The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1917-08-30

cigarette after another. ! am reckless
with matches"
Then perhaps, after all, Walter had
not done It'll
The a climbed slowly. Ward kept
his eyes straight ahead. Elinoir cast
little shy glances at his profile.
"You said you had something to
worry out?"
He drew a long breath.
II have had an offer to go to New
York to a big church: It's rather q
wonderful opportunity"
Elinor made no sign except to clutch
her hands as they lay ungloved in her
lap.
"Then you will be leaving-us?"
"No," he said. II shall not be leaving
you"
"You like 1t heref"
"Very much" He turned and looked
down at her. 1t was unwise. He real
lied that at once. So frail she looked,
so softly, tenderly feminine! And be-
cause he knew that, after the night,
he had not yet got control ver himself,
the merest hand-clasp as she got out Of
the machine was all he dared. But at
the top Of the steps Elinor turned.
"You will never know just how sorry
I am" she said, and went through her
garden to the house.
From that Friday morning until the
evening of the following day Elinor
was quite alone.
Hour after hour she spent pacing the
terrace, looking down into the valley.
On Friday night, unable to sleep, she
threw a negligee over her shoulders
and went down to her garden. The
village slept quietly, but there was a
light In Wards small window ear the
church. She remained on the terrace
until the light was extinguished.
At dinner that Saturday Boroday's
empty place cast a gloom over the
meal. Walter HUFF came a little late.
Under the ease of his greeting there
was a touch Of uneasiness as he met
Elinor's eyes. When the servants left
the room, Talbot leaned forward to
Walter.
snow tell us about It," he said.
Huff was frankly triumphant, but he
still avoided Elinor's eyes.
"It's working out exactly as I knew
It would" he explained. "Having once
had a parish house they cannot do
without it. The vestry carried only
about a third enough insurance. And
there's another point in our favQr-the
~oo%orSc or,0v Hos not rhn,,rnofiSrn
They are going to take up an additional
purse to send him to Baden Baden"
"When?"
Tomorrow morning. And tomorrow
being Sunday, the assistant rector, Eli
nor's friend, will have it in charge un-
til Monday morning"
II shall warn him." said Elinor sud-
denly.
There was silence for a moment. Tai
bot smiled. Lethbridge looked astound-
ed. Huff, bending forward with his
arms out before him On the table, con-
fronted Elinor squarely.
"That's it, is it?" he said.
IT asked you not to do-what you
have done. The children used it all
the time. They played basketball there.
Besides, my wish should mean some
thing to you."
Huff shrugged his shoulders.
IF I had burned a tenement full Of
people"
"A man was nearly killed. He was
on the ridge-pole of the church and
they turned the full strength Of the
water on him. I say 1t. almost
tainted"
"You saw it."
II was there" said Elinor quietly.
Huff rose angrily.
"You were. there! And who was it
who almost fell off the roof? Your
parson, I suppose"
Talbot silenced the boy. It was
Lethbridge who took up the argument
He understood her position and SYM
pathized, he said. The fire was a mis-
take. But now that 1t was done
He spoke Of Boroday's critical condi-
ton, Of their safety that depended on
his, and finding her attitude to be I'M
yielding, took refuge in her fathers
memory.
IF anything comes out, It will all
come out" he reminded her. 1T seems
to me, Elinor, that you owe it to your
father not to interfere. This isn't q
new plan. Four or five years ago when
the parish house was first built we
talked it over here. And 1t isn't as
though we mean to hurt this fellow
Ward. It will be three to one; he'll
make no resistance"
EYES," she said. 'Three to one.
That is the way we fight. Oh, I'm one
of you, / know that-but It sickens me,
sometimes"
The men were astounded, frankly
uncomfortable.
The conference got nowhere. Elinor
acknowledged their duty to the Rus
sian, offered all her jewels, in fact, for
his defense. But she stubbornly re-
fused to countenance the attack on
MI. Ward. HUFF lapsed into sullen 81
lence, his eyes on her. The other men