| Show l fW 1 NO NC GO jOT I j MARY ROBERTS 7 7 AUTHOR OF ER X THE flAN IN LOWER TC I r 6 r C tARY ROERT L r ri SYNOPSIS II a 31 1 iZ CHAPTER I Old I-Old Old Hilary Kingston or atting- atting with Socialism drifts Into anchy an- an chy and gathers round him in U the hall hail e bo the village of ot a band banri of ot accomplished desperadoes S who rob the rich Incite and arm the re- re u His IllS motherless daughter Elinor Ellnor ts Us raised to fine tine living and wrong think think- ng to no law and no Christ CHAPTER II In U-In In an attack on the Agrarian Ag Ag- old Is rattan bank messenger Hilary HUnO killed but Is la not suspected of complicity Boroday BY brings the body home to the tile hall L CHAPTER i IH lU iWard Ward assistant rector of St St. Judes Judea makes a call of condolence on Elinor who consents to have her father fath fath- er at buried burled from St St. Judes Jude's In the odor of sanctity The chief of ot police recognizes Boro Boroday y and Is suspicious P I CHAPTER IV After W-After After the funeral l the toe band nd meet at nt the hall hail and agree to fro go on onas onas as s before Elinor acting In her fathers father tend stead Huff Hutt asks Elinor to marry him hini find pd nd she ehe consents though she does docs not love Jove him Boroday Is arrested and threat threat- ened CHAPTER V V-Boroday V Boroday In n Jan Jail Talbot plans Diana a raid I on the 8 Country club The f W friendship ds between e Ward a and Elinor ripens to something deeper She envies I him his bis faith CHAPTER VI fluff VT-fluff Huff b burns St. St Judes Judea parish ansh house Elinor offers to help belp rebuild re rebuild re- re build it and Is 15 angry with Huff fluff J JIt j It mInor Elinor mInorw w t he 1 Hie destruction It seemed as though a band had fastened y Itself around her chest Then she saw t Warn Ward He was on the ridge-pole ridge of ot the f church roof root with a hatchet The ridgepole ridge ridge- to pole was burning slowly She could t see ace him chopping From that time she never took her eyes away from him Other OUter men were there thore She see them Sh She saw only Ward battling on the ridge-pole ridge and high above on en the steeple the o sturdy cross of his Ws faith or l Once the men on the street below i turned the full tull force of ot the hose on Urn him She saw w him reel saw him reer rec recOver re- re c cOver er himself by a miracle The fire glare died Into the dawn Saint Judes Jude's was saved Behind It In Its park the charred skeleton of ot the parish house showed how thoroughly young Huff Hutt had done his work Not until Ward had descended safely to the did Elinor Ellnor relax Ward found her sitting In one of the I chairs along the pavement her her hair hall tin In Its long iong braid her tier feet reet thrust Into slippers her hr eyes red from long The fire engine was being Dragged way The crowd had dispersed Word Ward blackened and depressed was surveying the ruins wI with a heavy heart He Es turned and saw the girl Just at first he be was not sure of at her He Be was always s seeing her mentally Then he be went toward her his hand i out ant oat You see he be said what an hour may bring forth 1 I A And ADd d then You I reckless re child here In slippers 1 I saw you on the said suld Elinor barely able to articulate articulate Once I Bought fallen got me Its It's rather sad Isn't It ItT IU H stood bareheaded In the cool tool dawn and land surveyed the ruin People meet great crises simply She tried to find some word of sympathy sympathy sym sym- pathy to tn s say y b but t what was there poor child She knew the true Inwardness of Cf that disastrous rous night So with pathetic pathetic pa pa- e eyes es she turned away Til rn go home honie now she said suld I saw the He glare glare I I Qute suddenly her I lips Ups trembled I should like to help I you rou with the tl new building Fine FInet 1 said sold Ward heartily Well We'll get ret to that before long I If It yo you had fallen fallen- He was not listening It came to her herthen herthen then how far fur apart they were To her his falling would have been an end ataU of at all aU things to him It would have meant he beginning of ot a useful eternity f 1 uj If It yo you you walt wait a little Ill I'll run around nd ad get my car and t take ke you up I She sat down again obediently She was wai glad to be with him Wm a little longer I I Until recently the work of ot th the tho band had bad always seemed a vague I I I lion tion Now v one of Its results lay before her And there were other things fresh I In her mind old mind old Hilary dead of ot his I revolt against law and lying In state I before an altar erected to a God he had hadnot not recognized And Ward watching I t her windows window's and thinking her the embodiment embodiment em em- of what a woman should be i lOver Over her bitterness rose a hot wave ware of anger finger against Walter Waiter Huff She had forbidden this thing and he ho had done donet Jt it t t r- r I CHAPTER VII W rd- rd I Ward brought her a cup of ot coffee cartee and stood by with satisfaction while she ehe drank It In his Ws eyes there was a mixture of ot depression and Joy The j I parish house was none gone and this girl girl before him was to marry another man But they would build another parish house and who knew knew knew- He drove her up