Show ek APRI V ah aag SANDS by sara ware BASSETT copyright by the penn pub co service Q V SYNOPSIS the youthful and comely Widd cr marcia howe has as her guest eruest her late husbands niece sylvia hayden ayden II A stranger on the verge of 0 echaus exhaustion tion ands his way to marcias home secretly he asks her to hide a package containing jewelry she does so elisha winslow town sheriff brings brines news of 0 a jewel robbery nearby the stranger gives his name as stanley heath sylvia discovers the jewels and naturally believes heath la is a robber she realizes that marcia must have hidden them and decides to say nothing mar biar cla feels she hap ha altogether too deep an interest in her guest but Is powerless to overcome IL it heath wires mrs mra S C heath new york saying he ii Is safe ile he also orders a man named currier to come at once sylvia in her room bedecks bedecki herself with the jewels jenels at Mar marcias clas approach she hides them there heath asks marcia to bring brine them to him they are gonel eone he kindly makes hem or of the loss lose sylvia restores the jewels to their original hiding place misha winslow visiting barcla il arcla discovers the gems and has no doubt they are the stolen gerns gems and that heath hear h Is the thief leaving the jewels he makes plans for or arresting restine ar heath CHAPTER VII 10 dawn was vas breaking over wilton when a trim motor car bearing a new york number plate slipped quietly into the and drew up tip at the town garage from it stepped a man small anil and somewhat bent may I 1 leave my car here lie inquired of the lad who was sweeping out the building sure nil her up for or me please and you might clean tier her a bit keen been riding all night the stranger nodded 1 I like traveling at night lie volunteered ered less traffic trall lc can you tell we ine where a mr heath Is staying heath Ileath 7 the chap who ran aground on the crocker cove sand bar iles hes over to the widders wheres that the lives out yonder at the homestead how does one get there wal the only way to reach the house when the tides full as itis now Is to row cherell Wh erell I 1 find a boat that I 1 say the keeps hers vother side of the channel SIe blie though if you was to go town down to the beach some fisherman would give you a lift across most any of em would admire to it if youre a friend of marcia barcla blowes the stranger bowed but offered no comment if curiosity stirred within him concerning the information the lad vouchsafed at roast least he gave no sign thank you he replied briefly will this road take me to the beach straight as an arrow without wasting additional words word 3 or time the stranger nodded and started off briskly in the direction andlen ted when he reached the beach he halted scanning eagerly the silvered house b beyond the channel discovering DIsco erIng no one in sight he dragged from the shore a yellow dory clambered into it aal catching up the oars began to row toward the dwelling silhouetted against the water and the glory of the mo morning aning sky e in the meantime both and sylvia had wakened early and were astir the kitchen fire was waa already snapping merrily in the stove however how and the table was spread before ill the latter made tier her appearance she come came in carrying a thick envelope why sylvia how bow you startled met mel marcia exclaimed 1 I did not hear you come down stairs why are you up tip so early im going to town to catch the morning mall I 1 haie hae to get off this letter have to yes to bortle you see it if I 1 answer promptly he might think thi th i candy had bad gone astray explained the girl oh of course you must thank him for the candy barcla agreed still Is it necessary to 10 lo do so in ID such a rush to walk to the village this morning 1 I mean to row over im afraid you cant dear I 1 dincov ered last night the boat was gone eleazer crocker must have hare appropriated it when he was here yesterday I 1 ra shall hall give him a good lecture when I 1 I 1 see ee him it Is a serious thing thin to he be leaf out here with no way of getting to land in fact here we are arc with this tremendously important letter that aust be posted d immediately willy illy with eyes brimming with laughter barcla shot a mischievous glance at or cr companion but it Is only the last or of april be v ved ed men llen need to know such things filings well i a advaney they have to adjust their i us iness ness 1 te ae A e smiled murrle such conditions I 1 suppose the sooner the letter Is sent the better it just to thank bortle for the candy that im writing that young lady replied sedately you see lie he asked if lie he might come to wilton for his summer vacation ile ie has to know so lie he ean can mike make his plans the sooner I 1 start the sooner I 1 shall be back I 1 suppose sylvia answered with feigned reluctance ten men are so uni unreasonable any errands not today thanks just the mail ill walt wait for it the en eagerness gerness betrayed by the reply left not the slightest doubt that sylvia would wait and gladly As the door closed behind her siar mar cla smiled whimsically she prepared heatha heaths breakfast tray find and was about to uke take it upstairs when there was a gentle knock at the litchen kitchen door A stranger stood upon the threshold Is mr stanley heath staying here inquired lie he yes 1 I it HID in currier ir heath sent tor for me of coursel come in wont you mr air heath Is expecting you ill tell mm him you are here you do that madam it if you will lust just show me where lie he Is at the hend head of the stairs very rood good thank you madam awill 1 will go 90 up barcla soon heard the invalids voice imperative and eazer easier each sentence ending with an interrogation the lapses of silence alch intervened and which at first she be took to be pauses slie she presently decided represented the file MaU inaudible dIble and subdued replies of currier to judge from the sounds bounds heath was pouring out an avalanche of questions once he broke into peals at af bearty langh laughter ter followed by a paroxysm of coughing ile he has forgotten all about breakfast murmured marcia SI arcla IU ill carry it up slie she mounted the stairs softly that tier her coming might break in as little qs 0 possible upon the conversation of her two guests she was alone in the library when I 1 went in heath was saying aej