Evening star., 1923-11-24
CHAPTER XIV.
The Clue.

Paul Vepiza, propped up in bed on
his pillows. followed Claire with his
eyes as she moved about the room.
1t was perhaps because he had been
too Ill of late to notice anything that
he experienced now a sudden shock
at Claires appearance. She looked
pale and drawn, and even her move
| ments seemed listless.
Whats tonight?" he asked alb
rupt1y.
Wv ednesday, father" she an
swered.
Paul veniza plucked at the coun-
terpane. 1t was all too much for
| Claire. Besides-besides Crang, she
had been up all night for the last
two nights, and since Monday she
J had not been out of the house.
! rPut on your hat. dear. and run
! over and tell Hawkins 1 want to see
him." he smiled.
| Claire stared at the old pawn
| broker.
'-why, father" she protested, its
rather late, isn't it? And, besides.
you would be all alone in the house?'
! Nonsense" said Paul Veniza. I'm
all right Much better. I'll be up to-
| morrow. But l particularly want TO
! see Hawkins tonight" He did not
| particularly want to see Hawkins or
some valid excuse she would most
i certainly refuse to go out and leave
| him alone.
! A little walk and a breath of fresh
air would do Claire a world of good.
And as for the lateness of the hour.
Claire In that section of the city was
as safe in her own home. please do
as ask you. Claire he insisted.
Very well, father" she agreed after
a moments hesitation and went out
har h hnf
| do as l ask you. Claire" he insisted.
| From downstairs, as she opened the
| front door, she called up to him a
| little anxiously:
You are sure you are all rightT'
c.,,s1 eaife hsck sure Dons dean burry raul Venza
| Claire stepped out on the street.
1t was not far to go-just around
the first corner and halfway down
! the next block-and at first she
| iety to get back to the house again
as soon as possible, but insensibly,
| little by little, her footsteps dragged.
| What was it? Something in the
night. the darkness, that promised a
kindly cloak against the breaking of
! her self-restraint, that bade her let
go of herself and welcome the tears
! that welled so spontaneously to her
| eyes? Would it bring relief? Today.
| all evening, more than ever before,
/ she haQ Ielt neT endurance almost dt
! an end. She turned her face upward
| to the night. 1t was black; not a
star showed anywhere. 1t seemed as
! though something dense and forbid
/ ding had been drawn like a somber
mantle over the world. God, even
seemed far away tonight.
| She shivered a little. Could that
really be true-that God was turning
! His face away from her? She had
tried so hard to cling to her faith.
1t was all she had; 1t was all that OF
! late had stood between her and a
| despair and misery, horror so over
whelming that death by contrast
| seemed a boon.
| q Her lips quivered as she walked
| along. 1t almost seemed as though
| she did not want to fight any more.
And yet there had been a. great and
very wonderful reward given to her
before she had even made the final
sacrifice that she had pledged her
self to make. If her soul reVolted
from the association that must come
with DR.. Crang, Is every instinct
within her rose up in stark horror
! before the contamination of the man
| wanton moral filth, one strange and
| wondrous thing sustained her. And
she had no right to m1strust GOO, TOR
God must have brought her this. she
| had bought an unknown l1fe-that
had become dearer to her than her
| own, or anything that might happen
to her. She knew love. 1t was no
longer stranger who would live
| on through the years because she was
soon to pay the price that had been