Show 4 A 0 springing to his feet he drew his hl revolver PICTURES L V W BS TW Z vajo co 19 amt CO SYNOPSIS mild dan htattland on reaching ilia his new york ba cholor club met an all attract woman at the door janitor janito Ol lagan assured him no ono one had been within that day dnn discovered a wom ann finger finder prints in dust on his desk along alone with u letter from lilu its attorney bakland lined dined with hid 1118 attorney it dan set net out for toi t got bet I 1 alla I 1 18 t amaly m t I 1 y J lelela e w 1 n maitland Malt land on deac reaching hing I 1 home i 0 m e a surprised u r p rl e e d lady in kray gray tile the safe ill hla a rema rem she bh apparently took toik him for a well known crook dahll anasty ilala hyp maitland altland ll opened ened hl his safe bate took the jewe jegela n nd pave gave them to her first forming a in crime tile the real dan an anis rought by police of the lie world appear IMatt Mu liland land overcame over dime hint llo ile and tile girt went to new york la in tier her auto lie ile led had the jewels she iva ann to meet hlin him that day A mr introduced himself as a a detection to shield the girl in gray martland Malt Matt tand land about to how allow him tile lie je jenets vets supposedly aup toot doali wa was oiled felled by it a blow from cane the tha latter provard d to be ba anisey himself lilma elt and am hn he s the kema gems anasty who was waa double d ka an the latter tile the cr minal kept blatt lands with the girl in gray I 1 ie nave r t alir lit kerns geins the girl in gray bray v a apartments part ments during his hl absence and gems maytland Malt land IvI cash called up tip hla his honi und ana heard a wor nans volee voice postulate tg A Atil listy sty as ail Malt lond trim to ring fr from 0 in h hir hi e r tho the location of tile the gems A cruski was ward bt at tile front door Malt Malti laiK and kinrd the crook allowing hint to cabio A ope to shilie the young woman girl lil in kray gray made ler her 1 e ri rape cape jumping into a rub cab an ina instant t aal lawr by working a ruse ruo anesty was fit at lier her ald I 1 he in took her to attorney van uan n rewo office CHAPTER XIV continued behind her the loor door closed softly ad there followed a thud as a bolt was shot an instant later anasty caught her by the arm and roughly a now ow find and without wasting speech hurried her into the next room then releasing tier her he turned up tile the lights and passing passim to tho the windows threw two or three of them wide for thi air ta in tho the room was wag stale st ate and lifeless and now said tle the criminal in a tone ot of satisfaction now wo we can talk tails business ruy my dear lie ho removed hla his overcoat and hat throwing them over the back of a convenient chair drew his big fingers aln gers thoughtfully across his chin and standing at a little distance regarded the girl with a shadow of 0 a saturnine smile softening the hard line of his bis lips pa she stood where ho he had left her as it volition vol ion was no longer hers her arms anna hung slack at her sides aides and she was swaying a trifle her bar face tace vacant eyes blank very near the breaking down point the man was not without perception and recognized her state ons one in III which lie ho felt assured as mired ho he could get very little out ot of her she must be strengthened and revived before she would or could respond to the direct Zate catechism chisin ho he had bad in store tor for tier her in his own interest Int prest there thedore ore more than through any yielding sa motives ot of pity and compassion lie ho piloted her to a chati chali jy y a window and brought tier her of clear cold water from the liter ilter tu in the adjoining room the cold fresh breeze blowing in ler er I 1 face proved wonderfully invigorate at ag she let ift her head sink back udon the ahe cushions of the easy comfor comfortable comfortably tabla leather chair and drank in the clean air in great deep draughts with a sense of renewing vigor both bodily and spiritual the water helped too sho she dabbled the tip of a ridiculously small handkerchief in it and bathed her throbbing temples the while anasty over her waiting with discrimination it if with scant patience what was to come she neither know knew nor greatly cared but with an instinctive tive desire to postpone the inevitable moment of trial she simulated deadly languor tor for some moments after becoming conscious of her position find and lay passive long ions lashes all but touching her cheeks in which now a faint color was growing gaze wandering at random out over a dreary wilderness of flat rectangular roofs it llotd vid in the moonlight broken by long ions straight a clefts of darkness in whose depths lights gleamed faintly far in the south the he sky came caine down purple and black to 0 o tho the horizon where a silver spark glittered like a low hung star the torch of liberty 1 I think Ani anistes clear cut tones incisive as n razor edge crossed the listless tren dof her thoughts 1 I think we will now get down to business busine my 11 y lady I 1 she lifted tier her lashes meeting his a calm calin inquiry well so youre better now possibly it was a mi mistaken 0 to o give you that rest my lady still when ones it a gentle man cracksman 1 ile he chuc chuckled kleI