Las Vegas optic., 1914-08-17
me BRILL co

lucky, too, that could find thee. Now,
all will be welll"
Thanks, oh! smooth tongue, for thy
faith in me" replied Pedro. But what
has happened? Tell me. quickly!"
Yesterday we left her with Anna.
began Guneviere, and told of Nita's
illness and strange disappearance.
"How very queerl" he commented,
when she had finished. How unlike
Niial And Hill? What has he done?"
"He has not come home!"
'But there is nothing strange in
that!" objected Pedro. Does he not
often stay away all night, eh?"
"But the bear came home!" walled
Guneviere.
"Mr. Jones! Alonel Impossible"
"A policeman-ofthe-law brought
him." explained Guneviere, Saying
that he found the bear near the river.
The name was on the collar, and the
number, tu savis!"
saint Joseph! but that does look
serious!" Pedro exclaimed. "Quickl
! is there nothing more!
"Only that the policeman-of-the-law
made much noise when he found that
four bears dwelt within the tenement.
He says we must move out. Four
bears are not permitted. One bear
perhaps. If much money be paid But
four! No, that is not allowed"
"And what have you done?"
"We have arranged to go into the
back tenement" said Guneviere. evil
IDENTIFY convinced that the change
would solve the difficulty.
But. Hill! Something must have
happened to him? And the bear left
him!" said Pedro, walking up and
down excitedly. "He may have been
hurtl Near the river. eh? Good
heavens! l scarcely dare guess what
has occurred"
"The hospitals?" suggested Gune-
Were with some faint return Of her
usual practicality.
"Ah! yes," he exclaimed, Il shall
telephone them at once, and then
shall 20 to Jones street with you. AS
for Nita, we shall have to find hel
without help; she has made me sweal
never to invoke public aid In hel
behalf, you know"
e "Yes, yes!" said Guneviere, "yol
. will come, them"
r Directly" he cried. mo time mus
be lost"
n.,t Il taro
e little, for the hospitals told nothing
!, and neither did that grim lost anC
found office, the morgue. For tw'
: whole days Pedro alternated between
his studio and the rear tenement OF
Jones street, his mind in an agony o
uncertainty He could not work fol
nervousness, and the combined sus
pense and inaction played havoc will
his spirit. Leigh had been called ou
of town to see his mother, who was
ill., and there was no one else to whom
Pedro dared go for advice and help
Hill himself had forbidden that his af
fairs be made known to anyone but
the sculptor, or Pedro might have
asked Milligan's assistance. AS 1t was
he could only fume impotiently, ant
eat his heart out with worry. Al last
no longer able to endure doing moth
ing. he called council of war In the
tenement kitchen. To the assembled
bear-dancers, with exception only o.
the still mysteriously absent Nita. he
arose and spoke.
Il am going to find Sam Hill, II ht
| is on the face of the earth!" he an
nounced 81 am convinced that som,
misfortune has befallen him. In hal
an hour | am going to take Mr.. Jonei
with me, and am not coming back til
we have succeeded In discovering th'
whereabouts of my friend"
~Bien! And l." said Beau-Jean
from his seat on the foot of the bed
Il win go with you to find that Sam
hill, who is my friend, aussi."
. Very goodi" said Pedro, call is al
ranged. Come, Strong Arm, we vii
CO."
On the instant they began coIlectin
= the few traps necessary for a shor
! dDbtutt, d1u WHO kISg NSIS III III
. midst Of these preparations, the doc
was thrown open to admit an oil
= woman.
"Nital" yelled Pedro. springin
q toward her
Instantly the room was in an VI
roar. all talking at once. laughing an
weeping, shouting questions, maxim
). offers of help, proffering food an
drink, crowding around the crone wit
such clamor and persistence that Pt
, dro could scarcely manage to get he
TO a chair. Then she sat beamin
upon them all, apparently in the bes
OF health and delighted at the we
come afforded her Her clothes were
II possible, trifle more worn an
soiled than usual, but, otherwise, sh
+ seemed to have suffered no harm.
: Where hast thou been? What has
/ thou done? Where is Samhill? Ar
well7 Tell usl" they shouted all a
|, once.
Aye. am well, lucky for mel" sal
q Nita. with twinkling. eyes, "for hav