Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-06-17
cHApTER X-tContinuedl.

1T is all very terrible to me-" she re
piled. This God Of vengeance--
"Thls God of tenderness and mercy,
Ward supplemented Don't you SEE
I what II all means? How terrible this me
would be If this were ALL our little
| lives. full of iealousies and hatreds and
crimes; l bringing that box, over there
| on the table, up here with me tonight
because [ dare not trust It to my Fellow
men. who could not sleep last night
for thinking Of you who are all that is
good and sweet and tender, w here
alone in this great house, with Goa knows
what danger lurking about
| Elinor had reached her lImit. The band
OF her self-control snapped. She could
not hold him much longer and before he
went he must know.
when / sent for YOU" she said, 81
| had two reasons. / wanted TO sec you.
Pleaseu As he took step toward her.
And | wanted to save you from some
thing that knew OF"
Something in her thinly drawn voice
was familiar.
II see" Ward said slowly. ut was you
who telephoned me and then rang Off
when you say that 1 am good and
tender" Ellnor went on, you shame me-
! am all that Is bad and wicked, Every
thing. You were to have been robbed to-
night. l brought you here under false
pretenses.'
Ward was as white as she. His figure
straightened
Then all the time I have been telling
you
Il did not hear was watching the
time"
Personal fear Ward had none. He did
not even follow Elinor's eyes as they
glanced once more at the clock. Mrs.
Bryants venomous inslnuations came
hack to him, all the village talk OF the
girls strange rearing. Fearful thoughts
flashed into his mind, to be dismissed,
shaken off doggedly.
Il shall never believe anything that
you do not tell me yourself. But 1t is
only fair TO me that now at last there
be frankness between u.s."
There are others" Elnor said. with
dry lips
Your father?"
"He Is dead cannot talk of him.
This much I can tell YOU. The Parish
House was burned deliberately: 1t was
planned and carefully carried out"
And you lnew?"
II had forbidden It,"
you had forbidden it?"
He went to her and caught her by the
shoulders, forcing her to look UP into
his face.
You? Then nll this time that you
have seen what you must have seen In
my eyes, you nave Deell-
At tae head of band of thieves"
Elinor said slowly.
Ward released her, and turning took a
slow survey of the room.
"Then l suppose this is a trap?" he
said.
"It is not a trap" Her voice was dead.
'I opposed this-this plan from the start
That Is the reason one Of the men-of
my friends-suspected that l."
stCn What dfI ho
THAT I-but that doesn't matter. He
burned the Parish House and planned
all this. Tonight he meant to get the
money from you, and Twas desperate
| could think of no other way"
Wards faith In her was slow to die.
He took step toward her, his hands
out, then dropped them at his sides.
'"Then-the night the Parish House
when ! camo down in the dawn
and found you sitting there"-he clenched
his hands-"all the time you knew. You
knew! And / had thought"
He went to the table and, opening the
box, slipped the notes and money 1t con-
tanned into his pocket. Then he buttoned
his coat about him. Ellnor watched him
stonily.
You are going back down the hill?"
II am going home" He did not even
ook at her.
III you would only go some place else"
she said pltifully ITO the club, or to
Mrs. Bryants. Please believe me. What
ayer L am, and have told you the worst,
am trying to think OF you tonight, not
IF myself"
II am going back to my house" said
he assistant rector of Saint Jude's. He |
got as far as the door on to the terrace,
md there he turned 1t was as If he |
Jared not look at her, as IL he meant TO |
AIRY away with him some tenderer mem- |
Try than Of this white-lipped. guilty |
woman before him.