The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-08-01

lively. "Marcella, why didn't you tel
me You were engaged to Tony?"
1 4 am not-now." returned Marcella
slowly. II broke the engagement thu
morning after Miss Raleigh left %
The .stateroom was mine, and the Jew
elry was found in my pillow, mumSie
You may as we'll know the truth. TONY
told me himself. The diamond pendant
was mine. Tony gave It to me instead
OF . ring the night he asked me to b
his wife. It belonged to his mother.
and she was quite. willing should
have 1t. Can you imagine what Il
meant to me to be suddenly confront.
ed with this horrible evidence in my
own stateroom? The rings and dia-
monds were sewn into the pillow itself
among the feathers in q chamios skin
! pouch"
Il have the pouch" said Anne
There was piece cut of the outer
nap that folded over twice, and fast
ened with q snap like q glove. The
Florentine ring was wrapped in the
other piece and l had It saved from
the antique shop in New York. It fit
ted exactly. I've enjoyed the whole ex.
perience immensely, because 1t was
the first case had ever tried, don't
you know? Mr.. Dimmick did not want
any professional help. He felt It was
case out Of the ordinary. The other
two members on board the yacht while
1t lay in the harbor here were Rose
and Rolly Ashton. Mr.. Ashton left
for Nevada at almost an hours notice,
and let his wife take the trip alone b.
cause he was very jealous Of Tony
Dimmick. And the channels pouch was
one he used to carry a silver mounted
automatic revolver In"
But you said, Anne. the things wers
sold at the antique shop BY . colored
maid" put In Mrs. Bertrand. "You
can't think that Rose would do such .
thingf"
Anne raised her eyebrows musingiy
and leaned on the little mahogany d,
bio before her.
"A half sick, neurotic woman viii do
many foolish things that she does not
realize the significance nor danger Of"
she answered. Rose was desperate
and Rolly shut OF her credit when he
left. She needed plain every day cash,
and she bribed her colored maid to
take the ring and the pendant and sell
them for her. We have the girl. and
Rose herself confessed to me yester-
day. l wired for her husband. and she
Is going west to join him on trip
around the world. Mr.. Dimmick re-
fuses to press the case against them.
They are young and went the pace too
fast without money to float them, but
Rose is good at heart, and know
everything will come right"
She hesitated, and watched Marcel.
las face
"Tony Dtmmick ID down in the 70
ception room. Will you see him."
why were those things put in my
stateroom to incriminate me. and why
did he half believe that was guilty?"
demanded Marcella, holly. 1T spoiled
my trip, and almost my life"
Wont you just 60 downstairs now.
and scold Tony?" Ammo suggested.
smilingly. HE would love to have You
say anything you like. I can say.
though, that the pouch was hidden In
your room as the safest place from
discovery The maid told that. She
was very friendly with your own maid,
Della, and rather enjoyed putting any
possible suspicion on you after It was
known that Tony cared for you
do you know what thought"
asked Marcella, with sudden smile.
At the door she hesitated on her way
down to tony. Il used to see you talk
Ing to Tony every now and then away
from the rest. and 30 earnestly and
conndentially. And then I saw you
both that night before you left the
yacht. and I was certain you were IN i
old sweetheart that still held him in
leash. I'm 30 sorry. Anne. May I call
you Anne, too?''
. Anne laughed, and stretched out
both her slim white capable hands.
"You may call me anything you like,
prc tecs'onal adtuster of anything from
nerves to household aoa "ruts, and I'm
doing very well at 1t. too, thai YOU"
Anne said Mrs. Bertrand, with
sigh Of relief, when they we're alone,
you are = wonder. Did you get back
The diamond pendant, too?"
"Tony has 1t for her now, with nice
new ring, Mrs. Bertrand" smiled
Anne I think adjusted the affair
rather neatly. Poor little Mrs. Ashton
won't know she has such things as
nerves by the time she has roughed
Iii over the world with that tall, stub
born youngster Of husband. They
lont belong down here In New York,
Mrs. Bertrand You've got to have q
rood grip on yourself before you try
he long stroke here. There's too
trong an undertow."
Mrs. Bertrand barely heard her. She
vas at her writing desk. turning over
he calendar leaves.
They can be married in September,
nd Tony has not less than forty thou.