Evening star., 1923-05-08
wondered that he could not see tha
her heart was breaking.

wondered that he could not see that
her heart was breaking.
TN tho years to come, life may
bring SO much to you that you might
| not be able to keep that pact, but I
Will search for you, find you. and
thank you once more for all that
| you have done for poor Jack"
On her neck, suspended by q cord,
she wore one of the pearls she had
| gathered. 1t was rare gem; she
did not even know Its value; 1t would
have made no difference to her II she
she held 1t out to him with a trem-
bling hand. saying: please take this.
ana whenever your eyes fall upon It.
you will think of me-"
Just give me the little cord you
wore around your neck: will al
| might lose the pearl"
She handed him the bit Of string,
@ wnicn he put carefully away in his
II should like to go with you as
far as the water-to be sure you are
Jack?"
1T would be best not, little one;
should be worried for many long
aay as to whether you reached home
Arabs prowling about in the dark
ness you would not be safe; as 1t is.
l snail part from you at your own
door. Jil-Bett."
He saw that she was weeping BIT
teriy' which distressed him sorely.
II VIII take me but a few mo-
ments to tie the few things 1 have
Into a bundle; then we shall part"
She was looking at him wistfully
ne had no key to her thoughts. II
snaii never see him again." she
90. years will pass. and 1 shall be
SO weary waiting. Oh. God. up in
heaven. how can I live when he is
gone from katar?"
A faint gleam Of pink in the east
ern sky startled both Of them-Jil-
Bett pointed to 1t In terror.
fessed calmly.
She caught at his arm in wild af-
fright. crying hysterically: Go! Oh,
IN Gods name. fly! Already many in
katar are astir."
Cnconsciously her arms crept up
forever.
Oh. had Jil-Bett but known what
was taking place in her own home
at that moment.
When she had slipped quietly out
or the house into the rear OF the
grounds to give vent to her grief
alone. unseen, her grandfather, who
mad not fallen asleep. as she sup
posed, crept to the door, peerinE out
after her. He was intensely angered
that she had taken so deeply to
heart the fact that he accused Jack
or the theft. and that he intended
20 cause his arrest on the morrow.
she had espoused his cause yehe-
mently. This stranger has come
between Jil-Bett and me-" he mutt
tered. clenching his hands tightly to-
gether.
This thought alone was enough to
cause him to detest the stranger be.
yond words. He had never Thought
anything on earth could cause the
child he had lavished the love of his
old age upon to go against him. She
had been SO vehement in her dec
iaration that Jack had not robbed
him; never! never! Daniel Bannock
was as equally sure he was the thief,
In that moment he seemed dazed-
paralyzed-overhelm by the dire
loss he had sustained.
All his life he had been a GOOD.
honest man. cheating no one, owing
no man dollar. He had been hG
own worst enemy in the use of mar
cotics. but up to this hour he had
been doing his best to overcome his
one great weakness and reform.
Day and night he had toiIed over
the task that II seemed to him
heaven had granted him to provide
for his old age and Jil-Bett's future:
and now. when 1t was almost within