| Show S I 1 ley boses 4 1111 11 1 1 COPYRIGHT boria li vat y SYNOPSIS mad dan maitland on reaching rea read cling ing h s new yolk bachelor club met an attract five young v oman noman at t e door jan tor 0 hagin hagn assured hin h m no one had been w thin that day dan d sc a worn wom a an n s finger p ints in dust on h a desk al along ong w tl a letter from h a attorney maitland deed bannerman his at torn torney dan set out tor for greenfields to get V I 1 h tan fan ly jewels during his walk to the country seat he met the young woman in gray whom he had bad seen leav ing his ba delors cl el b her auto had brol en do n he fixed it by a ruse she lost hin maitland on reaching home ed lady in grav cracking the sate safe contain ng his gems she apparently took him for a well known rook daniel an sty halt half hypnotized maitland opened his safe took the jewels and ga e them to her first forming a part in cr me the real dan an sty sought by police of the world appeared on the same ame amrin mr m aslon In maitland overcame him he met the g rl cuts outs de the house and they sped on to new york in her au t to 0 he ile had the jewels and she promised t to 0 meet him that day maitland received a mr snaith introducing h myself as a detective to sh eld the g rl in gray maitland about to show I 1 in the jew jev els supposedly lost was felled by a blow from snaith s cane the latter proved to be ai asty himself and he secured the gems annety who was maitland Malt lands s dou ble maquera masqueraded ded as the latter the criminal kept maitland s engagement with the girl in gray he gave her the gems after falling in love at first s they were to meet and divide the loot malt matt land re ived and regretted missing h a engagement anasty masqueray masque rad ng as AI t land narrowly narrow avoided capture th ough gh mysterious tip the girl in ariy aisted vis ted Mait maitland lands s apartments d ring I 1 sr s absence and returned gems bein dis covered on return maitland without cash called up his home and heard a woman s voice expostulating an sty sed as maitland told her his real identity and ancl realizing himself tricked tried to wring from her the location of the gems then he proposed marriage A crash vas heard at the front door malt land started tor for home he found anasty and tl e girl in his rooms again he over whelmed nhe 1 med the crook allowing him to es cape to shield the young woman CHAPTER XI cont continued aued not quite maitland contradicted brusquely wearying of the com tion you say you met me on the stoop here at what one nd yeh takes me to lunch at eugene eugenes s ah ali when did I 1 leave oua ou I 1 leaves yeh there at two well nell 0 hagan will testify that he left me in these rooms in dressing gown and slippers at about one at four he found me on this blyan bound and gagged by courtesy of your friend mr anasty now when was I 1 with you in harlema at seven 0 clock to the minute yeh comes never neier mind at ten minutes to seven I 1 took a cab from here to the primordial club where I 1 dined at se seren mn precisely and what s more interposed the c ban eagerly I 1 took yer there fir thank you furthermore sleuth you say that you followed me around town from seven 0 clock until when I 1 sa d stammered the plain clothes man purple with contusion confusion no matter I 1 didn dian t leave the primordial until a quarter to eleven but all this aside as I 1 understand it you are asserting that having given you all this trouble today to day and know ing that iou were after me I 1 beliber abely hopped into a cab 15 minutes ago came up fifth avenue at such breakneck speed that this officer thought it was a runaway and finally jumped out and ran upstairs here to fire a revolver three times for no pur pose whatsoever beyond bringing you gentlemen about my earsa hickey s jaw sagged the cabby os covered his mouth with a huge red paw and made choking noises pass it up sarge pass it up he whispered hoarsely shut yer trap snapped the de teethe e I 1 know what I 1 in doln this croo crooks k s clever all right but I 1 got the kibosh on him th s time lemme alone he squared his shoulders blustering to save his face I 1 don t know wh yeh done it then III tell 5 iou ou maitland cut in c imply if you 11 be good enough to listen and concisely narrated the events ants of the past 24 hours beginning at the moment when he had dincov ered anasty in maitland manor save that he substituted himself for the man who bad had escaped from higgins and eliminated all mention the gray girl his statement was exact and con evincing As he came down to the mo me ment when he had called up from the bartholdi bartholdt and heard mysterious sounds in his flat substantiating atma his story by indicating the receiver that dangled useless from the telephone even hickey was staggered but not beaten when maitland ceased speaking the detective smiled superiority to such invention very pretty he conceded yeh e en n tell it all to the magistrate to morrow morn ing meantime yeh 11 have time to think up a yarn explaining in how it come that a crook like anasty made three attempts