that is how
| look at it"
There was silence, then she said,
There seems nothing to be done
How do YOU mean? You speak as
if our love were dead and buried"
She rose abruptly, saying, And its
grave unmarked" -
Sit down. Lucy--1 haven't told you
what / came to tell-you must listen
and try to see it as | see it. Let us
be reasonable and discuss the future
in ain a sensible and matter-of-fact
way. If you will agree"
Il will not agree to it." she answered
firmly. Let me go, MIR. Gregory,
there is no need ever to bring up that
subject" s
He has risen and now in blank