The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-08-13

sit down and compose yourself. We
emit start out untir know not only
Ms we but why
and then I'll help you decide on a
plan"
Up to that very morning. life Tor AT
derfully happy. They had prospered in
the new country where they were maxi
ing their home and Arturo was winning
| a name for himself as well as money. j,
brought a letter. which was the be-
ginning Of all her troubles. When she
gave II to Arturo she noticed how
curiously he looked at the envelope. He
put down his violin abruptly-with far
less care than he generally gave to his
| beloved fiddle.
He stood looking at the envelope q
moment or two. then tore It open and
started violently as he read 1t. Marie
hurried to his side. but he crumpled
the letter showed It into his pocket and
answered nervously and hastily that It
was a business letter.
He never hava da secret from me-"
cried Marie. II start to question him
some more. but he leava da room.
begin to think why he not show me
letter-and then I decide he hava da
sweetheart. That letter from herr"
1t appeared that presently. when her
husband came back. she had gone 10
him with all the self-control she could
| muster. She was ready to give him the
benefit Of the doubt. She put her hands
on his shoulders and looked at him. But
the eyes which always met her gaze
frankly and steadily. avoided hers.
A Vain Effort.
He tried to emile openly and honestly
as her Arturo always smiled. But he
could not manage It. Then he tried to
speak, but there seemed to be nothing
he could say. Finally he kissed her on
the cheek-without any Of the warmth
and love she had always been given. A
moment later he took OF her clinginG
arms TIs and hurried from the y room; ,,v-
stronga box-and he hava take mucha
pretty; Is notta that suiltT laughed
fsn ss0s that Ee most
souls. she actually found certain to'
Questioning revealed that Arturo hat
t f. the time being almost jealous o.
/ felt sure there must be an explana
ton. What It was I could not imagine
but ! tried to persuade Marie that an
to try to have a little faith.
Shall we meet him at the theate
The girl agreed eagerly and We hur
ried down to the dark street again.
After the warmth and nominees o
the Bocetti apartment. its grim menac
Of evil seemed more potent than whei
first had come into that sinister neigh
At last we came to a corner inter
sected by an alley which Marie explaine,
led to the stage entrance of the Teatr
di Venezia. She pointed proudly to tn
scene Of her husbands triumphs. Som
den feeling that we had come to
pleasant termination Of our adventure
could not guess that we were scarcel
at its beginning! -.
Then ! noticed man lurking In tn
darkness. The shadows almost con
cealed him, but they gave me a terribly
ing glimpse of a heavy. brutal counter
ance. What could he be doing there
For whom was he waiting?
Q side was dreadins that another woma
would join us In the shadows-some on
= else waiting for her Arturo. But no on
came. Our only companion was tina
' veaied. But It was a man. SO Marie d
a not notice.
9 At last the orchestra began to max
q It's way to the exit
i suddenly.
J. I saw a slender. romantic lookin
: youth with a violin case under his arm
He hesitated for moment and then hui
d ried down the alleyway. Then a bo,
/. who had evidently been hiding In IN
L utter blackness at the far end Of III
theater ran to him with note. Artur
started.
O. II was clear that he was confuset
r annoyed and almost terrified. He locke
a at the note uncertainty for a momen
? but the darkness was impenetrable;
a could not read 1t. He moved along til
gloomy passageway toward the MOI
!, brightly lighted streets. The man
q the shadows came out Of his concea
n ment and began to follow Arturo.
d He Drops the Note.
= Arturo stepped out into the ligh
o glanced at the note In his han,
d crumpled 1t into a little ball and I
y dropped It. Then he moved on-with
4 certain air of grim and fixed determin,
4 ton.
Marie made a move as II to speak
a but stopped her. I had a NANTES
duty; unpleasant, but a duty, neverth,
q less. The key to the situation was II
n note which Arturo had dropped.
e owed 1t to the unhappy woman at m
side to read 1t.
= Scrawled on the crumpled paper
k found this admonition:
t "In the blind mans cup at Farrari
: II was signed with crudely draw
Black Hand!
4 Marie and I looked at one aHoth,