The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1917-08-31
CHAPTER V-Continued.

"An audacious piece of work. Half
the women in this vicinity suffered.
Most of them are my parishioners."
"Ah" breathed Elinor, II am sorry
Ward shrugged his shoulders rueful-
~. 1T means, | dare say, that the poor
Of the parish will get less than eyer
this year.. Mrs. Bryant, for instance,
who has always been generous, lost a
pearl necklace and a wonderful pear.
shaped pink pearl"
as shea wealthy woman?"
Every, I believe"
"Then is 1t such a terrible thing for
her to lose the pearl7 Perhaps these
bandits, as you call them, think they
could use these things better than the
people who owned them"
think we could use the other fellows
possessions better than he does"
Ellnor persisted, frowning a little.
"Things are so terribly mixed up
she said. IF you could know the things
that I knOw'-Ward looked family
nmused-"the people who are fighting
for a principle, and have nothing to
fight with, fighting for life sometimes
A good half Of the world, you know,
just struggles along, and the other half
is SO SNUG, SO satisfied; lists hor-
rible."
Mr.. Ward stared at her.
SLOW in the world do you come by
such thoughts? he demanded.
1--WE never known anything else; /
was brought up on the injustice Of
things. You have your poor here in
the parish, but you see l was brought
up with the poor of all the world. l
am afraid I'm always for the under
dog"
Rather startled was Rev. Mr.. Ward
that summer afternoon on the terrace
Mt the Hall, startled and puzzled.
"Down in our hearts, he said, per
haps we are all of IS for the under
dog. But how does that excuse my
bapdits?"
''This Mrs. Bryant-how much do
you suppose you are going to lose for
your poor br her loss?"
mot so much, but enough. She had
promised a lot of things. She called
up this morning to say that 1t was all
off," He started to say that all bets
were of, but decided that it was un-
clerical and changed it. "But I didn't
come here to worry you about myself
or the parish. I think you should not
be here alone"
Ellnor looked down oyer the village.
'sThen perhaps, after all. 1t would be
better IL / married at once"
"Ah! You are to be married?"
"Now that my father is gone" said
Elinor wistfully. ut seems the best
thing. And-I should like children. I
have no friends. except perhaps you."
Ward strove to keep his voice steady,
and matter-of-fact.
Marriage Is SO seriOus-sO vital q
thing" He was trying to be calm and
judicial. But his voice sounded far
off /; his heart pounded In his ears. ITO
marry because one is alone, or needs
friends-is a flimsy foundation to build
on"
Once again Elinor surprised him.
.'There have been few really great
passions in the world" she said. II
could almost count them on my fingers.
The rest. OF us seem to get along with
out"
Perhaps there IRE more than we
hear about. Every now and then, in
my work, I come across something SO
much greater than I had expected. self
sacrifice, love, charity. rs to justify my
faith In mankind"
Tour faith! /" Elinor said softly.
'sThat IL what ! envy you-your faith
Not only your faith Ia your kind, but
the other sort"
Faith, hope and charlty-and the
greatest Of these Is faith. Alas for old
Hilary. who had not kept his!
II had q governess once who Ind
TINT sort 81 faith /; 1t was q great COM
fort to her. But I sit here on my hill
side, and IL seems to me that spread
ont ut my feet Is all the injustice and
cruelty and hatred In the world. And
your God allows It all. My father tried
to believe-trled hard, but he said that
when he asked for bread they gave him
q stone"
sDO you know who said that?'
my father" said Elinor.
E:!ber SURPRISED, he let It go at that.