davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1917-09-09

must know that it isn't true, don't you
see? / feel the part so?'
But it's true. Kitty
How can it be? How could he take
your play. Joe: How could he steal it
like that
Joe looked at her more Gravely than
ever: his face was stern. He knew that
he had got to fight to he believed. he
must try to make her believe. 1t was
bitter to he doubted but he must keep
his temper.
"Ill tell you all about it. Kitty
will you?" She was trembling: she
saw how calm he was, how certain!
Gadsden related the visit to Richard
sons rooms that fateful night. He also
gave Kitty d full synopsis of the play
he had written, and told her of the
night when he had seen her play it. 7
left the theater nladman. | went
there and called him a thief. He struck
me. / snatched up the pistol and tried
to kill him"
She covered her face with her hands.
He went on: II know now that l have
no proof. ! know that it will be hard
to prove, but I'm going to f1ght-as long
as ! live. Do you believe me. Kitty?"
She looked up with a wan face. He
had wrenched the veil away: she saw
the naked truth. and 1t cut her to the
heart. Yet she clung to one hope, a thin
thread. She remembered the absolute
test, the changed scene.
Joe" she said slowly. tell me-is
Evening star., 1917-09-09

il upon his exit. In his last salute ! had
noticed the flashing of ring which he
wore upon his left hand. And he was
gone scarce ten seconds when my heart
began to beat furiously. | snatched up
the Assyrian mythology and with trem-
bling fingers turned to certain page,
There | read:
Each Sheik of the Assassins is
said to be invested with the ring OF the
prophet It bears green stone. shaped
in the form OF se'h''''' or crescent
..God in heaven l whispered: sit was
Hassan of Aleppo,'
on the following morning l was awak-
ened by the arrival OF Bristol. fastened
to admit him.
Your visitor of yesterday" began he,
has wasted no time
What has happenedn'
IT don't know he replied. OF course.
il was no surprise to find that there
isn't a Mohammedan who'll lay his Ut
tie finger Prof. Deeplngs saIe!
There's no doutA in my mind that every
I.ascar at the docks knows Hassan of
Aleppo TO be in England. Some other
arrangement Will have to be arrived at
il the thing is ever TO be taken 10 the
Antiquarian Museum Meanw me We
stand to lose it. Last night he went
on, "a policeman was on DUTY outsioe
the late professors house. and two de-
tectives were actually in the room where
the same is Result-some one has put In
at least an hours work on the lockr puI IL
proved TOO tough a JOB.
Some one has been at the lock l
cried But that is impossible with two
men In the room-unless-
They were both knocked on the head.
IT was done artistically. They both
came around about 4 o'clock this morn
ing
"And who attacked them"
"They have no idea. but their state
ments tally exactly. When ] got on the
scene, about O'Clock. Marden and
West the two detectives. had quite re-
covered their senses, though they were
Evening star., 1917-09-09

file. and. for one magnetic instant.
looked into the eyes Of the deepest
and most wonderful violet
Then. shaking off inaction, ! ran
up the steps and overlook the lady in
white as a porter swung open the
door TO admit her. We entered to-
gether.
MAZDA me-" I said in Il low tore. Il
must detain you for a moment. There
is something. | have to ask.
She turned. exhibiting the most per-
feet composure. lowered her lashes
and raised them again. the gaze of the
violet eyes sw eeplng me from head to
foot, with sort of frigid scorn.
Il fear you have made mistake.
sir. We have never met before"
Her voice betrayed no trace of any
foreign accent,
But" | began. and paused.
| felt myself flush: l fully realized
what construction would be put upon
my presence there. and foresaw that
forcible and ignominious election must
be my lot if | failed to establish my
right to address her.
She turned away and crossed in the
direction of the staircase. sunbeam
sought out lock of hair that strayed
across her brow, and kissed il 10 sud
den glow like that which turks in the
heart of a blush rose. In three strides
| was beside her again. Curious
glances were set upon me, and | saw
servant. evidently contemplating ap-
Evening star., 1917-09-09

