Evening star., 1923-12-02

| looked out Hawkins had stopped a
few houses down past the one-time
pawnshop.
John Bruce rose suddenly and
changed his seat to the one in the far
opposite corner his back to the front
Of the car. The time seemed inter-
minable.
Then he heard a light footstep ring
on the pavement and he heard Haw-
kinS' voice. The car door was opened
dark form entered. sat down. the
door closed, and the car started for
ward
1t was strange, 1t was like that.
here in this car. that he had stepped
in one night and found Claire-as she
would now find him. That was so
long ago.! And il seemed so long.
too. since even he had last seen her
since that night when. piqued SO un-
warrantably, had he left Paul Veniza's
house. He felt his hands tremble
He steadied himself. He did not want
to frighten or startle her now.
Claire" he said softly
He heard a slight. quick rustic OF
garments, and then the light in the
car was flashed on
She was leaning tensely forward, a
little hgure with loose cloak flung
over her shoulders. without hat. a
wondrous sheen from the light on the
dark. silken hair. her eyes wide. her
finger still on the electric light -a
ton.
ou: she cried sharply. And
She reached for the door handle
but John Bruce caught her hand.
Claire. he pleaded hoarsely.
Wait. If it is trick. at least You
know that with Hawkins and me you
could | do? You would not speak to
me this afternoon, you would not let
me see you, and 1 must talk to you
tonight
she she looked at him steadily;
MUST she repeated coldly. And
tonight" Why tonight"
Because" John Bruce answered
quickly. tomorrow would be too late.
| know about tomorrow morning
Hawkins told me. He was outside
the door of that room when Crang
was talking to you tonight"
She sank back in her seat with a
little cry. Her face had gone white,
but again she steadied herself.
And-and do you think that is any
reason why YOU should have inveigled
me into this carr" she asked DULY.
DO you think that anything you can
say VIII aIter-tomorrow morning."
Yes; | do" said John Bruce ear
nestly. "But"-he smiled little bit
terly-'1 am afraid. too. that it will
I've hopeless enough if first you will
not tell me what has so suddenly
come between U.S. Claire. what is it?"
The dark eyes lighted with Il CLINT,
half angry, half irontcal.
is that what you brought me here
for?"
No" he said. quietly.
Then" she said. coolly. IF you do
not know. L Will tell you. / read a
letter that you wrote to q certain Mr.
Larmon."
1t was a long minute before he
spoke.
II thought it might be that" he
said. slowly. Il knew you had seen
IL Crang told me SO. And-and 1
vas afraid you might believe it
Claire"
believe it" she returned. monoto-
nously. Had l any choice? Have l
any now? 1 knew you were in dan
ger. l knew it was written to save
your life. l knew it was your hand
writing. l knew You wrote it, She
turned away her head. TT was so
miserable lie, so cowardly a be-
trayal--to save your life"
But so hard to believe and so bit
ter thing to believe." There was a
sudden, eager thrill in John Bruce's
vofce-"that you wept upon 1t. Look.
CLAIRE" he cried. "A have that letter
here = and this, that took from
Crang today when I turned the tables
on him. See! Read them both" He
took from his pocket the letter and
the slip cut from the bottom of the
sheet and laid them in her lap. The
bottom was written in invisible ink
the way l always communicated pri-
vately with Larmon. Salt brings it
out. ! knew Larmon would subject it
to the test, so l was willing to write
anything that Crang dictated / wrote
that secret message on the bottom of
the paper while Crans was out of the
room where he had me a prisoner. oh,
don't you see now. Claire? When
your tears fell on the paper faint
traces Of the secret writing began to
appear: That gave Crang the clue.
and ne worked at it until he had
brought out the message, and then
cut off the bottom before delivering
the letter to Larmon, and"
John Bruce stopped. Claire's face
was buried in the cushions, and. hud-
died in the corner of the car, she was
sobbing bitterly.