the hill hm In his small car nr r. r At the top o of a rise he stopped the car cur and looked back Jacl The nights night's devastation de showed shot clearly a black wound In the smiling heart of ot the val 81 ml- ml v F ley Elinor watched him It means a greet deal to you doesn't Its rather a facer racer Lacer Of Ot course we will wUl build again but there are things that lila coul not be replaced That Isn't what troubles me The fact Is I am afraid Im I'm responsible I I I was there last night alone I have a bad when I 1 have hav a men men- Q r J tai tal I problem to worry out of walking up and down a room and lighting one cigarette after another I 1 am reckless with matches Then perhaps after all Walter hadnot had hadnot I Inot not do done e It The car climbed slowly Ward kept his eyes straight ahead Elinor cast little shy glances at his profile You said amid you had something to worry worry out out 2 He drew a n long breath 9 I I 1 have lune had an nn offer to go to NewYork Now New York to a big church Its It's rather a wonderful opportunity Elinor made n except to clutch her hands as th they y lay lar In her lap Then Thed you ou will vill be leaving leaving us us No he said I 1 shall not be leaving leavIng- you You like It here Very much He turned and looked down at nt her It was unwise He realIzed realized realIzed real real- that at once So frail she looked so softly tend tenderly ry feminine I And because because because be be- cause he knew that after the nl night ht he had not yet got control over himself the merest hand clasp as she got out of ot the Ule machine was all nil he dared But at atthe atthe the top of the steps Elinor Ellnor turned tamed You will never know Just how sorry I am ani she said and went through her garden to the house From that Friday morning until the evening of the following day Elinor was vos quite alone Hour after otter hour she spent pacing the terrace looking down Into the valley On Friday night unable to sleep she threw a negligee over her shoulders and went down to her g garden The village slept quietly but there was a alI alight alight lI light ht In Wards Ward's small window near the church She Sire remained on the terrace until the light was extinguished At dinner that Saturday Boroday's empty place cast a gloom over the meal Walter Huff came a little late Under the ease of his greeting there was a touch of uneasiness as he met Elinor's eyes When the servants left the room Talbot leaned forward to Walter 0 rr The Car Climbed Slowly Now TN tell us as about It he said Huff was frankly triumphant but he still avoided Elinor's eyes Its working out exactly as I knew It would he explained Having once had a parish house they cannot do without It The vestry carried only about a third enough Insurance And theres there's another point In our favor the favor the rectors rector's away Hes He's got rheumatism They are going to take up an additional purse to send him to Baden Badea When U Tomorrow morning And tomorrow being Sunday the assistant nt rector Elinor's Eli EU- nors nor's friend will have It In charge until un un- un- un til UI Monday morning I shall shaU warn him Wm said Elinor sud sud- denly There was silence for a moment Talbot Tal Pal bot hot smiled Lethbridge looked astound astounded ed Huff fluff bending forward with his arms out before him on the table confronted confronted con con- fronted Elinor squarely it It Is it IU he saidI saidI saidI said I asked naked you ou not to do what do-what what you have ha done The children used It all the time They played basketball there Besides my wish should mean something something something some some- thing to you Huff shrugged his shoulders If It ItI I had bad burned a tenement tall full of ot people people- A mans man nearl killed He was nearly j was wason wason wason on the ridge-pole ridge of or the tire church and they turned the full strength of the water on him I saw It I I almost almost fainted tainted You saw I it It to ItI toI I was there said Elinor quietly Huff rose angrily You were there I 1 And who was It who almost fell feU off the roof Your parson I suppose Talbot silenced the boy It was Lethbridge who took up p the argument He lIe understood her ber position and sympathized sym sym- he sold said c Jr 8 mis- mis j t M Mr r we hut th that thai It was tone Tone He lie spoke of ot Boroday's critical condition condl condi tion of ot their safety that depended on his and finding her attitude to be unyielding unyielding un un- un yielding took refuge In her fathers father's memory If anything comes out It will vilI all nil come out he reminded her It seems to me Elinor that you owe It to your father not to Interfere This Isn't a anew anew anew new plan Four or five years ago when the parish house was first built bunt we talked it over here And Ant It Isn't as though we mean to hurt this fellow teltow Ward It will willbe be three to one hell he'll make no resistance Ye Yei she said Three to one That Is the way we fight ht Oh Im I'm one of ot you I know that that but but It sickens me sometimes The Tire men were astounded frankly uncomfortable The conference got nowhere Elinor acknowledged their duty to the Russian Rus Itus' sian sinn offered all nU her Jewels In fact for his defense But Dut she size stubbornly refused refused refused re re- fused to