San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-11-15
Continued from Page 10)

her as though she were upon bed
of Goals. She moaned, but the will
to raise herself was wanting. Life
held nothing.
The thought of the devil oc-
Cured to her. 1t was a thin ray
of hope.
ooh, Satanp
She spoke within herself. She
was becoming numb and death
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. The
hazy moonlight, like a luminous
semi-substance rising from an
alchemist's crucible, dwelt upon
the steep-pitched roofs of thatch.
A cat, black as the ace of spades,
took its sinuous way from shut
terless garnet window. Its fixed
and lambert eyes were baleful as
those of a basilisk. A step sound
ed. In the foll and obscure lane,
deserted partly through fear of the
witch-night, someone was APP
preaching.
A tallish figure, dark as the
murk that filled the cleft between
the houses, TOOK form and pres
ence. A black cloak fell to the
heels;a black hood, cut to long,
down-dangling, fantastic point like
a monkeys tail, Swallowed the face.
Coming to where the girl lay on
her side, the figure paused. 1t
stopped, seeming to examine her.
Then lifted her with apparent ease.
"Ohw Sidonia uttered a faint
sound.
"Poor cold, little ANIMAL" said
a deep and richly modulated voice
"a mans voice. "WeIl soon see
whether you're worth warming"
They turned aside from the
lane, passing under an arch. Be-
yond was court or yard, with the
superstructure of well rising like
a little gallows in the midst. Past
the well went the tall man in
black, and on, and down a flight
of steps and through heavy half
open door into a red glow of light.
Sidonia, becoming aware that life,
not death, was claiming her, had
flung hot arms about her. She was
warm heavenly warm. Flame
red beaS through her closed eye
lids. She lifted them and looked
straight into the flames of a great
fire. 1t blazed on a stone hearth
and suspended pot dubbed, Civ
ing out the fragrance of simmer
ing meat and onions. A cup was
set to the girls lips an she drank
a quantity of hot, spiced wine.
The fire caressed her without and
the liquid within. She turned her
head to discover where she was.
A big, low-vaulted room, with
orch-blackened walls and roof.
Tables, benches, filthy trodden
straw upon the floor, number of
people, and beside her, supporting
her, a young woman, whose loose
auburn hai~ was chapleted with
silver tinsel flowers. Opposite
stood black-cloaked and hooded
man wearing black mask.
"Where am II" she asked, draw
ing away from the Authenticated
young woman and sitting up
straight upon the wooden stool.
"This is the Thieves Kitchen"
Oh! Now Sidonia knew. The
cellar-tavern that went by that
name was not thirty steps from
her own refuge. It was rendez-
vous of lost women, pickpockets,
players and sons of Cam.
A place of brawls, knife fights and
crude laughter. She had often
wished TO enter it..
The masked man spoke.
at think you were worth thaw-
ing out-or you will be. What is
your name?"
The deep and rich voice of him
carried power like clenched fist
resting upon the arm of throne.
"Sidonia, sir.
The au5urn-haired young wo-
man made feline, forward move
ment.
T know her-I've seen her.
She's Lame Lisa's daughter. You
shan't pick a dirty little animal
like that out of the gutter and put
her before me! You shan't. I'll
spoil her! I'll show you"
She had flung out her two hand,
palm upward, the fingers incurred
like claws. Her voice rose, shrill.
Her fury had come as suddenly as