to the bewitching1y pretty woman who
had warned me Of the impending trag-
edy. She had bound me to secrecy
a secrecy which had proved irksome.
For it had since appeared to me that
she must have been an accomplice of
Hassan of Aleppo. At the time had
been at a loss to define her peculiar
accent; now 1t seemed evidently
enough to have been oriental.
I threw down my pen In despair,
for work was impossible. went down.
stairs and walked out under the arch
into Fleet street. Quite mechanically
! turned to the left, and, still engaged
with idle conjectures, strolled west
ward.
Passing the entrance to one Of the
big hotels. I was abruptly recalled to
the realities by a woman's voice.
Wait for me, here" came musical
ly to my ears.
I stopped and turned. A woman in
white. who had just quilted taxi
cab. was entering the hotel A few
steps upward she paused and glanced
back. I had a view of a Greek pro-
Evening star., 1917-09-09

his seat when something struck him on
the back Of the head with fearful force
He remembered nothing more until he
awoke, with the dawn creeping into the
room and heard West groaning some
where beside him. They both had badly
damaged skulls with great bruises behlnd
the ear 1t is instructive to note that
their wounds correspond almost to a frac
ton of an inch. They had been stunned
by some one who thoroughly understood
his business, and with some heavy. blunt
wea pom. A few minutes later came the
man to relieve the constable. and the
constable was found to have been treated
i'll exactly the same way,
But if Marden's account is true
West. as he lost consciousness. saw
Marden go in exactly the same way.
And the constable
THE constable can give us no clue. He
was struck suddenly down the others
were I examined the safe. of course. bur
didn't touch st. according to instructions.
Some one had been at work on the lock.
but it had defied their efforts. I'm fully
expecting. though. that they'll be back to-
night, with different tools, and I'm going
he there.
Gould you arrange that join you?'
Il could. but you can see the danger for
yourself:"
1T ts extraordinarily mysterious
Mr. Cavanagh. it's uncanny!" said
Bristol II can understand that one OF
these Hashishin could easily have got up
behind the man on duty out in the open.
but unless tneS possess the power 10 rell-
der themselves invisible its not evident
how they can have got behind West while
he sat at the table, with Marden actually
watching him"
At o'clock in the afternoon | had
heard nothing further from Bristol.
but / did not doubt that he would ad-
wise me of his arrangements in good
time. 1 sought. by hard work, to for
get for a time the extraordinary busi-
ness of the stolen slipper: but it per-
sistently intruded upon my mind. Par
ticularly my thoughts turned TO the
night of Prof Deeping's murder-and
Evening star., 1917-09-09
tcoNrNuEp FROM LAST SUNDAY }

