The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-06-03

| me prince Sne had so many
tmies seen outside the convent
gates. What mattered the CRIME
on his face, the three days
growth of beard, the matted hair?
To her he had come first.
A smile quivered on her lips.
He saw it. He seized her hand,
turned it palm upward, and press
ed 1t against his face. After a
moment he looked up.
You can't say it,"
NO"
You don't want me to go?"
mo"
"You do love me-"
with all my weak, foolish
heart IL only"
Never mind anything else;
you mustn't spoily it. viii you
marry me?"
II ought not to. but I will =
whenever you wish" And to
make the surrender complete she
drew his head tightly to her heart
and laid her cheek upon it.
Smead turned the note over in
his hand and his teeth met with
a click.
Played. He knew now. The boy
had them; possession had given
him this courage; a quarter of a
million; and South America,
where no one would ask ques-
tions.
Played! Diana should tell him
where the boy had gone: and If It
was the last thing he ever did, he
would find him.
At the farm he was at once
ushered into the parlor, and a
single glance told him that he had
chosen his time ILL.,
| Crawford and a young woman
he did not know were standing
behind Diana's chair.
Smead looked keenly at his
daughters face. She was as beau
tiful as ever her mother had
been, but the sight of her stirred
nothing in his heart.
II wish to see you alone" he
said directly. -
Whatever you may have to
say to me must be said in the
presence of my friends. | have no
desire to be alone with you in the
same ROOM" '##
Straight from the shoulder. He
nodded with appreciation. II am
your father"
Beyond that accident of
chance" she replied, Il do not
recognize you"
Where's Donald?" he asked.
He is, | hope, on his way to
South America. II I knew exactly
where. I should not tell YOU"
Smead laughed. well, he has
lied to us all neatly. He went
away with the gems slowed in his
pocket. Fine reformation, that"
That is not true"
And who might you be-" in
CURED Smead, coldly.
II am Donald's wife," answer
ed Frances.
He appraised her critically
1.-The boy always had luck and
| taste"
Frances felt the truth and the
sting of this thrust, but she did
not lower her eyes.
Did you ever hear of the en-
eralds of the Princess Xenia, So
called?" added Smead.
Eyes. He left a note for me"
Interrupted Diana, telling me
what he did with them"
And IL he has the jewels, he
has certain rights to them. They
were mine" Frances met glance
for glance.
Yours? Stole them from you,
his wife?"
Perhaps he only took them,"
! she modified.
"All women are FOOLS"
But all men are not rogues,"
said Crawford urbanely.
Mr.. Smead," said Diana. 81
was born at sea, and my mother
was buried at sea; and while she
lay dying in the stateroom below,
calling for you, you told the stew
ard not to bother you; you were
busy playing cards in the smok-
ing room on deck. There is a
burial at sea between you and
me, Mr.. Smead. These are the
last words l shall ever speak to
you"
Crawford stepped to the door
and opened 1t.
Right about face, with never a
glance back, into the open, down
the path to the dock, went
Smead. In the parlor no one
spoke till the putter Of the motor
died away in the distance.
Uncle Billy came rushing into
the parlor, his battered haymaker
on the back of his head, his fact
red, his eyes apop.
"Hey, Miss wynne-1 got 'em !
I got 'em!" 90
From under his arm he took
the gray cotton casing and shook
forth the butts of two Bristol
rods.
With trembling fingers he un-
screwed the caps. A silvery cas-
cade poured into Diana's lap;
pearls, pearls, pearls! :
That was the wall I could, lot
get over; I knew not how they
were going to smuggle them In.
Gran, these belonged to Frances
mother. Uncle Sam has had his