Evening star., 1921-10-27
BY FRANK L. PACKARD.
Copyright, 1851, By Public Lsdssf 90.
Copyright. 1891, BY 4. Il. Davis Corr,

oeiSlt VI power, ana as SQQQonly
ii1ted again, and. almost fierce in their
intensity, gripped at her shoulders and
forced her face more fully into the
light.
. Teresa" he whispered, hoarsely.
"You-Teresa!
She was trying to smile, but it was
tremulous effort. The great, dark
eyes. out of a face that was ivory white
again.
IT'S you; Teresa-isn't it," His voice.
credulous wonder.
Her lips were still quivering in their
smile. She nodded her head in a sort
OF quaint. wistful way.
ihe blood was pounding and surg
I'M, ing IN his veins. Teresa! Teresa:
was mere, standing here before him.
Not that phantom picture that had
come to him so often in the days and
nights since he had left San Fran
clsco-the glorious eyes, half veiled
by the long lashes.. though they
this touch of his hands upon her
shoulders. this touch that thrilled
MIN, was real, and
Slowly his hands fell away from
her; and as though to kill and stifle
joy. and mock at Gladness, and make
sorry sport of ecstasy, there came
creeping upon him doubt, black, ugly,
and bitter as gall
Yes. it was Teresa. And at sight
OF her there had come suddenly and
fully. irrefutably. the knowledge that
ne cared for her; that love. which
to him for her. Yes. it was Teresa!
But what was she doing here? In
view of that money. gone in the last
few hours from his dress-suit case.
what could Teresa Capriano. be doing
mere IN the next room to his?
He laughed litt1a 1o,r, oho,,,1,,
and turned his head away. Love!
HOW could he love-and doubt! How
could he love-and condemn the one
he loved unheard! He looked at her
again now; and the blood in his
veins. as though overriding now
some obstacle that had damned it's
flow: grew swifter. and his pulse
Iquickened. How could he doubt
Teresa!
But it was Teresa who spoke.
we are standing here in the light,
and we can be seen from everywhere
fou-there is danger. Turn the
light off in your room."
Yes he said mechanically, and
stepping back into his room, turned
off the light. He was beside her
again the next instant. Danger! His
danger? Why had she said that
What was its significance in respect
of her presence here? The questions
came crowding to his lips. Danger?
What do you mean?" he asked tense
y; And how did you get here.
father who sent you? There is
something that has gone wrong? The
She shook her head.
MY father died the night you went
away" she said.
He drou- N,;..,>
Capriano-dead! Her father-dead.
He could not seem somehow to visu-
alize Nicolo Capriano as one dead.
The mans mentality had so seemed
to triumph over his physical ills that,
sick though he had been, Nicolo Cap
riano had seemed to personify and
embody vitality and life itself. Dead!
He drew in his breath sharply. Then
she was alone. this little figure stand
ing here in the darkness beside him,
high up here in the world Of night,
with void beneath and around them,
a physical sense. from any other
human touch or sympathy-but his
He reached out and found her hand,
and laid it between both his own.
,umh,ad Mrm no no, good ,aa at wore words" he
But he was the best friend I ever
had in life. too. And so -"
Don't say that! Don't! You
mustn't! Do you hear. you musn't"'
Her hand that lay in his was sud
denly clenched and she was striving
to draw it away. TT isn't true! l.
that is why came-I came to tell
you. He was not your friend. He
he betrayed you"
He held her hand tighter-in a grip
that made her efforts to escape pitt
he drew her closer, trying to read her
face in the darkness
HE betrayed me! Nicolo Capriano
betrayed mev' His mind was sud
denly riot. Incredulity and amaze
ment mingled with sickening fear
that her words were literally true
the money was gone! And yet-and
words rasped now. do you know
what you are saying, Teresa! Quick!
Answer me! Do you know what you
are saying"
Il know only too we'll" Her voice
that the money was taken from your
room tonight. Please let my hand
go. ryou will hate me in q moment
-for-for, after all, am his daugh-
ter. VIII you please let me go. and
Mechanically he released her.
She turned half away from him. and
leaned on the iron hand-rail Of the
platform, staring down into the
blackness beneath her.
"Dago George took it-an hour
ago." she said.
straightneed. "Ah. so 1t was Dago
George, was It" He laughed with
sudden menace, and turned impulsive-
ly toward the window Of his room.
wait" she said. and laid hand
detainingly upon his sleeve. The
until daylight, anyway. IL have
more to tell you. lit is not easy
to tell. IL am his daughter. Dago
George was one. of my fathers ac-
completes in the old days in San
Francisco. That letter which wrote
for my father meant nothing that it
said, it contained a secret code that
made you Q marked man from the
moment you delivered it here and"
CONTINUED In Tomorrow's Star.)