CONTINUED FROM LAST sunday
CHAPTER TX.
The next day Gadsden was arraigned
In the police court, charged with drunk
ennsss. disorderly conduct and assault
and battery. He got three months in
the county Jail. Not a man listened to
his story. not a man believed word of
It. where's your manuscript" asked
the Judge. He had none. and the soiled.
worn certificate Of copyright was for
play called THE Hearts Desire" which
had nothing to do with The Tree of
Life" Under the influence of liquor
and not responsible for his statements.
decided the lawyers. Hopeless. penni-
less. friendless. Joe Gadsden went to
prison the very day that the great play
paid its first immense royalties to John
Richardson.
Three days of prison life were too
much for the exhausted man. Gadsden
was committed Saturday: Wednesday
he WAS sent to the prison HOSPITAL.
Drinks q Demon thought the doc
tor. going away without having gained
an inch on the prisoners reserve. That
follows broke down, wretched. used up
for a time, anyway. and he can't be
thirty-four. I'd like to know what in
the mischief makes him think he wrote
The Tree Of Life That's the only hitch
about the case. That looks like hallu-
cination. and if he keeps on as well as
he is today. they'll put him to Gaming
great place to learn life"
Personally, Joe Gadsden was glad 10
cane chairs when the day came: 1t was
q relief to work. At night he lay sleep
less on his cot and stared at the dark
ness. but he could see vision of the
lighted theater and Kitty French play
ing the part he had created-the beau
HrVy anti y1,at tfno frIi ieI, 80
Brooke How he had loved that part;
working over it, dreaming of it!
The girl who played it was the girl
who had personified 1t before his fancy.
loved in the little town out in Ohio; the
girl who had refused him because he
drank: the one creature in the world
who could have saved him-if she had
cared! He had not known of her de-
but on the stage-the name Kitty
French had meant no more to him than
to Richardson. When he entered the
theater that night to zee ''The Tree of
Life" he had no thought of seeing her.
The shock had been SO great that at
first II had dwarfed even his discovery.
but II had been like the beautiful full
Allment Of a dream, broken at last by
the horror of being told that 1t is only
q dream. He had sat through the play.
spellbound by his own genius and rapt
in her wonderful reading of the great
part. Then the thought of the robbery.
barefaced and wicked as 1t was. had
maddened him He left the theater
without word to Kitty. a sign that he
had even seen her. and went on to
Richardson.
Not until he faced him and found that
denunciation had no effect: that he was.
indeed. without evidence. poor. discred-
tied. ruined by his own dissipation, did
he realized his heIplessness-the hope
lessness of ever proving his case.
Meanwhile. the world went on The first
great month Of the play, record month,
was over.
Xtetx hsEsa& Nas 4 ,Nttls tired; some-
Evening star., 1917-09-09

about poor Joe Gadsden. Joe was In
the prison hospital for three weeks
when he first went to prison, and the
doctor is 50 curious about that idea OF
his that Richardson stole The Tree OF
Life l told him how fearfully fright
ened we all were"
Kitty laid down the roses. What
did he say about-Joe. mamma"
Hes Gaming chairs, on:
there. I've got to go and see Therese'
Shes brought my new gown at last
Kitty started away from the window
and. snatching up the telephone dlrec-
tory, began to search 1t eagerly. she
scarcely hoped to find Eisenach's name.
his telephone number and called him.
her hand trembling slightly on the re-
ceiver. Oh. if he would only help her.
if he would only make her sure that it
was nothing-nothing but the crazy
dream of a drunken man,
But he did not: instead, the little
doctor assured her that Gadsden was
as sane as he was, and that he had not
been drinking for weeks before he was
arrested. About the play Or. i.isenach
said little; he knew that Miss French
was playing the great part of Mary
Brooke. and he had read the uewspap-
ers. Her approaching marriage with
Richardson was constantly referred to
by all of them. He tried to avoid the
question when Kitty confronted him
with it, late that afternoon. when he
sat in her little study, drinking a cup
of tea.
"Gadsden was a sick man when he
came in, Miss French" he said mildly
And he believed stu that he'd
written the play" Kitty persisted
He told me so little that ! haven't
much right TO say" replied Eisenach
quietly. setting his cup down on the
table He doesn't say much you
know. and he's suffering good deal
one way or another-one sees these
things without the saying"
Il know" She clasped her hands
tight in her lap. for they We're trem-
bling. and she knew the little Doctors
eyes were on her
Il don't think he'll drink any more.
The shock has sobered him and-well,
he's had regular food. too"
She looked up quickly. "Do-,lo YOU
mean he was hungry
The doctor nodded.
HDr. Eisenach. will YOU take me to
see him." she asked. simply. They will
let me see II prisoner-won't they ?"
He was silent for d moment then he
nodded. 'Jll manage it. You're sure
you want to come down there Miss
French
She drew a. long breath Yes"
The shock of that meeting wrung the
girls heart. To see Joe in prison.
DR.. Eisenach had arranged the meet.
ing for her in the wardens room. and
she and the prisoner were allowed half
an hour undiSturbed
She was looking out of the window
into the narrow prison yard when he
came in. and she turned and held out
her hand
oh. .Joe-Tm so sorry" The cry
came from her heart
He smiled. and there was rare
sweetness in his smile. even in the
wreck of happiness in his white face.
kitty" That was all he said, but she
knew what her coming meant to him.
He held her hand a moment, and she
drew it gently away, faint color ris-
ing in her pale cheeks.
Evening star., 1917-09-09
By Mary Inlay Taylor
NSis n az G0ll m N n lsfIHl lNlHz1@1

