, 1924-11-19
say. My foot's kicking something.

lie DTuCtu Ills kccts ulNCu ou0oCANy
down with one arm till his face
touched the water. and grappled with
his fingers for q hold on something
lying between two rocks at the bottom.
Using both hands. he dragged his find
to land.
Its a sack" India cried excitedly.
The captains eyes met those of
Moya. His face was grave. but she
was white to the lips. Both of them
felt sure of what they would find in
the sack.
"Open It," she told him tensely.
With his pocketknife Kilmeny cut the
string that tied the sack. He drew
ont a heavy valise so full that 1t gaped.
Silver and gold coins, as we'll as bills,
filed 1t to the mouth. They had found
the money stolen from the treasurer
OF the Gunnison County Fair associ-
alton.
All three of them were sick at heart.
Jack Kilmeny then was guilty. after
all. The message in the hat had not
beer intended for them, but had been
merely a note Of Identification Of the
spot. He had taken the captains hat
merely because he did not want the
officers to find the directions under the
sweat pad.
To Moya the next hour was a night
mare. They returned to the Lodge
and slipped into the house by way Of
a French window opening upon the de-
sected north porch. Kilmeny hid the
So elk Of treasure In his trunk and d.
vested himself Of his fishing clothes.
Presently he Joined Moya and his sis
ter on the front porch, where shortly
they were discovered by verinder In
search of a fourth at bridge.
India, knowing how greatly her
friend was shaken, volunteered to I'LL
the table and Unanswered verinder
back into the living room with her.
Captain Kilmeny. left alone with the
girl Of his dreams. wisely said moth
ing. He was himself indignant, his
family pride stung to- the quick. His
cousin was not only a thief but a liar.
Born of a race of soldiers. with the
traditions of family and of the army
back of him for generations, the lats
ter offense was the greater Of the two.
He understood something Of how Miss
Dwight felt. Openly she had cham
pioned his cause. Now her feelings
were wounded. her pride hurt, and her
anger ablaze. The fellows ofrense
against her had been fragrant.
So far the captain had guessed cor
rectly. Moya writhed like a bruised
woodland creature. Her friendship
had been abused. She had been as
orolrI1,,. m q m clrn-Io o,untr- u-arrl,
while he no doubt had been laughing
up his sleeve at her all the time. No
longer had she any doubt as to his
guilt. To give herself In friendship
impulsively was her temperament,
though not many were judged worthy
Of such giving. This blue-eyed scamp
had won her as no man ever had be
fore. She had seen him through a
glamor. Now his character stood
stripped in Its Her sweet
trust was crushed. Against the advice
Of her friends she had been maynard
and headstrong. SO sure that she knew
best.
Kilmeny. sitting beside her in the
deep shadows cast by the wild cucum-
her vines, became aware that she was
weeping silently. His heart bled for
her.
II say, don't" he pleaded. It was
impossible for him to voice adequate
ly his feelings. Greatly daring, he let
an arm rest across the shoulders that
were being racked by suppressed
pianisslmo sobs.
"You mustn't, you know. I can't
| 0topA ~ AnA ooatr saDf~c.. I--.. -
She gulped down the lump In her
throat and turned upon him flmy eyes,
the lashes of which were tangled with
tears. The fine strong soldier repre-
sented the haven Of rest toward which
she was being driven. Had she never
met his American cousin she knew
that she would probably have accept
ed him In the end. The swift Impulse
swept her to anchor her craft for life
In a safe harbor.
dc you still D.. want me?"
she asked lifelessly.
He could not on the instant take her
meaning. Then. "want you T. he cried
In a low voice no words could have
expressed fully. "want your Oh. my
dearI"
You know / don't love you
not In n way" she told him naively.
Lady Jim says that will come. I
don't know. Perhaps you won't want
to take the risk"
h could see the desire of her leap
to his honest eyes. by Cd. I'll take
my chance" he cried.
you'll give me all the time I want
not push me too hard7'
"You shall set your own time"
Her dusky head was leaning YEARLY
against the back Of a wicker porch
chair. From sheer fatigue her eyes
futtcred shut. Her lover would have
given anything to wrap her In his