The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-04-19

| SAstE~
was the deadliest of sins. A heather soul
| might be saved from hell with the money
those slippers or that ribbon would cost.
And besides-Mrs. sharpe, the Rev.
Deanes housekeeper, held tightly TO her
| arm.
Surreptitiously. Rita fumbled the
money in her purse. Yes, she had
enoueh-just enough. She looked again
! into the window and hot rebellion seized
| her.
She lifted her eyes to another win
dow on the seventh floor of the great
office building across the street, where
| James White. her fiance. transacted
| the affairs of his huge estate. She
| could see him dimly, pacing up and
| down in his office. now and then
CHANGING al a letter In his hand-a
letter from her father forbidding him
the house.
Again she turned to the window.
Some sudden impulse of insurrection
| frothed within her soul. something
| which seemed apart from her real
submerged self. yet something which
delighted her.
Look! Look" she cried. excitedly.
pointing toward the end Of the line
| of blocked traffic.
Curiosity won. AS Mrs. Sharpe s
| iron fingers relaxed upon their grip.
Rita Deane's feet glided swiftly in
side the doors OF the shop. 1t was
| full FIVE minutes before she re-
| turned, innocently assuming an air of
injury at the housekeeper's reproaches
for her disappearance. She had not
| thought Of causing any worry. She
was merely looking in the windows
| to pass away the time. Lie upon lie
she put upon her soul. unashamed of
the deception, delighted at the guilt
| bility of Mrs. Sharpe. The slippers
and the ribbon hidden beneath her
little jacket more than made up for
any punishment that could ever be
hers.
Once in her own room she studied
her reflection in the mirror. surprised
| to find that the sins had left no
mark upon her pretty face. She had
| really expected to find some marked
change, to be able to trace there bold.
| desperate lines OF wickedness.
Cautiously, bit fearfuily. she
| loosed the masses OF her hair from
| their tight braids. binding them with
| the splendid ribbon, revealing in the
! effect it's contrast worked in her ap-
pearance. the way it set off the beau
| tiful oval of her face instead of
| broadening it. the toning down of the
high color which youth and health
| had painted upon her cheeks. And
| then she slipped her feet into the
dainty slippers.
Carried away with her delight. with
| this new sensation. this realization OF
! her charms, her feet-those beautifully
shod feet-began to perform strange ca
pers. began to steal away her sense OF
caution. They moved in gay, spirited
steps. faster. ever faster, until the dane
ing girl seemed more like a festive
| wood-sprite prisoned in this house OF
4 gloom. than the daughter Of a clergy
| man. Round and round she whirled.
tpivoted, poised, touching the dingy car
peting disdainfully, as though the air It.
self might prove substantial enough to
support one so light and graceful. And
always, always were her eyes upon the
slippered feet, feasting themselves there,
| furnishing a gluttonous quantity of pab-
ulum to her vsnity-starved little heart.
| And then-then a hand fell upon her
shoulder.
The hand left her shoulder. She dared
not to meet the look she know was upon
her fathers face. She recalled a sermon
| he had preached only the week before
upon vanity and the evils to which II
led. She remembered the terrible ex-
preston upon his face. the fanatical
CLEAN in his eyes. as he fastened them
upon his congregation, transfXing indi-
VlOual members, MS SldHCe pfChiS Out
accusingly every bit of adornment they
wore. scorning them. condemnng them.
She felt a little tug at her hair. Then
wild rage seized her as she saw the
precious ribbon dangling from her
fathers hand. held in the finger tips as
though the very contact deflled him. She
lifted fierce eyes toward his own. hot
protest upon her lips. but the habit Of a
lifelong Obedience Is not readily down.
ed. His trembling forefnger indicated
the slippers while his lips opened and
closed without any words coming. He
moistened his lips with the tip of his
tongue. but still the voice was hoarse
with suppressed passion as he command
ed her to remove the offending slippers.
CONTINUED TOMORROW.