Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-05-04

here and found you had gone out at this
hour of the night; certainly, you must
allow, a queer proceeding on the part of
a young woman in your position. And
when you come back, after a long talk
with a strange man In the shelter OF a
hedge, and refuse TO give an account of
yourself, I confess you exasperated me
At the same time, accidents do happen;
and It's true you have rights of privacy
that even I must respect-to whom you
owe great deal, you must admit And
now I think I've gone as far toward
making amends as even YOU could ask"
Astonshment and lncreduity yielded to
penitence. Sally sat up with n little ges-
ture of contrition and appeal-an outhung
hand instantly withdrawn; this was not n
woman whose susceptibilities were TO be
| touched by such means; even now, be-
meath her ostensible generosity, one di-
vined a nature cold and little placable.
Then, with a remorseful cry "Oh, I'm
Sorry the girl yielded to the tension of
overwrought nerves and broke down COM
pletely, crushed, confounded, shaken by
spasms OF silent sobbing
In the course OF this she was conscious
OF the touch of a hand on her shoulder;
no more than that And when she had
spent herself in tears and grew more
calm 1t was to find Mrs. Standsh seated
opposite her and waiting patiently. at all
Please" Sally begged between gulps,
please forgive me. I'm so excited and
unstrunR-"
'T quite understand. There-compose
yourself
"tf you stlll wish me to-if you insist
of course I'll tell you--'
NO" 1t cost the other woman an
effort of ronunciaton. but she was stead
fast to her secret purpose. Forget that
II doesn't matter. had no right to ask
and really do not care to know But IL
you're quite able to pay attention. I'd like
to consult with you-about what got me
out Of bed and brought me here this
morning"
II don't understand"
"Of course you don't. But II has been
on my nerves all evening, until felt as
If must talk to somebody-and you are
the only one I can trust
Sally stared in state of dumb be-
wilderment that ecllpsed all she had ex-
perienced before. Truly the world was
topsyturvy this madcap night! What
under the moon now?
you know how worried I've been about
that affair In town. Men are so incon-
siderate: simply because he knew how
things were going-and ! presumed they
must have been going well-Water left
me without word till this evening Then
he telegraphed he'd he here tomorrow
afternoon and that everything was all
right: but he is bringing with him one
of the adjusters for the burglar insurance
people-a detective. I presume. the man
Is, Iealy-and I'll have to answer some
questions before we can collect the money
to cover my loss"
- detective!
"Adjuster is n much more pleasant
name And ! know it's merely n matter
of fprmalitr. and I oughtn't to be silly
about It, but I can't help It. I've been
thing would come out about that case
that Walter did bring me from the safe,
you remember. If that were found-as II
might be, II they ask me to produce what
jewelry | have with newell, simply
can't think what to do
"Whv not hide the Case?"
That's Just it. But where? can't
imagine or course I can't very we'll
smuggle it out of the house myself. So I
thought perhaps YOU At any rate. I've
brought 1t tc you"
ITO me!'
Don't be alarmed Nobody will ever
suspect you of any connection whatever
with the affair. It'll be perfectly safe
here, in your keeping, until you find a
way to dispose of it. Tomorrow night,
for instance. as soon as it's dark, you
might take 1t down to the shore. put Il
stone in II, and throw 1t out into tho
water. Or bury 1t in the sand Anything
Nobody Will pay any attention If you eX-
cuse yourself to go to your room or out
to the terrace for half an hour. But L
we'll, you must see. I've hidden the case
under your pillow. You may find some
better place for it-but then you haven't |
maid to hoodwink l declare 1t has
nearly driven me mad, these last few !
days. trying to keep the thing out of
Elen's sight. She's such nosy. prying
creature"
Mrs. Standish rose. you will do this !
for me, won't you? l was sure / could |
depend on you. And-let us forget our |
little misunderstanding. I've forgotten 1t
Already
She had left the room before Sally could
formulate reasonable protest-reasonable.
that is, remembering her burden OF o5li-
CATION to this woman.
1t was an hour later before she at
length settled upon satisfactory conceal
ment for the discriminating Jewel case
in the recess behind one Of her bureau
drawers, where 1t fitted precisely in the
wrappings she did not trouble to remove.
In the gray crepuscle of the dawn at
last she flung herself upon the bed-ant
fell instantly asleep.