Las Vegas optic., 1914-08-26
"samueI!- She Said, 7rokenIy, and
Was Gathered Into His Arms.

"Sdmueil" ono odtuf. oFONcUtyy anu
Was Gathered Into His Arms.
thing and help me fulfil the con
ditions-but you seem surprised
Didn't you send 1t to me?"
With slow-dawning understanding,
she looked from the document to his
happy face.
"Of course l did. DEAR" said she,
uttering her first wRely fib. "And are
you really safe, daddy?"
II am in no danger of which am
aware said Vanderpool. "IIill has the
whole story, and l shall let him tell
it,"
Then everything is all right" cried
Hill Come on, let's get out of this.
Let's go to your house"
Yes" assented Iris, wherewith the
lovers went away, unheedful OF the
lonely man who bade them Godspeed,
or of the bear, who had fallen asleep
in a dark corner.
Meanwhile, Leigh, his heart like to
burst with hundred eliminated emo
| tions, sat by the balcony rail, and
scanned the crowd in eager search for
Pedro From this vantage point he
saw Iris and Samuel take their de
parture, and then the music stopped,
There was a futtering of hands, the
ripple of applause died away, and
the crowd broke up into groups, who
laughed and ate with as little concern
as though the world had not been
changed forever for Leigh, Suddenly
a strange thing happened.
The center of the floor was for the
moment clear, and the musicians had
retuned their instruments. Then,
above the gay murmur of the human
voices walled the voice of the violin,
the accompaniment throbbing softly
below. For a moment or two no one
danced, held back by that unwilling.
ness to be the first which always fol
lows the opening strains of a new
measure Then Leigh became con-
scious that hush had fallen upon
the crowd.
The street door had been thrown
wide, and from the darkness without
there emerged the figure of woman.
! Her garments were of frail silks torn
: and mud-stained, and pitifully made
quate to protect her from the cold.
! Her golden head was uncovered, and
= disheveled, and from below its tum-
!, bled glory. her eye shone bright and
feverish from the dark-ringed sockets.
But she seemed unconscious of her
plight, and of the stares of wonder
$ ment that she invoked.
: 1t was Carmen Daussa, tremulous
) with Joy at finding the only house
: in the great cruel city where she pos
sessed friends, where she might ask
for help and shelter At recognition
of her, a breath of admiration went
up from the audience, which swiftly
changed to an expression of amaze
ment as Vanderpool emerged from
| the extreme other end of the room
| Then, as though drawn by an ire
sistible power, they advanced, seeing
no one but each other, caring for no
one else, totally unconscious of the
existence of the crowd, speaking no
word, uttering no cry, but coming
nearer and nearer. swifter and swifter,
as though impelled by fate they had
no thought to resist. And then, in
the center of the cleaning floor they
met, and, wordless still, he took her
| in his arms. And when the music
stopped abruptly, she called his name,
and he bent and kissed her on the
mouth.
Once the spell which had held them
snapped with the cessation of the
J waltz, the people crowded about the
two, all talking, complimenting, ex-
planning, laughing. pushing: and
while this was at its height the studio
door opened to admit the long-sought-
for, slender figure, and Pedro was
seen to inquire something of Bell Mill.
gan. At her response, Pedro appar-
emily thanked her, and disappearing
among the crowd, quickly returned
with the bear at heel, and vanished
w I'LL q SbiHSQ VI LSl6h W.
and hastily gaining the lower floor
} crossed rapidly to Bell, who was deep
ly absorbed in explaining something
to Pell, and who had to be shaken by
the shoulder before she would answer
Leigh's question.
Where did Pedro go?"
I-good gracious, such a perform
ance Did you ever" gasped Bell
where did Pedro go? He went home
to pack"
Home to pack!" shouted Leigh.
Good Lord!"
And without even waiting to find his
hat, he rushed out into the alley and
started madly off in the direction oi
Muldoon place.
CHAPTER Xxx.
The Beginning.