Evening star., 1923-10-20
Continued from Yesterdays Star,
PhiIIipa's stand.

10 ana IHen TO Ice
\ as she remembered what had
just occurred-she-shew was to
be the price of this mans bargain!
She felt shamed and humiliated to
the very core.
And she had given him her word
to keep confidence! She was to go
about with this shameful secret, live
with IL, be with II always-that he
was bartering his knowledge against
her. She was to give her life. her
self, her all to him in exchange for
divulging a secret which, II he had
been an honest man, would have been
no secret. And she had given him her
word-her word!
"Oh. If only had some one" she
said to herself. ito whom 1 could turn
and tell everything! But"
And then the dreadful truth forced
itself upon her once more-she had
given her word. And to girl of
Phillipa Mannersley's stamp. a girl
who had been brought up with the
strictest notions of honor, and who,
moreover had equally strict and ma
tural notion of her own, the mere
idea of breaking faith was as dread
p
be to an ardent royalist.
She knew little sleep that night,
and she could eat no breakfast rext
morning. The distant relative who
was staying with her-she had no
ton-was anxious and troubled about
her, but thought that she was still
fretting over her fathers death. But
before she came down Phillipa had
formed resolution, and early in the
g. Oh InfN nf,N1n
it out.
She was going to ask advice on a
question of conscience, and so she
went across the road and through the
churchyard TO the vicarage to find
the old vicar, who had known her
a great affection for her. Him she
found in his study poring over one
of his treasured books, and she
plunged at once into the matter which
had brought her there.
Mr.. Scott" she said when she had
dropped into her favorite chair al
the old parsons side, is it ever right
| to break ones word?'
The vicar pushed his spectacles
high up on his forehead and looked
at her as If he wanted to hear more
II mean under any circumstances.
she said.
1T is generally held that one should
never break ones word under any
| circumstances whatever, my dear"
replied the old man. But" he add
| ed, thoughtfully, Il must confess that
! it has often occurred to me that there
might be circumstances which would
| justify one in doing So"
"Supposing," said Phillipa; sup
! posing you had given your word to
somebody whom you subsequently
found out to be very bad, very wick
ed. indeed, and that that somebody
ought never to have exacted your
| word from you-what then?"
The old vicar took off his spectacles
and polished them thoughtfully.
You mean, l suppose, my dear. a
/ case where ones word has been given
under compulsory" he said; ia,
great eagerness. "Yes-thats 1t
under compulsion. Where you were
made TO give it, you know"
Under a threat of what might hap
| pen to yourself. or to some other per-
son. TO your or the other persons
hurt?" asked the vicar.
! Yes.yes!" replied Phillipa.
| Mr.. Scott put his spectacles on
| again with calm deliberation.
| There is a certain school of theo-
! log:ans," he said with a smile which
| Phillipa did not understand, which
\ would tell you that promise made
under such condition is no promise
| at all; that a promise or vow exacted
| at threat, or compulsion, or neces-
sity has no moral or religious obliga-
! tions.
| And. 1 am not sure that I do not
| agree with that school" he continued
1 with a quiet chuckle. Il am quite
! sure that if man came in here and
| held a pistol to my head and threat.
lened to shoot me unless / promised
/ to give him his dinner next SUNDAY
IL should certainly promise, but