Part 30 (2/2)
”She's a trump! Read me her note, Marta.”
”DEAR LITTLE MARTA:
”You must do just as I say. I told Mr. Walters and Mr. Hebler I took the ring. Give it to Mr. Hebler and tell him I left it with you to hand to him. Never do it again, Marta. Jo is worth a whole mine of diamonds. When I am safely and far away, will let you hear from me.
”With Love, ”PEN.”
”Some girl!” exclaimed Jo. ”But she isn't as keen as I thought, or she'd have known you didn't take the ring.”
”Jo, do you believe--”
”Shucks, honey! I know you didn't. I wouldn't believe you did if I saw you take it. Here, little girl--”
He stopped, put his arm around her, lifted the little face and kissed the tears from it.
”What's matter with you?”
”Jo, I didn't take it!”
”Don't I know you didn't, honey!”
”It's nice in you to know it, Jo. But--suppose, I had taken it--”
”I'd have given it back and rustled around till I could have bought you the biggest diamond in Chicago.”
”Who do you suppose did take it, Jo?”
”I don't know. Maybe he never lost it.”
”Wasn't it grand in her to take the blame?”
”Yes,” he admitted grudgingly, ”but I don't like her thinking you took it.”
”But, Jo. Of course she would think it was I, and--I remember now--when I saw that diamond I thought how easy it would be for anyone to lift it, and then when I was in her room, I hardly heard a word she said because I was thinking, 'It's Jo! It's Jo's love that's made me different,' and then I got scared thinking that I might want to take it, and how awful it would have been if I had never met you and loved you. I got up and walked right out of the room so I could be alone and think about you. It must have looked queer to her the way I acted--till she found the ring had been taken.”
”I'll see Kurt,” said Jo, ”and tell him about it, and he will find her.”
”What's that sound?” interrupted Marta, looking about her in a puzzled way. ”I've heard it before somewhere. Oh, I know! It's an airs.h.i.+p.”
They looked up and, for the moment, lost all interest in things below.
”Holy Smoke!” exclaimed Jo. ”First one I ever saw! Gene said there was one in town a few days ago. Look! It's coming down corkscrew style! It's going to land there by Westcott's!”
CHAPTER XIV
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