Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1936-03-19
XIII

Intense as was the Joy Of the three
persons, who a little later set out
toward the Homestead In the old yell
low dory, they were a silent trio.
Too much Of seriousness had hap
pened during the morning for them to
dispel its aftermath lightly.
Horatio, pulling at the oars, was
unusually earnest, Sylvia turned the
ring On her finger reflectively and
Stanley Heath looked far out ove the
water, too deep In thought to be con-
scious Of either Of them.
When, however, the boat swung into
the channel, Sylvia spoke.
"Hortie and l are not coming with
you, Mr.. Heath" she said. "We will
stay behind. Only do, please, promise
me one thing. Do not tell Marcia the
whole story before we have a chance
to hear it. There are ever so many
connecting links l am curious beyond
words to have you supply"
"Such as-?"
1.-THE jewels In the first place. l car
hardly wait to have that mystery
solved"
Stanley laughed
"The jewels are no mystery at all
] a satisfy your mind about thoss
here and now. They were Joan's-
Mrs. Heath's. Her maid, Corinne
took them and disappeared. Soor
afterward, purely by accident, l me-
Paul Latimer, a friend who lives OF
Long Island, and during the course
Of our conversation, he asked II
knew a good man servant, saying tina
julien, their butler, had just giveI
notice that he was to be married Il
COrinne, the new parlor maid, and re
turn with her to France.
"The woman's name instantly caugh
my attention.
"Why shouldn't | do a bit of sleuth
ing on my own account?
THUS far the detectives Joan and
had hired had made no Roadway a
locating the jewels.
why shouldn't l have a try at
myself? | got a boat and crulset
along to the Latimers' at whose hous'
had frequently stayed, and with tn
habits of whose household / wa
familiar. My plan was to arriv
early In the morning before the fam
lily was astir and catch the parlor
maid alone at her work.
SHOULD she prove to be our Corinne
l would boldly confront her with tn
theft and demand the jewels; If, OIL
the other hand, she turned out to b.
another person altogether, it would b.
perfectly easy to explain my presenc
by falling back on my Acquaintance
with Paul.
ut seemed, on thinking the matte
over, that this would be a far NOR
c~0nsiderate course anyway than to draJ
In the detectives, not only because
had no real evidence to present t,
them, but also because Of my friend
ship for the Latimers and for Julien
who had been In their employ man.
years. | knew they esteemed him yer,
highly and would be dreadfully cut VI
should they find him involved In al
affair as unpleasant as this me-. Be
sides, | felt practically certain he hat
had nothing to do with the crime. III,
was too fne-one Of the old-fashloned
devoted type of ervan
ITO shame such a man and throw
suspicion on him If he were blamelesI
would be a pity, especially just on thu
eve of his reslgning from service. |
might mean that instead Of leavin,
with the gratitude and goodwill of hi
employers, he might be sent away I'm
der a cloud. | did not wish that t
happen.
well, my scheme worked to a dot
Il reached the Latlmers' unobserved
found Corlnne alone Strengthening VI
the library; faced her and demande,
the jewels.
THE instant she saw me she kne,
the game was up, and. without NOR
ado, produced the gems from he
pocket, shouldering all the blame.
julien, she protested, knew nothin
Of the theft. He val a self-respectlng
honest man. Should he be told O
what she had done 1t would end every
thing between them. She loved hin
Indeed 1t was because Of him she ha'
committed the crime.
ut proved they had been engages
some time and long before had agree.
to save their money and sometim
pool 1t 30 they might be married an
buy q little home In France.
RIO BE CONTINUED)