Show 31 A 1 IL 0 01 1140 1 1007 THIL BODEL 5 mis Q SYNOPSIS mad dan maitland on reaching his bew new york bachelor club met an attract tl ti e young soung woman at the door jan tor ter 0 hagan assured him no one had been ditl in that day dan d sc a worn wom an s finger prints in dust on his des i along with mith a letter from his attorney matland ma hand dined with bannerman his at torne dan dail set out for greenfields to get his family jewels maitland on read ing home surprised lady in gray cr ackin the sate safe con contadini taini nl g his gems SI 81 e apparently took hin tor for a well known n crook daniel anasty half hyp noticed maitland opened I 1 Is safe took tl tf erstrom aref rom tl e jewels and ga e tl em to her first formin a partnership in cr me the real dan an sty sought by police of the appeared ma ala land overcame h m lie ile and the g rl went nent to new ew york in I 1 ter er auto he ile had the jewels S e was to meet him tl at day A mr snaith introduced I 1 n self as a detec tl ti e 10 sh eld tl e girl in gray maitland about to show him tl e je els suppose I 1 y lost jost was nag felled ba b a blow from s cane the latter proved to b be e anasty himself and he becu ed the gen s kanisty who was wag Alati ma fiand ands s double masqueraded as the latter tl TI e r minal kept malt lands land s engagement with the he girl in gray he gave her the gems the girl in gray Matt maitland lands s apartments d ring his absence and ret arned gems Matt lard ditl out casi cal called p h s home and heard a wo konans nans vo e expostulating anasty d agu sed as maitland tried to ring from 1 er the location of tl ti e gems A crash was heard at tl e front door malalan nl 1 overwhelmed tie tle crook allow ing hi bi i to es pe to shield the 1 oung woman fhe he g rl in gray made her es cape J m aping ping into a cab an instant later I 1 ty y arki g a ruse anasty was at her aide side he ile tool too I 1 er to attorney ban nerman s office tl TI ere by torture he tred in vain to wring from her the loca tio i of the gems he left her a moment and she phoned 0 hagan only getting in the words m tell mr maitland andr the brass bowl the hiding place in the lat ter s rooms when an sty heard her W wo 0 ds bannerman also was revealed s a crook he ile and anisto set 0 t to secure tl e gems and leave town the g rl was wag still imprisoned imar maitland AT finding the eirl girl gone se archel his rooms and unearthed the je pis under the brass honl he struck anist s trail in a big office bu id ing CHAPTER XV continued maitland yielding the initiative to the other s superior general sh p stood sentinel re volNer in hand until the detective returned overheated avei heated and sweating aiom his tour to leport bothin doin doln with characteristic brevity lie ile had the same report to mal e on both the eth and awen ty first floors where the same pro ced aie was ol 01 arved b it as the latter was reached unexpected and very wel vel come reinforcements were gained by b the arrival of a th rd car conta contat lulng nin three I patrolmen and one yet numbers created delay hicke hickey was seized and compelled to pant ex plantations pla nations to his supreme disgust and suddenly impatient beyond en durance A a aland left them and alone up the stairs that this was simple foolhardiness may be granted without d 13 it it in be borne in mind that he was very nery young and ardent very greatly on behalf of an actor in the tragedy in whom the police to to their then knovIe knowledge dge had no interest whatsoever eier and it if in the I 1 eat of chase he hid had for an instant forgotten her bernow now I 1 e i remembered and at once the e of an sty was relegated to the status of a matter of secondary importance the real matter at stake was vas the safety ot of the girl whom anasty b exercise of an infernal in that passed maytland Malt Mait land lands s corn com had managed to spirit into this place of death and darkness and whispering ha Is where she in be in what degree of suffering and danger these were the considerations that sent hm in search of har her without a thought of personal peril but u with ith a hicl heart and overwhelmed ed with a stifling sense of anxiety more afore acthen than the paunch bur bened detective he hid had sprinted down and back through the hallwas of the tv tm enty second floii without d scover ing antl ing eie the police contingent had reached an agi cement and the st there remained two moi moie e floors tv two 0 final flights A little hopelessly he swung up the first and as he di I 1 so the blackness above him was riven by a tong bongie ie of fire and a bullet singing past his head flattened itself with a felons spat against the marble dalo of the walls instinctively he pulled up tip finger closing upon the trigger of his revolver flash and delort fol loved lowed the motion and a panel 0 ot 1 ribbed glass in a door ovel overhead head was splintered and fell in clashing frag ments all but drowning the so nd ad of feet in flight upon the upper staircase A clamor of caution warning en coura gement and advice broke