| Show OP old 0 ulcy 0 0 COPYRIGHT 1907 SYNOPSIS mad pan can maitland Malt land on reaching his new mew york bachelor club met n et an attractive youns young woman nt at the tb door janitor 0 hawaii assured gurel 8 him no one had been n within that day dan discovered a wom nom tn ans a finger prints in dust on hla his disk desk lions with a letter from his attorney loftland laft land d dined ned with his attorney attorn torn dan set met out for to get ft 1 ills i family jewels maitland on re hing home hoine surprised lady in gray cray cracking the sate safe containing his rems gentis pho phe apparently took him for or it a well known crook daniel anasty halt hyp no noll tizel cil maitland Malt land opened hta his safe to took the jewels and save gave them to her first forming a partnership in prim crime the rhe real dan anesty foght by police of the world appeared app ared maitland Malt land overcame over cime him lie he and the air I 1 went to new york in her auto ile ha had the jewels she was to me met meet t him that thai day A mr fin alth introduced himself as a dl detective t to shield the tha girl in gray maitland to show bilm the jewels supposedly suppo lost was wan felled by a blow from analtha Sn altha cane the latter proved to be anesty anasty himself and ho hn secured the tha gems anesty who was wan maitland Malt land B double mas quern serdj led is as the latter the criminal kept uit malt annd s engagement with the girl in gray lie he save ner her the gems the girl I 1 in kray gray visited s apartments during ills his ab absence sance and re returned gems maitland without cash call called d tip lip ills his home ana ana heard a woman s volee expostulating anesty h y OB as cailland Ma Illand tried to Vs fram wilar from tier her the location rif of the he gems bems W A eras crash was he heard I 1 rd at the front door maitland Mal lland overwhelmed the tha crook allow ing in him film to estape to shield the yount yoinne woman the llie girl in grdy gray made her escape bumping into a cab an n instant later hy by working a ruse anesti was at her side its ite took ook her to attorney dan ner bermans mans loftlee there by torture lie he tried in vain to wring from her the location 10 n of the gean ile he left her a moment ind and she nha phoned 0 Ol lagan only getting in the ali words tell mr maitland altland IT under the braar bowl the ilia filding place in the he lat at term room when anasty heard tier her wards Ilan bennerman nerman also was wan revealed rev caled a as L crook ile ho and anisey set met nut to secure tho remi gems and leave town the girl wits still imprisoned At Malt altland land finding the girl rone kone searched lili its rooms and unearthed ili alie 1 jegela ewe lit under the brass brais howl ile he truck c k A anesty n sty a trail in it a big biff office build 1 ins ing maitland Malt land and girl in kray gray lo 10 love fr for path pach other oilier to shield her pan told hackey k ey she was mrs maitland Malt land dan ban nerman died a self confessed thief CHAPTER continued you dropped it in I 1 n the trunk closet ifould I 1 found it there there Is something of mine in it dumb with misery she nodded and tier after is a little you look 0 of course 1 I had no right he be said abort shortly ly other men wo would have hae thought they had the right I 1 th think you had bad the considered at all events steadying tier her voice 1 I say you have now I 1 give you that tight right please go and investigate that handbag mr air mateland Malt Matt land I 1 wish you to ile he turned and stared at her curiously 1 I dont know what to think he said aid I 1 can not believe you mu must believe I 1 have no right to profit by your disbelief dear mr mateland Malt Matt land you have been kind to lato me very kind to me do me this last st kindness it if you ou will the young face turned to him was gravely anil and perilously sweet very nearly he forgot all else hut but that she would not have do this tor for me what you will find will explain over thing you will un doi der stand perhaps tini timidly idly per babi you may even find it in your heart to forgive when you understand it if you should my card case Is in the bag and she faltered biting her lip cruelly to steady a voice quivering with restrained sobs please please go at once and and see for yourself she bho implored him passionately ot of a sudden he be found himself I 1 solved indeed he fancied that t wore were dangerous to oppose tier her she was overwrought on the verge of losing tier her command of self she wished this thing and though with all his soul he hated it he would do as she desired very well he be assented quietly 7 shall hall I 1 stop the cab now please lie ile tapped on the root of the hansom and told the cabby to draw in at the next corner thus he was put down not tar far from his home below the thirty third street grade neither spoke as he alighted and she be believed that ho be was leaving her in displeasure and abhorrence but he ha bad only stepped behind the cab for a moment to speak to the driver in a moment he was buck back standing by the step with one hand on the apron and staring in very earnestly and soberly at the shadowed sweetness of her pallid face that gleamed in the gloom there like somo some pale shy sad flower could there be evil combined with such sheer loveliness with features that in it every line bodied forth the purity of the spirit that abode within in the soul of him hi bo could