Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-10-09

the least Of these" Ward replied.
and returned Boroday's gaze.
Einor had pulled herself together.
BY the one standard that had ruled
her life she acted nOw-her fathers
wishes.
Ward, brought face to face with her,
found her unapprOachable, calm. al
most cold. Found her very lovely, too,
and let his ardent young eyes rest on
her Oftener than was wise. Her sit
uation appealed to him. She seemed
to be quite alone, save for the Russian
with the beard.
"If / can do anything" he said.
"wire to your relatiyes-nything Of
that sort"
II have no relatives. My mother
died when was born. II have II
curious feeling ulat everything in the
world has stopped-as though I'd
reached the end Of things
II seemed to Mr.. Ward that he
should offer some Of the comfort Of his
faith to this shrinking, wide-eyed girl
before him. But what? Rumors had
come to him. Of course.
death IL only n tragedy when we
think of ii as an end and not us Il be-
ginning" he said. at is always sad.
hope you understand that ] know
how terrible air this Is for you. But
to have lived ones life, active and
wei! and useful to the end. and then
to depart, in the fullness Of days, for
new activlties-sOmewher else"
Elinor shlvered in the warm sun
shine.
you see,' she said drearily, II do
not believe those things. l should like
to just now" Then. almost detiantly
ale was useful. You will never know
the things he did that were helpful
But perhaps we would not agree on
that, either"
The Russian was walking up and
down the hail. impassive. watchful
Under his st0ical Indifference, he was
suffering tortures. A bullet from thu
automatic had gone through his lef
arm grazing the bone. Luckily. thu
bullet was not in the wound. Henri
cite had bathed and cleansed 1t, bu
he was in agony. He was suffering
pain, bereavement, defeat. HIS face
expressed only decorous and conven
tional regret.
Now and then he glanced in ut the
library door but generally he watched
the road up the hill As he hat
watched the Church ascending, so now
mt any time might come Law. HI
would be prepared.
He had grown beard since the st
Louis matter That would help. Ant
he had waited to return and claim ole
llilary's body, until the Record extra
had announced his killing. Watkins
up and down the wide hall, his keer
mind was going back. detail by detail
over the day. Talbot and Lethbrldg'
in the car had kept on. They hat
chine. BY now they should be at tn,
country club, and halfway around tn,
links. The car. with its changed II
cenSe plates would be standing In tn
eminently respectable country clul
garage.
Ward had risen. He lowered ia
above Elinor. Because of his heav,
shoulders. he never looked his full
. height. Boroday, in the corridor, sto
n moment from his anxietes to fin,
. the young clergyman every inch of
man. and to throw him the grudgin
q admiration of defeated middle-age 70
;, youth and vibrant life.
"Then ! shall not send for the rec
: tori"
> "Please, no"
as there anything at all that i ca
d0?"
40 the--the police know abou
this?"
: "Surely. suppose you have bee
:. told what happened"
"rhey will tell me nothing"
:, There WAS Il car coming up the hi
y That would be it. Boroday eased hi
!, aching arm. He did not dare Il slim;
but the hand was thrust in the poke
Il Of his coat If only the henorhae
Z did not start again! He braced hin
u self and watched.
Il ut was n robbery, you know that
J. said Ward, In the library. He pickle
his words carefully. "As | got I'll
!. story, taxlcab ON It's way to the ban
was held up near the Record Ollie
e Your father had stepped to the cul
10 hail the taxi, and--it hnppenc
e then, a--n stray bullet from one I
e the bandits guns"
Z Boroday, eyes on the car, heard Il
statement. and with The chief comir
Y up the steps from the road to the "a
= den, took the time to repudinte it.
i Pardon" he said at was not
weapon in the hands Of the bandits.
@ was the revolver of the bank messe
e GER
Ward turned in surprise. Boroday
@ eyes were fixed on Ellnor's, with ren
n surance in their depths. The assista
rector was not subtle, but he had
!. curious feeling of something behind ,