San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-23
Begin Here Today.

Sallie Peck, employe of the Fair
Deal Five and Ten, quarrels with her
policeman sweetheart, Michael Curtis
That night Sallie goes into the yard
to take down a washing for Ma Bren-
nan, with whom Sallie lives. A crash
shakes the earth and something strikes
Sallie a blow on the head.
When she regains consciousness, the
girl finds herself in strange surround
ings. A French maid calls her Ava
Copeland and Madame Copeland.
tall, richly gownew woman. claims her
as her step-daughter. Sallies discovers
that she has fallen into the hands OF
crooks who are substituting her for
the real Alva Copeland.
A man-servant falls in love with
Sallie and helps her escape but takes
her TO a den of thieves. She is tied
in the cellar of the house, but man
ages TO loosen the cords. Now 60 on
with the story.
The renewed rush of blood through the
compressed veins was torture but she
rubbed her wrists vigorously and then
set to work to loosen the bonds about
her ankles. This took longer but at
length it was accomplished and sne
rose somewhat shakily to her feet.
Surely there must be water some
where! There was constant drip
drip which could not be from damp
ness alone and Sallie tottered about
until she came to faucet which Jut-
ted out over a fairly clean bucket. a
thin stream of clear cool water flowed
when she turned it and pausing only
to rinse the bucket once she filled 1t
third full and hurried back to the
other girl.
Raising her head she permitted her
to drink as deeply as she would and
then when she fell back gasping with
relief Sallic gently bathed her face and
swollen wrists with the remainder of
the water. -.
"How long have you been here!"
she demanded, indignant at the girls
condition.
IL cannot know. Weeks, ]
think" the other sighed. DAY and
night is the same, and until now the
loneliness-and the Dreams"
weakly and Sallie smoothed her hair
until the first hysteria had passed and
then asked:
But why are they keeping you
here?"
Because I cannot tell them where
the diamonds are"
"What-t." Sallie jumped as If one
of the rats scurrying SO near had
bitten her. 'They don't try to call
you Diamond Bess'. too. do they"
THE man did. The man who found
me in the small town where / left the
motor after running away from the
wreck"
There was no surprise in the girls
apathetic tones but Sallie exclaimed !:
This is coming too fast for me !!
You don't mean a train wreck! A
train called the Gotham Arrow"
Eyes. My hair was like yours but
/ had it made black to avoid this man,
and l hid myself in pension-a
boarding house-in New York till my
my fiance could come and take me
away. The man followed me even
there, and / wrote to my fiance to
come quickly for me. When / went
out to mail the letter there stood a
sedan by the post box. and IA lady,
quite elderly, stepped from it in great
distress and asked me if l would help
her. that her sister had been taken
suddenly i'll beside her there in the
car. Thinking no harm | entered, with
my letter still in my hand, when the
woman pushed me roughly forward,
crowded in after me, the door was
slammed and we drove off. So they
brought me here. May I-oh, may
have Just little water?"
| Sallie's thoughts were in chaos when
she brought it, and after the girl had
drunk she set to work to upfasten the
knots which bound her wrists and
ankles also.
you aresso good J" the other sighed
"There can be no escape for US oil
course. but this respite is like
heaven!
Don't you worry! Well get out
all right" Sallie spoke with conf
dence she was far from feeling. do
these crooks know who you are?'
| mo. and they never shall." tn.
girl exclaimed. MY letter which