The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1922-12-14
The Case and
The Girl
Continued from fifth page)


Why then, shouldn't he have this mon.
ey instead of Percivul? There was no
reason except that Per, ival was i'm the
way. That was why he was killed"
And" she questioned brcathleSSly,
"the man meant to murder me also?"
"Not mt that time, in my Judgment"
West answered thoughtfully. "Such an
additional crime was not part eff the
original plan. Once the money, and
other property, were delivered to the
fake Natalie, the caShing in and get
away would be easy; even the identi-
ty of the thieves would be concealed"
"But they did try to kill me-
"leS, later, by the sinking of the
yacht. Probably I am largely responSi.
bic for that. My appearance in Wray
street must have been quite shock,
and when / succeeded in escaping
from their trap there, Hobart very
evidently lost his head completely.
The knowledge that l WAS free, per-
haps in communication with the police.
led to your night trip to the Seminole.
and the secret sinking of the yacht. He
had gone too far by then to hesitate
at another murder"
"I-I think l understand now," she
admitted, "how all this occurred; but
why-why were you SO persistent?
Therc-there must have been reason
more impelling than a vague suspi-
cion?"
'"Thrre was-the most compelling
impulse in the world"
"You mean faith in mc?"
Gwen more than that; love for you.
Natalie, l love you, have loved you all
the time. without fully realizing ex-
actly what 1t meant. There have been
times when I have doubted you, when
! could not wholly escape the evidence
| that you were also concerned person.
| ally In this fraud / have endcavorcd
to Withdraw from the case, to forget,
and blot everything from memory. But
something stronger than will prevent
ed; ! couldsnot desert you; could not
beli"N" you'were wiIfully wrong. You
understand what I mean"
"l"S," the words barely reaching
him. at was tn" other girl she un.
dernincd your faith"
"Ilat is the truth yet how could
1t be, do you suppose? My very love
should have enabled me to detect the
| difference"
| She touched his arm with her hand.
and under the slight pressure he
looked aside at her
'You know now," she said softly
"and I know All this Is past and
|
the sport Of the waves. and have no
reason 80 be other than frank be-
| lieve i'm you. Matthew West; in YOUR
honesty and manhood. You say you
love mc?"
"With all my heart and soul; It
seems to me now i have always loved
yOW--you came to me, the lady OF my
| dreams"
Her eyes were wet with unshed
tears, yet she smiled back into his
face, her voice trembling as she an.
| swered:
| "And l." she said slowly, "have had
| no thought but of you since our morn
ing in the garden together. How far
away that seems"
| "You mean you love me?"
"Yes; / 1--we you there is no word
stronger, but would speak it's that
not enough?"
He held her In his arms, In spite of
the trembling raft, tossed by the swell
Of the sea, and crushed her against
him In the ardent strain OF passion.
An instant she held her head back,
her eyes gazing straight into his; then
with sigh OF content, yielded, and theif
lips met, and clung
(To be continued next wetE)