Part 11 (2/2)

Marian was bustling about the cabin, putting things to rights

”Wants toin the corner

Presently Marian caught sight of hi for your reward?”

”Any tiht now--the blue envelope”

She seized her paint-box, and throwing back the cover lifted the paint-tray Then fro eagerly forward

”Can't be,” Lucile breathed

”Take a good look,” the boy suggested

Marian inspected the box thoroughly

”No,” she said with an air of finality, ”it's not here”

”Your--er--the paint-box was a bit disarranged,” he staed?”

”Well, not in the best of order Letter ht have dropped out in the cabin I dare say it's on the floor back there Had you seen it lately?”

”Only thisI can't understand about the box The wind ”

”I dare say” The boy sood-naturedly as he recalled the disordered rooht back and look for it” He ay like a flash

It ith a very dejected air that he returned Marian could not tell whether it was genuine or feigned Had he been in such haste to secure the letter that he had taken it at once froe-play?

”No,” he said, bringing forth a forlorn smile, ”I couldn't find it

It's not there”

That evening, after a supper served on a sone to his bunk below, and Lucile had fallen asleep, Marian lay awake a long ti over the mysteries of the past and the problems of the future Where had the blue envelope disappeared to? Did the boy have it? She resolved to search the cabin on the beach for herself She felt half-inclined to talk ht be cleared up She re speed he had reached the cabin once he had sprung upon the shore She remembered, too, how he had spoken of the disordered paint-box She prided herself on neatness And that paint-box, was it not her work-shop, her ed to talk it over with hi herself to feel that her trust in his to be ”taken in” If she discussed all these things with him, and if, at the same time, the letter rested in his pocket, wouldn't she be taken in for fair?

Wouldn't she, though?

”No,” she pressed her lips tight shut, ”no, I won't”