Evening star., 1923-08-14

could not be avoided he explained.
You see when the steamship docks
the cabs are admitted In single file
| and engaged by the passengers in
order as they come. There was no
way in which we could insure that
de Silva would get particular cab
There is always way" cried
Francisco. If you use little head
work! Well, its too late now to
change de SilVas Instructions. | wish
! mad attended to these preliminaries
| myself. Anyhow, / shall be on the
| pier. Later III &" to the ferry to
see what has happened.
| There was more, but Francisco
| seemed to have rerollected caution.
J ana ] could not hear II. What J had
heard caused me a terrible feeling of
uneasiness, but ] had nothing definite
| to go on. II is perfectly clear now.
| When we know what happened. but
you must remember my situation !
never dreamed of anything so ter
| rlblc as the truth. Think of my igno-
| rance and inexperience. Why, ] had
lived in the same house with Fran
| cisco Tor nine years. I could not con-
ceive of him as a murderer
! But II was clear enough that mis-
i chlef OF some sort was afoot with
my Uncle Tony as the intended vic
tln. ! thought perhaps they intended
! TO rob him of the little black book,
on which he set such store. ! deter
mined to warn him il I could I
. made up my mind that ] would be on
the pier myself when the Alliance
/ came IN. and tell him exactly what
| had overheard
From newspaper learned that
sh" was due the next day Monday
| Several times on Monday ! called up
the steamship office. and finally
learned that she had been sighted
and was expected TO land her pss-
sengrrs at 10 o'clock Monday night
This was n blow. had antici-
pated hlfncultieS in getting away by
myself during the day-living in
stfahge motel, mamma did not want
10 let me out of her sight for mo-
ment. but TO get away at night
seemed quite out Of the question. [
almost gave up. | was terrified on
my own account too. one hears surh
awful tales of New York after dark.
fortunately had Nina 10 help
me Al first | decided to take her
ANA go openly to the pier in cab
but then | recollect.d that Francisco
was gong To be there. and would Ger
lalhlS see us. did not Yet dar" TO
def\ nm openly. Finally I decided
10 disguise myself and 20 alone
sent Nina out 10 buy me an out
mt Of boys clothes which she sue
,cedoh IN smuggling into my room
~ h'nher Francisco remarked that
~, haH ii business engagement. but
IntrtH To take us I" III" theatcr on
ms way, If We wouldn't mind coming
I"ihe Il cab by ourselves. ] pleaded
headache, and. of course, mamma
"ouid not 20 without me.
me same headache provided m.
with an excuse 10 go to bed after
DINNER Dear mamma insisted on
lnsslns over me until / nearly went
uSes Ven my sippins TG The In prfrl%gS min.
eot ria Of her by insisting that sleep
aIohe would cure me and that I
must not be disturbed The instant
sht I"tt M Nina. who was waiting.
slipped in and helped me- dress / cot
out OF the hotel as | have told ynI
Watchman
Il got a cab to the pier. but alas. |
was To" late. The AIlianca was al
ready made fast Ia her pier. and the
passengers even then were driving
away. only those were left who
were having trouble with their bag
kase There was no sign Of my
uncle. But ] saw Francisco at the
entrance of the pier lighting a cigar.
ana L determined to follow him to see
what was To come later.
'on that waterfront street he
TOOK car bound uptown and rode to
a ferry slip some blocks above.
was on the back platform. ! remem-
talk with Abanez. At the ferry
house he met two men. men | had
seen before at the hotel: he seemed
10 be surprised 10 find them there
not approach clos" enough to over
hear what was said. for ! knew that
my disguise would not stand a close
inspection The three sf them wait
growing all III" time more anxious
and impatient.
FINALLY Francisco set off across
the plaza to little hotel there. and
went into telephone. perhaps. or 10
get himself drink. ] could not fol-
low him in. of course. While he was
inside YOU drove up in Your cab and
went into the bar Presently Fran
Something in the look Of the cab
seemed to arrest his attention He
looked it over. He opened the door
a crack and peeped in. I know now
couldn't guess then. He turned
around with an ugly smile. Then
you came out. and he engaged YOU
and rode off on the front seat There
was no other cab handy. ] ran across
the plaza after you, and managed to
get on the same boat. Well YOU
know all the rest. That's my story"
Bessie had listened to this tale
with ever -deepening Indignation. "a
black villain" she cried This Fran
cisco fellow! Him with his castle and
his yacht and his money and all. He
ain't got no call to be crooked. 1t
must be pure CuSSedneSS. And
hope you bring him to the rope |
do"
Amy had ended her story on
note of detection. and now to Greg's
It's not so simple" she murmered.
II think of mamma. This would kill
her If she knew"
Bessie made cIucking sound of
sympathy. But she'll have to know
sooner or later" she said.
Shell have to suffer. of course"
said Amy. but 7 must think how to
save her from the worst"
Bessie got up. II expect You and
Mr.. Parr have your plans to talk
over. I'm going downstairs to make
you a cup of hot coffee before you
start out in the cold"
Greg thought: Good old Bessie!
She's a LADY,"
Nevertheless. left alone with Amy
as he had so much desired. a sudden
diff1dence overcame him. and he could
into a kind of study. and scarcely
seemed to be aware of his presence.
Finally he said: What do YOU
want me to do?"
To Greg's direct masculine mind
there was but one course to be TAX
en-. I'VE have the body safe" he
said. land the conversation you over
heard in the hotel Supplies the nee
essary link of evidence. I could go
to the police and ask for his arrest"
The surprising girls eyes flashed
at him. II will not have IT." she
cried. That's stupid"
"But-you said you wanted him
brought to Justice, stammered
Greg.
Would you expect me to go on the
witness stand and swear his life
away-with mamma listening there?
Here in a strange country!
But you said-you were an Ameri-
can"
80 ] AMIN spirit But have
lived all my life In Managuay Give
me time"
But we. cannot let him go free
That would make ourselves accessory