in one day to steal some jewels nd t get em where were they all this time in safe safekeeping keeping maitland lied manfully with a furtive glance toward the alcove pursued mr mir hickey true mine with equanimity ly sleuth are you trying to make a charge against me of stealing my own proper ra yell yeb done it for a blind nd that s I 1 0 0 16 0 the detective stepped forward and unlocked the handcuffs enough officer take this man to the station III make the complaint the policeman hesitated and at this juncture 0 hagan put in an appear avea lugging a heavy brown paper bundle beg pardon listher maitland Malt land sor i well 0 hagan the crowd at the dure sor is dish persed the janitor reported A couple av cops kem along an fanned em they re askin for the two av with a careless nod to the po diceman and detective yeh heard what I 1 said hickey an sv ered the officer s look I 1 in chinkin 0 hagan pursued calmly ignoring the presence of the outsiders these do be the soot thit th it damned chafe av the stole off ye the dal da sor A la Is ad brought ut at ay eleven 0 clock sor wid bartic ular ray quest ut be day livered to ye at once the papers tore an 0 hagan maitland Malt land ordered sharp ly undo that parcel I 1 think I 1 can satisfy you now sleuth what kind of a suit d d bour our luncheon acquaintance weara gray an here ut Is 0 hagan an bounced arraying the clothing upon a chair ivry iv ry domn thing aven down to the socks and a note for 3 e sor As he out the folds of the coat a square white envelope dropped to the floor the janitor retrieved and offered it to his employer dear mr maitland he read aloud As you will probably sur mise my motive in thus restoring to you a I 1 of your property is not altogether uninfluenced by personal and selfish considerations in brief I 1 wish to discover whether or not you are to be at home tonight it not I 1 shall take pleasure in calling if the contrary I 1 shall feel that in justice to myself I 1 must forego the pleasure of improving an acquaintance begun un der auspices so unfavorable in either case permit me to thank you tor for the use of your wardrobe which quaintly enough has outlived its usefulness to me a fatheaded fat headed detective named hid hicl ey will tell ou why and to ex tend to you expression of my highest consideration believe me I 1 am en yours daniel anasty signed added hickey mechanically his face working satisfied sleuth by way of reply but ungraciously the detective stepped forward and un locked the handcuffs maitland stood erect smiling thank you very much sleuth I 1 shan shant t forget you 0 hagan tossing the janitor the keys from his desk bouli you II 11 find some ah lemon pop and root beer in tle buffet this officer and his friends will no doubt join you in a friendly drink down stairs cabby I 1 want a word with you good morning gentle men good morning sleuth and he showed them the door I 1 shall be at your service officer he called over toe janitors shoulder at any time to tomorrow morrow morning it if not here 0 hagan will tell you where to find me and 0 hagan the janitor fell back keep them at least an hour maitland Malt land told him guardedly and say nothing the irishman aldge pledged d his discretion by a silent look maitland turned back to the cabby you did me a good turn just now he began dont dent mention it sir ive carried you hoften before this evenin and ex cuse my sayin so I 1 never ad a fare as tipped handsomer and somer it s a real pleas ure sir to be of service thank you returned maitland Malt land ebing 05 ing him in speculative wise I 1 v onder the man was a rough burly engi engl sh man of one of the most intelligent it if not intellectual kind the british cab by as a type has few superiors for sheer quickness of wit and under standing this man had been sharp ened and tempered by his contact with american conditions hia ills eyes were shrewd his face honest it if er beaten his attitude respectful I 1 ve another use for you tonight to night maitland decided it if you are at lib erty and discreet 9 the final word was a question flung over his der as he turned toward the escrito escritoire lre yes sir said the man thought fully I 1 allus can drive sir even when I 1 in drinkin ardest and can t see nothing yes yesa youve been drinking tonight maitland Malt land smiled quietly stand ing at the small writing desk and ex tr acting a roll of bills from a con cealey drawer I 1 in fair blind sir very well maitland Malt land turned and extended his hand and despite his professed affliction the cabby s eyes bulged as he appreciated the size of the bill my forrd he gasped stowing it away in the cavernous depths of a trousers pocket yuu will wait outside said malt land antil I 1 come out or or send somebody for you to take wherever directed oh that s all right not an other word the door closed behind the over whelmed nighthawk and the latch clicked loudly for a space maitland Malt land stood in the hallway troubled ampre heart strangely oppressed vision clouded by the memory of the girl as he had seen her only a few minutes since as she had stood be neath death