The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-10-23
CONTINUED From Our last Issue)

CONTINUED From Our last Issue.l
The quiet Of the empty studio was
soothing and grateful. For hours
Priscilla worked steadily. TIL a
change in the light broke the spell.
with a slight frown ~ annoyance
she put aside brushes and palette
and returned TO the chair before the
portrait OF herself upon which she
had been working.
quiet contemplation OF the tire
mendous Improvement she had
wrought In the canvas. Then came
n period OF mental uncertainty. OF
daze and wonder. wherein conscious
ness grew faint and the sense OF
BEYOND THE THRESHOLD
Out OF nothingness. n mutter OF
thunder Hwelled and died.
She had neither raincoat nor
umbrella. Yet she found a kind Of
savage delight In battling with the
elements.
At length Leonora turned aside
into a suilen street. III lighted. save
for the shining welcome OF saloon
windows on the ground floor OF one
dilapidated dwelling.
Under a sign-"Family Entrance"
"a single door stood open on a short
hallway from which a staircase as.
cended. Leonora mounted. and at a
shut door at the top. planted a con.
fident finger on hidden push but.
ton.
The door swung inward. Ieonora
faced the guardian OF the portal-a
Chinese.
Charlie nnywhcres about7-
The Chinese jerked a thumb 20.
ward the rear. and Lconora moved
down the hail 20 large room
drenched with the sickiy fumes OF
opium. Here. the woman. Inez. eat
on the edge OF mattress on which
lay the man Leonora had come 70
meet
'charlicr' Leonora cried. For
Gods sake. wake up
Tho mans head rolled with
horrifying limpness.
Lconora sank on her heels. NV
Gods" she said. 'what'm I going 70
dor
What's the trouble. dcarie-.
fnez spoke with cioying sweetness
but the other was too far gone In
despair 20 notice.
Its Red" Leonora responded
duly. Tie sent word by Charlie
I'D got 20 come tonight. Charlie
promised he'd meet me here ane
show me the way. He wouldn't tel
me-said Red made him swear no,
TO. ] don't see why - And nov
he's down and out. and dom
know how 10 find Red. and he won
take any excuses - Inex. I'm
scaredy'
You poor kld- rnez said TT
take you 10 Red
Your" Lconora cried. staring
How d'you known"
oh. i been there half a dozer
times Mt least
The smile OF conscious trfurnnb
which Inex could not suppress. wa,
unspeakably offensive. Hot resent
ment kindled in Leonora's eyes.
Leo told you she muttcred.
Sure he did Tnez agreed. jump
ing up. "c'mop: let's GO"
Avoiding main streets, Inez ie,
thru murky back ways. TIL the,
came to n sinister block OF tene
ments. into which she turned.
In the unsavory lower han Leo
nora spoke incredulousiy: mo
herey~
incz gave a negative gesture
"Acrost the roofs You dom
suppose I'D lead n dick to the RICH
door, do your"
You don't think we're followed,
Leonora demanded in quick alarm.
Inez nodded emphatically. :.
know we was . . . C'mon.-
| They began 10 run up long flight
or stairs. - On the top landinl
Inez paused TO peer over the raj
That's him." she painted.
Leonora Joined her. At the DO,
tom OF the deep well OF the staircas
the forcshortened figure OF a MAJ
was just visible. But something in
dividuai In the pose caught Leonora'
eye and prodded what she took 10
some memory half erased.
THAT'S no de-" she declared In
Nm-fhwc-x6D Business College :