Show aft its 0 U SYNOPSIS PS IS wad mad dan Malt If altland land on reaching hla his now york bachelor club met inet an u etive youns young woman at th the s door janitor ohagan him no one had been within that day dan discovered a worn wom WB finger punts ponts in dust duat on hin desk As alona na with a letter front from hla his attorney maitland Malt atla land nd dined with bannerman chiq attorney torn dun dan set act out tor for to iet acet aln family jewels during hla his walk to the country seat ho he raft met the youn young woman in gray whom he lied had sew seen loav eai ing ine hla his bachelors club her ter auto had broken d down own lie ile fixed it uy by a ruse rune the she lost loaf him maitland Malt land on reaching alom surprised lady in kray gray cracking that th sare glue containing his bis roma gems she apparently took him f for e r a well known crook daniel anasty isalt hy not izod Mi Milt land opened hta afe I 1 took t the jewelan and save v e them li ni to her first drat for forming n a ikirt art ine r s hi p in crime tile tho real dan an liiste lii sty sough bought t by pollen polle of tile the world all appeared ared on tile the aft name 0 ml 1 won aalon maitland Malt land overcame him lie ile met the girl outside the house houle and they 0 sped ed on to now york in her auto II 11 ta had i the h e jewels and he promised ef 1 d to ca a to meet him t that h at day 1 d a mr Bri snaith alth introducing himself an a detective to shield the girl in gray bray ma maitland Malt 1 hand land about to lo him the jewels supposedly lost loal wax was felled by a blow from analtha Sn altha cano cane the latter proved to in bo be anesty himself and lie a secured aured the frema anasty who was waa mal t lands dou apis blo as ag tile the latter tho the criminal leak kept ep alt lands with the birli in kray r ile ha rave gave tier her tile the bems kerns after ral matlins n in love vt at first sight they rhey were to meet anil and d divide vide the loot malt land revived and reg regretted retteA hl its engagement anasty masquerading ns na y matland narrowly avoided cap capture tu re thia through h mysterious tip the girl in gray visited maitland Malt land aparto rits during ills hl absence ah nce and returned gems being dis cove d on return maitland Malt land without cast allce u up p hla his home and hoard heard a we volf vol k anisey di ata lifland alHand I told her his il real WN realizing himself milf hl tanked tried to wan z from tier her tile lo callon or of th the brems T alien lien he proposed jl A erow fattah waa heard at I 1 alie ile front door malt iana started tor for home ile HB found anasty and nd the girl in hla his rooms agnan agnin tie lia overwhelmed the crook allowing lira him to escape to shield tile the young woman CHAPTER XI continued not quite maitland Malt land contradicted brusquely wearying ot of tho the complication you say any you mot mo on the stoop hero at what one nd ind yen yeh takes me to lunch at Hu eugenes genes ahl ah I 1 when did I 1 leave you 1 I leaves yen yeh there at two well Ol lagan will testify that tha t he loft left me in these rooms in dressing gown eown and Mip slippers dippers pers at about one at four he be found me on this divan bound and ragged gagged by courtesy of your friend mr anisey now when was waa I 1 with you in Il harlem arlem at seven to to tho the minute yen yeh comei never mind at to ten minutes to rw boven I 1 took it u cab fro from here to tho the primordial club where I 1 dined at seven precisely and more interposed the cahman cabman eagerly 1 I took yer year there air thank you furthermore sleuth you say bay that you followed me around town from seven until when 1 I 1 said stammered the he plainclothes man purple with contusion confusion no matter I 1 leave the primordial uvell a quarter th eleven but all this aside as I 1 understand it you are asserting that having given you all this athla trouble today to day and knowing that you were after me I 1 deliberately hopped into a cab 15 minutes ago caina cain up fifth avenue at such bre 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 purpose whatsoever beyond bringing you gentlemen about my ears IlIc keys jaw sagged the cabby a ostentatiously covered his mouth with a huge red paw and made choking noises pass it up sargo barge pass it up he be arse whispered hoarsely i shut yer trap snapped the de tec tive 1 I know what im I 1 TO doln dola this crooks clever all right but I 1 got the kibosh on him this time alone lie ile squared his shoulders blustering to savo save his face 1 I dont know why yen yeh done it then ill tell you maitland Malt land cut in cieply ci cis ply it if be good enough to listen and concisely narrated the events of the tha past 24 hours beginning at tile the moment when he had discovered anesly tn in mateland Malt Matt land manor save that he substituted himself tor for the zaan who had escaped from fliggins nun anu eliminated ellmina tid all mention of the gray girl his statement was exact and convincing vin cing As he came down to tho the moment when ho he had called up from the bartholdt Barthol dl and heard beard mysterious founds bounds in his flat substantiating his