Evening star., 1921-10-15
FROM NOW ON
BY FRANK L. PACKARD.
BY FRANK L. PACKARD.
oo,yrisAs, 1871, b YuSlie Ledger O.
Copyright, Is1l. By Z. T. DAVIS 0es1.


You say? what do you mean-you
hope mott"
than it was before he stole It," she
said In. dead tone. 1T is stolen
money"
"Well. what of it?" demanded Mic
do not know thatY' sudden irasci-
bility showed in the old Italians face
and manner: a flush swept his cheeks
grew lusterless and hard-and he
coughed. We'll. am a fool?" he
shouted.
She looked at him in quick appre-
hension.
ishsd. you must not excite your
bah" He flung out his hand In a
violent gesture. Excite myself! Bah!
Always it is-'do not excite yourself!
Can you find nothing else to say?
Now you will explain-eh?-you will
money that Nicolo Capriano's daugh:
ter does not like? You hear-I call
you Nicolo Capriano's daughter!!'
1t was a moment before she an
swered.
II do not like it-because it made
my soul sick tonight" She turned
her head away. Il hid behind the
old panel when he went out. I do not
like it; hate it. / hate 1t with all
my soul! did not understand at
tonight. that there was any money
involved. thought IT was just to
help him get away from the police
who were bounding him even after
his sentence had been served, and also
to protect him from that gang who tried
to get him in Vinetto's place-and that
we were doing it for Tony's sake. And
then it all seemed to come upon me In a
flash, as I went toward the door to
let him out tonight-that there was
the stolen money, and that I was help
ing him. and had been helping him
to steal it again. know what l
should have done. 1t would have
done no good, It would have been ut
terly useless; 1 realized that-but l
would have been honest with my
self. I should have protested there
position I was in. shrank from
having him asking me what ! had
to do with honesty. I. who-and you
said 1t yourself moment ago., VINO
was Nicolo Capriano's daughter: /,
who. even If protested on one score,
had knowingly and voluntarily done
my share In hoodwinking the police
on another. He would have had the
right to think me mad, to think
me irresponsible and worse. 1
.shrank from having him laugh in my
face. And so I let him go. because
must say that to him or nothing:
for I could not be hypocrite enough
to wish him a smiling goodbye, to
wish him good fortune and success
I couldn't tell you. I couldn't
and so-and so I stepped behind the
panel. and let him pass"
Nicolo Capriano's two hands were
outthrust and clenched. his lips had
widened until the red gums showed
above his teeth. and he glared at his
daughter.
''it is well for you. you kept your
mouth shut! Do you hear. you-you
-" A paroxysm Of coughing seized
him. and he fell back upon the pill
lows.
In an instant Teresa was bending
over him anxiously.
He pushed her away. and struggled
upward again, and for a moment he
shook his fists again at his daugh-
ter-and then his eyes were half
veiled, and his hands opened. and he
began to pat the girls girls arm; ,,n;a and his
Listen! You are not fool, my
little one. 1 have not brought you
up to be fool-eh? Well, then.
listen! We have little money, but
it is not much. And he will get that
hundred thousand dollars. Do you
understand? He is clever, and he has
the courage. Do you think that
would have tricked the police for
him, otherwise? Eh-do you think
old Nicolo Capriano does not know
what he is about?"
She stared at him, sort Of dawn
ing dismay in her eyes.
"You mean," she said. and the words
seemed to come in a hard. forced
way from her lips. you mean that II
he gets that money again. you are
to have a share?"
IA share! Ha. ha!" The old italian
was rocking backward and forward in
-Nicolo ,Capriano does not deal in
shares any more. All-my little one
ali! One hundred thousand dol
lars-alli And my little black-eyes
will have such gowns as"
Father" 1t came in a startled.
broken cry Of amazed and bitter ex-
postulation.
NicoIo Capriano stopped his rocking
and looked at her. A sudden CLINT of
fury leaped from the sr1oldering eyes.
"Bah!" he said angrily. "Am ]
mistaken after all? Is 1t that you
are your mother-and not a Capri
anoi Perhaps should not have told
you: but now you will make the best
play the child-eh? Do you think
risked myself with the police for
nothing! Yes-all! All-except that
I must pay that leech Dago George
something for looking after our young
friend-con amore-con amore, Nicolo
Capriano-eh?-since signed the let
ter So"
CONTINUED in Tomorrows Starry