Evening star., 1936-06-21

hdppCiis Vi oSdieCiy hStOiHtiS " Witdt
Pepe was saying. and at that moment
the telephone rang. He started toward
it, stopped short and turned to Gull
lermito. You 60"
Less than a minute passed before
Guillermito was heard rafting the
crotchet furiously and crying out in an
agonized voice: moi Wait! Where?
Oh, waltz Then he came back, his
eyes starting out of his head. his face
drained of blood. ITS Paca." he
gasped. "Paca's car. 1t went into a
ditch at seventy miles an hour"
"Where?" roared Nadito.
They didn't say" breathed Gull
lermito in hoarse whisper. They
rang off. 1t was man speaking. a
voice never heard before"
''Paca! screamed Pepe like one
demented. "Paquita! Santiago the
road to Santiagor' lie dashed blindly
to the door. wrenched it open and went
stumbling down the steps.
Trent stared in bewilderment. Gull
lermito began to sob. Only Don Jaime
was calm. He glanced up at Nadito. a
wounded look in his kindly eyes.
That was a cruel trick, my son, a
trick the boy may never forgive"
1T worked, didn't it," said Nadito,
already on his way out Come along,
Trent! Well catch Pepe and take him
with u.s."
Guillermito. left behind. gulped and
almost strangled on the last of his
sobs. His eyes flew to the door and
back to Don Jaime's face. now family
smiling. What trick?" he demanded.
Isn't it true? Is Paca all right?"
Probably, said Don Jaime. "Nadito
went into the Presidente only ten
minutes ago to lay his trap. Doubtless
the voice you heard came from police
headquarters. Clever Nadito! doubt
if he could have done the acting him
self. BY fooling you. he made sure of
tricking Pepe."
Redstreak led the way down the
hall and turned into the room opposite
the one where Kathleen had smashed
the porcelain egg. In passing she
noticed the front door was ajar. He
motioned her to chair but did not sit
down himself; he stood waiting and
listening. Presently there was the
sound of Car skidding to halt and
then of excited murmuring voices. A
moment later Paca entered. accom-
panied by Antohico and Geromo.
Carinegro fingered in the rear. Paca
was walking slowly. as though doubt
ful of what she would find
Tony" she cried, her voice affect
ing pleased surprise while her brilliant
eyes leaped from Redstreak to Kath-
leen and back again.
Hello" said Tony coolly. why
are we all here? Spill it. Paca."
You ought to know. she answered
with an odd tensity.
She had discarded the rebozo, dis
closing beauty that struck Kathleen
with the force of blow Never had she
seen such pearly skin against hair so
black. The shape and carriage of the
girls head, the contour of cheek, neck
and breast, the sweeping line from
shoulder to trim little foot - each
struck note of perfection. How could
Tony face that flame and not be
scorched? Yet apparently it had no
effect on him.
Il won't play dumb" said Tony. 81
know what you're driving at, but l
can't see how this particularly ugly
situation fits into the picture"
What did Pepe promise you?"
He told me that if l d lend him the
key to the fnca and forget about it a
miracle would happen. Order would
spring out of chaos. The sun of pros
perity would rise and never set"
"Well?" said Paca. You loaned
him the key, didn't you?"
Yes" said Tony with first flash