Middletown transcript., 1917-10-06
THE GIRL
WHO HAD
NO GOD
By
Mary Roberts Rinehart
CHAPTER xi-Continued.

named :Elinor,' and he calls me that.
AS my own Iame is Sarah, it's rather
pleasant"
Ward had been shot on Sunday
night. BY the following Wednesday
he was OUT Of danger.
On that same Wednesday the rector
Of Saint .Jude's brought himself and
his rheumatism back to his parish.
For three days Elinor had hardly
slept or eaten. Never once had she
been in Wards room, but always, day
and night, she was just outside. When
on that Wednesday evening the doctor
said Ward would live, she went down
once more into her garden.
Many times during those three days
had Elinor tried to pray to Wards
God and found herself voiceless and
inarticulate. But now, out of the
depth Of her great relief. came yelling
the first prayer Of her life. She stood
waist-deep among her phlox and lark
spur.
81 thank thee" she said. II thank
Nothing had been heard Of Huff.
The assault On the assistant rector of
Saint Jude's had been Of line with
the other mysterious happenings
around the village. The little town
was hag-ridden with fear. Extra con-
stables had been sworn In, and from
the hall, during her long night vigils,
Elinor had seen many lighted win
dows, where there had been but the
one.
The problem Of her future began to
obsess her. It was plainly impossible
to stay on here-not that she feared
exposure; She was quite past fear
but the thought Of going on with her
life was lntolerable. To meet Ward,
10 see again the scorn and loathing In
his eyes, more than all, to continue to
deserve them-those were the things
tha: to Elinor seemed worse than
Heath itself.
All the philosophy that old Hilary
had taught her failed her now. The
revolt Of the individual against laws
made for the masses-what had 1t
brought her but isolation and grief?
OF what use was revolt? All must 60
through the mills Of the gods. She
knew that now. There were no ex-
ceptions. And something else she had
learned: that If one Is to live through
great crises one must have higher
power to turn to for help. She had
felt 1t vaguely at the time Of her IA
thers death. Sitting outside Wards
door she had known 1t. Every breath
had been prayer to something, she
knew not what, to save him.
81 thank thee," she said again.
The phlox and larkspur quivered
about her as If under the touch Of q
gentle hand.
Boroday had been free. for three
days, but beyond telephone message
announcing his release she had heard
nothing of him. Over the wire he had
advised extreme caution. She judged
from that that things were not going
well.
would demand q scapegoat. There
were bound to be arrests. All this
Elinor knew quite we'll. 1t was in such
an atmosphere that she had drawn hel
earliest breaths-the play of cunning
against cunning, wit against wit.
She did not send for BOroday. She
dared not. But because the intimacy
between her and the middle-aged Rus
sian had always been very close, he
seemed to feel her need. And so, on
after midnight, he came.
Old Henriette came down and
tapped softly at Elinor's door.
"Boroday." she whispered. "He has
rung from the arbor."
That was one Of old Hilary's de
vices: hidden wire from the arbol
to the house. 1t prevented collisions
Unless otherwise summoned, no mem
Der of his band ever came directly tC
the house.
Elinor went out and found him
there. He bent over her hand and
kissed it, as was his custom, and then
realizing that she was crying, he hello
out his arms and she went into them
Very tender was the Russian with hel
that night, very fatherly. He put hel
into one Of the arbor seats and sa
down beside her.
Now tell me-" he commanded
"everything from the start. 1t wa:
Walter, know. But why?"
When she did not speak, the Rus
sian nodded.
Jealousy, of course, but what mad
ness !"
There in the arbor, with her hant
between two Of his, Elinor sobbed ou
the story of the pearl ard her attemp
to return it, Huff's threat agains
Ward, Wards evening visit, and tn,
scene between them; and last of all
the shot that had nearly ended every
thing In this world for Ward and TO
her. Boroday listened quietly; bette
than old Hilary ever could, he under
stood. He had been reared on an an
Client faith.
"He is rectvering?"
eyes"
sand he cares for you, Of course?"
"No. / think, perhaps, before h
knew"
"Bah!' said the Russian, and rose
"What sort of love is that whicl
rhanges9 have seen the man. If h
cared at all, he still cares"
He stepped to the door. of the arbo
and drew q long breath. Over on th'
next hill, sleeping through NIL this tur
moil. lay old Hilary. Under these sam'
stars Huff fed the law. Ward tossed