Show S A nuj S by sara wa re BASSETT copyright by tho the penn pub co service vlod vo SYNOPSIS the youthful and comely marcia howe howa has as her guest her late husbands niece sylvia jaa hayden yd en A tranger stranger on the verge of 0 exhaustion finds tits way to marceas Mar Alar clas cias homo secretly he asks her to hide bids a package containing jewelry she does so SD ellsha winslow town sheriff brings nowa news of a jewel robbery nearby the tha stranger gives his hid name as stanley heath sylvia discovers the jewels and naturally believes heath Is a robber she realizes that marcia must have hidden them and decides to say nothing martla martin feels she has altogether too deep an interest inhere st in her guest but Is powerless to overcome it heath wires mrs S C heath new york saying he I 1 Is safe cafe ile he also orders a man named currier it to 0 ome come at D once n ce sylvia in her bedecki bedecks bersek with the jewels at marcias Mai clas approach she hides thorn them there heath asks marcia to bring them to him him they are gonel ile he kindly makes light 0 of the loss sylvia restores the jewels to their original hiding biding place ellsha winslow visiting marcia discovers discover the gems and has no dolbi doubt they ar are the stolen gems and that heath Is the thief leaving the jewels he be makes plans for arresting heath CHAPTER VII 10 dawn was breaking over wilton when a trim motor car hearing bearing a new cork ork number plate slipped quietly into the village and drew up at the town garage from it stepped i a man small and somewhat bent may I 1 leave my car here lie he inquired of the lad who was sweeping out the bull building dIng sure I 1 fill III her up for me please and you might clean tier her a bit been riding all night the stranger nodded 1 I like traveling at night he be volunteered ered less traffic cannou tell me e where a mr air heath Is staying heath the chap who ran aground on the croeker crocker cove sand bar iles hes over to the widders wheres that the lives out yonder atthe at the homestead how does one got get there wal the only way to reach the house when the tides full as now Is to row cherell Wh erell I 1 flad find a boat that I 1 say the keeps hers vother side of the channel debbe though tt if you was to go down to the beach some fisherman would give you ou a lift across 1 most any of em would admire to it youre a friend of barcla bowels EI oes the stranger bowed but offered no comment if curiosity stirred within him concerning the information the lad vouchsafed at least he gave no DO sign thank you he replied briefly will this road take me to the beach straight as an arrow without wasting additional words or time the stranger nodded and started off briskly in the direction indicated when he ha reached the beach he halted scanning eagerly the silvered house beyond the channel discovering no one lo in sight he dragged from the shore a yellow dory clambered into ik it an catching up the oars cars began tor to row toward the dwelling silhouetted against the water and the glory of the morning sky in th the me meantime antim both bot h barcla and sylvia had wakened early and were astir the kitchen fire was already snap plug ping merrily in the stove howver and the table was spread before the latter made her appearance she caine came in carrying a thick en delope why sylvia how you startled me I 1 marcia exclaimed 1 I old did not hear you come down stairs why are you up so early im going to town to catch the ju morning orning mall mail chave I 1 have to get off this letter have e to yes to bortle you see it I 1 answerer promptly he might think the tandy had jone gone astray explained tile the jirl t r ohof oh of course you must thank him fo for r the candy barcla agreed still 1 IR it necessary to do so in such a rush kowalk r to walk to the village this morning morn ng ci I mian mean to row over t pin im afraid you bant cant dear I 1 ered last night thi the boat was gone 4 alleazer Jl leazer crocker must have cave appropriated if it when he was here yesterday I 1 shall give him a good lecture when I 1 iee see I 1 h him lp it Is a pervus serious thing to 0 be le leaf tr out heri here with no way of at getting toland to land in fa fact c here we are with this n IT important airee pi t letter that mst iu s abe be poi posted ted juliner immediately lately willy ill illy Y 11 brim brimming ming with li laughter tighter shot a alisch glince glance at er but eliut it ts only the lashof last of april be ed men need to know such things well advance id vance tay The ave have to olivir ii 1 I if mind onder lucli conditions I 1 suppose the sooner the letter Is sent the alie better it just to thank cortte Hoit 16 for the ca candy ady that im writing 11 that jiing young lady f replied sedately you see he asked if he might ghi come to wilton for or his summer vacation he has to know so ho he can make his pla plans ns the sooner I 1 start the 06 sooner I 1 I 1 shall be back I 1 suppose sylvia answered s edwith with feigned reluctance men are so unreasonable any errands not j thanks just the mall mail ill W wait a it for bor 1 it the eagerness betrayed by the rep reply i y left not noi the doubt that sav sylila would wait w hit and gladly agthe As the it door or closed behind her marda smiled slie she prepared heaths deaths breakfast tray and was about to take it upstairs when there was a gentle knock at the kitchen door A stranger stood upon the threshold Is sir stanley heath staying here inquired he yes 1 I am currier sir heath sent for me of courbet courset course t come bome in wont youl mr heath Is expecting you ill tell him y 0 ou u are aie here you do that madam if you will just show me where helis he Is 1 1 at the head odthe ot the stairs very good thank you madam awill I 1 will go up marcia barcla soon heard thi the invalids voice imperative and eager each sentence ending with an interrogation the lapses of silence which Interrogation intervened i and which at first she took to bo be pauses she presently decided represented the inaudible and subdued replies of currier to judge from the sounds heath was pouring out an avalanche of questions once he broke into peals of hearty leighter laigh ter followed by a paroxysm of coughing he has forgotten all about breakfast murmured barcla ill carry it up I 1 I 1 I 1 she mounted the stairs softly that her coming might break in as little R ai possible upon the conversation of h her er two wo guests she was alone la in the library when I 1 went in heath was saying a and nd turned so white I 