The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-12-27
CHAPTER XIII-Continued
Copyright by
The Penn Pub. Co
WNU Service

through her fingers. He was now ask
ing how much she had laid aside and
to her CONSERVATION she found she
had almost nothing.
"She was ashamed to face him.
''What could she say?
"She did not know what impulse
prompted her to take the jewels. She
had never stolen before in all her life.
The diamonds had been constantly in
her care and it had never occurred to
her to appropriate them. 1t had been
a sudden, mad temptation created by
the need of money and she had yielded
to 1t without thought. Scarcely were
the gems in her possession before she
regretted her action and longed to
undo it. She would have taken them
back had she not feared the conse-
quences. She begged Julien should
not be told what she had done. If
her crime could be concealed from him
she was willing to make any restitu-
ton demanded.
"Perhaps I was sentimental fool.
Anyway / simply could not see it my
duty to hand the unhappy creature
over to the authorities; destroy Julien's
faith in her; wipe out the future she
had set her heart upon. felt II
given a chance she would make good.
promising / would remain silent,
pocketed the gems and came away.
whether 1 acted rightly or wrongly
do not know.
II suppose by this time the two are
married and on their way to France.
I believe Corinne told the truth and
that under other Influences she will be-
come an excellent wife and mother.
At least she has the opportunity.
"The other half Of my tale-the half
neither foresaw nor planned-is ia
miliar to you.
"The fog that drove me out Of my
course; my subsequent shipwreck and
Illness; the coming Of Currier, our old
family servant; the chain Of circum-
stances that brought upon me the
calamities from which have just ex-
tricated myself-these are an old
sSory. The only thing that now re-
mains to clear my sky Is for me to
right myself with Marcia"
''That will be easy" smiled Sylvia.
II wish 1 thought so," was Heath's
moody answer.
Marcia Is no ordinary woman. Her
understanding and love are measure
less. Love, Mr.. Heath, forgives a
great deal"
II know It does. In that lies my
only hope"
She was not in the house when at
last Stanley Heath overlook her, but
far up the beach tossing drlftwood
into the surf for Prince Hal to re-
trieve.
The man paused. watching them.
Hatless, her splendid body aglow
with exercise, Marcia had the freedom
and wholesomeness of young ath-
lete. Yet with all her strength and
muscular ease, there was a grace I'M
mistakably feminine in her every move
ment.
When she turned and saw him, she
uttered faint cry, but shesdid not ad-
vance to meet him. Prince Hal did
that, racing up the beach, uttering
shrill yelps Of welcome as he came.
A second and the dog was again at
Marcia's side, and in this ecstacy of
delight he continued to run back and
forth until Stanley Heath had covered
the sandy curve that interviewed and
himself stood beside her.
"Marcia-dearest-I have come back
come to ask your forgiveness.
misjudged you cruelty the night we
parted and In anger spoke words had
no right to speak. Forgive me, dear!
Forgive mel Can your"
Il forgave you long ago-before you
asked" she whispered.
''Forgave without understanding
how like you'll But you must not do
that. You have more to forgive in me
than you know, Marcia. I have been
proud, unbelieving, unworthy of a love
like yours. l have made you suffer-
suffer needlessly. Eisten to what I
have to tell and then see II you can
still forgive"
Turning, they walked slowly along
the shore.
II could have told you about the
Jewels and how came by them at the
outset had I not suddenly conceived
the Idea of teasing you. The plan to
conceal NY story came to me as
form Of sport-a subtle, psychological
game. Here was pitched without
ceremony into q strange environment
among persons who knew nothing of
my background. What would they
make OF me? How rate me when cut
Off from my real setting? resolved to
try out the experiment. Women are
said to be inQuisitive, particularly
those living in isolation. My advent
could not but stimulate questions. I
thought 1t would be an amusing adj
venture to circumyent not only your
euriosity but also that Of the village.
r placed scant dependence on fem