Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-23

turned her big brown eyes on him and began:
Mr.. MORSON, if l hurt you by anything l
AvA say, l trust you will forgive me; but I've
been so upset IN the last ten days that-well,
l don't know yet just what to believe of you
He nodded in appreciation of her doubts and
Valda went on again ~ had feeling that
something was going to happen that night so
] stayed awake to watch. I had made up my
mind to take the Jewels out of the safe, and
iust as | started to do SO, l heard Polly I'M
fasten the door that leads on deck from the
passage between our state rooms. / knew you
were out there; so followed Polly and saw
her slip something into your hand and then
creep back as if she was afraid some one would
hear or see her. Aunt Mary must have seen
her too, for she went straight IN and talked to
Polly: but-ves, l listened, Mr. Morson. de-
hberately-but l couldn't hear single thing.
except that Polly was CRYING; At first l
thought of going to them myself and demand
ing to know what it was all about: but felt
so hurt at the way Aunt Mary had treated me
that l concluded to wait and investigate on my
own account: SO ! just lay still and listened
After long time l thought heard a slight
noise quite near me, and l opened my door
the dining room, for both lamps had gone out:
but-but the moonlight came in through the
transoms and-and saw your face distinctly:
The narrator paused and looked at him in
silent, sorrowfu1 inquiry YES G ne said with
She drew in her breath sharply at his shame
less confession of his guilt. and again took up
the thread of her interrupted story: II
couldn't imagine what you were doing IN the
dining room at that time of night; but deter
mined to find out at any cost. Had you been
IN the main saloon where the safe was. Tor
give mel could have understood; but-but
you had no business in the dining room.
Again she paused to choke her returning in
tlignation, and resumed Il remember that it
took me some minutes to find my wrapper, be
cause it had fallen behind chair; but when
did find it and crept out, saw you again.
mean, saw some one kneeling in front of the
safe-but you-or the other person, l can't
imagine who-had on long dressing gown
with a high collar, and then-we1l, l knew l
was going to cry; SO ! slipped back into my
state room and-and did it.
She stopped again, and Morson regarded her
with a faint, Pickering smile. Miss Girard,"
he asked, why didn't you switch on the cleo
trio light and catch me red handed!'
IL don't know" she stammered. telling
the real reason in the color mounting to her
temples. II thought of it; but-but l just
Couldn't"
We'll, bless your hearth he murmured
in his gentle Southern accent Il think l
understand it-and l won't forget. Is that
ALP
No. she answered. not daring to look him
in the eve; There is something more. After
awhile | got up and went to the safe myself:
but when l opened it and looked carefully,
even with a lighted match, the cigar case wasn't
there
The young man beside her laughed. Valda
glanced at him with an expression of panied
reproach, and went on:
That is why l was dumbfounded when
dad opened the safe next morning and found
the case Just where l told him to look
couldn't understand, and l don't understand
now, how it ever got back into the safe with
with dried beans in it," She sighed and looked
him squarely in the eyes. "Why did you do
that, Mr.-er-Mr. Morson?"
Il didn't" denied the brazen man, sup
pressing a chuckle and rising to his feet. If
you'll kindly excuse minute, III produce
some evidence in rebuttal"
HE left her looking after him in grave per-
IA plexity, waded out to the wreck, disap-
Feared for a moment or two, and then came
Sliding down the tilted deck. At the rail he
paused, seeming to listen attentively at some
thing, with his head cooked gracefully on one
side in the manner of pointer dog.
What is it," Valda called.
oh, nothing" he answered back. Il
thought-but it doesn't matter l reckon
was mistaken.
He dropped into the water, waded ashore,
and flung himself beside her on the sand, care
fully unfolding sheet of moist and rather
crumpled note paper.
Its trifie wet he apologized; but
think You'll find it legible. Do you recognize