The Yale expositor., 1916-03-02

her burden in Sandry's lap. showering
him with the blood of the bleeding
hearts. She did not look at him. Then
they trotted away around the corner
to the shed and Sandry's lips tight.
ened pitifully as he gathered up each
smallest spray OF the woods-treasures
Where she stood back against the
wall, one hand at her pulsing throat.
Miss Ordway saw that tightening of
the lips, the droop that came into the
mans whole face. and her eyes mar.
rowed and hardened like a cats.
That night she came TO him in the
eating room.
Walter" she said I'm stuck in
the middle OF chapter. VIII you go
over few pages with me and give me
the benefit of mans ideas?"
He smiled.
I'm afraid mine will not be Of much
account, but such as they are you are
welcome to them
They will answer" said Miss Ord
way. "a woman cannot write from her.
self for men-she must write from
man to man. I'll bring my manuscript
out here"
And turning. she went from him to
the sanctuary of the little south room
When she returned she carried hand.
full of closely typewritten pages.
They drew up one of the pine
benches. spread out the manuscript be-
tween the catchup bottles and sat down
together.
Instantly with the touch of the shift
ing sheets in her fingers Miss Ordway
seemed to drift away from the per-
sonal. She became detached. absorbed.
swallowed up in the thrall OF work
and Sandry had feeling of what such
a work must mean TO one.
Now see" she said. half excitedly,
here is the point about which | am
trifle in doubt. But | will have TO
sketch the situation for you so you
can get a grip on it,"
She turned toward him. spreading
out fat on the paper one exquisite
hand Among her other hidden vani-
ties, Poppy Ordway cherished an inor.
dinate pride in these hands of hers
and she knew their value and their po-
tency TO the last atom.
With an unconscious appreciation
Sandry now looked down at IL where
it spread across the page. Uncon.
sciously. too. his mind caught a shad.
owy comparison-the memory of the
olive-colored, slim hands of the girl
Siletz But she was speaking and he
looked again.
Now suppose my hero is confront
ed with a man-his friend. it hap
pens-who. in the plausible and I'M
improbable methods of modern bust
ness, has calmly become possessed OF
my heros wealth. There is no pos
sible way of touching the swindler. for
IL has been done in a manner that
gives il the seeming of legality Yet
the victim knows in his heart that the
other is a thief. Now here is my
point"
Miss Ordway was talking slowly as
If thinking carefully and no one listen
ing would have suspected that the
words she uttered were purely me.
| chanical. having been written out and
memorized that afternoon. and that
her mind was busy with'a different set
of ideas In fact, this was what she
was thinking. tebulating rapidly set
OF items.
Widening eyes-aroused interest.
abnormal. Fingers tapping the table
startled nerves. No suspicion. but as.
constituent at so unique a coinci.
dence"
Aloud she was going on: suppose
my hero to be a modern man Of aver.
age good principles. could he bring
himself to steal back deliberately an
amount equal to. or compensating for.
the amount stolen from him. and not
consider himself criminal? Could he
go out among men with his head up,
not deeming himself a thief? And
would the modern man of average
honor do such thing?"
Miss Ordway was leaning forward.
seemingly absorbed in her problem.
her eyes on Sandry's face, where con
dieting expressions were struggling
for the mastery.
herself. eager as a hound; IN a mo-
ment he will commit himself" for the
bright, blue glance of the young owner
wavered bit. he opened his lips. shut
his hand upon the oilcloth and his jaw
hardened with tautened muscles.
mol He wouldn't be a thief-that
would be the right law"
Every nerve in Miss Ordway's body
jumped. though there was no outward
sign, as the tension that had been
growing between them snapped with
the voice of Siletz.
The girl had stopped on the far side
OF the room. unnoticed by either, and
now she stood leaning forward with
her hands upon the table. her braids
hanging beside them. The shadow of
her parted hair was over her eyes.
Miss Ordway's fingers crswled into
hes palm rigid with desire to infiict
hodilv main unon this uninvited blum