Part 40 (1/2)
”Now don't go into details until you feel better Coet in the car with me,” and Cora led Ida back to where the auto waited
”Oh; Cora! I--I can't get in your car with you--I--I can't accept any kindness from you--after--after what I've done And to think that you should come to save me from him! I--I feel like a--a thief!”
”But you're not!” declared Cora stoutly
”No, not exactly, but almost as bad Oh, Cora, I--I wish I could tell you, but I--I daren't!” and again Ida sobbed hysterically
”Well, Ida, dear, you don't have to tell ly as she placed her ar for a ride in the Whirlwind That will settle your nerves”
”Where are you going?” asked Ida as she noticed they were not heading for Chelton
”We'll go to New City, Ida,” went on Cora with sudden resolve ”I want to ask you a question”
”Yes,” spoke Ida nervously
”Did you lose anything atin the safe
”No,” replied Ida firmly
”Didn't you, really?” insisted Cora, surprised that Ida would not ad
”I--I didn't lose anything, Cora,” and Cora wondered at the stress Ida placed on the word ”lose”
”Well, I have a secret to tell you Jack did not wantto, for I's found a beautiful dia in his pocket after the fete, and your initials were engraved in the gold”
Cora turned so as to look into Ida's face, and she could plainly see that a change cas found it?”with my initials in?”
”Yes Didn't you really lose it?”
For aher lips, and her fingers were nervously playing with the fringe on the lap robe
”Cora,” she exclaimed impulsively, ”I have been mean--hateful to you--but--you have not deserved it Sid Wilcox told , and he said you spoke of a lot of things about me--”
”What!” cried Cora ”He dared to say that?”
”Yes; and people saw you out with hiht have; but the truth was he jumped into my car and ran aith it without my permission That's how I came to be in the motor with him”
”He never told me that!” exclaimed Ida ”Well, that's just like hi on me--and I would not take it at first But he et rid of it I did not lose it, but I slipped it into Walter Pennington's pocket Oh, Cora! You know I--I do like Walter, and I--I thought if he saw that I wouldn't keep soht send it back where it came from, and--and--”
Her tears interrupted her Cora did not understand
”You put it in Walter Pennington's pocket?” she repeated slowly
”Why, it was found in Paul Hastings' pocket”