Bright Arrows by Grace Livingston Hill

developments."
    "Well, yes, there are," said the young man. "They've found some more jewels sewed quite neatly in the lining of the young man's coat. Also several concealed in the woman's hat, and even some jewelry fastened into her clothing. They were so cleverly concealed that they were not discovered at first and so have just come to light. Of course, the woman claims that you gave them to her, but in view of the fact that you knew nothing about some of the other things she said you gave her, we felt you should see them at once. Also most of these things answer to the description of the articles in the bank list as from the secret compartment. Now, will you look at them? See, I have put them out there on the piano. Here's the diamond bracelet. Do you remember ever seeing it before?
    Eden shook her head.
    "I'm not sure," she said. "I dimly remember sitting on my mother's lap and putting my hand on something on her wrist, and saying, 'Pitty, pitty.' At least there is a story in the family to that effect, and I've heard it so much that it may be I just imagine I remember it. And it might have been the bracelet. I don't know."
    "It were !" announced Janet, arriving quietly in the room. "Ye was settin' on yer mither's lap an' playin' wi' her bracelet, an' they was one o' the verra first words ye spoke. 'Pitty, pitty.' An' yer feyther was that pleased! An' thet's the verra bracelet. I mind it well."
    So they went down the line of jewels. Some Eden vaguely remembered having seen before, others she knew nothing about, but all of them were familiar to Janet, who had often helped Eden's mother put her treasures away carefully.
    "Well, that's about it so far. All single jewels in the list are found, except a few rubies, and they may turn up in the possession of the two crooks. We are going to search them again carefully. But they have enough on them already to definitely put them in jail. In fact, it will be necessary, for we have checked on their movements out West and find that the boy had once before escaped from confinement there, where he was being held for trial for forgery and complicity in robbery. I'm afraid they are really hardened criminals."
    Eden shivered a little and looked distressed.
    "Oh, why do people want to be like that?" she said. "I never did like them, nor enjoy having them around, but why do you suppose they choose to be that way? Were they born so?"
    "Well, yes, I suppose they were. That is, they were born with a sinful nature," said the young man thoughtfully, "the same kind of nature we all have of course, only some of us choose to sin in more respectable ways." He smiled disarmingly. "People don't have to be crooks unless they choose to be. We don't have to follow every evil thought that comes to us. They know the things they plan to do are wrong, but they want to do them. They take a chance that they can get away with it. This time they didn't get away with it."
    Eden looked at the young man with interested eyes.
    "That sounds a little like something I was reading just now in this book that was sent to my father."
    "Why, yes, I suppose it must. I was just noticing the book in your hand. I've heard of it and often wanted to read it. As soon as I get settled into real living, since army days, I want to do some reading. Just now I haven't time, but from what I've heard about that, you'll find it a great book. Don't you?"
    "Oh, I haven't read but a few pages yet. I was just looking it over, and it seemed quite new and strange to me. If it hadn't been sent to Father's address, I wouldn't have known whether to trust it or not, but I rather think he had ordered it himself. You see, I was really wishing for a different kind of book when I first opened it, and then I got interested. But perhaps you would know of a book I could get to answer someone who doesn't believe in God anymore. Is there such a book? Surely there must be somewhere. There are so many good people and so many fine churches."
    The young man looked