Fair play., 1917-07-28
CHAPTER discontinued.

8
Ward had risen. He lowered far
above Elinor. Because of his heavy
shoulders, he never looked his full
height. Boroday, in the corridor, stole
a moment from his anxieties to find
the young clergyman every inch of a
man, and to- throw him the grudging
admiration of defeated middle-age for
youth and vibrant life.
"Then I shall not send for the rec
tor?"
"Please, no."
SIS there anything at all that can
do?"
"Do the-the police know about
this2"
"Surely. I suppose you have been
told what happened"
"They will tell me nothing"
There was car coming up the hill.
That would be 1t. Boroday eased his
aching arm. He did not dare a sling,
but the hand was thrust in the pocket
of his coat. If only the hemorrhage
did not start again! He braced HIM
self and watched.
"It was a robbery, you know that"
said Ward, in the library. He picked
his words carefully. "As I got the
story, n taxicab on its way to the bank
was held up near the Record Office.
Your father had stepped to the curb
to hail the taxi, and-it happened
then, "a stray bullet from one Of
the bandits guns"
Boroday, eyes on the car, heard the
statement, and, with the chief coming
up the steps from the road to the gar
den, took the time to repudlate it.
"Pardon" he said. "It was not a
weapon in the hands of the bandits. II
was the revolver of the bank messen-
ger"
Ward turned in surprise. Boroday's
eyes were fixed on Elinor's. with reas-
surnnce in their depths. The assistant
rector was not subtle, but he had a
curious feeling of something behind all
this. He was uncomfortable.
II trust" he said earnestly, "that
these various outrages will be at an
end now. Surely the police"
Possibly" The anarchists gaze
wandered to the garden, where even
then the chief was making his way to.
ward the house. "Of course, these
bandits are trained men of unusual
intelligence. If the police were of In
telligence TO cope with them"
"Yes?"
"They would not be on the force. al
meager salaries and petty graft. They
would be"-he shrugged his shoulders
-'bandits themselves, very possibly
Ward left after that-left with III
uncomfortable feeling Of having go
nowhere. He was convinced of one
thing, death, which for him was az
open gateway, was for this girl {
closed and fastened door. And h,
knew something else. No other woman
had ever so profoundly impressed hin
as this girl who without hope in he
grief met it with a high head ant
courageous eyes.
He felt a certain comfort in on
thing. Elinor had made Il concession
| and Hilary Kingston, lavish giver t.
the parish poor, was to be buried iron
Saint Jude's.
The chief met Mr.. Ward on the ter
race and took of his hat. Boroday
In the dim hall, felt certain sense o
content. Nothing could have been NOR
auspicious, could have set his stag
better for his little drama, than tn
presence Of the young clergyman. Tn
whole scene gained tone, decorum.
The chiefs visit was short. The
had followed the bandits car and los
1t, and finding himself in the neighbol
| hood
"Be assured" he said TO Elinor. i
his best manner, that Wen not res
until this thing is cleared up. Tn
communicable cleared his throat
"the community will not lose one G
Its best citizens without a violent pr,
test"
With the coroner he went up tn