Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-09-04
CHAPTER LII
Copyright, 1913, Star Company

Helen Goddard was actually
frightened by the change that swept
over the face of David Smith as she
mentioned the missing pendant. >
For an instant she felt her trust
in him waVering. If he was abso-
lutely innocent, why should his color
fade and why should his eyes widen
and darken?
Then, as was her custom, she felt
widely about in her mind for some
! honorable explanation of his con-
| duct.
She found one almost immediate
| ly. Smith had heard that the pen
dant was missing, but until this
moment it had not occurred to him
that anybody could think that ne
was implicated in the affair. She
| had shocked an innocent man by
this suggestion. She must hasten
to reassure him. She was more GER
tain than ever that he was inno-
| cent.
David" she said, II ought not to
have mentioned the pendant to you.
But you knew of it before-didn't
jyou?"
He nodded without speaking.
Well" she went on, Il spoke of
it just to put YOU on your guard.
OF course l was aware that you are
absolutely innocent"
How strangely he behaved, He
seemed actually stupid. Surely his
manner and looks now proved that
he was not guilty. A guilty man
would have pretended that he had
never before heard of the missing
article.
You see." she tried to explain,
Walter Jefferson said something
tonight that surprised me a little.
! He said he had seen you somewhere
! before"
His statement is perfectly true"
| David affirmed.
I He was rapidly recovering the
equanimity that had forsaken HIM
when this girl mentioned the pen
dant that had belonged to his aunt
/ He had jumped to the conclusion
( that Jefferson had recognized him
as David DeLaine. and had confided
! this discovery to Miss Goddard. In
that case, Miss Goddard might re-
member that the person who had
given Miss Leighton her handsome
pendant was the aunt of David
DeLaine. She had, perhaps, re-
ferred to the bit of iewelry to lead
( David to betray his identity
( IF so, all was over. He must
/ leave his present position might
never again see the daughter of the
man upon whom he had imposed all
these weeks.
More Revelations
! Helen was astounded at David's
admission of past acquaintance with
her informant.
"Oh, then you recall meeting Mr..
Jefferson before?" she asked.
Yes" David said. He must talk
naturally and as if he had no idea
what she was driving at Il have
seen him several times since l have
been in Mr.. Leighton's employ. Once
was down in front of Carnegie Hall;
the other time was on Fifth avenue
when he intimated that it was my
duty to enlist"
David congratulated himself as he
saw that for the moment his listen
er's thoughts were diverted from his
connection with the bit of jewelry
to another matter that aroused her
curiosity.
He intimated that you should be
in the service! But YOU We're
She paused, confused.
Yes" he admitted, II have been
in the service. l only wish I had
been able to stay until the signing
of the armistice."
Then you do not mind speaking
of it?" she asked eagerly. 'I was
sure you would not, in spite Of
Walters suggestion about your hav-
ing to keep quiet about it,
''What?"
The ejaculation was so violent that
Helen felt herself cringe.
Nothing she stammered "only
only he
He what?" David demanded
towering above her. Tell met"
A CLEAN of common sense made
Helen Goddard suppress a part Of
what Walter had said.
"Oh-he only spoke as if you did
not care to have it known that you
had been in the service, and were
out of it now-and 1 was just won
dering how you happened to get
out"
Il was wounded" David said dog
gedly. You may tell your inform
ant that if he refers to my case
again. 1 may add, in passing. that
it is none of his business"
He Refuses to Answer
"Of course it is not, David" Helen
said soothingly. And | would not
have referred to the matter if you
had not spoken of Walter Jeffcr-
sons reproving you for not having
enlisted.
"What 1 started out to say was
that Walter was sure he had seen
you before he met you here in New
York. He seemed to have an idea
that he had seen you down in Baiti-
more"
Averse as David DeLaine had
heretofore been to talking of his
experience in France. he now found
that locality so much safer topic
than Baltimore that he wished he
had steered the conversation to the
other side of the Atlantic.
But he must face facts, and let
this girl say what was on her mind.
81 have been in Baltimore in days
gone by" he admitted. Jefferson
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