Part 32 (1/2)

”Do you object, Miss Marvin, to telling us who sent it? Really, the question is important, or I would not ask it.”

Faith looked from one to the other and clenched her fingers convulsively. It seemed cruel to her to thus wound the feelings of another.

”I would rather not tell, please, Mr. Denton,” she began.

”Then I must insist,” said the gentleman, ”for, as I said, the matter is serious.”

”If you insist, I must obey,” said Faith, in some bewilderment; ”but I beg you will forgive me for saying that your son sent me the candy.”

Before the words were fairly out Mr. Denton was pale with horror. The shock was so great that he shuddered as he looked at her.

”My son,” he whispered, hoa.r.s.ely. ”Is that true, Miss Marvin? Is my son one of the rascals who annoy the young women under my protection? Is he--”

He could get no farther--his feelings overcame him.

”I am afraid he is,” said Faith, very faintly, ”for I have given him no right to be sending me presents.”

Mr. Denton leaned back in his chair with one hand to his brow. The detective's ruse in covering the candy had produced results as startling as they were suspicious.

If Faith had known of the poison in the candy no power could have induced her to tell what she had, but up to the present she was in total ignorance of the matter, and it was now Mr. Denton's turn to dread the next disclosures.

”My dear child,” he said at last; ”I have something to tell you--something that will shock you even more than your news shocks me; it is this, your box of candy to-day was poisoned.”

Faith stared at him stupidly for the s.p.a.ce of a second, then the full situation dawned slowly upon her. ”If that is the case, your son did not send it, Mr. Denton!” she cried in decided accents, ”for although he is thoughtless and careless of others, he would shrink from doing such a deed as that, even though he had a motive, which he certainly hasn't!”

”I believe you,” said Mr. Denton, in a tone of relief. ”Whoever sent the candy is making my son the scapegoat! You say there was no writing on the package when you got it, young man, and no message or card when you opened it in the lunch-room?”

”I can vouch for that,” said Tyler, as the boy shook his head. ”I was watching the boy when he opened the candy.”

”Have you any enemies in the store that you know of, Miss Marvin--any one who is aware that my son has sent you candy?”

Mr. Denton had turned toward Faith as he asked the question.

”More enemies than friends, I am afraid, sir,” was the answer, ”for although I have tried my best to be friendly with the girls, they all treat me coldly; they are not at all like Miss Jennings.”

”It is strange how they dislike and distrust each other,” said Mr.

Denton, sadly. ”But I suppose it is because they have so little in life, they are constantly filled with envy over the possessions of others.”

If Faith knew this to be a compliment she did not show it. So far it had not seemed to her that the girls were envious of her beauty.

”You may go now, Sam,” said Mr. Denton, kindly, ”and, see here, young man, keep your mouth shut about this matter! Not a single word until I give you permission!”

Sam promised faithfully, and was glad to do so. Since he had been restored to his position he had silently wors.h.i.+ped Mr. Denton.

”Now, Miss Marvin, I must caution you as I did Sam,” said the gentleman.

”Say nothing until the officer here has ferreted out this matter. A single word might put the criminal on guard, and a single utterance may delay the triumph of justice.”

He dismissed the young girl with a courteous bow, and was surprised that she still lingered in a pleading manner.