Middletown transcript., 1917-09-15
Talbot disgustedly rellnquIshed hl.

| Talbot dtSguStedly relinqulSned nih
golf, and in the library of the hall
wrote the anonymous letter to the
chief. Then, in his gray car, he set Off
! for the city to mail the letter.
When he was in the car, the engine
throbbing easily, Elinor ventured to
put her hand on his arm.
Last night" she said rapidly, oval
| ter threatened all sorts of things; that
he would get the morning collection at
| Saint Jude's, that he would kill MIR.
Ward. am frightened, Tallie."
Talbot patted her hand.
"We will get this fixed up so it won't
be necessary; and as for the other, you
know Walter. He was mad with
jealousy last night. That's all talk"
On that wild ride Talbot had little
time to think, but, such as they were,
his thoughts were Of Elinor and her
caprice.
Its the preacher, after ALL he said
to himself. "Its enough to make old
Hilary turn over"
From that his mind wandered to
Walter. He knew Huff, the violence Of
his temper, the madness of his passion
for the girl. Talbot was uneasy.
Elinor had an unexpected visitor
that afternoon. 1t was the Bryant
woman.
White, but very dignifled, Elinor
came into the drawing room. But Mrs.
Bryant had not come about the pearl.
"You must forgive a Sunday visit"
she said. "But have taken Mr.. Bry-
ant to the country club, and wanted
so much to come to see you"
Elinor's color returned.
1T is very kind of you to come"
Mrs. Bryant's small, birdlike eyes
darted over the room. The house was
distinctly good form. Perhaps the girl
might be an acquisition to the social life
of the village. After all, religion was
becoming very broad. Even the best
people
''The country club" said Mrs. Bry.
ant aloud, 'is full of disagreeable
memories to me just now. 1t was less
than a week ago that was robbed"
"Ah!" said Eiinor Robbed! How
Interestingly"
GAIL my jewels, everything l pos
sessed that was really worth while"
"But surely the police"
Mrs. Bryant flushed with anger.
''The police!" she said. ''It wouldn't
surprise me at all to discover that the
police are in with the thieves. Look
at the condition of this country! 1t
has been terror-ridden for the last two
or three years. You yourself are a
victim. Your poor father!''
Actually she had detested old Hilary.
She sat forward on the edge Of her
chair and spoke with great JUNCTION.
"There is a band of organized, in
telligent bandits working in this neigh
borhood, Miss Kingston, band of muir
derers. In these days of feminism, 1t
wouldn't astonish me ut all to discover
that some woman Is q. the head of it.
The things that have been planned
have been so fiendishly clever!"
Mrs. Bryant rose.
IL SllOWS lOW uciIoI dliAiiS ouNh
things are," she sand. 81 assure you
that l never look at woman's throat
these days without expecting to see
my pearl"
From that dangerous ground she
stepped quickly to the burning of the
! parish house, which she believed was
| the work of militant sHfffagettes-
''The dear rector is not feminist," "
she said "His assistant, fear, has a
strong tendency in that direction. But
he is a wonderful person, really. Just
imagine, seventy-cight thousand dol
lars was collected in Saint Jude's
church this morning for rebuilding the
parish house!"
| She turned at the doorway.