Evening star., 1923-12-01
(continued from Yesterdays Star.)
YE spoke aloud to himself
Il again, as he approached the
door of Paul Xenfza'S home.

IT YE spoke aloud to himself
- again, as he approached the
| door of Paul veniza's home.
| But I am her daddy"
whispered the old man fiercely; and
she is my little girl. 1t don't change
nothing her not knowing, except
except she amt hiding her face In
shame, and"-Hawkins' voice broke
a Iittle-"and that I ain't never had
| her in these arms like I'd ought to
| have" A gleam of anger came sud
denly into the watery blue eyes unoer
the shaggy brows. But he ain
going to have her in his! That devil
! from the pit Of hell amt going 10
kill the soul of my little girl-some-
how he ain't--that's oil got to live
for--old Hawkins-ha, ha!-somehow
old Hawkins'll-
Hawkins soliloquy ended abruptly.
He was startled to find himself In the
act Of opening the front ooor OK te .ne
one-time pawnshop. He even nesi-
tated, holding the door a1ar-and tnen
suddenly he pushed the door wider
open and stepped softly lnslae' a.
the sound of voice, angry anu
threatening in its tones, though
strangely low and muffied. reached
him. He knew that voice. 1t was
1t was dark here in the room that
had once been the oftice or the pawn
opened directly; but from under the
door leading into the rear room there
showed a thread of light. and 1t was
from there that Hawkins now placed
the voice. s
around him. Upstairs it was dark.
Paul Veniza, because he had not been
we'll, had probably gone to bed early
unless it was Paul in there win
Crang. No. He caught the SOUND OF
C1aire's voice now, and 1T seemed 10
come to him brokenly, In a strangely
tired, dreary way. And then Crahs )
voice again, and an ugly laugh.
The wrinkled skin Of Hawkins old
wsather-bsatsn HANDS anskiss ges@ as his fists
IcIenched. He tiptoed toward the door.
He could hear distinctly now. 1t was
Crang speaking: ,.s ,o.
I'm = not : fool; OIL, lie did Ia1D n9.
I don't care where you met MIN, or
how long you had been lovers De1ore
he crawled in here. That's nothing 10
do with it. It's enough that know
you were lovers before that night.
but you belong to me now. Under
stand? / spoke of 1t because the
sooner you realize that you are the
one who is the cause OF the trouDle
between Bruce and me, the better
fore, but I'm through foolfng with II
now for keeps. / let you go too !ong
| as 1t is. Today, for just a little while,
he won out-yes. by heavens: II you
want the truth. he nearly killed me.
He got me tied in u cabin of ship
that sailed this afternoon for South
America; but the engines broke down
| in the harbor, and. damn him. I'm
back. You know what for. I've told
you. There's one way to save MIN.
, I've told you what that ls, too I'm
waiting for your answer.
why should it be meg Clalre'S
| voice was dull and colorless. " ny
can not you leave me alone-I, who
hate, and loathe you? Do you look 3l,
| for happiness with me? There Will
be none"
.'Why should it be your Crang's
voice was suddenly hoarse with pas
sion. Because you have set my brain
on fire. because you have filled me
"Do you understand-Claire, Claire!
Do you understand? Because / want
you, because I'm going to have you,
because I'm going to own you-yes.
A low cry came from Claire. 1t
tore at Hawkins heart in its bitter
| shame and anguish His race
blanched.
well, you asked for it. and You
got itn' Crang snaried. Now, I'm
waiting for your answer
There was long pause. then
Claire spoke with an obvious effort
Have got to buy him twice?"
you haven't bought him once yet"
|crang answered swiftly. "I performed
my part Of the bargain. 1 haven't
been paid"
tening. heard nothing for long time;
and then he distinguished Claire s
voice, but 1t was SO low that he could
not catch the words. But he heard
Crang's reply because it was loud
savasery S wa and triumph:
You're wise, my dear. AT
o'clock tomorrow morning, then. And
since Mr.. John Bruce's skin is IN
volved in this. you quite understand
that he is not to be communicated
with in any way"'
IT understand" Hawkins this time
caught the almost inaudible reply.
All rightr Crang said. There's
| a padre 1 know, who's down on Staten
| Island now Well go down there
be here at s o'clock. Your father
| isn't f1t to ride in that rattle-trap old
bus of yours. I'll have comfortable
limousine for him. and you can go
with MIN. HAWK Cdn uiiNo ilic,
and"-he was laughing softly-"and
be my best man. I'll see that he
knows about 1t in time to
! Like a blind man, Hawkins was
/ groping his way toward the front
door. Married! They were to be mar
| ried tomorrow morning.
| He found himself on the street. He
hurried. Impulse drove him along.
He did not reason. His mind was a
| tortured thing. And yet he laughed
as he scurried around the corner.
laughed in an unhinged way. and
raised both hands above his head and
pounded at the air with his doubled
4 fists. They were to be married tomor-
4 row morning, and he-he was to be
\ best man. And as he laughed his once
ruddy, weather-beaten face was white
as a winding sheet, and in the whiteness
| there was stamped look that it was
good on no mans face to see.
| And then suddenly two great tears
rolled down his cheeks, opening the flood
gates Of his soul.
my little girl" he eobbed- 'Daddy's
little girl!'
And reason and a strange calmness
John Bruce" he said. He loves her,
too.''
! And in front Of Mrs. Hedges room
| ing house he climbed into the driver S
| seat OF the old travelling pawn-s shop.
| 1t didn't matter now how much
noise he made.
CHAPTER XXI.