Evening star., 1912-09-12
CHAPTER TX.
One Who Knows.

Norvin Blake dined at his club that
evening. returning to his Office at about
half-past Z. He was relieved To find the
place deserted. for he desired an oppor-
tunity to think undisturbed.
Entering his private room, he lit tho
gas. and, fiinsing himself into an easy
chair. gave himself over 10 recollections
Of all that the last few years had brought
forth. 1t seemed only yesterday that he
had returned from Italy. hot upon the
scent which Col. Neri had uncovered for
him. He had been confident. eager. hope
full. yet he had failed. signally, unac-
countably He had combed New York
city for a trace of Margherita Ginini
with q thoroughness that left no possible
means untried. He had wasted small
fortune In the hire of private detectives.
At last. when IL was too late TO proht
him. he had learned that the three wom-
en- had been in New York at the time or
his arrival but evidently had become
alarmed at his pursuit and fed. IL was
that which had forced him to give up
the certainty that Margherita knew the
motive Of his search and resented IL. He
had never quite recovered from the sting
of that discovery. for he was proud. but
he had grown too wise to cherish un1usi
resentment 1t merely struck him a.
great pity that their lives had fallen out
In such unhappy fashion.
There were other women. II Is true.
who attracted him strongly. aroused his
tenderness and appealed to his manhood
and among them Myra Nell Warren.
In the bottom of his heart he knew that
that tawny, slumbrOus yet passionate ST.
Gillian girl was his first and most sacred
love.
Meanwhile, he had made good TO his
own satisfaction in all respects save one.
and even In that he had gained the form
IL not the substance. for the world re-
garded him as man of proven COURAGE.
1t seemed to him grim and hideous
joke, and he wondered what his friends
| would think if they knew that the very
| commonplace adventure planned for this
evening filled him with a cringing hor-
| ror. The prospect of this trip into the
| Italian quarter with the probability of
encountering Narcone turned him cold
| and sick. His hands were like ice and
the muscles of his back were twitching
nervously; he could feel his heart pound
as he let his thoughts have free play
But these symptoms were only too Ia
miliar: he had conquered them too many
times to think of weakening.
When he saw by the clock that the
hour OF his appointment had come. he
arose, although his body seemed to be-
long to some one else and his spirit was
crying out q mad panicky warning. He
opened the drawer Of his desk and eN-
tracing a revolver raised 1t at arms
n.
until the sights crept into alignment. and
held 1t there for throbbing second. Then
he smiled mrthlessly. for his hand had
not shown the slightest tremor.
Donnelly was waiting as Blake walked
into headquarters. and exhuming box
of cigars from the remotest depths OF
desk drawer he offered them, saying
i've sent O'Connell over to reconnoiter.
There's no use of our starting out until
he locates ISABELLA. You needn't be SO
suspicious Of those perfectos, they won't
bite you."
"The last one you gave me did pre-
cisely that.
Must have been one of my cooking ci-
gars. keep two kinds, one for callers
and one for friends
Then il this is a Flor de Friendship
I'll accept" Blake said, with laugh.
"Do you think you will know him
Narcone?"
IL have reason to think l will.
The chief grunted with satisfaction.
"A funny little fellow, that Dreux. he
remarked. Wasn't it his father who
fought a duel with Col. Hammond from
Baton Rouge"
THE same. They used shotgllns at
forty yards. Col. Hammond was killed
''Humph. His son doesn't seem to ia
"Oh. Bernie makes no secret OF his
timidity. He was prociaming 1t To me
before you came in
"Well. a mule is mule. coward Is
IL
gum" paraphrased the chief. IF he
hasn't any courage he can't force 1t into
himself
"Do you think so?"
II know SO. I've seen il tried. Some
people are born towards and can't help
themselves. As for me. l was never
troubled much that way. l suppose you
find it the same. too"
mo. My only consolation lies in think
ing It's barely possible the other fellow
may be as badly frightened as l am.
Donnelly scofied openly. II never saw
a man stand up better than you. Why.
I've touted you as the gamest chap J
ever saw. DO you remember that DaSo
Misetti, who jumped from here into your
parish when you were sheriff."
Blake smiled. I'm not likely to for
get him.
"Yon walked into gun that day when
"He didn't, though-at least. not much:
Perhaps he was as badly ratified as |
was"
.Have it your own way" the chief said. :
But that reminds me, he's out again
Indeed! / hadn't heard
"You knew. of course We couldn't con-
vict him for that killing. We had per-
feet case, but the Malta cleared him.
Same old story-perjury. alibis and jury
fixing. We put him away for resisting
an officer. though they couldn't stop US
there. But they've sprung him and he's
back in town again. Damn such people.
1T Is a serious matter" Blake acknowl-
edged, land it Is affecting the business
interests Of the city. We see that every
day."
''If 1 had a free hand I'd tin-can every
dago In New Orleans"
Nonsense! They're not all bad. The
great majority OF them are good. indus
trious, law-abiding people"
You think so, eh? Well. IL you held
down this job for year. you'd be ready
to swear they're all blackmailers aud
murderers. II they're so honest and
peaceable why don't they come out and
help us run down the malefactors?"
That's not their way"