Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1936-04-02
CHAPTER XIII-Continued
II


let the major part of her earnings Sill
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 are 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 it without thought. Scarcely were
the gems III 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-
UOn l ueIudnueu.
Perhaps | was a sentimental fool.
Anyway l 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 IL
given a chance she would make good.
promising l would remain silent.
l pocketed the gems and came away,
whether l acted rightly or wrongly
l do not know.
Il suppose by this time the two are
married and on their way to France.
/ 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.
1.-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
story. 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 l 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 1t does. In that lies my
only hope"
She was not In the house when at
Stanley Heath overlook her, but
far up the beach tossing driftwood
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 a young ath
lete. Yet with all her strength and
muscular ease, there was a grace nm
.mistakably feminine In her every move
ment.
When she turned and saw him, she
uttered a faint cry, but she did not adj
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
until Stanley Heath had covered
sandy curve that interviewed and
himself stood beside her.
"Marcia-dearest-I have come back
to ask your forgiveness. [
.misJudged you cruelty the night we
and in anger spoke words | had
no right to speak. Forgive me. dear.
Forgive me! Can you?'
Il forgave you long ago-before you
she whispered.
"Forgave without understanding
how like you! But you must not do
that. You have more to forgive In me
than you know, Marcia. l have been
proud, unbelieving, unworthy of a love
like yours. | have made you suffer
suffer needlessly. Listen to what
have to tell and then see if you can
still forgive
Turning, they walked slowly along
the shore,
Il could have told you about the
and how / came by them at the
outset had | not suddenly conceived
idea of teasing you. The plan to
conceal my story came to me as a
form of sport-a subtle, psychological
game. Here / was pitched without
ceremony into a strange environment
among persons who knew nothing of
my background. What would thew
of Inc? How rate me when cut
OH IRON my real setting? | resolved to
try out the experiment. Women are
to be inquisitive, particularly
those living In isolation. My advent
could not but stimulate questions.
thought 1t would be an amusing ad-
venture to clrcumvent not only your
curiosity but also that OF the village.
Il placed scant dependence on fem