Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-03
SUNDAY MAGAZINE FOR JULY ;. 1910

by the pail of mystery which seemed impenetrable.
Then suddenly there came binding, blurring rush
of tears and she crept silently from the room.
THE door squeaked family she closed it; but
slight as 1t was the noise aroused Clarke. His
feverSh ewes opened wide and he sat up straight in
bed The bonds! He had dreamed of them, and
fear for their safety had been born in that dream-a
strange, vivid vision of desperate struggle with
straight staring. rugged faced, hu1king man,
man who seemed to be-to be John Smith! In the
dream he had lost the bonds! For a long time he
listening listening then started to rise from the bed
1t was an effort. Illness had Slapped his strength he
weak a child; but the will of him came to his
rescue, that merciless. all compelling will against
which no man or thing had ever stood.
Made giddy by the effort with the world swimming
about him hazily, he rested for minute beside the
bed steadying himself by the support it gave; then,
his eyes aglitter, his heart pounding, he went stag
gering, Keeling, across the room. From shelf high
up in the rickety wardrobe he took down little
leather bag and opened it with fumbling fingers. In
side folded separately, and placed upon another,
many papers, bound into package by rub
Der band. He thrust his fingers into the bag The
papers cracked at his touch and he laughed sense
leSsly. They safe!
With trembling hands he slid one of the sheets
and opened it. 1t was United States bond print ed
in the golden yellow that insnctvely associates
with things of great value On its face 1T bore the
of those bonds in the bag-one million five hundred
thousand dollars! Here not his fortune, but the
means to fortune that was to become millions and
millions under his deft manpulatlOnS Again he
laughed a mrth that cracked hollow
After awhile he folded the bond, slipped it back
under the rubber band. locked the little bag again.
and stood swaying in the center of the room if
seeking place to hide it. For weeks, during all the
weary illness when he had lain unconscious, help
less, the little bag had remained safe and unds-
turbed. But he had dreamed, and fear had been
born in that dream The bag must be hidden in
better safer place safe from Smith, safe from
chance discovery by his daughter!
An idea came! He could place the bag beside
him. under the covers! There it would always be
at hand and with a revolver under his pillow
TT was an hour later. perhaps that the door opened
with the slight squeak that had aroused him, and
his daughter entered softly. The mist of tears
gone now the lingering doubtful fear had passed from
the blue eyes and the scarlet lips smiling bravelv
Edna he said and for a moment there
return to the terse masterful tone she had always
known, does it happen you have seen any account
in the Paris edition of The Herald of trouble in of
the banks back home? An embezzement perhaps?"
NO, Daddy. Why"
So, whether not there had been order sent
to the Paris police for his arrest nothing had come
out back home! There yet chance, in spite of
Smith. A chance? No. absolute certainty!
Clarke closed his eyes and lay back smiling.
CHAPTER VIII
DUSK had drawn veil over Paris when Clarke
- awoke and the only thing he conscious of
for time in the darkness of the shabby little rOom