turned so white I 1 feared she might faint or scream luckily she glie did neither you know w ahat hat im after I 1 said the jewels come hand them over at that she began to cry quickly I 1 repeated So someone Some onn may come with that she produced the jewel cose case pouring out we a torrent of explanations pla nations 1 I stopped no longer than I 1 had to I 1 absure you in no time I 1 had made mada my getaway every detail of my plau plan would haie hae gone smoothly but for the tog fog I 1 lost my bearings completely imagine toy luy aniaz amazement emerit at finding myself here waited to hear no more so heath really had taken the jewels from the resisting woman who owned them taken them against tier her will and made off with them ile he owned it nay more I 1 far from regretting what he had done in his tone rang a noti note of satisfaction in his accomplishment she had never believed him guilty not until she heard the bitter irrevocable confession from his bis own lips did she waver and even then she battled against the truth refusing to be convinced there must be some explanation she told herself nevertheless the shock was her head bead swam her heart beat wildly 1 I must not give way she reiterated to herself 11 1 I must put on a braie brae front ile he must not suspect I 1 know it took a few moments for her to regain tier her grip on herself to drag back tier her ebbing strength then she he knocked at the door here Is your coffee sir mr heath she called come in sirs mrs howe im afraid weve delayed you I 1 had entirely forgotten about breakfast and so 60 ill be bound had currier you met my man down stairs I 1 take IV it you found the house without trouble marcia inquired making an effort to address the newcomer in a natural oil off hand band manner yes sirs mrs llo howe e A young man at the garage directed me As marcia turned to go her inc courtesy prompted her to say mr currier Is welcome to stay it if he wishes to clr heath we can put him up perfectly well oh no ile he la is returning directly beless I 1 greatly appreciate your kindness sirs ira heath Is anxious put in currier she begged me to come home as soon as possible that the she might know how sir mr heath was naturally she has ben been much worried there there currier that will do broke in stanley heath lushing flushing and now since sirs mrs howe la Is here and Is in n our secret I 1 may as well tell you that that part of the mission on which you came cannot be accomplished you cannot take the gems back with yoi to new york A calamity has befallen thern them A calamity sir air mrs howe helped me conceal the jewels downstairs in a hiding biding place under the kitchen floor continued stanley heath when she went to get them they were gone it Is all very mysterious broke in marela arcla SI taking up the tale 1 I cannot in any way account for their disappearance pe arance and am touch much distressed have you any theory as to who could have taken them inquired currier absolutely none I 1 cannot even see how bow anybody had the chance to take them no one knew they were there would you ou be willing to show tue nia where they were hidden and allow me m to investigate certainly ill take you downstairs down stair now while we have tin the opportunity when do you start back Is for mr heath to decide right night off As soon as you can ret get under way stanley heath said ald decisively ci 00 oo go down now with mrs lowe howe since she Is so gracious and have your breakfast examine too the lie place where we concealed the lewel jewel case you may discover a clew she has missed preceding currier into the kitchen marcia went straight to the hearth and r I 1 marcia could not believe her eyes I 1 pointed anted to the brick at her feet it was here we put the jewel case she said 1 I think with your permission I 1 will take up the brick the little man at tier her elbow quietly announced certainly acquiesced marcta marcia taking out his knife currier knelt and soon had bad the brick out of its it hole beneath it lay the jewel jenel case wrapped as before in stanley heaths deaths monogrammed handkerchief marcia could not believe her eyes cut but but it there when I 1 looked I 1 could swear it who could have taken it out and if some one did why return anything so valuable currier inquired 1 I dont know I 1 do not understand it at all the woman replied there I 1 Is 8 something uncanny about the whole affair 1 tra ilir well at any rate the gems are here now said currier in a matter ot of fact tone mr ir heath will be touch much relieved shall I 1 go up and ill go marcia cried it wont take we me a minute ill be right back As you prefer madam oft off flew marcia her haste baste the radiance ot of her face must have suggested to the stranger ft a thought that had not occurred to ill him M before tor for after she had gone be stood e T in the middle of 0 the floor looking after her then a slow shadowy smile passed across ills his features so ho he muttered so hot hoi ile he was still absorbed in reverie when marcia breathless and flushed rejoined him 1 I can think of nothing but the jewels and their recovery I 1 am so BO happy I 1 had bad completely forgotten your breakfast you might run up to seq see sir heath while I 1 am getting it ready 1 I will do that I 1 shall be leaving at once and he may have final orders for me or perhaps a letter for mrs heath mrs feath 1 marcia repeated as if the tee name suddenly brought before tier her consciousness something hitherto to forgotten yes yest of course then turning her head aside she inquired with studied care carelessness lessne SS how long iong I 1 wonder does mr heath plan to remain in wilton I 1 think that as soon as be Is able to make the journey he be would better go home this climate Is Is damp and he will perhaps pick up faster away from the sea it if you have any influence with him wont you please advise it the mans small gray eyes narrowed 1 I have no influence with mr heath replied he mrs airs heath has ho however Never shall I 1 tell her 1 I wish you would e e e an hour later my unknown lady weighed anchor and disappeared out to sea carrying with her currier and the jewels marcia watched until the lie last snowy ripple foaming in her wake had disappeared then she sank into a chair and brushed her hand across her eyes and the end of 0 that foolishness 1 she muttered the endt endl TO BE CONTINUED |