trying to control himself. He was IN q
blind rage against Gadsden. He had
been in torment for months: this was
only the climax.
It believe you're in love with him.
What difference would that makec'
she cried. Would it make it any worse
or better? It's not what I feel. its the
truth oh. Jack''-she rose from her
chair and caught his arm in both hands.
clinging to him and trembling-"Jack.
give it back to him-save your own
SOUL
Are you mad?"
NO. but I beg you. impIore you
Jack. it can't go on-it's crime:
His face was like iron. And IL deny
it. utterly. absolutely deny II. what them"
She recoiled, she shrsnk back to the
corner by the hearth. Then she said.
in a low vo.ce-"then I can never go
on.
You mean"
II can't marry YOU, Jack
DO YOU make that a condition: that
I must ruin myself or you won't marry
me-"
Il make no conditions: 7 only beg
YOU. l implore YOU. to tell the truth
All he cried bitterly, Il see how
il is: YOU fell in love with the play.
with the dramatist. not the man. BE
cause you think Gadsden wrote 1T. am
nothing in your eyes
you're very cruel. But 7 wish-I
nothing to do with the play.
so that it might be all his
at is all his
Take care. Kitty, I can't stand for
everything. I can't let you and Gads-
den ruin me forever.
Jack. you can't keep the play.
do you mean to help Gadsden?
she shook her head. II mean to do
nothing-only to beg you to be true Z"
Yourself. Oh, Jack. I can't believe you
meant to do IT! You were tempted.
YOU slipped into the sin-it can't be
YOU meant to rob Joe Of his play.
He was silent: he was in torment. He
dared not confess, 1t would ruin him.
he was up to his neck in It. he could
never pay Gadsden back, he could new
er hold up his head. 1t was too late
Yet he loved her. and she was so sweet.
so earnest. as she pleaded for his own
stood looking down into the street with
blinded eyes. All the furies beat their
wings about his head. Then he turned.
IT'S not Joe Gadsden's play" he said.
slowly IT'S mine He hasn't a shad-
ow of proof that he ever wrote a line
of il. and he knows IL"
There was silence. The little room.
heavy with the perfume Of his lilies.
clock on the mantel struck 2.
Kitty stood up. Goodbye. Jack"
she said. gently, TITS over-I mean
our engagement"
His race turned more gray than whfte.
You mean that because you think Joe
Gadsden wrote that play you refuse TO
marry me-"
Il mean that I can't marry you, jack
she was weeping-"because you have
stolen another mans work. It's worse
than IL you'd tried to kill him! Oh.
Jack. may God forgive you-I can't"
and she ran out Of the room. crying as
II her heart would break.
CHAPTER XII
That night Richardson did not - 20
the theater: instead. he walked the
Continued on SiAth PaXe.)
Evening star., 1917-09-09


