Evening star., 1921-06-26

Ia soing to hurt you. l am MI fa'r
Again" the woman's voice whis-
pered. ''oh. Dio. again? thought
you had gone. Gone with my sig
norma. my darling. my little saint.
Now you come back for me!-Go you
i-evfl-eyed one. or I will kill you"
Pug struck match. In the feeble
circle Of light he saw a dark. skinned
| native girl, crouched on her heels by
You are not he! she said. staring.
| The first one-Oh. Dio! He said:
Tell her walt am the Signor
Fairchild.' told her. And she ran to
the window-straight as asa, piss1n go
! cried out Then he took her. I
| watched. She struggled in his arms.
He put her into carriage and they
droye--that way. toward the piazza"
How long ago?"
! Ten minutes. Ah, Dio"
| The match fickered out.
'Ah. my little saint, my poor inno-
cent dove. my darling ONE
| "Besstin. Open the door. I must
! speak to the president. Quick now.
The girl scurried to her feet with a
gasp Of terror. opened the door and
| ran down the lighted corridor. Pug
raced at her heels. Some one had
eloped with Miss Diego. and he
thought he knew who it was.
The little brown maid servant
pointed to a door. I'll presidente."
| she gasped.
Pug raped sharply, and. receiving
dent Diego's room was ablaze with
light. The president himself. in the
full uniform of an admiral of the Ma
gellan navy (non-existanO sat alone
by the table. Before him. four wine
glasses. many bottles. a stack of
oh M ~
every slow breath the medals on
Diego's breast winked and glittered.
Pug spoke gently from the door:
'"Mr. President"
Diego turned his head. In that
merciless illumination he was both
possibly ashamed Then he got to his
feet. flung out his hands and a shower
Of silver coins fell and rolled into
every corner of the gaudy room.
"Signor Pug-This is an intrusion"
Pug closed the door softly behind
him. What sum have you lost to
Messrs. Brown. Smith and Jones?"
You are impertinent. Leave me.
or will call the guard" His voice
broke. II refused to pay" he shorted.
Il refused. They threatened. What
is promise made-to scoundrels? I
refused. And they have no way to
They have found way already"
Diego shivered. T don't understand"
Where is Miss Diego?'
I'm her room. Asleep"
"She is no longer there. A ladder
has been put up to her window from the
Via dele belle Dome. and your enc
mies-no. Mr.. President. your accom-
plices-have carried her away"
Diego shouted: You lie.'
"Go and see.''
The old man pushed Pug aside and
flung open the door. At his feet the
little servant fell in a crumpled heap.
"Sisnor Presidente. my little dove is
gone"
THE consul's amateur psychology
was correct--Diego had a passion
for cards and he had lost heavily to the
professional gamblers. who had come
down from New Orleans to pluck the
Magellan goose. Now and again he had
won-arge sums. Fabulous sums! Then,
to restrain his wabbling courage, he had
spent recklessly. A new carriage. A
bronze statue. A chapel No sooner
won, than spent or lost.
This night, beaten and bafiied. he had
played again-and now he had drawn
his stage from the government treasury
and had lost. Ten thousand dollars.
Had lost, and then, throwing the cards
into the cast.iron faces Of the Messrs.
,. Jones, Brown and Smith. had refused to
pay.
! "They left me-" he soobed, ito do
that--to steal my piccola santa, and to
hold her until / pay. Tomorrow, mark
NV word, Signor Pug, I will hear from
them. Tomorrow, not !, but my people,
must nay for my mistake. Signor Pug,
I haven't a peso! Not centavo! Not
Pug reminded the martial hero that
Miss Diego had been spirited away IN
a carriage. Cab horses in Magella were
possessed of no great speed. Eboene!
Follow by all means! There were only
two roads out Of the capital . one e.asa aeo
the ailuvial plain and following the new
American railway. pierced the canon.
Beyond, there was nothing but wilder
ness; q tangled Jungle full OF maraud-
ing beasts, and then the desolate slopes
- Another road skirted the city, passed
the fortress. Of San Martino and wound
northward toward Porto Bio, the near
est town Of considerable size, and the
stronghold OF q large party OF anti
royalists y stood To-. 70 reason s ina. ms. me me
Brown, Smith and Jones do not risk
their highly civilized persons In such
DANGEROUS forests and canonS as those
behind the Christmas. ~
"Send Gonelli through the Indian
trail" Pug advised. eff he should en-
counter your precious trio he win bring
them back to you, Alive Or dead. I'm
going toward Porto Bio. Can you rive
me the lOAn OF q Nhor8e p. s.
Rng rods Gfst o. 4hs beach. There