Evening star., 1912-11-24
little eyes Thank God the other danger

little eyes. Thank God the other DANGER
You dan divide the bills. Come on
Anton went to the green door and
turned tie key. 80, ;.
You 60 first. And remember. kid, if
you try any erafty work, I'm right at
your back, and-if | don't get that money
the police get YOU
She nodded indifferently and led the
way along dark passage, then down a
narrow servants staircase that ended IN
a door opening into the conservatory. AS
they moved on cautiously Anton kept his
hand firmly on the girls shoulder, and,
somehow, Hester was glad OF TINS. Tor
the half darkness and the violence of the
storm frightened her. She had no thought
any longer of escaping. She had done
her best and failed. She had played hef
last card and lost
This man had forced her to choose be-
tween being a thief and a wanton. and
WELL she had been thief before. 10
save her body from prison and-a worse
fate, she was ready to give Anton half
of this stolen money, she must give it to
him, she had no choice, and the other
half, her half she would return this to
the bishop That was all she could do.
Hester opened the door at the foot OF
the stairs and stepped forward into the
fragrant atmosphere of the plants and
blooms. Anton was close behind her. She
could feel his clutchinS hand. 1t was
very dark within the conservatory, and
outside the storm was raging fearfully.
Suddenly the organ in the library began
to play softly Hester Storm stood still,
listening at first in fear, and then, as the
music wove it's spell about her, with a
kind of strange pleasure. VINO couid De
playing so beautifully and tenderly there
in the dark while she was here in such
trouble?
A menacing pressure from the hand on
her shoulder urged the girl to action.
Stepping forward. Hester came to the rose
bush in its gilded basket. A quick move
ment with one hand lifted the cylinder of
earth from its pot, then search with
the other brought her fingers in contact
with the banknotes. There! She had
them, Fifty hundred-pound notes. She
had only to count off twenty-five and give
them to Anton. That would silence him,
but-would he take her word. in the dark
ness, that the count was straight!
She turned toward the chauffeur, and.
at this moment became conscious that
there was no longer any pressure on her s
shoulder Anton had taken away his
hand She peered through the shadows.
but could discern nothing save the vague
outlines of a giant PALM she stretched
forth her hand, but could feel nothing.
The man had gone. At the moment OF
pra sninp a fortune he had gone. Why?
What had happened?
In her concentration on the rose bush
Hester had not seen the dull glow Of a
cigar burning in sinister WatchIulness,
there. in the far corner of the conserva-
tory: but Anton had seen 1t and had
drawn back stealthily. his heart pounding.
It was Grimes lurking in the darkness,
Grimes waiting for his prey.
And now, as Hester wondered at this
strange disappearance of her prosecutor
the organ stopped and beautiful voice
sounded from the library in a song that
none can reslSt
Gave me her promise true.
Which neer forgot shall be.
And fu. bonnie Annie Laurie
I'd lay down and dee.
Her promise true!' These words went
straight to the soul of this poor trans
gressor. 1t was like voice speaking to
her, a voice singing to her, wonderful
voice, through the shadows of fear carry