The commonwealth., 1917-06-05

hribe in her power. She drew the en-
veiope of letters from the bosom Of
her gown and held it out to Lois, say
ing:
81 forgive you. dear. I have no
right to Judge you. I can't take that
responsibility. Keep your life and your
mast and make what you will Of them"
Lois rather saw the prize than heard
+bo counsel and she snatched at the
letters with the instinct of a child.
Gloria felt her heart harden again.
cbe could not keep back feeling of
oon+emDt for the selfish pettiness Of
Lois.
Gloria was afraid to speak lest she
waste further rebukes on a soul that
could not profit by any other chastise-
nent 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
+hat she had done everything she
ought not to have done.
As she was entering the house to go
~ her room the boy Stas called her.
He was Juggling a picture book Of for
oicn paintings. He knew nothing of
. anv of them and he asked Gloria many
oupstions she could not answer. One
nf the pictures represented Christ
knpeling and writing on the ground.
Near him lay a contrite woman in
ehame and tears. In the background
number of men were turning away
shamofaced. The picture was labeled,
"Npither Do Condemn Thee, Go and
Sin No More"
Now, Gloria felt that she was justi-
fed in laying aside her impulse to ex-
oct q penalty from Lois. She told Stas
that the picture was beyond the un-
derstandng Of child, and that he
was lucky to be child. She wished
that she had never grown up. Then
she went to her room. Looking from
her window, she could see the elnbank-
meDt where she had won q 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.
was solved. She felt sorry for David
and his choice among women. Then
she remembered the judges accusa-
ti0n 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 fieeting eyes Of the
fireman on the express engine was
that the Stafford estate was 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 jealously 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.
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 WorlC
as there in the Stafford close. He
could see his wife lying in reclin
Ing chair in sunny nook and it Oc
CURED to him that one of those roses
would cheer her and serve as bit o-
gallantry. So he plucked one. The
gardener saw the deed, charged or
nm with roar, and snatched thu
Hover from him. The deep thorn bit
he received in his thumb did not pacif,
nm. He stood sucking his thumb ant
swearing when Pierpont strolled by.
PIerDont had lost his temper at tn
dairy because the head valet to tn
cows had not brushed their teeth to hi
satisfaction nor manicured their hOof
TO perfection. When the gardener es
planned that Casimir had dared t
PUCK one of the famous and priceless
flefpont roses which had never faile
oI honorable mention at the annual e1
Mbluon Of the Garden club, PierpOr
was more wroth than the head ga
dener.
taSImir quailed before the OF
SlauGht and Gloria, drawn to the sp(
ny the noisy voices, found him crave
With confusion. She took his part
once. and when the gardener and ht
lather explained the atrocity he ha
committed Gloria also turned on hin
IN heavens name, Casimir, VIII:
TIA you mean by taking the only ros
nv DOOR fa hnc