Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-05-21
THE CURVED
By CAROLYN WELLS, Au.hor d .vsly v.n,' Etc,
s.ene," and Anita began to cry, tina,

Stone" and Anita began to cry. THAT
] want to suspect paNllne-4.'
" am not considering Sour Wishes
IN the matter satd stone, col4ly,
VT YOU TO not want to think Miss
stuart implicated IN this matter. Your
words and actions arc untntclllgible
portNNt, and | have neither. time no:
Ilhoukhts to waste on thcm."
With this somewhat scathinE
speech. stone went away. leaving the
angry Anita to be comfortcd by
Aavtland.
what did he mean?" she cried.
her cheeks pink with anger. and her
blue eyes shining through tears.
Gray, does he suspect me?"
Mo, Anita, OF course not. But he's
on a trail. Perhaps It wasn't Polly
after all"
"3ut It had to be. 1t was some
body in the house, and 1t wasn't you
or me or any OF the servants"
We'll. you listen to me. girl. 1t
they quiz Q any more about n q
talkfest you butted into. don't you
color the yarn to make 1t seem
How cross you are! But l never
did. Gray. I never made 1t seem to
be evidence against Pauline"
You never did anything else!'
Don't you love me any more?"
and the soft lips quivcred as an APP
pealtng glance was raised 10 his face.
Her eyes,. like forget-mc-nots in the
rain. were so beautiful. Haviland
clasped the lovely face in both his
hands, and said as he held it,: II
won't love you, 'Nita, If you 60 back
on u Polly. I'm surprised at your
attitude toward her just now. and /
warn you I won't stand any more of
it. I'm forced to think she did this
thing. but 1 intend to admit that to
nobody but you and Stone. If he can
find the real criminal, and it. isn't
Polly, I'll bless him forever. But you
know, as we'll as I do, why he is
clinging to that forlorn hope. It's be-
"of course, 1 know! Because he's
in love with her"
yes; and it's a remarkable thing
for him to fall head over heels in love
at first sight, like that"
well. Of course, she is hand
some," and Anita's grudging admis-
sion was real praise.
You bet she is! And old Stone
fell for her in q. lninute! Now
there's the old adage of Love will
find a way and if Fleming Stone has
n magic ability. or whatever these
work it to the limit to prove Polly In
nocent And 1 hope to goodness he
succeeds. Great Scott! 1 wouldn't
suspect the girl If there was a
glimpse of a CLEAN of any other way
to look. But, you hear me. Anita!
Don't you say a word. true or false,
that will help on the case against
Pauline. Stuart! 1 won't stand for it!
And don't you say you saw her COM
ing from that room, when You know
you didn't"
The postman came just then, and
brought. with him two letters address,
ed in Pauline's dashing hand.
We'll, what do you know about
that" exclaimed Gray. half glad and
half scared at the sight. zone for
me, and one for +. S. Here, Anita,
take Mr.. stones to him, while 1 eat
up mine" lt
~ won't do it! I want to see
what's in yours, first" and Anita
stood by Gray's side to look over his
shoulder.
"All right, then" and they read to-
gether:
l couldn't help it. You see,I was
so frightened at what you all said.
that l didn't know what to do. l
came over to New. York, with a vague
idea of asking Mr.. Price to help me.
1 stayed with Ethel all night, and
somehow things seemed to look so
black, l couldn't think Of anything
but to go to Carr. l went down to
the steamer office to see about chang
ing my tickets for an earlier date, or
4nme thin0 on1 r fo,,rH TIM f0otolo,,i,
sailed today. I'm scratching this off
to go back by the pilot. I had about
hours to get ready, so 1 bought
a trunk and some clothes, went to the
bank and got a letter of credit, and
here ! am. I don't know yet whether
I'm glad or sorry to be here But 1
know / could not stand It at Garden
Steps another minute, with you and
Anita both against me! Mr.. Stone
doesn't believe l did It,, but he is
doubtful Of being able to prove my
you can address me in his care. He's
my nearest relative, and it's right for
me to go there. 1 cabled him from
New York to expect me, and to meet
me at Alexandria. I'd write more,
but it's most time for the pilot to go,
and l want to send a word to Mr..
Stone. OF course, you will. look after
all my bills and affairs till further
notice.
Pauline.
"Good Lord!". said Gray, Think of
that poor child going off like that,
because she thought you and I were
against her! 2
We'll, aren't you?" asked Anita.
an angry CLEAN in her eyes.
mo! never!!' shouted Gray. 1T
Pauline is guilty q thousand times,
I'm not against her! I'm for her,
Anita, for her, first. last and all the
time! Come on, now, let's AXE Mr..
Stone his letter."
They found Stone in the boudoir,
the room where the ghastly crime
had been committed. He spent many
hours here Of late; it seemed neces-
sary for the furthering OF his theory,
and yet, whenever any one was ad-
mitted to his presence there, he was
found sitting staring at the room and.
its furnishings, as If waiting for the
inanimate objects to speak.
"A letter? from Miss Stuart?" he
said. eagerly. II hoped for one, by
the pilot
He opened it, and after a glance
handed 1t over to Haviland.
1t said, only:
Ny Dear Mr.. Stone:
Thank you for your belief in me,
and forgive me for running away.
%G 4.t f.tG stgs7 " ts-s 49, easTEStNE S..&L s.