"I had known all along they were in the house, for I stumbled upon them by accident one day when I was here alone; but I had no idea you had. I truly believed Mr. Heath had hidden them beneath the hearth, and I was determined Elisha should not find them."
"You'd moved them? Put them somewhere else?"
"No, indeed. Didn't you hear me tell Elisha I did not know where they were?"
"Oh, of course. But you'd have said that anyway," smiled Sylvia, dimpling.
"You certainly wouldn't have let those men find them," she added comfortably.
"On the contrary, if the jewels had been in the house and I had been compelled to tell what I knew, I should have told the truth."
"You would? You would have showed those two miserable blood-hounds where they were?" asked the girl incredulously.
"I wouldn't," flashed Sylvia, clinching her small hands. "I would have fought that sheriff tooth and nail. I'd have lied--stooped to any means to prevent him from unearthing the evidence he was after."
"I wouldn't give a rap for the law. You love Stanley Heath. That's enough for me. Besides, he is being tracked down--trapped. I want him to go free."
"You think he took the jewels?" asked Marcia, slowly.
"But, Marcia, can't you see how plain it all is? I know it is terrible for you, dear. It almost breaks my heart. It is an awful thing to believe of anybody--harder still of a person one loves. Nevertheless, we must face the facts. People do not carry such things about with them--especially men. He came by them in no honest way, you may be sure of that. Hasn't he told you anything?--haven't you asked him?"
"I wouldn't think of asking him," Marcia replied with a lift of her chin.
"And he has not volunteered any information?"
"Most men, if honest and caught in such an odd situation, would explain," continued Sylvia. "The very fact that Mr. Heath has not is suspicious in itself. He is guilty, Marcia--guilty."
"I do not believe it," was the stubborn protest.
"I realize, dear, it is hard for you to own it," soothed Sylvia. "We hate to admit the faults of those we--we--care for. Still, nothing is to be gained by remaining blind to them."
"You speak as if such a sin were a mere trivial flaw of character, Sylvia. Why, it is fundamental--a crime."