CC Rawson. that great per
sonal danger attaches to
q any contact with this relic.
II 10 the nrst time have been concern
ed with anything Of the kind"
Mr. Bristol of Scotland Yard. stand
ing stimy military by the window.
looked across at the gray-haired solic-
itor. We were all silent for few mo-
ments.
Mysterious outrages" said Bristol,
nave marked the progress of the stolen
slipper from Mecca almost to London.
II understand interrupted the So
Ncitor that a fanatic known as Has
san of Aleppo seeks to restore the relic
to its former resting place.
That is So"
Exactly, and 1t counts for the pro-
fessor's wish that the safe should not
be touched by any one but a Moslem-
for his instructions that Its removal to
the Antiquarians' Museum and the plac-
ing Of the slipper within that institu
tion be undertaken by Moslem or Mos
lens"
Bristol frowned.
ANY one who has touched the re-
ceptacle containing the thing" he said,
has either been mutilated or murder
those outrages, but / fail to see why the
slipper should be put on exhibition
Other crimes are sure to follow"
I can only pursue my instructions,
said Mr.. Rawson. dryly. They are that
the work be done in such a manner as
to expose all concerned to a minimum
of risk from these mysterious people:
that. il possible. Moslem be employed
here. shall always hold the key or keys
to the case in the museum containing
the slipper. viii you undertake to look
for some eastern workman, Mr.. Bristol?
possibly come across such person
II can try" replied Bristol. Mean
while. take it. the safe must remain
at Dulwich?''
Certainly. and it should be guarded"
Shortly afterward Bristol and l left
the ONCE and. his duties taking him to
Scotland Yard, i returned TO my cham
beTs to survey the position in which |
now found myself Indeed, it was a
strange one enough. showing how
for. as q result of a steamer acqua!nt-
ance. I found myself involved in a
dark business. worthy of the middle
ages. That Prof. DeepinS. the celebrat-
ed orientalist, should have stolen one
of the holy slippers of Mohammed was
no AFFAIR Of mine. and that an awful
being known as Hassan of Aleppo
should have pursued it did not prop
erly enter into my concern; yet now.
with a group of eastern fanatics at
large in England. 1 was become. in a
sense, the custodian of the relic. More
over, perceived that had been chosen
that 1 might safeguard myself What
I knew of the matter might imperil
me, but while held the key to the de-
lfquary. and held it fast. 1 might hope
RI in 7
pect to be subjected to attempts.
sat down at my desk, glancing with
distaste at the pile of work which lay
before me. Then my eyes turned to an
open quarto book. 1t was the late Prof.
Deeping's Assyrian Mythology and en-
bodied the result of his researches into
the history of the Hashashin. the re-
NGious murderers of whose existence
We had been so skeptical- To the chief
Of the order, the terrible Sheik Hassan
Evening star., 1917-09-09

times there were soft shadows under her
eyes. and her cheeks were pale. In the
midst midst OF the brightest scenes Of The
denis face In Richardson's house, and
once she almost broke down
IL was the end Of the seventh week
OF the play. and Joe Gadsden had been
IN prison six weeks, when Kitty came
out Of her dressing room at the theater,
ready to go home. She was very tired,
and the dark furs about her throat
made her face like delicate flower. At
the stage entrance Richardson met her
He was flushed and happey
Your mother has asked me to come
to supper he said. May /. Kitty
She smiled, but her eyes were sad
IT S been wonderful week" she said
simply. even greater than the weeks
before 1t grows. Jack. Aren't you proud
of it,
80 proud that ] think of nothing else.
care for nothing else" he replied fondly;
Tor TO me you are the play"
she looked up at him, her face grave.
Jack, l want you to do something for
me: want you to get Gadsden out
He WINGED. But. my dear kitty
Il know she said quietly: but know
poor Joe. too. Have you right-who are
so fortunate--to be hard on those who
have failedo"
II don't want to be hard" Richardson
Redeemed. Kitty, l.
She draw back, her hand slipped from
MS arm Forgive me'-very gently.
Il asked too much"
Good heavens, Kitty. I'll do anything
ANYTHING it's-beyond me now"
She looked at him strangely. Then she
her mother was waiting for her. and
Richardson. following her down the short
flight of steps. steadied himself with an
effort; The thought of Gadsden in prison
was almost relief. but to set him free
Richardson shuddered.
CHAPTER X.
Mrs. Raglan was very happy; she was
proud Of her daughter. and she had come to
like Richardson: She had forgotten those
days In Paris when she had distrusted
the wild young millionaire who lighted
cigars with five dollar bills. II it required
to mind at all. she comforted herself with
the thought that it only one way of
sowing wild oats, and perhaps far less
reprehensible than many others. Besides
there must be something in a man who
had such genius. such delicacy of touch
such poetry Of expression. and then he
was devoted to Kitty. Their little apart
many of these we're his. although, of
course. the young star received hundreds
OF bouquets.
Kitty was arranging some Of Richard
sons roses now, long waxy, pa lie
moss roses, that had come that very
morning. Mrs Raglan was sitting by the
window, watching for dressmaker who
had promised belated gown.
Kitty" said her mother. abruptly,
do you remember that queer little DIR.
Eiserach?''
Kitty thought arranging her flowers
Why. yes you mean the one who was
studying in the French prisons?"
Mrs. Raglan nodded. MY dear. he's
here-1 met him. He's a prison doctor"
That's like him." said Kitty. Il
think he was sincere. ] liked him. You
were nice to him, mother"
Il was-but ] wish he'd cut his hair.
But that isn't the point. He told me
Evening star., 1917-09-09

