the fore.

"Neither of them," he said firmly to himself, "neither God nor priest."
What he had come for had nothing to do with religion or with its forms.
A woman had been found lying on a door-step near this church, who might
have attended the same evening service. If so, Father Cruse might have
seen her--no doubt knew her, in fact, must have both seen and recognized
her. She was the kind of woman whom Murford said Father Cruse helped.
What he was here for was to ask the priest a simple, straightforward
question. This over, he would continue on his way.

Then a sudden check arose. How was he to describe this woman? He had not
dared probe Kitty for any further details than those she had given
him. To waste therefore, the valuable time of Father Cruse with no more
information than he at present possessed would be as inconsiderate as it
was foolish.

With this new view of the difficulty confronting him, he reached for
his hat, so as to be ready at the first break in the service to tiptoe
noiselessly out. He would then go back to Kitty and, without exciting
her suspicions, learn something more of the outward appearance of the
object of her tender sympathy.

As he was about to leave the pew, the tones of a tiny bell were heard
through the aisles. Instantly a deep, almost breathless, silence fell
upon the church. The penitents, who were on their knees beneath the
clusters of candles lighting the side chapels, remained motionless;
those in the seats bowed their heads, their foreheads resting on the
backs of the pews.

As he listened with lowered head, a dull, scuffling sound was heard near
the swinging doors of the vestibule, as if some one were being
roughly handled. Then an angry voice, "she shan't go in!" followed by
high-pitched, defiant tones: "Get out of my way. I shan't go in, shan't
I? I'd like to see you or anybody else keep me out! This place is free,
and so am I. Jim hasn't showed up, and I'm going to wait for him here.
I've got a date."

She was abreast of Felix now, a girl of twenty, maudlin drunk, her hat
awry, her hair in a frowse, her dress open at the neck.

She steadied herself for a moment, and became conscious of Felix, who
had risen, horror-stricken, from his seat.

"Jim ain't showed up. He is all right, and don't you forget it. Them
guys wanted to give me the grand bounce, but I got a date, see?"

She reeled on up the aisle until she reached the steps of the altar.
There she stood, swaying be