story by Indi indicative catine the receiver that dangled useless from the telephone even was staggered out but not beaten when maitland Malt land ceased speaking the detective smiled supe superiority priority to such invention very pretty he conceded yeh cn tell it all 6 to the magistrate tomorrow to morrow morning meantime gohll have time to think up a yarn yam explaining explain in how it come that a crook like anasty made three attempts in one day to steal some jewels nd get em where were they all this timer time in sate keeping maitland lied manfully with a furtive glance toward the alcove whose Wh oso pursued mr blicker truculently mine ne with equanimity serious ly sleuth aro are you try ng to make a cb charge ge against me of stealing my own e proper y v ayelt yeli done it it for a blind nd A 1 T Q t ra the tha detective stepped steppe d P orward forward and unlocked the handcuffs enough officer take this man to the station station ill make the complaint the policeman hesitated and at this juncture Ol lagan put in an appearance lugging a heavy brown paver paper bundle beg pardon mesther Alls ther maitland Malt land sor sorl l well ohagan Ol lagan L the crowd at the dure sor la Is desh persed the janitor reported report Pd A couple av cops fent kem dilong on an fanned em askin fat or the iwo av a cef yee with a careless relesa ta nod to the policeman 1 lie man and detective 1 4 cyb ich heard what I 1 said hickey an awer the officers look im chinkin th inkin chig in pursued calmly ignoring the presence of the outsiders P that these do be the soot that hat damned chafe ay av the stole stale oft off yo ye tile the day sor A load brought ut at ay eleven sor wid particular lay ray quest that ut bo be to yo ye at once the papers tore an Ol lagan RI maitland altland ordered sharply undo that parcel I 1 think I 1 can satisfy you now sleuth what kind of a suit did your luncheon acquaintance wear gray an hero ut Is Ol lagan announced noun ced arraying the clothing upon a chair wry ivry domn thing aven down to the socks and a note for yo ye sor eor As ho he shook 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 Malt land he read aloud As aa you will probably surmise my motive in thus restoring to you a portion ot 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 if not I 1 shall take pleasure in calling it the contrary I 1 shall feel that in justice to myself I 1 must forego the pleasure of improving an acquaintance begun under auspices so unfavorable in either case permit me to thank you for the use of your wardrobe which quaintly enough hag outlived its usefulness to me a tat fat headed detective named hickey hackey will tell you why and to extend to you expression 0 of my highest believe me I 1 am enviously yours daniel anisey signed added hickey mechanically his face working satisfied sleuth ny by way of reply but ungraciously the detective stepped forward and unlooked unlocked the handcuffs maitland Malt land stood erect smiling thank you very much sleuth I 1 shant forget you ohagan Ol lagan tossing the janitor the keys from his bis desk find some ah lemon pop and root beer in tle buffet this officer and his bis friends will no doubt join you in a friendly drink downstairs cabby I 1 want a word with you good morning gentlemen load good morning sleuth I 1 and he showed them the door 1 I shall bo be at your service officer le be called over ane janitors ja shoulder Bh at any aej time tomorrow morning mor ping it if not here 0 gaii will tell you where to find me and the janitor fell back keep them at least an hour maitland Mall lind told thim him guardedly and say nothing the irishman pledged his discretion by a silent look maitland Matt land turned back to the cabby you vou did mo me a good turn just now henegan he began dont mention jt sir air ive carried you hoften batten before this evenin and excuse my sayin so I 1 never ad a fare as aa tipped handsomer and somer its a real pleasure sir air to be of service thank you returned maitland Malt land eying him speculative in jn wise 1 I wonder the man was a rough burly englishman of one of the most intelligent it if not intellectual kind the british cabby us as a type has few superiors for sheer quickness of wit and understanding this machad man had been sharpened and tempered by his contact with american conditions ills his eyes were shrewd his face honest it if er beaten his attitude respectful ive another use for you tonight to night mateland Malt Matt land decided it you are at liberty and discreet the final word was a question flung over his shoulder as ho he turned toward the escrito escritoire lre yes sir air said the man thoughtfully 11 1 I allus can drive sir air even when im drinkin ardest and cant see sea no nothing think yes youve been drinking tonight mateland Malt Matt land smiled quietly standing at the small writing desk and extracting tr a roll of bills from a concealed drawer tin im fair blind sir air very well weli maitland Malt land turned and extended his hand and despite his professed affliction the cabrys eyes bulged as he appreciated the size of the bill my worrill he gasped stowing it away in the cavernous depths of a trousers