On the afternoon of June 12th, Mr. Kennelworth and Robert arrived in New York City and were met at the train by Walter. Robert was very happy to meet his dearest friend, and it was consoling to be with him. After their arrival, they went to the Hotel Vanderbilt. Mr. Kennelworth went out to see a friend and left Robert and Walter to chat alone. Robert told Walter of the terrible sufferings he had gone thru since Marie's disappearance and of his great disappointment. He talked of the success he had made in the market and of the future when he hoped to complete his great invention with the aid of Walter and his knowledge of chemicals and make discoveries which would end war for all times. But immediately after talking of his future plans his mind would revert back to Marie and he would start talking about her and bemoaning the fact that without her he could not go on in the future. Walter told him to forget about her—that time would bring changes and that he would find another girl who would take the place of Marie. Robert was indignant and told Walter that time would never change him; that he would remain faithful to Marie until death, no matter if he never heard of her again. Walter said that Marie was too young to know her own mind and was probably in love with someone else, or thought she was, which accounted for her sudden change and disappearance from the train. Robert then showed him the letter which he found in his pocket the morning that Marie disappeared. Walter read it.
June 5th, 1927.
3 A.M.
Dearest Robert:
According to your faith, be I unto you. Love will always have faith, understand and wait. Time proves all things. You will get everything you want; I will come to you when I mean the most and your need for love is the greatest.
Lovingly always,
Marie.
Walter said: "This is certainly a mysterious letter. I don't understand it and I don't suppose Marie did either. There is nothing in this letter to explain whether she was leaving you or not, or why or where she was going or anything about it. Now, Robert, don't you understand real love could never act like that or write like that? There is some secret behind all this and my opinion is that there is another man in the case." But Robert refused to listen to any such reasoning. His faith in Marie was unshaken. His love for her was great enough to understand, to have patience and wait. Marie could or would do no wrong, and no amount of evidence would ever change him.
Mr. Kennelworth returned to the hotel and after dinner told Robert that he wanted to have a confidential chat with his son, Walter. Robert decided to go out for a walk and see the city. When they were alone, Walter told his father that he had had a long talk with Robert and that his mind was on nothing but Marie. His father said: "The only thing to do is to help Robert get interested in his work so that he will forget about Marie. That is the best thing for him at present. The great love that he has for her will be the incentive to spur him on to success and help him realize his ambitions. Love is the greatest thing in the world and without it men would not get very far. It brings out the noble and better qualities in a man and should always be encouraged."
CHAPTER XV
On the following day, Monday, June 13th, Mr. Kennelworth, Robert and Walter arose early to be ready for Colonel Lindbergh's triumphant march up Broadway. Robert was very enthusiastic about it and talked about what a great achievement it was and what it meant to the world, especially to the United States. Walter told him that they must get busy and start to lay out the plans to build Robert's great airplane. When they started out on the street, Robert began to talk of Marie and said that he hoped that he would find her that day. Thru all the surging crowds, he stared in the face of every woman, hoping that Marie, if she was alive, might have decided to come to New York for the Lindbergh reception. It was a great day for Colonel Lindbergh, and a great day for Robert, because it encouraged his hope for the day, and believed it would come to pass when airplanes would conquer the world and bring universal peace. He felt that a state of perfection could never be reached until the brotherhood of man, founded on love, was established.
Walter told his father and Robert about a great play that he had been to see: "One for All." He was anxious for them to see it and had secured tickets for that night. Robert was immediately interested. He was attracted to Molly and saw in her great sacrifice for Eric an example of Marie. As the play neared the end, and Molly was in great sorrow, and her secret sacrifice had become known to Eric, Robert could restrain his emotions no longer. He turned to Mr. Kennelworth and said, "I wonder if he'll be man enough to forgive her and appreciate her, as the greatest woman in the world for him. Will his mind be broad enough to realize that she made the supreme sacrifice because of her unselfish love. Now that he has succeeded and has the world at his feet will he turn from her and condemn her as the world usually does?" Mr. Kennelworth said: "You can see that Eric is now weighing the matter in his mind and is hesitating. We can only wait and see." Robert said, "If Eric loves Molly as I love Marie he will now love her more after this." Robert watched Eric with every muscle in his body tense, as Eric read the receipt written by Chattox and also he watched Molly and her expression as she leaned over the staircase and read the receipt over Eric's shoulder. He saw Eric slowly fold the receipt around the little booties for the baby and place them in his pocket and walk slowly away. Robert was wondering what Eric was thinking of and what his decision would be. Then came the final climax—Eric, after knowing all, took Molly in his arms and gave her the kiss which Robert knew meant forgiveness and understanding. He then realized that love, just as Molly said in the beginning, was the greatest thing in the world, and meant more than all the money in the world. Robert jumped to his feet and shouted, "Hurrah for Eric," and said, "that's the kind of love I have for Marie and no matter what may have happened or what she should do in the future, my love is the kind which will understand, forgive and forget." He told them how he was impressed with the story in the Bible where the woman was brought before Jesus accused and how the Jesus said, "Let him who is without sin, cast the first stone," and when they had all disappeared he said: "Woman, doth no man accuse thee," and she answered, "No, Lord." Jesus said, "Neither do I. Go your way and sin no more." Robert said when the world once realized the great power of Love, that jealousy, enmity, all accusations and the desire for personal gain, would pass away. That when Love alone dominated the hearts of men and women, wars would be no more, and that men would see no evil in their fellow-men as Eric saw no evil in Molly's sacrifice but knew and understood that great love for him was the motive that prompted her actions. Robert quoted Daniel 2:22:
"He revealeth the deep and secret things. He knoweth what is in the darkness and the light dwelleth within him. A kingdom which shall never be destroyed, consume all other kingdoms and stand forever."