Evening star., 1921-10-16

| there is one way loft. one way TO 1int
him, and warn him. and I Will taxi
Nice N,ee'e c.D.,,no !as s1srsss ss: !:
through a At Of coughing. ''old Mic
olo would like to know"
| ITO go where Dave Henderson II
going" she answered. ITO go where
ne can be found. to go to New York
Georges. or. il am too late for that
to warn him there before Dage
George has had time to do him amy
| harm, and" Her words ended II
a startled cry. Nicolo Capriano's long
slim fingers. from the bed. had sho!
were wrenching at her In a madman't
"You-you would do that" the old
Italian screamed. by God! No No
No! Do you hear? No" His hands
had crept upward. and. with al hi,
pulling himself out Of the bed. "No!'
he screamed again. mo! Do you
hear? No"
"Father" she cried out frantically
Father; what are you doins7 You
cleaning with an insane light. his
face was working in horrible con.
tortions.
, struggling wildly with her. Hah
Kill myself. will I? I would kill you
with my plans! It is the old Nicolo
again-Nicolo capriano Of the year.
! The room seemed to swirl around
/! her. The clutching fingers had re.
! laxed. 1t was she now who struggled
nd
shouiders-to hold him up. He wal
! very heavy, too heavy. for her. H.
I seemed to be carrying her downwart
with him-until he fell back hal.
| across the bed. And she leaned ovel
him then. and stared at him for lonl
| tightly held to her face-and horror
+, a great. binding horror came. ant
! fear. 4 fear that robbed her Of hel
j senses came. and she staggered back
! ward and stumbled over the chail
at the bedside. and clutched at 1t fol
| support.
| She did not speak. Nicolo Caprians
had left his bed for the first time II
three years-to die.
| Her father was dead. That was tn,
| theme of the overwhelming horror
| and the paralyxing fear that obsesset
morseless waves-horror-fe Tim,
did not exist: reality had passet
away. She was in some great. sound
less void-soundless. except for tina
1 strange ringing in her ears. And sh,
put her hands hands up TO- her ears ears TO o shp
became clearer. It became q tangible
thing. 1t was tho doorbell.
Habit seemed to impel her. Sh
went automatically to the hall. and
in numbed sort Of consciousness
went along the hall and opened tn
cfa OF m
who stood there and chewed on tn
butt of cigar that dangled fron
one corner Of his mouth.
my names MacBain." said Booki
Skarvan glibly. And I want to Sc
You're his daughter. aren't you?'
She did not answer him. Her brai
fioundered in that pit Of blacknes
into which it had been plunged. Sh
was scarcely aware Of the mans pres
snee; ; scarcely @ T., awase shs addsa,s that she wa
Say. you look scared. you do: bu
there's nothing to be scared about
said Bookie Skarvan ingratiatinglS
II just want to see Nicolo Capriano TO
a few minutes. You go and tell hir
that bomb explosion. and I'll give hir
a write-up that'l1 be worth while"
She drew back a little, forcing her
self to shake her head.
Jaw. say, 60 on now. there's goo
girl" wheedled Bookie Skarvan. nth
paper sent me here. and I've got I
| see him. There's nothing for you t
look so white about. I'm only a re
porter. amt going to hurt him
see?"
Teresa shivered. How cold the nigh
was! This man here-what was
he had said? That he wanted to sc
Nicolo Capriano? Strange that word
came with such curious difhculty t
her tongues though. somehow, sh
had been dumb all her life. and va
speaking now for the first time.
Eicolo Capriano Is dead" she sal
and closed the door in Bookie Skar
vans face.