unpleasantly not troubling to finish tola his sentence well he mocked seating himself easily upon an nd adjacent Jacent table were here heio at last where well suiter stiffer no interruptions to our ottlo council of boband the watchman iman theres probably not another soul sold in the building and front from that window there it la Is a straight drop ot of 21 24 stories to broad way while im between you and the door so go you may be resigned to stay here until 1 I get ready to let you go it you scream tor for help no one will hear you very well mell she aha ass assented ened mechanically turning tier her head away with it a shiver of disgust what Is it you want tile the jewels he said bluntly you might have guessed that 1 I did and have saved saed yourself and roo me considerable trouble by speaking ten minutes ago yes yea she agreed abstractedly now ho he continued with i hint or of anger in his voice you aro are going T c tell she shook her head slightly oh ob but you are arc my lady anil and his tone rasped quickened with the latent brutality of the natural craw criminal and I 1 know that not force me to extreme measures it be pleasant tor for you you know and I 1 promise you I 1 shall stop at nothing not whatever to makei make you speak I 1 no answer la fit absolute indifference she bile ml lay her strongest weapon she must keep calm and self possessed refusing to be terrified into a quick and thoughtless answer this afternoon he said harshly you stole from me the Aj altland jewels where are they 1 I shall not tell lie he bent swiftly forward anti and took one of tier her hands in its hs instinctively site glio clenched it and he be wrapped his strong hard fingers around the small bite list then deliberately inserted I 1 a hard finder finer joint between her second and third knuckles slowly increasing tile the pressure and watched with absolute indifference the lines of agony grave themselves upon tier hor smooth unwrinkled crinkled forehead and tile the color leave her cheeks as the pain grew too exquisite then suddenly discontinuing co nd rilling the tha pros pressure sure but retaining tier her hand he laughed shortly will you speak my lady or will you havo have more dont she sha gasped please where are the jewels will you so no billave you given them to maitland Malt land 1 no where are they 1 I 1 dont know stop that nonsense unless where did you leave them 1 I wont tell I 1 wont ah please plesse pl euse tell me mei nover never abbl ah h A an n abrupt aud and resounding hammering at the outer door forced him to leave off he dropped her hand with an oath and springing to his feet drew ills hla revolver then with a glance at the girl who was silently weeping tears of pain rolling down her cheeks mouth set in a thin pale line of determination strode out and shut the door after him As it closed the girl leaped to her feet maddened with torture wild eyes casting about the room for a weapon of some sort ot of offense or defense for she could not have endured the torture an instant longer it forced to it to fight fight she would if only she had something a stick of wood to defend herself with but there was nothing nothing at all tile the room was wag a typical office well but severely furnished the rug that covered the tile floor was of rich quality and rare design the neutral tinted walls were bare but tor for a couple of steel engravings in heavy wooden frames there were three heavily upholstered leather armchairs arm chairs and one on revolving desk chair a roll top desk against the partition wall a wastepaper waste paper basket and a flat topped desk or table and that was all or not quite all else the office equipment had bad not been complete there was the telephoned honel but he would hoar heart or was the partition soundproof sound proof As AB it if in contradiction of the suggestion there came to her ears very clearly the sound of the hall door creaking on oil its hinges and then LL a mans voice shrill with anger and anxiety you fool do you want to ruin a both lotha wh what a t do you mean the door crashed to interrupting the protest and drowning Ani anistes reply 1 I 1 was passing the new voice took up u p its plaintive remonstrance and the watchman called me in and said that you were telephoning for me damn the interfering fool interrupted anisey but athla insanity anisey this about a woman what aho he newcomers new comers tones ascended a high sea arale Is of fright and rage lower your voice you amsl ass the burglar responded sternly and t ile he took his own advice and tor for a little time the conference was conducted in guarded tones that did not penetrate the dividing wall save as a deep rumbling alternating with an impassioned squeak hut but long ere this had conic como to pass the girl was risking all at the telephone receiver nee elver to ear she was imploring central to connect her with nine n alne inc madison it if only she 1 might get tell him where the jewels were wera hidden warn him to remove them thein then she could escape further suffering aulT ering by open confession what number came centrals languid query after a space did you ou say nine ought nine no no central nine 0 eight nine madison please and hurry hurry burry 11 ah im bingin em they aint a lat answered yet gamme time there they are arc go ahead