Part 30 (1/2)

”Oh, Peggy!” cried Hester, running to her side.

”See here,” began Fanning, swaggering forward threateningly toward the two girls.

”My brother is just 'round that corner,” said Peggy, boldly; ”he'll be here in a minute. If you don't wish to be arrested for what you did the other night you had better get away from here, Fanning Harding.”

A scared look crossed Fanning's face and he turned and fairly took to his heels.

”Now, Hester,” said Peggy, kindly, ”come with me to my car. It's just 'round the corner.”

”Oh, Peggy, I've been a bad, wicked girl, but I'm not a thief. Truly I'm not.”

”I believe that,” said Peggy, ”but what do you know about the disappearance of the diamonds?”

”That I have them all here. Not one is gone,” was the amazing reply, and Hester, drawing a handkerchief from her bosom, unfolded it and displayed to Peggy's amazed eyes a glittering collection of gems. In the midst of the flas.h.i.+ng gems gleamed the big ruby which Peggy had once seen Hester so carefully conceal.

”Hester, you have a duty before you,” said Peggy slowly; ”get in my car and come with me to my home and then tell me all about this mystery which has puzzled us so long.”

But the girl shrank back.

”I can't. Oh, Peggy, with you it's different, but before, the others.

Your brother----”

”Poor fellow, he has been under unjust suspicion on account of these very jewels,” Peggy reminded the agitated girl.

”Oh, give me time. Not now. I----”

”No, it must be now,” said Peggy, with gentle insistence. ”Come!”

Something in her manner seemed to strike the girl.

”You'll promise no harm will come to me or my father through this?” she said.

”Is your father very deeply implicated in the matter?” asked Peggy seriously, looking straight into the other's eyes.

”No. On my word of honor, no,” was the response.

”Then I'll promise,” said Peggy.

”Very well, then, I'll tell you all I know about the matter,” said Hester, as the girls got into the car.

An hour later, in the library of the Prescott's home, Peggy, Roy, Jimsy and Jess were gathered listening to Hester's story. Her eyes were red from crying and she hesitated frequently, but her manner showed that she was telling the truth.

On a table lay the glistening jewels. Jess had counted them and found that they were all there.

”I didn't find out about the jewels till one night Fanning, who has always said he admired me,” said Hester, with downcast eyes, ”gave me that big ruby there. At least he didn't give it to me but he said I could wear it. Of course I had heard about the disappearance of the jewels from the auto, but somehow I didn't a.s.sociate this token of Fanning's with it.

”It was not till a week ago that I learned the true state of affairs. I overheard a conversation of Fanning's with my father in which he threatened him with arrest if he, father, didn't give him some money Fanning said he had h.o.a.rded up. I knew dad didn't have any and I asked him after Fanning had gone to tell me all about it.

”He isn't such a bad man at bottom and when I pleaded with him he told me the whole story. On the day of the jewel robbery, for it was a robbery, Morgan and Giles----”