Evening star., 1923-11-18
~ AUL VENIZA'S face had
- whitened little. Half in
startled. half in a troubled

whitened little. Half in
startled. half in a troubled
4 way, he looked once more at
John Bruce and then at Hawkins.
My poor friend" he said again.
4 John Bruce's hand on the arm of
This chair clenched suddenly.
You may perhaps feel that he
should not have told me of his rela-
Jtionship to Claire; but it was this
{damnable situation with Crang that
forced the issue"
Paul veniza left Hawkins side and
began to pace the room in an agi-
tated way.
"No.' he said. Il do not blame
Hawkins We've neither of us
know what to do. 1t is terrible. an
Ioathsome creature to her. and yet
| in some way that 1 cannot discover
he has got her into his power. l
have tried everything. used every ar
gument l can with her, pleaded with
her-and it has been useless" He
raised his arms suddenly above his
head, partly it seemed in supplica.
| ton. partly in menace. "Oh, God!
| he cried, out II. too, love her, for
+, she has really been my daughter
,, through all these years. But DO
not quite understand" He turned
to Hawkins. Even if you kept your
promise now, my friend, what con-
nection has that with DR.. Crang
Could that in any way prevent this
| marriage?"
1t was John Bruce who answered.
"It is the last ditch" he said even,
| ly: "the one way you have not tried
Ito tell her her own and her father
story. 1 do not say it will succeed.
But it is the great crisis in her life.
1t is the one thing in the world that
father. After twenty years-her
father"
Paul Veniza's hands. trembling. ruff
| fed through his white hair. Hawkins
fingers fumblea, now with the but
tons on his vest. now with the brim
of his hat which he had picked up
iaimlessly from the table; and his eyes,
lifting from the floor. glanced TIM
orously, almost furtively, at Paul
Veniza, and sought the floor again.
John Bruce got UP from his chair
and stepped toward them.
II want to tell you something" he
said sharply, that ought to put an
end to any hesitation on your parts
at any plan. no matter what, that
offers even the slightest chance Of
Devil though you both believe this
Crang to be. you do not, either of
you, even know the man for what he
is. While L was lying there-he
the couch-"the safe here in this
room was opened and robbed one
night. You know that. But you do
Inot know that it was done by DR.,
Crang and his confederates. You
know what happened. But you do
not know that while the burglars
pretended to hold Crang at bay with
, a revolver and then made their 'es-
cape Crang, with most of the pro-
ceeds of that robbery in his own
pockets. was laughing up his sleeve
at you"
Hawkins jaw had dropped as he
stared at John Bruce.
"Crang did 1T. You-you say Crang
committed that robbery" stammered
Paul veniza; But you We're uncon-
that the safe was robbed"
Apparently ! do" John Bruce
laughed shortly. "Crang. too,
thought / was unconscious. but to
make sure he jabbed me with his
needle. IT took effect just at the
and Claire appeared in the doorway.
And'-his brows knitted together
1T seems a little strange that none
of you have ever mentioned 1T in my
presence. that not a word has even
been said to me about it
Paul Veniza coughed nervously.
You were sick.' he said; too sick,
we thought. for any excitement"
Hawkins suddenly leaned forward:
his wrinkled face was earnest.
That is not true," he said bluntly.
"It might have been at first, but it
wasn't after you got better. 1t was
mostly your money that was stolen.
Claire put it there the night you came
here. and
"Hawkins" Paul Teniza called out
sharply in reproof.
But he knows now it's gone" said
the old cabman little he1plessly. He
olundered on: Paul felt he was re-
sponsible for your money, and he was
afraid you might not want to take it
If you knew he had to make it up out
of his own pocket. and"
John Bruce took step forward, and
laid his hand on Paul Veniza's Shout
der He stood silently, looking at the
other.
.'1t is nothing" said Paul veniza,
Perhaps not!' said John Bruce.
"But"-he turned abruptly away, his
lips tight-''it just made me think for
a minute. In the life I've led men like
you are rare"
I'VE were speaking of Dr. Crang,"
said Paul Neniza. a little awkwardly.
"If you know that DR.. Crang is the
| thief. then that is the way out of our
i trouble. Instead of marrying Claire,
he will be sent to prison"
John Bruce shook his head.
You said yourself 1 was uncon-
scous at the time. You certainly
must have found me that way, and
Crang would make you testify that
| for days had been raving in delirium.
L do not think you could convict him
on my testimony"
But even so," said Paul Neniza.
there is Claire. If she knew that
Crang was criminal. She
she does know" said John Bruce
tersely.
"Claire knowsw calculated Paul