The sun., 1908-07-05

@t Leila; but she drew back out OF the rim
OF light, hss eyeo cast down.
"Tlearned 20 any rate, concluded Knevals
defantly, .that Il was Mrs. Runciman her-
self who took tho vanity box from tho
wraps and kept IL hid; first because she
wanted TO ruin me on account OF my atten-
tons to her stepdaughter, and secondly,
bccause, a. abe very well knows, she had
no right to use estate money which should
eventually 20 TO Lei-to her stepdaughtor.
l mean, for any such pur--'
Suppose did keep 1t and say nothing
about 1t except to you, except to you,'
shrieked Mrs. Runoiman. what OF II? Who
had better rightf
What OF II. say. except, except. that
now. whom 1t 10 really gone. you. you, tho
only one who know. must have stolen IL
from me. or course you did. just al you
managed 10 find and keep for yourself the
mopey missing from the hotel safe. just 40
II Ididn't know about that too.
i swear You told me that you had it,
when you were sitting over there. and that
you were going to slip 1t into tho safe in the
darkness addressed TO yourself. My. what
clever scheme. OF course. you were
going 70 DO the same thing with the vanity
box when you left me so silently.
Doesn't it stand to sense. everybody
Mightn't he have been in and out in the
darkness. scared into dropping those two
packages by the two girls2 Does he dare
accuse them or either Of them? 1t Is either
he or they. Why doesn't he open the pack
ages II l am not right? All. he knows too
we'll. be doesn't dare
4 don't know; but do dare" asserted
Knovals.
He whipped out his knife; he opened one
package; 1t contained the vanity box. He
opened the other package; 1t contained
stack of crisp bills. for which Billikins
made an Intellectual grab. Knevals's cameo
faco was ghastly white. though he held
his head even more haughtily.
Il give in.' he said simply. Il stole
10th box ana money; am guilty"
Then out from the darkness slipped
Leila. shadowy no longer. to stand by
Knevals's side. her arm around his neck.
oh. what lie!- she exclaimed. He is
trying to shield me. I recognized Pierre
at once in that unbecoming makeup.
I knew he was here to vindicate himself,
just as l suspected that nam mean
Mrs. kunciman must have taken the box. l
found it among her things and tried TO put it
into his possession by slipping it into the
safe with his name on, because-becanse !
love him.
-shamelessl Disgraceful!r ragged Mrs.
Runciman. The. child is mad in her in
fatuation. ! wash my hands Of her. But
how about the money, hey? Perhaps Miss
Prall took :, perhaps she was trying to give
1t to Knevals because she loved him' Oh,
preposterousl'
But Miss Prall still preserved stony
silence in which seemed to discern grief
and despair. And just then the lights
flashed up shining like the sun on the just
and the unjust alike.
Here's a pretty how-de-dol' cried the
chief electrical expert. bustling up with
lead in big hand. a fine thing to bring
man way from his home for such a scurvy
trick. Switchboard nothing! found this
cutoff just back Of the telephone booth
And then it was that Miss Prall's red face
grew redder and her blue eyes lost their
fire as the guests shrank away with meaning
glances and pointing fingers.
THE figs up, Sis" said rohicking Frank
Prall. slouohing from the news stand. Il
can let you do a lot for me, but when it comes
the line.
-Of course. people. swiped the mum,
in the first excitement. and l would have
got away with it too only Sis always has
hawk eye on me. and she caught me dead
to rights with the goods, which she made me
hand over then and there.
-Of course she was dead on to Knevals in
his sleuth play. OF course she has been con-
irving since to get the money to him in
such a way that no one would ever know.
That's about the size Of it; and my resigna-
ton is pot only rendered but accepted, hey
Billikins, instanter?
mo pros, hey, since you've got the dough
all right? ] thought not; you might lose
your pull. Well. ta-ta; everybody; Come.
Sha mt l escort you to the high timber?"
The widow gave desperate glance at the
averted faces. Then gathering her frills
and feathers she hurried out from the light
to the dark. clinging to Franks arm.