Marcia drew her hand across her forehead.
"And what conclusion have you arrived at?"
"I don't understand them at all. Nevertheless, I do not believe Stanley Heath is guilty," was the proud retort.
"That is because you don't want to--because you won't."
"Leave it at that, then, and say I won't," cried Marcia, leaping defiantly to her feet.
"You are making a great mistake, if you will pardon me for saying so," Sylvia responded gently. "You are deliberately closing your eyes and mind to facts that later are bound to cause you bitter unhappiness. Let alone the man's guilt. He has a wife. You seem to forget that. As Elisha Winslow remarked, you have already been miserable once. Why be so a second time? Help Stanley Heath to get out of Wilton and forget him."
"I cannot do either of those things. In the first place, I have given my word to hand Mr. Heath over to the authorities. As for forgetting him--why ask the impossible?"
"Go your own way then," she snapped. "Go your own way and if by and by you regret it--as you surely will--do not blame me. Don't blame me, either, if I do not agree with you. Stanley Heath shall never remain here and be betrayed to the law. I've enough mercy in me to prevent that if you haven't. Stick to your grim old puritanism if you must. I'll beat it by a more charitable creed. I'll help him get away."
Marcia rushed after her, but it was too late.
Stanley Heath was lying with expectant face turned toward the door when Sylvia entered.
"Heard? Certainly I heard," he laughed. "I could not hear what was said, of course, but anyone within five miles could have heard those men roaring at one another. What's the trouble?"
"Yes. Didn't you expect trouble sometime?"
"We all must expect trouble sooner or later, I suppose," was the enigmatic answer. "To just what particular variety of trouble did you refer?"
"I guess you know. There is no use mincing matters or beating about the bush. We haven't the time to waste. The jewels have gone and you must go, too."
"Don't misunderstand me, please," Sylvia rushed on. "I'm not blaming you--nor judging you. I don't know why you took them. You may have been tempted beyond your strength. You may have needed money sorely. All that is none of my business."