Evening star., 1926-09-12
Mysterious Sweetheart
BY ELLA WISTER HAINES
Copyright. 1920

thoughts aloud, that was some de-
scription you gave of your ring! Fami-
ly heirloom? I'm a collector along
that line myself. May 1 see it?"
to think quickly, II am Offering this
ring to Miss Menendez-if she will do
me the honor to accept it--and II L
may be allowed few minutes with
her alone"
Say! Well. now. pardon me. l
didn't know 1 was butting in; guess
I'm born deaf, dumb and Blind" He
winked at the conductor elaborately,
Looks like we aren't especially need
ed around here"
lis that all?" Paul asked the Off
cials.
For the present, thank you" They
moved off. Mr.. Gaines following, and
Paul. his breath coming fast, his heart
pounding, turned to the girl at his
side.
shall we sit down again?" he asked
very gently, here is your ring" He
took her hand In his, but she drew her
self back, her mask of self possession
giving way to one Of stern inquiry.
You have lied to me-" she said in
low tones. You have made me be-
lieve you did not know to whom be-
me and made me tell you things l
should not have told,'
Lied to you, Carolita. My God!
Don't you know that / took the wild
est chance Of all my life in guessing
that the porter had found the ring we
both saw? Can't you realize the risk
took in making a drawing of a thing
had only glimpse Of, and that in
a dimly lighted car! And you came to
my rescue, you suggested that had
lost the ring while l was showing 1t
to you. You sent me the words that
were engraved in it, oh, yes, you did!
1t was mental telepathy! And you
finished out the last word when I got
stuck with it. What are you saying"
His hand closed convulsively over
hers. Cant you see that it's because
love you? know that this ring has
at some time belonged to you. I'm
trying to save you from any deeper
consequences Of this AFFAIR.""
"And 1. too, have risked my safety
to help you" she replied, her whole
frame stiffening under his touch, her
thing which is not yours, a jewel OF
such value? What were you doing In
the aisle last night? What do you
really know of the dead man."
"Carolita, you do not think that the
hand with the jewel upon it was mine
do you? You know that 1t was Wom
ans hand. You know that she tore il
from the chain about this dead mans &
neck, and either lost 1t or threw 1t de
liberately under berth three. Don't
you realize what it would mean to
have the conductor believe that the
Jewel had belonged to this man? Can't
1,o HvlI Of r~iy, hao =,
ing Spanish words, added to the cir
cumstances of your being in the oppo
site section, your unusual story, your
unknown destination, would all serve
to implicate you in this tragedy? How
could you prove that you knew
nothing of this mans death?
couldn't allow that jewel to be asso
ciated with him. And you think me q
thief?' His face had flushed to dull
red, his eyes almost as angry as hers
1t was unbelievable. outrageous, that
she should 50 mistake his motives.
And do you suppose that I can for
get how you have questioned me sc
many times about my people. where
am going, how l may be known wher
L reach them? Have you not begged
and begged 1 should tell. and all the
while you have known"
known what? / know nothing
Carolita. Everything l have done has
been because OF my desire to serve
you: the conclusions to which | have
jumped have all been due to instinct
or thought transference-I can't say
which. Carolita. did this man steal d
ring from you on the boat? | have t,
know
He stole nothing from me. | never
in all my life have seen this ring
ly hn - y q 4
in it, and so stung was he by hel
scorn that he could not keep note
of sarcasm out OF his voice; you haC
Il panic when you saw it on that WON
ans hand, and another when you saw
the man lying dead You cannot tel
me that the ring is not vitally connect
ed with Your history. your very life
perhaps. hangs upon it, yet when
have risked everything to help you
you accuse me of lying and stealing
What kind of a girl are you. anyway
The flame of anger that had blazet
in her face was slowly dying out. Civ
! ing place to sorrow; yet her eyes wer'
unfiinching as they met his.
"Mr. Reynolds, l ask you now to re
| lease my hand"
But Carolita." his anger yielded t,
her changed mood. please listen t.
me. l know that in the bottom o
your heart you do not believe any evi
OF me. You know that everything
| have tried to do, no matter how clum
silly, has all been for you. Haven
you seen that l love you? Don't yol
believe that the dearest name in al
the world to me just now is Sweet
| heart? Here's the ring. darling. littl,
sweetheart. marked just for you. n,
| matter what part it has played il
your life take 1t now as Il pledge from
7 haliava in x-nlY 6aurnct I l:noN,