The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1917-02-15

-
ing:
II forgive you, dear. I have no
right to judge you. I can't take that
responsibility. Keep your life and your
past and make what you will Of Them"
Lois rather saw the prize than heard
the counsel and she snatched at the
letters with the instinct of child. Z.
Gloria felt her heart harden again.
She could not keep back a feeling Of
contempt for the selfish pettiness Of
Lois.
| Gloria was afraid to speak lest she
| waste further rebukes on soul that
could not profit by any other chastise-
ment than sacrifice and fear. So Gloria
left her and climbed the terraces. She
noted with relief that no one had seen
the brief drama that might have star
tied the whole nation. She was afraid
that she had done everything she
ought not to have done.
AS she was entering the house to go
to her room the boy Stas called her.
! He was Juggling a picture book Of for
ClSA PdiALlHSS. Liz hucW uOLuluS VI
any of them and he asked Gloria many
questions she could not answer. One
of the pictures represented Christ
kneeling and writing on the ground.
Near him lay a contrite woman in
shame and tears. In the background
number of men were turning away
shamefaced. The picture was labeled,
| AN II
Sin No More"
Now, Gloria felt that she was justi-
fed in laying aside her impulse to ex-
act penalty from Lois. She told Stas
that the picture was beyond the I'M
derstanding of child, and that he
was lucky to be a child. She wished |
that she had never grown up. Then |
she went to her room. Looking from |
her window, she could see the embank-
ment where she had won a double VIC
tory over Lois and herself. Lois was
tearing the bundle of letters to bits
and scattering the pieces upon the
railroad track, where she had nearly
been torn to pieces herself.
Gloria felt that one riddle at least
was solved. She felt sorry for David
and his choice among women. Then
she remembered the judges accusa
ton against David. According to that
her brother was guilty of a more helm
Gus crime than Lois. He had taken a
life or, with even greater wickedness
had persuaded another man to COM
nit murder for him. She could not
rest till she had either cleared David
of that suspicion or warned him that
his secret was known.
The reason that the duel between
Gloria and Lois had not been observed
by anyone but the fleeing eyes of the
fireman on the express engine was
that the Stafford estate was a little
world in itself.
David had been comforting with his
business associates by telephone. Pier
pont had been inspecting the prize cat
tie with which he jealousy expected /
to confound his rival neighbors at the
next county fair. Stas had been look
ing at the big picture books on the
huge table in the great living room.
His father, Casimir, had been working
among the rose bushes with the head
gardener. Judge Freeman had been
involved in one more conspiracy, which
he firmly hoped would be the last.
1t was Casimir who first interrupt :
ed Gloria in her search for David. ]
Casimir had hardly believed that there
were as many roses in all the world
as there in the Stafford close. He |
could see his wife lying in a reclin- {
ing chair in sunny nook and it Oc- t
Cured to him that one of those roses l
would cheer her and serve as bit of ]
gallantry. So he plucked one. The
gardener saw the deed, charged on t
him With roar, and snatched the t
flower from him. The deep thorn bite /
he received in his thumb did not pacify
him. He stood sucking his thumb and h
swearing when Pierpont strolled by. /
Pierpont had lost his temper at the S
dairy because the head valet to the t
COWS had not brushed their teeth to his b
nor manicured their hoofs v
o perfection. When the gardener ex- c
planned that Casimir had dared to f
pluck one of the famous and priceless S
oierpont roses which had never failed
If honorable mention at the annual ex- S
libition of the Garden club, Pierpont h
vas more wroth than the head gar q
lener. p
Casimir quailed before the on il
ilaught, and Gloria, drawn to the spot
" the noisy voices, found him craven Il
With confusion. She took his part at r
nee, and when the gardener and her e
ather explained the atrocity he had "
committed Gloria also turned on him !: 0
"In heavens name, Casimir, what a
lid you mean by taking the only rose Fl
ny poor father has?'' t.
II did take it," Mees Gloria, for to Il
,eeve my poor wife. Better l should e
% away now, yes?"
"You took a rose to give to your n
wife, did your" Gloria cried. "You
ught to be ashamed of yourself" r.
II am it! Oh, 1 am It," Casimir S
rotested. O
II should think you would be-" A
sloria stormed. taking one rose for d
our poor wife. The next time you e.
u