The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1917-05-03

Gloria knelt by her, begging her not
to cry. at last she offered the final
bribo In her power. She drew the en-
vel0pe of letters from the bosom of
her gown and held Il out TO Lois, say
ing:
II forgive you, dear. / 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 say the prize than heard
the counsel and she snntched at the
letters with the instinct of a child.
Gloria felt her heart harden again.
She could not keep back q feeling Of
contempt for the selfish pettiness Of
Lois
Gloria was afraid to speak lest she
waste further rebukes Oh a 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
ina SllC lldu uOHC CbCl lAlD6 sic
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
eign paintings. He knew nothing of
any of them and he asked Gloria many
of the pictures represented Christ
kneellng and writing on the ground.
Near him lay a contrite woman in
shame and tears. In the background
q number Of men were turning away
shamefaced. The picture was labeled,
"Neither Do I Condemn Thee, Go and
/ Sin No More"
Now, Gloria felt that she was justi-
fed In laying aside her impulse to ex-
act q penalty from Lois. She told Stas
that the picture was beyond the I'M
derstanding Of a child, and that he
was lucky to be q 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 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.
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 u
life or, with ven 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 leeting 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 1T 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 n more conspiracy, which
he firmly hoped would be the last.
1t was Casimir who first interrupts
ed Gloria In her search for David.
Casimir had hardly believed that there
were as many roses In oil the world
as there in the Stafford close. He
could see his wife lying In q reclin,
ing chair In q sunny nook and 1t oc-
Cured to him that one OF those roses
would cheer her and serve as q bit of
gallantry. So he plucked one. The
gardener saw the deed, charged on
him with a roar, and snatched the
flower from him. The deep thorn bite
he received In his thumb did, not paclfy
him. He stood sucking his thumb and
swearing when Picrpont strolled by.
Picrpont had lost his temper at the
dairy because the head valet to the
cows had not brushed their teeth to his
satisfaction o manicured their hoofs
to perfection. When the gardener ex-
planned that aCasimfr had dared to
pluck one. of the famous ind priceless
Pierpont roses which had never failed
OF honorable mention at the annual ex-
hibition of the Garden club, Picrpont
was more wroth than the head gar
dener.
Casifnir auaiied before the on
slaught, and Gloria, drawn to the spot
by the noisy voices, found him craven
with confusion. She took his part at
once. and when the gardener and her
father explained the atrocity he had
committed Gloria also turned on him :
S"In heavens name, Casimir. what
dld you by taking the only rose
| my poor father hasr
IT did take IT." Mees Gloria, for to
geeve my poor wife. Better ! should
so away now. yes"
"You took a rose to sivc to your