The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-11-09
CHAPTER xI-contInued,

10
He is sound asleep" she said smiI- |
ingly. "He thinks I am someone |
named 'Elinor,' and he calls me that.
AS my own name is Sarah, it's rather
pleasant
Ward had been shot on Sunday
night. By the following Wednesday
ne was out Of danger.
On that same Wednesday the rector
OF Saint Jude's brought himself and
MS rheumatism back to his parish.
For three days EIinor had hardly
slept or eaten. Never once had she
been in Wards room, but always, day
and night, she was just outside. When
on that Wednesday evening the doctor
said Ward would live, she went down
once more into her garden.
Many times during those three DAYS
had Elinor tried to pray to Wards
God and found herself yoiceless and
inarticulate. But now, out of the
depth Of her great relief, came yelling
| the first prayer of her life. She stood
walst-deep among her phlox and lark
spur.
Il thank thee" she said. 81 thank
thee"
Nothing had been heard of Huff.
The assault on the assistant rector of
Saint Jude's mad been of a line with
the other mysterious happenings
around the village. The little town
was hag-ridden with fear. Extra con-
| stables had been sworn in, and from
the hall, during her long night vigils,
Eiinor had seen many lighted win
dows, where there had been but the
one.
The problem of her future began to
obsess her. 1t was plainly impossible
to stay on here-not that she feared
exposure; she was quite past fear
but the thought of going on with her
| life was intOlerable To meet Ward,
/ to see again the scorn and loathing in
his eyes, more than all, to continue to
| deserve them-those were the things
! that to Elinor seemed worse than
death itself.
All the philosophy that old Hilary
| had taught her failed her now. The
revolt of the individual against laws
| made for the masses-what had i
4 brought her but isolation and grief
OF what use was revolt? All must g
through the mills of the gods. Sh'
! knew that now. There were no eX
1 ceptions. And something else she haC
/ learned: that if one is to live through
i great crises one must have n higher
| power to turn to for help. She had
| felt it vaguely at the time of her ia
| theirs death. Sitting outside Wards
| door she had known it. Every breath
| had been a prayer to something, she
knew not what, to save him.
81 thank thee" she said again
The phlox and larkspur quivered
! about her as if under the touch of a
| gentle hand.
Boroday had been free for three
DAYS. but beyond a telephone message
announcing his release she had heard
nothing of him. Over the wire he had
| advised extreme caution. She judged
from that that things were not going
well.
She knew that Huffs reckless crime
would demand a scapegoat- Ihere
were bound TO be arrests. All this
Elmer knew quite well. 1t was in such
an atmosphere that she had drawn her
earliest hreaths-the play OF cunning
against cunning. wit against wit.
She did not send for Boroday. She
dared not. But because the intimacy
between her and the middle-aged nus
sian had always been very close, NJ
| seemed TO feel her need. And SO, on
that Wednesday night, an hour or So
after midnight, he came.
Old HeHriette came down ano
tanned softly at Elinor's door.
ssBoroday,7 she whispered. HE has
rung from the arbor."
Tbst was one of old Hilary's de
vices: a hidden wire from the arboi
70 the house. It prevented collisions
I-rIaSS otherwise summoned. no mem
bar of his band ever came directly e
the house.
F1inor went out and found him
+bare He bent over her hand anc
t-isse5 #. as was his custom, and then
r.,alizipr that she was crying, ne hele
or+ his arms and she went into them
varr, tender was the Russian with hel
that night, very fatheriS. he PUT mel
t,+o one of the arbor seats ara Sa
down beside her. +,
..Nyow fell me-" ne commanded
aeverything from the start II was
w,ltsr. I know. But whyT'
When she did not speak. the Rus
sian nodded.
aIealousy, of course, but what mad
nessI"
There in the arbor, with her hand
hasweeu two of his, Elinor sobhed Out
tbe story of the pearl and her attempt
70 return it. Hufr's threat against
ward. Wards evening visit ana tne
SCENE between them; and last OF all
me- shot that had nearly ended every
tbips. in this world for Ward ana 1ei
bsr Boroday listened quietly; better
than old Hilary ever could, he under
s 500, He had been reared on an an
| Gent faith.
| ale is recoveringf'