1 feared faired she might faint or scream luckily she did neither you know what im after I 1 I 1 said aid the jewels come hand them over oer I 1 at ahat that she hegan began to cry quickly I 1 repeated someone may come with that she produced the jew jewel el case pouring out a torrent of ex 1 I stopped no longer than I 1 had to I 1 assure you in no DO time I 1 had bad made my getaway every detail ofay of my plau would have gone smoothly but for the fog I 1 lost my bearings completely imagine my amazement at find finding in 9 myself here barcla waited to hear nd DO more so heath really had taken the jewels from the resisting woman who owned them taken them against hen will and made oft off with them 1 he owned it I 1 nay more I 1 far from regretting what he had done in his tone rang a note of satisfaction in his accomplishment she had never believed him guilty not until slie she heard the hitter bitter irr irrevocable e confession from his 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 Nd nevertheless the shock was overwhelming her head swam her heart beat wildly 1 I must not give way I 1 she reiterated to herself tl 1 I must put on a brave front he must not suspect I 1 know it took a few moments for her to regain her grip on herself to drag back her ebbing strength then she knocked fit at the door here Is your coffee mr air heath she called come in mrs airs howe im afraid weve delayed you I 1 had bad entirely forgotten about breakfast and so ill be bound had currier you met my man down stairs I 1 take it you sou found the house without trouble barcla inquired making an effort to address the newcomer in a natural offhand off hand manner yes mrs airs howe A young man at the garage directed me As barcla turned to go her unfailing courtesy prompted her to say mr currier Is welcome to 0 stay it if he wishes to mr heath we can put him hanf up perfectly well oh no ue ts Is returning directly nevertheless I 1 greatly appreciate your kindness mrs heath Is anxious put in currier she begged me to come home as so soon on a as s possible that she might know how mr air heath was naturally she has been much w worried cir ried 11 1 1 1 there there currier that will do 1 broke in stanley heath flushing and now since mrs honeas howe Is here and is in our secret I 1 may as well tell you that part of the mission on which yov you came cannot be accomplished you cannot take the gersback gems back with to new york A calamity has befallen 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 gobie jone 11 it Is all very mysterious broke in 31 arcla taking up the tile tale 1 I cannot in any anyway way account tor for their disappearance pe arance find and am much distressed 11 have you jou any theory as to who could have taken thern them currier absolutely none I 1 e canno a 11 n 0 teven see how hov anybody had the c chance h a n to take them Noone knew they were there would you be willing to show nr jus aler where e they were bi hidden an and d allow m to investigate certainly ril ill take you downstairs down stair stall now while behave we liae have the opportunity chendo you start back hint ThatIs Is for mr air benth to decide i bight oft As thoon us you can jet get under way stanley hea heath th said aad decisively ci el go 1100 down ediin lovi now with mm airs howe since she jhb li Is so gracious land and have j your breakfast examine exam I 1 ni too the illace where pe concealed the jewel case cas e you may disi discover oi i ia aa A clew she idi has missed ll 11 preceding Pree billni I 1 currier into barcla went straight to the hearth and i a marcia dould could not bof isil believe live her eyes I 1 pointed to th the ebrick brick at herfert her feet it was herece here we put the lewel c celse ase sha he said 4 1 I think with your perm permission ls sionI I 1 will take up the bricka brick the little man at her elbow elbom quietly announced ced certainly acquits acquiesced ced marcia taking out mt his knife currier knelt and soon had bad the br brick out of its it hole beneath jt tt lay the jewel aie case w wrapped rapped as before in stanley lej heath monogrammed handkerchief barcla could not believe her eleft but but lit it there when I 1 looked I 1 could swear it wa kasint sint who could have taken it out and it if some one did why return 1 anything so valuable 77 Currier inquired 1 I dont know khow I 1 do not u understand dir stand it at all the woman replied alire there Is something uncanny about the whole affair well livell at kny any rati rate the gems are here now n 0 w said currier in a matter of fact tone mr heath will be much relieved shalli shall I 1 go up and ill 1111 go marcia cried cria it wont take me a minute ill be right back As you prefer madam i off flew marcia her haste the radiance of hereace her face must have su suggested to the tee stranger a thought that had not occurred to him before ai for after she had goze gone he stood immovable in the middle of the floor looking after her then a slow shadowy smili smile passed across his features so bo hoi I 1 he muttered so hol ho he was still absorbed la in ren reverie ale when 31 barcla arcla breathless and flushed rejoined him 1 I can think of nothing but bui the jewels and their lecove recovery ry I 1 am so BO happy I 1 had completely forgotten your breakfast you might run up to seq see mr heith heath while I 1 am getting it ready 1 at once and he may have final orders ordera for me 0 or i r i perhaps e a letter jetter for arill heath X mrs ro heath I 1 repeated as it the name suddenly brought before her consciousness something hitherto forgotten yes besl yes of course then turning her head bide aside she inquired with stil studied died carelessness how long 1 I wonder dhesi mr heath plan to remain IQ wilton I 1 think that as soon boon as he Is isable lable to make the journey he would bitter better go home this climate Is ls is damp and he will perhaps pick up faste away from the sea sea if jou you haie cafe any influence enbe with him wont you please advise 10 it 4 the mans mans smil small gray eyes narrowed 1 I have no influence with mr heath replied he be mrs heath has however shall I 1 tell herl i ibish you would t an hour later late rv my unknown lady weighed anchor and disappeared out to sea carrying with her currier and the tha jewels I 1 f marald barcla watched until the lost last snowy ripple aa foaming aiming la her wake had disappeared then shi she sank into and brushed her hand across her eyes and theand the end of that foolishness I 1 she muttered the th end P 1 TO ta BE CONTINUED |