Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-12-17
A Story of Love, Adventure
and Mystery By REX BEACH

7
Imagine a queen with an empty pro-
gram. just love you to pieces. OF
course. but / can't allow our engage
ment to interfere with the success OF
the carnival. can ~
Don't you know this is a think we
/ can't joke about?"
of course I do. 1t has taught me
a good lesson"
WHAT
I'm never be engaged to another
man"
well! I should hope not. Do you
intend to marry me, Myra Nell?''
Il don't know. Sometimes I think
will, then again I'm afraid nobodyd ever
come to see me. if / did. I'd get old
like you"
I'm not old"
Wed both have gray hair and-I
can't talk any more; here comes Bernie
with an armful OF dresses and mouth
full of pins. If he coughs I'll be all alone
in the world. No. you can't see me for
a week. don't even want to hear, from
you except
"what?"
"weli, the strain of dress-fitting is
tremendous. I'm nearly always hungry
ravenous for nourishment"
You mean you're out of candy
suppose7"
practically There's hardly a whole
piece left. They've all been nibbled."
Blake did not know whether to feel
amused or ashamed He was relieved at
the girls apparent carelessness, yet this
half-serious engagement had put Myra
Nell in a new light. He could not think
of their relations as really unchanged,
and this was inevitable since his senti-
/ ment for her was genuine. The gro
I tesoueness of the affair-even Myra NelPs
/ own attitude towards it-seemed a viola
ton of something sacred.
But nothing could subdue the JOY he
felt in his growing intimacy with Wit
/ toria, whom he managed to see frequent
ly, although she never permitted him to
come to Oliveta's house. Little by little
her reserve melted, and more and more
she seemed to forget her intention of
devoting herself 10 a religious life,
while fears for her friends safety APP
pealed to the deep mother instinct which
had remaiped latent in her.
She was unable. however. even with
Oliveta's assistance, to put any informa-
ton in his way, and Blake could think
/ OF no better plan than to try once more
to sound Caesar Maruffi. If Caesar had
really written the letter, it would be
strange IL he could not be induced to go
/ further. despite his obvious fear of Car
al. II was unbelievable that man who
knew so much about the Mafia was really
in ignorance OF it's leaders identity and
Blake was convinced that If he acted
/ automatically and seized the right oc-
casion he couldbr ing the fellow to I'M
( bosom himself.
Discarding all thought of his own
safety he went often to the Red Wing
club. But he found Caesar was wary
and he dared not be too abrpt Time
and again he was upon the verge of
/ speaking out. but something Invariably
prevented. some inner voice warned him
that the mans mood was unpropitious,
that his extravagant caution was not
yet satisfied He allowed the Sicilian to
/ feel him out to his hearts content, and
at last, seeing that he made no real
progress. he set out one evening re-
solved to risk all in an effort to reach
some definite understanding.
He was delayed in reaching the foreign
quarter and the dinner hour was nearly
/, over when he arrived at the cafe. Ma
ruff was there. as usual. but he had fin
ished his meal and was playing cards
with some Of his countrymen; swarthy,
leager-faced,. voluble fellows whose chat
ter filed the place. They greeted Norvin
/ politely as hes seated himself near
by, then went on with their amusement
as he ordered and ate his dinner. He
was near enough to hear their talk and
TO catch an occasional glimpse Of the
game. so that he was not long in find
ing that they played for considerable
stakes. They were as earnest as school
boys and he watched their ever-changing
expressions with interest, particularly
when he discovered that Maruffi was in
hard luck. The big Sicilian sat buIked
up in corner, black, silent and SIMS
ter, his scowling brows bespeaking his
rage Occasionally he growled a curse,
then sent the waiter scurrying with an
order. Other Italians were drawn to
the scene and crowded about the players.
/ When Norvin had finished his meal
he sat back to smoke and idly sip his
claret thinking he would wait until the
game broke up SO that he might get
Caesar to himself and perhaps put the
issue to the test. He began TO study
the fellows face, thinking what force,
what passion lay in it, puzzling his
brain for some means of enlisting that
energy upon his side. But as fortune
continued to run against Marufh he
began to fear that the time was not
favorable.
What a picture those laughing, hawk
like men formed, surrounding the black,
resentfuI merchant. 0Iartel Savigno
could have drawn a group like that, he
unused, for he had a rare apprecla uon
of his own people, no matter what might
be said of his talent He had done some
very creditable Sicilian sketches; in
fact, Norvin had one framed in his
room. What a pity the count had
been stricken in the first years Of his
lpromise. What a ruthless hand IL was
that had destroyed him. What giant
mind It was which had held all Sicily
in terror and sealed its lips.
In that very group yonder there prob
ably was more than one who knew
the evil genius in person, and yet they
were held in a thralldom of fear which
no offer of riches could break. What
manner of man was this Cardt? What
helIish methods did he follow to WELD
such despotism? Those card players
were impudent. INSCRIPTIONS blades, as
ready to gamble with death as with their
Jingling coins, and yet they dared not
lift hand against him.
i Blake saw that the game had reacheo
a point OF unusual intensity; the players
were deeply engrossed; the spectators
had fallen silent. with bright eyes fixed
upon the mounting stakes. When the
tension broke Norvin saw that Caesar
had lost again and smiled at the excited
conversation which ensued. There was
babble of laughter, of curses, of ex-
postulation, shafts of badinage flew at
the Sicilian merchant. In the midst of