the chandelier after acting upon her primary clearheaded clear headed impulse to give her rescuer the at aid of the light he ile seemed to recall very clearly her slight figure swaying a quiver with fright and solicitude care tor for him her ker face sensitive and sweet beneath its ruddy crown of hair that of a child waking from evil dreams her eves seeking his with their dumb mes sage of appeal and of he ile dared not name what else forlorn pitiful little figure odd it seemed that he shoula fear to face her again alone that he should linger re to cross the threshold of his study mistrustful and afield alike of himself and ol 01 her a thief for what should he say to her other than the words that voiced the hunger of his hearte yet if he spoke words such as those to to a thief what would be the end of it alla what did it matter surely he who knew the world wherein he bied and moved and had his being knew bitter well the worth of its verd acts the world might go hang for all he cared at least his life was his own whether to make or to mar and he had not to answer for it to any power this side of the gates of darkness and it if by any act of his the world should be given a man and a woman in for a thief and an idler per haps in the final reckoning his life might not be accounted altogether wasted he set back his shoulders and in deeply eyes lightening and stepped into the study resolved miss he called huskily and stopped reminded that not yet did he even know her name it is safe now he amended more clearly and steadily to come out it ou will he ile heard no response the long gleaming folds of the port portieres leres hung motionless lebs still a sharp sh arp and staccato clatter of hoots hoofs that had risen in the street might have drowned her voice it if you please 9 he said again loudly the silence sang sibilant in bis his ears and he grew conscious of a sense of anxiety and fear stifling in its intensity at length striding forward with a swift gesture he flung the hangings aside CHAPTER XII on reconsideration gently but with decision sergt hickey set his face against the allure ment of his wine cup and the imbor tuni tunit ties les of his fellow officers he was tired he affirmed with a weary nod the lateness of the hour rendered him quite indisposed tor for con vivial dalliance even the sight ot of 0 hagan seduction incarnated in the vestibule a bottle under either arm clutching a box ot of cigars jealously with both hands failed to move the temperate soul nab nah he waved temptation aside with a gesture of finality I 1 don t guess take bothin to night thanks G night all and wheeling shaped a course for broadway Dro adway the early morning air breathed chill but grateful to his fevered brow odd ly enough in view of the fact that he had indulged in no very violent exer else he found himself perspiring pro fuseley now and again he saw fit to pause removing his hat and utilizing a large soiled bandana with grim abandon at such times his face would be up turned eyes trained upon the dim in finites beyond the pale moon smitten sky and he would sigh profoundly not the furnace sigh of a lover think ing of his mistress but the heartfelt and moving sigh of the man of years and cares who has drunk deep of that cup of bitterness called unappreciated genius then tucking the clammy bandana into a hip pocket and withdrawing his ve arning gaze from the heavens would struggle on with a funereal counte nance as the outward and visible mani mant fest atlon of a mind burdened with mundane concerns such as one might shrewdly surmise that autographed portrait of a deputy commis stoner of police which the detective detectives lynx like eyes had dis discovered covered on malt matt land s escritoire escrito lre unhappily toward the close of their conference or pos sibly the mighty processes of depart mental law with its attendant annoy ances auces of charges preferred hearings before an obviously prejudiced et high principled martinet reprimands and rulings reductions in rank breaking transfers or yet a third possibility with the prevailing rate of wage as contrasted between detec tive and sidewalk and the cost of living as contrasted between manhattan on the one hand and ja malca bronxville Bronx ville or st george sta ten island on the other A dimly lighted side entrance pree pres antly loomed invitingly in the ser geant s path he glanced up some thing surprised to find himself on sixth avenue then bowed with the th fatigue of a busy day turned aside entering a dingy back room separated from the bar proper at that illicit hour by a curtain of green baize balze A number of tables whose sloppy lint tation rosewood tops shone dimly in fix the murky gaslight were set about here and there for the accommodation of a herd of sleepy eyed case hardened into a vacant chair beside one ot of these the detective dropped and famil barly requested the lantern jawed waiter who presently bustled to his 1 side to back up a tub of suds george nah in response to a concerns con concerned cerne d query I 1 ain t beelin up to much tonight to night TO BE CONTINUED |