pocket you will wait outside said malt mail land until I 1 come out or or send somebody for you to take wherever directed oh all right not another the door closed beham the overwhelmed nighthawk and the latch clicked loudly for a space maitland Malt laud stood la in the hallway troubled apprehensive hen sive heart strangely oppressed vision clouded by the memory of the girl as he haa seen her only a 4 few minutes since as she had bad stood beneath tho the chandelier utter after acting uron her primary clearheaded clear headed beaded impulse to give her react rescuer ier the aid of at the light ire he seemed to recall very clearly her slight fl figure gure swaying quiver aquiver a with fright and solicitude care for him ker her face sensitive and sweet beneath its ruddy crown of bair buir that of a 4 child waking from ovll evil dreams her eydi eyes seeking hla his with their dumb message of appeal and of lie HB dared not name what else forlorn pitiful little figure od odd d it seemed that he be should fear to face her again alone that he should linger reluctant to cross the threshold of hla his study mistrustful and afraid alike of himself and of ber hera a thief for what should he say to her ather than the words that voiced the hunger of his heart yet it if lie soko clohe words word a a fuch uc h a as a t those h as a to to a thief what would be ba the end of it all what did it matter surely he who knew the world wherein he be lived and moved and had his being knew bitter well the worth of its verdicts the world might go hang for or all ho he cared at least his life was hla his own whether to make or to mar and bo be had not to answer for it to any power this side of the kates gates of darkness and if by any act of ills hla the world should bo be given a man and a woman in exchange ige for a thief and an idler perhaps in the final reckoning his life might not be accounted altogether wasted I 1 he set back his shoulders and inspired deeply eyes lightening and stepped into the study resolved miss he called huskily and stopped reminded that not yet did he ha even know her name it Is safe now ho he amended more clearly and steadily to come out it if you will ire he heard beard no response the long gleaming folds of the portieres port leres eres hung in motionless oti onless still a sharp and staccato clatter of hoots that had rasen in the street might have drowned her voice it if you please he said again loudly tho the silence sang sibilant in his ears cars and he grew conscious of a sense of anxiety and fear stifling in its intensity at length striding forward with a swift gesture lie ha flung tho the hangings hannings hang ings aside CHAPTER XII on reconsideration gently but with decision sergt hickey sot set his face against the allurement of hla his wine cup cul and the importunities tuni ties of his fellow officers ile iio was he be affirmed with a weary nod the lateness of the hour rendered him quite indisposed for convivial dalliance even the sight of 0 agan seduction incarnated ed pd in tho the vestibule a bottle under either arm clutching a box of 0 cigars bealo jealously asly with both hands failed to move the th temperate soul nah he be waved temptation aside with a gesture of finality 1 I dont guess ill take tonight to night thanks all and wheeling shaped a course tor for broadway Dro adway the early morning air breached chill but grateful to his fevered brow oddly enough in view of the fact that he had bad indulged in no very violent exercise he found himself perspiring profusely I 1 fu sely now and again he saw fit to pause removing hla his hat bat ind and utilizing a large soiled bandana with grim abandon at such times his face would be up turned eyes trained stipon tile the dim in finites beyond the pale moon smitten sky and he would sigh profoundly not the furnace sigh of a lover thinking of his mistress but the heartfelt and moving sigh of the man of years mid 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 ills his yearning gaze from the heavens would struggle on with a funereal countenance as the outward and visible manifestation fe of a mind Jurd burdened ened with mundane concerns such as one might shrewdly surmise that autographed portrait of a deputy commissioner of police which the detectives lynx like eyes had discovered on malt lands land escritoire cri taire unhappily toward the close of their conference or possibly the mighty processes of departmental law with its attendant annoyances ot of charges preferred hearings bearings before an obviously prejudiced yet high principled martinet reprimands and rulings reductions in rank breaking transfers or yet a third possibility with the prevailing rato rate of wage as contrasted between detective and sidewalk and the cost of living as contrasted between Manhat manhattan tanon on the one hand and jamaica Bronx bronxville ville or st george staten island on the other A dimly lighted side entrance presently loomed invitingly in the ser keatts feu ants path ile he glanced up something surprised to find and himself on sixth avenue then pawed bowed with the fatigue of a busy day turned aside entering a dingy back room separated from the tar bar |