Evening star., 1921-03-13

those days-and left Schmidt in
charge of the bank. When he came
home. he found that Schmidt had
eloped with all the money he could
Law his hands on. He had fixed the
books. He had cleaned out the safe.
He was gone, And he hadn't left a
footprint in the prairie sands.
Young White met the consul's eyes
squarely. 1 saw Schmidt on the
beach twenty minutes ago. How ala
/ know him? l grew up with the hate
of him in my heart. My father had
a photograph of him on the mantel-
shelf in the parlor, and about once a
day he'd point to it and say: That's
the man who ruined me-. 1t was true
He carried the burden of Schmidts
crime until he died. I've been some
thing of traveller. I've knocked
about the globe for four years, keep
ing my eyes open for tall, blond men
with curly boards. Now I've found
him"
The consul shook his head. peter
son may be Carl Schmidt. or again he
NAV be the sixth son of swedish
earl. He came here twenty years ago
full of money and pleasant ways. and
married native woman. III re-
member rightly. she was called Maria
Teresa Ulloa San Martino de Vega,
none of which was her rightful name.
They lived at Numero s. Via Cristo-
foro. You might drop around ana
take another look at Peterson
The sandy-haired youngster put
down the empty glass and offered the
consul his hand. Thanks" he said
briefly, II will"
when he had gone the consul and
Pug exchanged look full OF unoer-
standing. Pug rose from his loung-
ing position beneath the banana tree.
found his hat, and followed tne
youngster to the water front. Whlte
iumped into the Liberta's boat ana
was rowed swiftly across the narool.
Then Pug found a bench IN ths
shadow of the dusty trees along tne
espianade. and, tipping his nat over
his ewes. sat down to wait. He waiteo
all the afternoon strewing cisaI9t.e
stubs around the bench and Wnistllng
hnmesick for trolley cars. asphalt,
gasoline and hurrying crowds. the
nungent essence of civilization. Ma
CELIA was growing dull. There was
nothing to disturb the changeiess mo.
notony of the changeless days except
camp and a Sunday bullfight in the
Arena Goldoni. Here, between the
toppling mountains and the purple
sea, the white city dozed like a pretty
woman in eternal siesta. Decidedly,
life was stale.
set had faded into dusk. partly be-
cause he mistrusted the fiery look in
the sandy haired youngsters eyes,
principally because he believed Peter
son to be Schmidt. Night had fallen,
like blanket quenching the last
again the steady click of oars and the
ripple Of water against the Prov Of a
small boat. White was coming back!
pug saw him when he crossed the
esplanade. appearing for an instant
in the round pool of light cast by a
street lamp. then disappearing again
into the thick shadow of the water
front buildings. Loosening the re-
! volver in his pocket. Pug rose from
his patient vigil and followed.
White turned into the Via Cristo-
foro and hesitated before Numero. 6
to light a cigarette. Two of Cora's
suitors were strolling back and forth.
their eyes fixed on the grilled win
dows Of the bankers house. White
passed them and hurried around the
corner into a narrow aaieyway which
| touched upon Peterson's garden. He
scanned the high wall. made q quick
leap, gained the top. and dropped
| silently into the tangled foliage on
the other side.
IT thought So" Pug whispered. smi1-
| ment: then he followed. landing in
the comma ct branches Of towering
hedge. The garden was as dark as
| the inside of a closet. Not a star
| burned in the sky. Only in the palm
! fronts whole ballet of firehies
| danced to inaudible music. White
had disappeared like man fallen
! into the bottom Of a deep well. II he
| had heard Pug climb over the wall. he
| gave no siRn--he was somewhere in
| that tangle of bushes and vines.
watching for the incorruptible one.
CUDDENLY a door opened. a shaft
~ Of yellow light fell across the
/ onH DofArcon ranaA -