Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-06-21
BY MARY ROBERTS RINEHART
Author Of THE Man in Lower Ten"

cHAprrR xtt-tcontInuedl.

CHAPTER t-(contnued)
Elinor worked hurriedly. but with hop'
less eyes. Her preparations consisted
little more than putting on the clothin
IN which she meant TO travel. In thi
new life on which she was entering sh
wanted little to remind her OF the ole
letter 10 Henriette contained enoug
money TO pay on the servants and IN
household accounts In another en-
veiope she folded the deed 20 the hous
and a note conveying It to Henriette.
You can sell H." she wrote "Good-by
dear Henrette. / shall never forget you
and II ever It ls possible, be sure l shal
see YOU again"
The time came, Just before dawn. wher
she and Walter stood again face to face
in the library.
Hun was going at once. II was moi
Borodax's plan that any OF them should
further incriminate Elinor by accom-
panyng her to the train. At a sound
OF steps on the stairs, Hun started
THE nurse going down, probably for
Ice she explained.
He is getting better, isn't he7"
Yes but he stlll suffers at times"
When the steps had died away, Ellnor
slowly drew off her engagement ring,
and held II out 10 him across the table.
Although he was watching her, he made
no move to take It, and she laid II down
between them on the table.
II don't think we need talk about IT,
Walter" she said simply There is
nothing to say, Is there7"
II suppose not" he returned bitterly.
He added: "If only you will try not to
hate me. Elinor"
Il do not hate you. But IL he had
died"
Huff came swiftly around the table
taking both her hands in his. held them
70 his throat with a despairing gesture.
III 1 didn't know that II would make
you more unhappy" he said slowly, I'd
kill myself today"
''Walterl'
"G'1 tell you now. It won't change mat |
ters sny but perhaps It will change your
memory of me. Even since I've known |
you I've had one dream. You were to
marry me and was going to turn
straight I could have done It with your
help. But now"
He dropped her hands and turned away
Elinor watched him wistfully. The one
thing he wanted she could not give There
could be no compromise between them.
IT must be all or nothing, and she had
given her all to some one else.
In the doorway he turned and looked
back at her with haggard eyes. 1t was
as II he were lmpressing on his memory
every light and shadow of her face
every line Of her straight young figure
Then he went out into that darkest hour
of the night that precedes the dawn.
For the first time since his injury
Wards mind was quite clear He had not
been able TO sleep, and the nurse had
been reading to him. Strange reading,
too, for the assistant rector of Saint
Jude's. The books old Hilary had kept
on his bedside still lay there.
Even the nurse, accustomed to many
books for many men, was gently out ,,
ragged
listening intently. At last the nurse put
down the book.
why, it's frightful, its outrageous. it's
Do you really think 1
'hould read you any more of them?"
Ward smiled feebly. :
IF you are afraid of the effect on /
'ou."
mot at ALL" said the nurse almost
harply' and picked UP the book again.
Ward lay back on his pillows and lis I
ened to the age-old arguments. '
50 II was on such literature as this r
hat Elinor had been reared! How fair
plant TO have grown thus in the dark. V
md as the nurse droned on, WardJcame d
p realize how natural and how inevitable C
ad been her development. Reared in
loh soil, what might he himself NOT y
ave become; and more than that, would
e have been one-half so sweet, so ten d
er, so-good? h
nair Her cap had fallen a little X
rocked, and the beautlfying hand of
Ieep had touched away the small fur h
IWs between her eyes. Plain she was. a
ut kindly and full of gentleness. Ward y
ing awake. watched her. She was NO n
nser very young. He thought of the "
llldren who should have clung to her
,oad' nat bosom and felt the touch OF al
sr tender nand - 10
Then, because, curiousIy enoueb a,,ar,, y
ing OF gentleness and tenderness re- ~
Hluea nun OF Elinor. his thoughts swung -
und TO her He closed his eyes. and r.
eained the dream that had been with
~ suDcoHsciously, all the night To al
ke her in his arms, and by tescbin9 -
= ioVe' teach her Infinite love; by show 81,
mercy and forgiveness and great a,
nderness, TO lead her by these HIS
cam. was MS
ana because it brought hope and heal
Z and great peace after a time he
pt. Elinor, standing alone I'm the bo,se
tsi9e nus door, took courage from his
81 breathing and Yentured in So Usbt | s
7 - Slsep that she dared not tonch chs
a she knelt very quietly by the bed CS
q, "a ,.' the corner of his pillow. S
sard spent his SabbaticaI wear in or chs
a. He had thought 10 Ana naaa. h., tiol
hanging one form OF activity FOR an. me-
eV' put with the less arduous duties NJ tat
WORK there he had more time 10 think IS
,i'ui.l iouilu me old pain even greater; his 81
grew on him. In the three FRI
~ since Elinor's flight he had done IS
ny hlnss. He had left Woffingham 3
New York and could feel his usefuI- fru
; now only bounded by his strength 81
Ut the OLD zest Of life was gone He Ns,,
Feslless' heavier OF spirit. There had J. :.
= times when he had thought that he
I forgetting, only TO discover. through
stray resemblance, while HIS heart -
naed ana his blood raced, that his for So
-lns was only the numbness OF sufrer Broi
nee on the Strand In London. he came VA
10 race with Boroday Ward would Rosl
sr forget that meeting, it's quick hope Nh
On died into the old ache at Boroday's Lar
ds' Itall
have not seen her." he said. "T am as,
ays looking. Perhaps she Is wise to Hue
* with as all. sull, we loved her Mis-
never married. and she was like my city
had taken q clerkship IN London. he So. So.
Whlle. OF course, he did not say So / IVES
"a read between his words that ne was chal
with the old life for good He held f5ssl 56sa
ms hand and the Russian took Il. Reii
! 4 hear anything" Boroday said. 'Ili 9sie
you know Once or twice she wrote sS5f
from Liverpool once. after she land 4 Wes
ana again nom here Then the police STAY
% up The Dago's place, which was the
way she knew 70 reach ME I've