Show I GIVEN IN MARRIAGE I In Compartment of B Box x Madges Madges' Father Finds Message From Grave By Adele Garrison I hardly dared to breathe as my ather looked down into the cavity J in my mothers mother's japanned d box the existence ex cx- of which I never had sus sus- sus It was no such elaborate arrangement arrangement arrange arrange- ment as the secret compartment in inthe inthe the he lock box bequeathed to Marion Morton by her grandmother and md which we now knew contained so important important im im- im and dangerous a a secret to be disclosed upon Marions Marion's eighteenth nth birthday It was simply a small recess recess re reo re- re cess beneath the padded lining appeared appeared appeared ap ap- ap- ap to adhere to the bottom o oi of the he box But to my father lather this cay cay- ity ty with its contents was evidently ot of t supreme importance and I saw his lis face brighten unbelievably as he took ook an old fashioned tiny Jewel bo box from it Surely she wouldn't keep the empty box I heard him murmur And then as he opened the box and took out outa a sapphire ring in an an style old-style but exquisite setting of ot tiny diamonds I saw his face break up into waves of ot emotion and with something very like ike a sob he brought the ring to his lips bending his head so low that I 1 could not see his face I lay motionless silent wishing m my my- self self elf anywhere but where I was But when he lifted his face to mine wet with tears so rarely shed by a manof manot man manof of ot his caliber I I realized d' d that those memories had not been all alt tragic tragic- that hat from somewhere in that long distant disant dis dis- tant ant p past st he hadre comfort and healing Forgive me Inc darling he began but butI I interrupted him Forgive you I repeated It is I Iwho Iwho who should crave forgiveness for forre remaining remaining re re- here while you OU examined this box Who else should share this sacred hour with me me he queried tenderly Did s she never tell you about this he le asked after alter a long minute Never N ever I replied I did not even en know enow until this minute that there was wasa a cavity In the box I You didn't A MESSAGE 1 OF FORGIVENESS There was such surprise in his hi tone that hat I was emboldened to voice a thought hought which had come Insistently tome to tome tome me during the last 3 t few minutes No and father father- I hesitated h and he looked at me sharply Tell TeU me he said quickly She told She told me inc So so much else We had no no secrets from each other And you ou know she told m me almost with her dying breath that I was to hold no bitterness against you you you- I know the blessed saint he be said unsteadily That I X am wondering I went on if it she shedid did did not leave the ring in this cavity as a message to you What makes makes' you think that he asked hoarsely I have been working it out In my mind I began slowly since I saw saw this cavity the existence of which I had never suspected although I have handled bandied the box frequently both before before be be- fore mother went vent away and arid after after- ward She knew h how w I prized the box and that I never would part with it and and IO it was my turn to stare at him I I 1 remember now a queer re request once she made of me me What was it The words were but bur a strained whisper She made me promise that I 1 would out instructions that the box should be burned at my death Dont Don't you see She never meant an anyone one else but you to see this ring She irn knew that i if it you found me rae we would be very close and that some time I would show you this box It is a message to you With the ring clasped in his hands as if it it were a sacred religious relic and nd he a devotee he gazed at me me wonderingly then a look of ot happy belief be lief liet settled in his eyes I II feel that you are right he said It HIt Is a message of forgiveness from forgiveness from her But I Iwas was WIlS not yet satisfied fied My feminine fern fem mine intuition told me that a woman would not be content to leave only the ring without a written word J I sat up amon among my pillows and stretched out my hand to him May I see the box a a second I asked Continued tomorrow Copyright 1933 K L KF F. F S. S Inc |