countenance the attack on Mr Ward Huff fluff lapsed Into sullen si silence silence sl- sl lence his eyes on her The other men found every argument met by silence except for one line passionate outburst lie Is my ft lend fr-lend lend the she cried I have never had hud any friends except once years ago a girl gIri It was Bore Boro- day then who used my friendship for her It was the Rutherford matter mutter Walter Waiter r would not remember but Jut the rest of you you you-I I tell teU you I 1 wont won't do this thing Talbot tried a 11 new method Its a ii wealthy congregation he explained It Is not much for them and Its It's I safety for us If It we let Jet Boroday go up and he thinks what he will about u U he can make It bad for all aU of us Elinor turned on himI him I d dont don't nt care a n rap for the congre congre- gation Do you think he will vIll let that money go without a 11 struggle The moment It goes Into the he offertory It ceases ceases to be money and becomes a divine di dl vine ine trust to him Hell He'll fight and and and- dl 1 someone will be killed I It dawned even on Talbot Talbot after atter a I time that her solicitude was for tor none I of them When he realized It at last I he sat back with folded arms and frowning brows brO Here was mockery I l for sure old Hilary's daughter reared j on pure violence and In love with a I parson old l-old old Hilary's daughter and I successor def defying the band In Its I I hour of ot need and quoting a divine I I trust In extenuation In view of ot her there seemed to be nothing to doWell doWell do doWell Well give gi It up of ot course said i I Lethbridge after a pause I There had never been any drinking I In old Hilary's house Only abstainers abstain abstain- ers ems were ever t taken ken Into the band But I i it t was toe the custom or of toe two older mento men mento to remain at the table over their cigars giving Walter and Elinor Elmer a hour halt together That night when Elinor Ennor rose from the table Huff Butt although he rose with the others made no move to follow her She looked back from the tire doorway a slim alm almost t childish I figure with beseeching eyes You must all aU try to think kindly of i Inc me she he said wistfully I I care for I fl a as mu much h i n I t ever vr v r did W You ou nr are all AU U 1 I II T I haVe JOT tilee e. e It Is only Bal fh I I- I have hare been thinking For the first tIme since the pf vt the band there re wa was quarrelIng quarrel quarrel- Ing log that night In o old od d Hilary's paneled library At the end of ot an on hour Walter Huff fluff flung out of ot the door white with fury tury lie He stumbled through the garden gar gar- garn den toward the garage muttering as ashe ashe he went In the rose alley nIley he be met El El- Elinor inor I 1 was waiting for tor you 8 ehe said simply Hurt Huff stood before her and the anger left his bis face Youre the one thing In all nil the world I felt sure feure of ot His ills voice was heavy Y with de despair rye been thinking about Bo Boroday Boro Borc day day day- Elinor Ellnor how far tar have things gone between you and this man at St. St Judes Jude's She recoiled I II hardly know him You think about him She looked down Into the tho valley vaHey I think of the things he stands for tor It Just seems to me that when a man manlike manlike man I like that not a dream dreamer r at all but human haman human hu hu- man and and and-and and keen when he believes believes' all that he does jj I I i It was Ward on the ridge-pole ridge the theone theone one who nearly fell I I Yes j i And you ou were frightened d I It made me sick I I- I I Quite suddenly he be crushed her to him It was as 88 if It he ire meant to drive away this barrIer barrier between them by sheer force of ot his love for tor her But Dut i although she held up her face tace for his his his' kiss kiss- kisshe he released her as suddenly without It I Youre crazy about him he said said thickly rm Im not blind Ill I'll get him for tor this I I CHAPTER VIII Saturday evening It was the custom of ot the Bryants to entertain the rector at dinner INow j I Now In his absence It was the assistant assistant assistant as- as rector who dined In the paneled Jacobean dining room of ot the Bryant house home swallowing much unctuous die die- tation as to church policy with whir his tUnnel dinner i Not that Ward was mas mild mUd But Dut he he I had an easy way of ot listening to tire the the I advice ad of ot his various Influential parish parish- j J loners and then going ahead and doing as he liked In nonessentials he always al al- alI I ways yielded To him the church was wasso I Iso i iso so much bigger than Its ritual That evening Mrs Bryant had taken up the qu question of ot women In in- intire the tire choir Frankly Mr Ward she said Raid Ignoring ignoring Ig Ig- ig- ig I noring her fish I do not approve of ot it It It nj I J tellI tell I H i t I 1 you Before re long th lh they'll y ll want to be he beon c con on the vestry Ward glanced up half halt smiling The shaped pear pearl which usually hung hungat at his hostess' hostess withered throat was naturally not not there From the pearl to the parish house from the parish house to Elinor thus Elinor-thus thus In two leaps of Wards Ward's mind he was far ar from 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