Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-18

the light. He was beside her again tho
next instant. Danger. His mind was
mulling over that. What danger? Why
had she said TINT? What was its sig
niicancc in respect of her presence
here. The questions came crowding to
his lips. Danger? What do you
did you get here. Teresa? And why?
Was it your father who sent you? There
is something that has gons wrong? The
police" '''.'..
She shook her head. My father died
the night you went away" she said.
He drew back, startled. Nicoo Capri
ano-dead.
Her father dead, He could not seem
somehow to visualize Nicolo Capriano
as one deau The mans mentality had
so seemed to triumph over his phyical
ills, that, sick though he had been.
Nicolo Capriano had seemed to per-
sonify and embody vitality and life
itself. Dead lie. drew in his breath
sharply. Then she was alone, this little
figure standing here in the darkness be-
side him, high up here in the world of
night, with void beneath and around
them. strangely, curiously cut off even
IN physical sense, from any other
human touch or sympathy-but his.
He reached out and found her hand,
and laid it between both his own.
II IN 10 good at words" he fun
bled. 'They--they won't come. But
he was the best friend | ever had in
life. too. And 80 =
''poD't say that, Don't, You
mustn't. DO you hear, you mustn't :"
Her hand, that lay in his, was sud-
denly Clcnchcd, and she was striving to
draw It away. 1T isn't true! that
is why came l came to tell you. lie
was not your friend, He--he betrayed
you
He held her hand tightcr--n n grip
that made her efforts to escape pitifully
impotent. And. almost fiercely, he drew
her closer, trying to read her face in
the darkness.
He betrayed me! Nicolo Capriano
betrayed mc!' His mind was sud-
denly a riot. Incredulity and amaze
mcnt mingled with n sickening fear that
her words were literally true-the
money was gone! And yet-and yet
Nicolo Capriano--a traitor! His words
rasped now. ''Do you know what you
are saying, Teresa? Quick Answer
me! Do you know what you are say
ing"
had broken little now. II know that
the money was taken from your room
tonight. Please let my hand go. i
you will hate me in n moment-for-
for, after all, I an his daughter. Will
you please let me CO. and l will tell
YOU
Mechanically he released her.
She turned half away from him, and
leaned on the iron hand-rail of the
Il 4 IN nj intn hn
ness beneath her.
"Dago George took it--an hour ago."
she said.
"DaGo George"' Dave Henderson
Strengthened. "Ah, so 1t was Dago
George, was it," lie laughed with
sudden menace and turned impulslyely
toward the window of his room.
"Wait!" she said. and laid q hand
detainngly upon his sleeves. "The
money, / am sure, is safe where it is
until daylight, anyway. IL have
more TO tell you. lit Is not easy to
tell. IL am his daughter. Dago
George was one of my fathers accom-
plicrs in the old days in San Francisco.
That letter which ] wrote for my fnther
meant nothing that It said, 1t contained
II secret code that made you marked
man from the moment you delivered il
"You, too There was bitter hurt
In Dave Henderson voice. And then
suddenly he threw his shoulders back.
II don't believe you" he flung out
fcrccly. Il don't understand how you
got here, or what YOU are daing here,
but you wrote that lCtter-Nnd | don't
believe it was trap, DO you under
stand, Teresa don't believe you!"
She raised her hcRd-and 1t seemed
that even in the darkness he caught the
sudden film Of tears In her eyes and
saw the lips part in a Quivrring smile
She shook her head slowly then.
1T was not what wrote" she said.
"It was what mv--what he added after.
ward when he siGnel it. Con amorc-
that was the secret code, and"
But you did not know that, then
Teresa - There was strange, trium.
phant nplift In his voice ~ remem-
Der! II was while you were out Of the
a 3 ~