Evening star., 1921-10-23
Copyright. 1891, by Public Ledger CO.
Copyright, 1891, by B. Il. Davis Corp.
BY FRANK L. PACKARD.

possible situation that she should
warn him Of danger from one source.
only to do to him again what--nO,
His life was not in danger with her;
that was the difference. But-but 1t
was not easy to bring herself to this.
She was alone now, with no bonds
between herself and any living soul
except those strange. incongruous
bonds between herself and that man
In the next room whom she was. in
and trying to outwit Why was I.
that he was thief? They could
have been friends if he were not
thief: and she would have been so
glad OF a friend now, and she liked
him. and he did not look like thief.
Perhaps her mother had liked Nicolo
Capriano in the early days. and per-
haps Nicolo Capriano then had not
looked like thief. and perhaps her
mother had counted on turning Nicolo
Capriano into an honest man, and
Teresa rose abruptly to her feet.
She felt the hot color flood her face.
She saw the man as he had stood
that fl, st night on the threshold of
her fathers room. and he had looked
at her so long and steadily-and there
had been no ofrense in his look She
caught her breath sharply. Her mind
was running riot! 1t must not do
that! She had many things to accom-
plish tonight, and she would need all
her wits
She forced her thoughts violently
into another channel
How long would it be before this
Iron Tavern closed for the night. and
Dago George was in bed and asleep?
She did not trust Dago George! She
scruples. and one who was insidiously
crafty and dangerously cunning. She
began to rehearse again the scene
that she had had with him-and sud
n HnynlN l.
at the last moment as he had left the
room. had he reverted to her fathers
death and why had he waited until then.
when it should naturally have been one
of his first questions. to inquire-so
had taken place?
Her lips grew suddenly hard. Nine
days! She had told him nine days.
Was there any significance III that
to Dago George. or to herself? She
cisco by her fathers funeral. Dave
Henderson had left there several days
earlier. but he had only arrived here
at Dago Georges tonight. True. the
difference in time might be accounted
for through Dave Henderson's pre-
sumed necessity of travelling under
cover: but. equally. it might not.
Had Dago George thought of that
as she was thinking of it now? Was
1t possible that Dave Henderson had
al Sol i!itl IlOIeS. anu udu CoHle
here for refuge with it: that it was
now. at this moment. in that next room
there. and that, below stairs Dago
George. too, was sitting. waiting for
the hours to pass. and sleep to come
to all but himself.
She went mechanically to the WIN
dow. and stood for a moment staring
out upon i vista of dark. shadowy
buildings that made jagged, Hide
fined points against the eky-line-
and then. with a sudden start she
raised the window cautiously, sound
lessly. inch by inch. and leaned out
Yes she was right The iron plat
form Of a fire escape was common to
her room and to the room next door.
For another moment she stood
there. and then returned softly across
the room to her chair
1T is too early yeti" she whispered
and. with her chin in her hands
settled back in her chair, and stared
into the blackness.