out from the police below but maitland hat baldly adly heard already I 1 ie e N was as again in pursuit taking the steps two at a leap with a band hand upon the newel I 1 ost he swung ro md ind on the twenty third floor and I 1 himself tov lowarl ar I 1 the toot foot of the last flight A crash like a rifle shot rang oit ait aboe abone ind for a second he fancied that an sty had fired again and with a heavier weapon but immediately he realized reali that the noise had been only the slam ming of the door at the head of the stairs the door whose glazed pinel panel loomed above him shedding a diffused light to guide Ms bis foot its opals cent surface lettered with the name of HENRY at attorney counselor at law the door or the office whose threshold he had en au often crossed tip tr meet a friend and adviser it was with a shock that he comprehended this a thrill i bonder he ile had all but tor for gotten that bannerman owned in in of flee fice in the building in the rush the vo I 1 4 dearest he sa sad d gently please don t run away from me aga a n urge of this wild adventure otrange that anasty should have chosed it tor for th the L scene of h s last list stand strange and strangely fatal for the criminal for maitland anew 1 new that from jhb erie eerie there was no means of escape other than by the stairs vell ivell and good hen they had the man and the thoi tho thought ight lit was flashing in jn his mind illumining the dail dall ne nes of h s despair with the hope that he would be able to force a word nord as to the girl s whereabouts from the burglar ere the police andied alrh ed maitland Malt lands s foot was on the upper step when a scream of mortal hei liei voice broke from within halt maddened he chiew him spit self bodily against tho door tw sting the knob with frantic fingers that slipped upon its immovable polished surface the bolt had bad been shot he was barred out and with only the width of a man mans s hand between them the girl was in deathly peril and terror V X sob that was at the same time an oata rose to his lips raffled baffled helpless he tell fell back tears of rage starting to h s eyes her accents ringing in hia his ears as terribly litif I 1 as the cry of a lost and wandering soul god he mumbled is ind and in desperation sent the pistol butt crashing against the glass it was tough stubborn the first blow scarce ly faed it As Ns he redoubled his ef forts to shatter it hickey s hand shot over his shoulder to aid him and with startling abruptness the birr barr er seemed to dissolve beffie their ees ekes the glass falling inlaid with mith a sl nil rill clatter qua antly w anith ith he the effect of a pic pie t re cat by a cinematograph in a dar lenel auditorium there leaped ua on TU mi tui i aland s f feld eld of V ision the pic ture of anasty stand ng at baa ba face drawn and tense lips coiled bad eyes lurid with defiance and despair he stood I 1 loused upon the balls of 1 I 1 is feet like a cat eat ready to spring sprin in the between the inner and outer offices he ile raised his hand with ith an indexer bably swift and vicious gesture and a flame seen ed to blaze out from his fingertips at the same instant hickey s weapon pat spat by Mait maitland lands s cheek the young man felt the hot furnace breath of it the burglar reeled as though from a tre mendo is blow his inflamed tea fea buies were suddenly whitened and his right arm dropped limply aiom the sho i 1 der revolver falling from fingers iii anol vol inta rily relaxing hid ey covered hm h m surrender he roared and fired again for anasty had gone to his knees reach ing tor for the ieN ie olver with his aured arm the detective s second bullet N w hinged through the doorway over anasty s head and bit through the otter iter win dow As aresty with a tremendous strain upon his falang fall ng powers aled to his feet maitland catching the murderous gleam in the mans eye pulled trigger the burglars answer ing shot expended itself as harm essly as maitland s both went wide of their marks and nd of a sudden hickey had drawn the bolt and the body of police pollee be lk hind forced maitland pell mell into the room Ashe As he reco recovered be saw bici y vl hulling hui ling himself at the criminal criminals s throat one second too late true to ifs Is I 1 ledge never to be taken alive anasty had sent his last bullet crashing through his own skull A cry of horror and consternation forced itself from maitland s throat tha the police halted each where he stood transfixed anasty drew him self up with a trace of pride in bis is pose sm led horribly put a hand mechanically to his ups lips and died hid hicl ey caunt him as he fell but maitland unheeding leaped oer oner the body thu had in life re resembled ambled him so fatally and entered Banner bannerman mans private office the gray girl lay at length in a corner of the room shielded shield cd from ob by one of the desks her eyes were mere closed her cheel s wore the hue of death the fair oung head was pillowed on one white and rounded forearm in an attitude of natural rest ai 1 I the burnished hair