Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-09-18

day night, old Henriette, bent on her
evening task Of sending Elinor to bed,
wandered into the library. She found
Ward. his earnest face glowing, ex-
pounding the tenets of his faith from
the edge Of his chair; and Elinor ly.
ing back with her face drawn, watch
Ing the clock on the mantel.
Old ,Henriette, astounded, withdrew,
not to sleep. but with the wakefal
alerthess of old age, to wander up and
down the garden paths until such time
as Elinor's visitor might leave.
Ward suddenly realized that he was
making small Roadway. When ut last
he caught Elinor's eyes on the clock
he flushed and rose.
'Tve done it all very badly" he
said. II seem to wander all about
and not get anywhere. You see It's
all so real to me"
Elinor had leaned back with closed
eyes. -
at is all very terrible to me-" she
replied. "This God of vengeance"
'1This God Of tenderness and mercy"
Ward supplemented. "Don't you see
what 1t all means? How terrible this
life would be If this were all! Our
little lives, full Of jealousies and
hatreds and crimes: I bringing that
box, over there ON the table, up here
with me tonight, because I dare not
trust it to my fellow men; who could
not sleep last night for thinking Of
you, who are all that is good and sweet
and tender, up here alone in this great
house, with God knows what danger
lurking about"
Elinor had reached her limit. The
band Of her self-control snapped. She
could not hold him much longer, and
before he went he must know.
"When I sent for you," she said, II
had two reasons. wanted to see you.
Pleased" As he took a step toward
her. "And I wanted to save you from
something that know Of"
Something in her thinly drawn voice
was familiar.
II see," Ward said slowly. 1T was
you who telephoped me and then rang
or"
'when you say that I am good and
tender" Elinor went on. you shame
me. am all that is bad and wicked.
Everything. You were to have been
robbed tonight I brought you here
,,pdar f~loo nrofonson
Ward was as white as she. His 1g-
ure Strengthened.
'Then all the time that I have been
telling you"
II did not hear. was watching the
time"
Personal fear Ward had none. II
did not even follow Elinor's eyes as
they glanced once more at the clock.
Mrs. Bryant's venomous insinuations
came back to him, all the village talk
Of the girls strange rearing. Fearful
thoughts flashed into his mind, to be
dismissed. shaken OF doggedly.
II shall never believe anything that
you do not tell me yourself. But it
Is only fair. to me that now at last
there be frankness between us"
"There are Others" Elinor said, with
dry lips.
"Your father:"
"He is dead. cannot talk Of him.
This much can tell you. The parish
house was burned deliberately 1t was
planned and carefully carried out"
"And you knew?''
II had forbidden it."
''You had forbidden it?'
He. went to her and caught her by
the shoulders, forcing her to look up
into his face.
''You? Then all this time that you
have seen what you must have seen in
my eyes, you have been"
AT the head Of q band Of thieves"
Elinor said slowly.
Ward released her. and turning took
q slow survey Of the room.
'"Then suppose this is a trap?" he
said.
1T is not a trap" Her voice was
dead. II opposed this this plan from
the start. That is the reason one of
the men-of my friends-suspected
that II"
go on. What did he suspectT
"That I--but that doesn't matter.
He burned the parish house and
planned all this. Tonight he meant
to get the money from you, and Twas
desperate. I could think Of no other
way"
Wards faith in her was slow to die.
He took step toward her, his hands
out. then dropped them at his sides. !
4Then-the night the parish house
burned, when came down in the dawn
and found you sitting there"-hc
clenched his hands"all the time you
knew. You knewi And I had
thought
he went to the table and. opening
the box, slipped the notes and money
It contained into his pocket. Then he
buttoned his coat about him. Elinor
watched him stonily.
'You are going back down the hilli"
Il am going home" he did not even
look at her.
III you would only 60 some place
else" she said pltifully. ITO the club,
or to Mrs. Bryants. Please believe
me. whatever ! am, and / have told
you the worst. am trying to think Of