Mary Roberts Rinehart

“ ELINOR FINDS HERSELF THE OBJECT OF WALTER HUFF'S FIERCE JEALOUSY AND is FRIGHTENED WHEN THE YOUTH THREATENS TO "GET" WARD, WHO ALSO is TORN BY JEALOUSY
Synopsis—For years old Hilary Kingston lived with his daughter, Elinor, in a beautiful home on a hill in the suburban village of Woffingham. The neighbors knew nothing about the establishment, except that the father was quite wealthy, and the daughter very good looking and gentle. In reality Kingston was head of an anarchist band, composed of Huff, Boroday, Talbot and Lethbridge, that robbed the rich and gave to the poor and oppressed. ”

“ Now, in his absence, it was the assistant rector who dined in the paneled Jacobean dining room of the Bryant house, swallowing much unctuous dictation as to church policy with his dinner.
Not that Ward was mild. But he had an easy way of listening to the advice of his various influential parishioners and then going ahead and doing as he liked. In nonessentials he always yielded. To him the church was so much bigger than its ritual.
That evening Mrs. Bryant had taken up the question of women in the choir.
"Frankly. Mr. Ward," she said, ignoring her fish, "I do not approve of it. ”

“ Walter would not remember, but the rest of you—I tell you, I won't do this thing."
Talbot tried a new method. "It's a wealthy congregation," he explained. "It is not much for them, and it's safety for us. ”