hello 1 hello a 11 0 1 Is ut her heart sank bank OH agans voice meant that maitland Malt land was out ohagan agan la Is that you tell mr air maitland Malt land iles hes gawn out for the foight an tell him please but nos hes out ring ning up in the marnin inar nut but cant you yon take this message for him please the door was suddenly jerked open and anisey leaped into the room face white with passion terrified the girt girl sprang from the desk carrying the tha instrument with tier her placing the revolving chair between her and tier her enemy the brass bowl please tell him that she cried clearly into the receiver and anisey was upon her striking the he telephone from her grasp with one swift blow and seizing her bar savagely by the wrist As the instrument clattered clatt bred and rounded pounded on the floor she was aa sent reeling dad and staggering halfway across the room As she brought up against the hat flat topped desk catching its edge and saying saving herself a fall the burglar caught up the telephone who la is that he shouted hudera tv ely into the transmitter whatever the reply it seemed to please him ills brows browa cleared the wrath that had made Us Ms face almost unrecognizable subsided he even smiled and the girl trembled know ing that lie he had bad solved her secret for she had hoped against hope that the only words ho he could have heard her speak ronld have had too crypts a signil leance for ills comprehension As A slowly and composedly he replaced tho the receiver on lla its hook and returned the instrument to the desk a short and rotund figure of a man in rumpled evening tress dress and wearing a wilted collar hopi hopped ed excitedly into the room cast at the girl one terrified glance out of eyes that glittered with excitement like black diamonds set bet in a face the hue of yeast and clutched the burglars arm oh anisey Ani anisey sty be cried piteously what Is it what Is it tell me inc its all right returned tho the burglar dont you worry little man pull yourself together and laughed but what what stammered the other only that ashes given herself away chuckled anisey beautifully and completely the brass bowl says she thinking I 1 never saw one on malt lands desk and Ol ohagan lagan and who the are you says the man mail on the other end of tho the wire when I 1 ask who he be Is and and pleaded the little man dancing with worry and it means that my lady here lie returned the jewels to maitland Malt land by hiding them under a brass ash receiver on his desk ass that hat I 1 was not to know I 1 you yon are cute my lady with an ironic salute to the girl but youve met your match in anasty and demanded the other as the burglar snatched up his hat and coat what will you do AnI anisey sty do contemptuously why what Is there to do but go and get them weve risked too much and made new york too hot for the two ot of us ua my dear sir to get out of the game without the profits but I 1 beg of you P you need nt grimly it wont bring you in any money but maitland Malt land la Is out ohagan answered the tha phone dont you understand nut but he may re return his lookout im sorry tor for him it if ho he does anisey produced the revolver from his big pocket and twirled the cylinder significantly 1 I owe mr maitland Malt land something he said nodding to the white faced girl by the table and I 1 be sorry to and what broke in the newcomer new now comer what am I 1 going to do meanwhile devil the bit I 1 carel care stay here and keep keel this impetuous female from calling up police headquarters tor for a good guess speaking of which I 1 think we had best settle this telephone business once and for all the burglar turned again to the desk and began to work over the instrument ment with a small screwdriver screw driver which he produced from his coat poe pocket ket talking the while our best plan my dear bannerman Is tor for you to come with me at least as far as the nearest corner you yon can wait there if youre too cowardly to go the limit like a man ill get the loot and join you and we c can s n make inake a swift hike for the first train that goes farthest out of town A pity for weve done pretty well you a and n it 1 I old boy you with your social e entree n tree and bump blimp of locality to locate the spoils mo me with my courage and skill to lift em and an equitable division oh dont worry about her bar bannerman ashes as deep in it as either of us only she bap happens liens to be sentimental and an outsider on this deal she wont blab besides youre ruined anyway as far as new yorks concerned come along finished she wont send any important messages over that wire tonight to night I 1 guess my lly dear young lady rising and throwing the over overcoat cont over bis big arm he caved aved his hat at he her r in sardonic ar donte courtesy 1 I cant say it t ha has been a pl pleasure ensure to know you but you have niale it interesting I 1 admit and I 1 md bid you a very good night the charwoman will let you out when she comes to clean up in the tha morning adieu my dear the little man bustled after him bleating tu td d and aad the lock loch clicked she was alone utterly and forlornly alone and had lost lost all all that sho she had prized and hoped to win oven even even him she raised fluttering impotent white hands to her temples trying |