The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1917-11-01

none OF tne men knew. 1t was, as q
matter Of fact, the parish house. Leth-
bridge, however, knew its function.
Fine prospect that!" he drawled.
That's where the Sunday school is
held, and where they keep the plated
knives and forks for the church sup
pers."
"It's darned fine building" said
Huff. "What would they do If it burned
down."
They were too unfamiliar with
church affairs to hazard guess. Eli
nor, who had been sitting silent, sud-
denly voiced an objection to Huff's un-
spoken plan.
"There must be some other way"
she said. "The children-they have
sewing classes and entertainments for
the children there. It's the parish
house."
"If lightning struck the parish house
tonight" Huff said quite eagerly.
''This is Thursday. By Sunday morn
ing they would be taking up whack-
ing big collection to rebuild It,"
The idea had taken hold of his imagi-
nation. Even the suggestion that a
large part of the offertory might be in
checks mattered not. But Elinor was
obdurate.
"You can do it some place else," she
said "Not here. They struggled very
hard to build the church and they need
money now. Mr.. Ward told me-"
Huff turned on her jealously.
"Ward-that's the preacher chap2"
"He is the assistant rector" Elinor
| replied with dignity.
Hes been coming here, then"
"Twice. Once when father died, and
once to warn me against all of you"
Not that she had forgotten that few
minutes in the garden, under the moon
but that had been an accident-hardly
a call.
Talbot chuckled. But Huff was
thinking hard. Elinor had been differ.
ent lately, a little softer. Ward rep
resented all that the men Elinor knew
were not-law to their violence, order
to their disorder. There was almost O
snarl in his voice.
He'd better stay down in his valley
with his old women" he said, "and
leave you alone. You don't need him.
"Tm not so sure of that" Elinor re
piled quietly, and left him staring. .
Huff burned the parish house the
next night. He did it himself, without
the assistance Of the band. Into it hi
put not only the devillsh ingenuity ot
long experience, but his new hatred o,
Ward.
Church property IS always easy o.
access. It was the work of five min
utes to crawl through basement win
dow and of half an hour to make hi
preparations.
He looked at his watch when he haC
finished. 1t was just midnight. In TIVE
hours, or before the fire began, h
would be back in the city, establishing
his alibi.
The fire-whistles In the villag,
wakened Elinor at something afte
three o'clock. All Of her room wa
filed with the red glare Of the burn
Ing parish house. Old Henriett
knocked at her door.
"The church is burning down in tn
valley" she called. "It's grant
sight"
Elinor was throwing on her clothing
She must see Ward. She would sci
her pearls. She would build a nev
parish house. She said this over ant
over to herself as she struggled dow
the hill.
A new parish house, better than tn
old, with plenty Of room for the chill
dren to play inl At least it was night
and the children safe In their beds
thank God for that! She was too dis
turbed to notice that she had Thanked
, the God In whom she did not believe.
The fire had gained too much head
way to be checked. All the efforts O
the volunteer department and the smal
engine were directed toward savin
the church. For a time 1t seemed as
! Saint Jude's must go.
ElinOr watched the destruction.
! seemed as though band had fastene
! itself around her chest. Then she say
[ Ward. He was on the ridge-pole of tn
, church roof with hatchet. The ridge
pole was burning slowly. She coul
see him chopping.
From that time she never took he
:. eyes away from him. Other men wer
there. She did not see them. She say
only Ward battling on the ridge-pol'
and high above on the steeple th
= sturdy cross of his faith.
1 Once the men on the street belo'
g turned the full force Of the hose o
. him. She saw him reel, saw him n
; cover himself by miracle.
The fire glare died into the dawl
/, Saint Jude's was saved. Behind It
its park the charred skeleton Of tn
L parish house showed how thorough
t young Huff had done his work. M
until Ward had descended safely to Il
street did Elinor relax.
Il Ward found her sitting in one Of Il
% chairs along the pavement. her ha
still IN IL long braid, her feet thru