Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-10
CHAPTER XXI.
A SECRET LEAKS OUT.

marQuesa's direction.
Umberto looked up from
his place at the desk as Dtvitt spoke.
Gabreau, standing near the door, had
curiosity written on his countenance.
I'm through" remarked Juanlta.
I've brought back your spy ana I'm
! through"
She saw me looking in drawer"
the maruuesa remarked, holder in the
atmosphere of Divitts office. Il was
hunting some sleeping powders, but she
| grabbed me-"
i've seen things besides that" Jua-
nita interrupted. i've seen letter to
you in code Mr.. Divitt."
And that proves what?" asked
! Divitt.
"I've heard this woman make q tele-
phone call that ended in the robbery OF
a house we had been entertained in.
In fact every house we have been in
has been robbed except the Stanards
/ know that she Is connected with these
robberies and that you are behind her"
You are insane" said Divitt in low
voice. Dangerously so. The marquesa
may as well accuse you as you her"
II do accuse her" the marquesa SAID
suddenly.
why not?" Juanita asked. IT car
ried a stolen necklace to the one who
had lost it and so gained an entrance
! to her home.
| II opened the way for this woman
! into that home and others into which
your chief burglar"-with a glance at
Umberto-"has entered. Accuse me ii
you like, Mr.. Divitt. We will accuse
each other Perhaps the Police Court
will bring out the facts. In any case,
I'm through"
Divitt was looking at her
you're pretty brave now about po-
| lice courts, aren't you?" he said. You
weren't so brave when you FIRST got
| here. You've been running around,
showing your face and finding nobody
that recognized it until you feel safe
anywhere. -.
well, let me tell you the Police Court
would be safe as a mothers arms for
me In comparison with what it would
be for you. Further than that, you
know nothing about me, can prove
nothing. What you say is twaddle. But
I know everything about you"
Juanita's hand reached gropingly for
| the chair, found Gabreau's arm instead.
She Strengthened whitley, holding to
Gabreau's arm. You know nothing, -
she said.
Il know" said Divitt, that your
name is Beatriz Montega; that your
home is not in the Argentine, but in
Vera Cruz. know what happened on
the night Of February 10th and that
| you are now being hunted in every
country to which trains and vessels &C"
Not turning from her fixed eyes.
Divitt picked up paper knife lying on
the desk, held it out on his palm. "A
little blade, Senorita Montega q
slender little knife in a girls hand"
! A low cry cut across his words. He
smiled, looking down at her where she
| lay, white and crumpled, at his feet.
! Gabreau lifted her in his arms. bore
her along the balcony to her room.
April breeze moving in the court yard,
stirring Molly's flowers around the
| fountain, making a silky whisper among
| the palms. No other sound except the
faint tinFle of the water, the pad-pad
of Conehita's feet as she waddled back
| and forth between the kitchen and
Molly's room.
| Gabreau sat with Juanita. During
| the week that had passed since she had
burst, with the marqueSa, into Divttt's
| of1ce-had brought the marquesa in as
one might bring a sheep-marauding dog
/ back to its owner-5abreau had sat
often in the chair beside Juanita'S bed.
obeying her least word.
/ Fever had burned her at first and
there had been nights Of delirium, fol-
lowed at last by white lassitude when
/ 1t seemed she would drift out in the
i barque Of the great bed as mysteriously
as she had come. Conchita had nursed
her in those first days, but Conchita
was nursing Molly now.
| Somehow the par1ors were rocking
along without Molly and without Divitt,
| who seldom left Molly's side.
Fiji, the girl who had taken Juanita's
/ place, was gone also, after a dispute
with Divitt Fiji was rather rough in
| her Interpretation of Carmen. A
rougher element seemed to be entering
the parlors by way Of response.
| In some way the tidings Of Fits real
/ ism and departure had filtered in to
Molly. Molly wrote a tremulous note
/ TO Juanita asking her TO come back and
pass the cigarettes again. Also, would
| Juanita come in and see her?
Molly apparently had not been told
| that Juanita was in the house She had
given the note to Gabreau the day after
Juanita's return, asking him to get it
J TO Juanita somehow Gabreau had
known that it was useless to give il to
Juanita until today.
Today Juanita, reading the note
! coming back to earth with body spent
( and vision strangely clarified. OWNED
/ that Molly wished to draw her out Of
! the plight she was in. Molly had
known, but Molly had not been in &C
cord with that plight.
/ This knowledge was to Juanita like a
/ light shining family in a dark, chaotic
! world She resolved to go back to the
parlors tonight. II she could walk, and
4 to go to see Molly.
"Molly's got somep'n she want to tell