its heavy coll sl aping from their fasten digs turn tum bled over 01 er her head and shoulders in sh amering glory like a splash of liv ing in flame W th a low ind and bitter cry the young men dropped to his knees by her side in the outer office the police were as in excited conclave blind to ill all sae sane the momentous tact fact of anist s list sui sul remel consistent act I 1 for the time ma matland fiand mas n as itterly i alon m with ali his gi gleat eat and ach ng lone liness after a ittle 1 atle while timidly he touched her hand it lav lay wh te slender fingers like exotic petals cu ling in apon aie the rosy hollow of her I 1 aim alin and nd it was soft and warm he ile lifted it tend tenderly irly in both I 1 is own and so u held it for a space brood ing laiveling mai eling at its perfection and inevitably he bent ind and touched touched it with lis 1 is lips is it if their ardent contact would warm it to sentience the fingers tightened upon h b s own slowly s irely and in the blind ng joy of tl at moment I 1 e was made con clo is 0 on fv the instable ine Table sweetness of 01 opening ening wonder ng eyes CHAPTER chantip XVI recess onal hin brumm thus hickey the inopportunely ubiquity ubi quito is lumbering hastily ii aloin the other office ind and checking in an extreme of embarrass ment in the middle of the floor haitian I 1 glanced over his shoulder and subduing a desire to flay the man alive released the girls girl s hand I 1 sa hicke he observed care fully suppressing every vestige of emotion will you lend me a hand herec bring a chair please and a glass of water the detect detective lie st stumbled ambled over his feet and brought the chair at the risk of his neck then he went away and returned with the water in the meantime the girl silently enough tor for all that her eyes were speaking with mith maitland s assistance arose and seated herself you will have to stay here hen a few minutes he told her until er I 1 understand she told him in a choking tone hickey awl handed her the glass she sli sil ped mechanically I 1 have a cab below continued maitland Malt laud and III tra tr to arrange it so that we can get out of the build ing without having to torce force a way through the crowd she thanked him with a glance there s th fre re elevator sug 9 asted hickey helpfully athani ou on Is there any thing I 1 can do tor for yoi 0 i anything you wish continued maitland to the girl stand ng between her and the detec tive she lifted her face to his and shook her head ver ner gently no she breathed through trembling hi III s you 3 ou on ve been but there w m as a sob in her throat and she hung her I 1 ead again not a word ordered maitland Malt land sit here or a few minutes if you can drink the water and ah fix up tip N voul out hat you know damn hickeyn hy the devil did the fellow fellow insist on hanging round so and I 1 will go and make arrangements arrange monts th thank ou whispered the small voice ily fly maitland Malt land hesitated a moment then guined upon hid ey in sudden exas aeration pe ration his manner was mas enough even the obtuse detective could not ignore it maitland Malt land had no need to speak I 1 in sorry sir he said standing his ground manfully but with a trace more of respect in his manner than had theretofore characterized it but there s uh gentleman uh your fren bannerman Banner mans s outside nd wants tub speak tub yeh tell him to excuse me he ile says he hes s gottuk see yeh it yeh don t come 0 it hell he 11 come after yeh jeh I 1 thought yeh d hither tuther that s kindly thought of malt land relented be there in a min tite ute he added hid hicl ey took an impassive face to the doorway where whether or not with design he stood precise upon the tl I 1 erhold fill ng it with his burly shoulders maitland ala Malt land bent again over the girl and tool her hand dearest he said gently please don t run away from me again her ea ees es were brimming and he read his answer in them quid ly it was no time to harry her emotions further but so much he had felt he mist m a he brushed her hand with his lips and joined hickey thrust ing the detective gentie into the 0 iter loom with a not unfriendly hand upon his shoulder maitland closed the door now ow see here he said qu etly and firmly jou ou must help me arrange to get this lady away without her becom ing identified nith the case hickey I 1 ra in a I 1 position to say a good word for you jn in the right place she I 1 ad positively nothing to do with anasty this so tar far as he could tell was as black a lie ile as he had ever aured under ish lash 1 of necessity and there s a wad mad in it tor for the boys who help me out well ivell the detective detec the tiNe shift ed flom one foot to the other eing him intently I 1 g less we e cin can fix it freight elevator nd side entrance yen yeh hae haw the cab baitin nd go with the lady aou ou under stand and assume all responsibility you can come ro ind at your con ven sentence veni tence ence and arrange the details with me iq at my i looms since 0 i will bo be so kind TO BP BF CONTINUED |