Pref. DeepinG, famous oriental-
fst, stole Mohammed's slipper and
took 1t to England. thereby
bringing down on himself and all
Others who had anything to do
with 1t the wrath Of the Hasht-
shta. . Meslem sect that guarded
the relics Of the prophet. Deep
inr was mysferiously killed and
the key to the safe containing
the slipper wa. left in the GUS
toAy Of Cavanaeh. Read his
story Of the meeting with Hassan
oR AIeppo. his second encounter
with the girl Of the violet eyes.
and his narrowing experience in
the moonlight in the room where
DeepinE was killed.
Evening star., 1917-09-09

>- HERE Is no doubt" said Mr..
CC Rawson. that great per
sonal danger attaches to
q any contact with this relic.
Evening star., 1917-09-09

tt TIUSI IdVt UttII IVrTIS----
Bristol was half standing-one hand
upon the arm of the chair. the other
concealed but grasping his revolver
as I well knew. l. too, had my revolver
in my hand. and as I twisted in my
seat. preparatory to rising in sheer
nervousness I dropped the weapon upon
the carpet.
With an exclamation of dismay,
stopped quickly to recover it.
AS l did so. something whistled past
Evening star., 1917-09-09

The next story in the series will -
.The Hand OF n Thief.
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-12-18
"One Touch of Nature Makes the
Whole World Kin"

It's commendable trait that when
something has been of benefit to us,
We want to share 1t with others who
stand in need of the same help. It's
the touch of Nature that makes the
whole world kin-the wanting to be
helpful to our fellow-men. That is
why people who have used Chamber
lain's Cough Remedy write letters to
the manufacturers about it, and ask
to have them published SO that others
will know what to do under the same
circumstances. Behind every one of
these letters Is the warm hearted wish
Of the writer to be of use to some one
else.
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-12-18
SERVICE MEN AND
THE SERVICE CLUBS

He must have thought they were
just kidding him.
Or maybe he thought there was
some connection between service men
and service clubs; or probably he
thought Congress was joking when
the law was passed prohibiting the
sale of liquor to soldiers and sailors,
but, and this OILS where the story be-
gins, he was twice arrested on the
charge Of selling liquor to soldiers,
the second time, while out on bond
pending trial for the first charge.
But the facts in the case, as given
out by the federal authorities yes
terday morning stste that after be-
ing arrested, arraigned, and bound
over to the federal court on the
charge of selling liquor to men in
uniform, and then released on bond.
Alvin O'Bannon was re-arrested on
the same charge yesterday, and af-
ter preliminary hearing was placed
in Jail on default of $1,000 bond.