Evening star., 1921-11-03
FROM NOW ON
BY FRANK L. PACKARD. :
BY
1871. BY B. H Davis Corp
BY FRANK L. PACKARD.
Copyright, 1891, By Pubic Ledger O.. 3
Copyright, 1871. by B. H. Davis Corp.


landing. lay a woman's form that
was still and mctionless. And he
laughed like the maniac he was now,
and the wriggling thing screamed in
his grasp, screamed as it went up
above his hcad-and then Dave Hen
derson hurled it from him to the bot
| tom Of the stairs.
He turned. and flung himself on his
knees beside Teresa. He called her
name again and ,again-and there
was no answer. She lay there, half
on her face on the floor. her arms
wound around a torn package OF
his feet, and his knotted fists went
up above his head. And then he
laughed again, as though his reason
were gone-laughed as his eyes fxed
on a red-headed thing that made an
unshapely heap at the foot of the
shadow that went along the hall. and
scurried> out through the front door.
That was Maggot-like a rat leaving
sinking ship-Maggot who
.Ihen reason came again. Tfe po-
lice. At any moment now-the po-
Teresa up in his arms: She wasn't
dead-he could hear her BREATHING
only it was weak-pit:fully weak.
There should be an exit to the fire
escape from this floor-but it was
dark and he had no time to search
IT was quicker to go up the stairs
where he knew the way-and oui
through his own room.
Stumbling, staggering in the dark
ness. holding Teresa in his arms, IL
made his way upstairs. The police
his mind centered on that again. Ii
she and he were caught here. his
identification as Dave Henderson.
L hjf.h Il rl1t tiYna falH n
damn her; this money. wrapped SO
tenaciouslS in her arms. would damn
hor; and. on top of~that old score of
the police in San Francisco. there
had been ugly work here In this
house tonight. If it were not for the
upon the police in the disappearance
of Dave Henderson would not be so
scrious-but the money was here,
and in that hoax she had had a part.
and the shadow of Nicolo Capriano
still lay across her shoulders.
The night air came gratefully cool
upon his face. He drew it in in great
gasping breaths. grecdiiy. hungriiy.
He had gained the fire escape through
the window now. and now he paused
for the first time to listen. There was
~ sound Back there inside the
hoEse it was as still as death. Death!
Well. Why shouldn't it be, there was
His arms frightened suddenly in
great. overwhelming paroXysm OF
fear around Teresa. and he bent his
head. bent it lower. lower still. un-
ill his face was close to that white
lace he held, and through the dark
ness his eyes searched it in an agony
Of apprehension.
And then he started forward again,
and began to descend the fire escape.
and now he groped uneasily for foot
hold as he went. 1t seemed rickety
and unstable. this spidery thing thai
and it was dark. 3nd without care
the foot would slip through the open
ings between the treads. 1t had not
seemed that way when he had gone
up and down when disposing of the
valises. Only now it WAS priceless
burden that he carried-this form
that lay close-preSsed against his
breast, whose touch. alternately nov.
brought him a sickening sense OF
dread, and a surging hope that sent
the blood leaping like a millrace
through his veins.
He went down. step after step. his
mind and brain shrieking at him to
hurry because there was not a single
second to lose-but It, was slow, mad
deningly slow. He cduid not see the
treads, not only because 1t was dark.
but because Teresas form was In his
arms. He could only feel with his
feet-and now and then his body
swayed to preserve his balance
Was there no end to the thing! 1t
seemed like some bottomless pit of
blackness into which he was descend
ing. And it seemed as though this pit
held an abominable Specification in
it's blackness and its depth, as though
it seemed-it seemed God. If she
would only move. # she would not lie
so still. so terribly sill in his arms!
Another step-another-and then
his foot. searching outbound only
space beneath it. He must free one
arm now, so that he could cling to
the bottom tread and lower himself
to the ground. 1t was only short
drop. he knew. for the lower section
of the fire escape was one of those
that swung on hinges. and when, pre-
viously. coming up, Teresa had held
it down for him, he had been able to
reach it readily with spring from
the ground. But he dared not jump
even that short distance now with
Teresa, wounded, in his arms.
He changed her position now to
throw her weight into the hollow Of
his left arm, lifting. her head SO thai
it lay high upon Ms shoulder-aT. 4
with the movement her hair brusHec
his lips. 1t brought. sudden. cno>:c
ing sob from Dave Henderson. and
in a great yearning impulse he let
his head sink down until his check
for an instant was laid against hers
and then, the muscles of his right
arm straining until they cracked. he
lowered himself down and dropped to
the ground.
He ran now, lurching. across the
yard, and out into the lane. and here
he paused again to listen. But he
heard nothing. He was clear Of that
cursed trap-house now-if he could
only keep clear! He ran on again,
stumbling again, with his burden.
And now, though he did not pause to
listen any more. it seemed as though
his throbbing ea1drums caught the
sounds at last that they had been
straining to hear. Wasn't that the
police behind there now-on the
street in front of the iron Tavern?
1t sounded like it-like the arrival
Of a police patrol.
CONTINUED in Tomorrow's Star.)