not believe that a thiefs nature fed canker like at the heart of a woman so divinely naively dear and desirable and he aou would id not wont you let me go just a minute 1 I 1 I should like to it I 1 find that you have done nothing so BO very dreadful he laughed uneasily do you wish to know you know I 1 do she could not help saying that letting him see that tar far into her heart you spoke of my calling I 1 believe that means tomorrow to morrow afternoon at the earliest may I 1 not call you up on the telephone the number la Is in the book boob she said in a tremulous voice and your namo name in the card casel yes yea and 9 1 I should call in halt balf RH hour 7 F 17 t this Is daniel maitland Syl viall 0 1 I shall not sleep until I 1 know I 1 good night good night drive on cabby lie stood blood smiling queerly until the hansom dinning the par park avenue hill vanished over its shoulder then skiing swung about and with an eager step retraced his way to his rooms room s very confident that god was in his heaven and all well with the world ill III the cab stopped tho the girl roso rose and descended to the walk the driver touched his hat bat and reined the horse away maam her cheerfully and sho she told him good night in her turn for a moment she seemed a bit hesitant and fearful loft left thus alone the house in front of which she stood like its neighbors reared a high facade to the tender ten dr starlit star lit sky its windows with drawn shades bit a des and no lights wearing a singular look of blind patience it had brut a high stoop stool and a sunken area there thare was a dull glow in one of the basement windows it was very late or oltre extremely al ely early the moon was down thou though it its place was in some way filled by the golden disk of the clock in the grand central stations tower the air was impregnated with the sweet and fragrant breath of tho the newborn new born bori day in the file tunnel beneath the street a trolley car rumbled and whined and clanked lone som E ay A stray cat wandered out 01 0 a cross street with the air of a seasoned debauchee stopped scratched itself with inimitable abandon and suddenly mysteriously alarmed alarmed at nothing turned itself into a streak of shadow that tied lied across the street and vanished and as it if affected by its terror the gray girl slipped silently into the area and tapped at the file lighted w window almost immediately the gate was cautiously opened A womans comans head looked out with suspicion oh thank it said with abrupt fervor 1 I was afraid it be you waa miss sylvia im so glad youre back there aint been a minute these past two nights that I 1 been in a fidget the girl laughed quietly and passed through the gateway which was closed behind her into the basement hall where she lingered a brief moment ment my father annie she bho inquired ite ho aint stirred since you went out miss sylvia lies sleeping sleep slee pin ln peaceful as aa a lamb everything avery thing to la all right then hen now that youre home it Is praises bol bel tho the servant secured the luner inner door and turned up the gas not it if I 1 was to bo be given notice tomorrow to morrow she announced firmly will I 1 ever consent to bo be a party to such golan golas on another night there will be no occasion annie said the girl thank you and good night A resigned sigh good night miss sylvia followed her up the stairs she went very cautiously careful to brush against no article of movable furniture lit in the halls at pains maln to make no noise on th the a stairs at the door of ct her fathers room on the second floor she h stopped flopped and listened for a full mo ment but he was sleeping as quietly as soundly as the servant had declared then on more hurriedly up another flight to her own room where she bhe turned on the electric bulb in panic haste for it had lust just occurred to her that the telephone bell might ring before she could change her clothing and get downstairs and shut herself into the library whose closed door would prevent the bell from being audible through the house in less than ten minutes she was stealing silently down to the drawing room floor again quiet as a spirit of the night the library door shut without a sound for the first time she breathed freely then pressing the button on the wall she switched on the light in the drop lamp on the center table the telephone stood beside it she drew up a chair and sat down near the instrument ready to lift the receiver oft its hook the instant the bell began to sound and waited the soft light burning in the loosened tresses of tier her hair enhancing th the L soft ft color that pulsed in her cheeks fading before the joy that lived in her eyes when she hoped for she dared hope at times and at times could not but fear so greatly had she dared who greatly loved so heavy upon tier her untarnished heart was the burden of the sin that she had put tipon pon it because she loved perhaps go po would not call perhaps the world was to turn cold and be forever gray to her eyes lie iio was even then deciding at that very moment her happiness hung in the scales of hla his mercy if he could forgive foigl ve there was waa a click and her face flamed scarlet as hastily she lifted the receiver to her ear the armature buzzed sharply then the n centrals centra Is voice cut the stillness I hello lello alne o alve one yes walt wait a minute she waited breathless in a quiver the silence sang upon the wire the silence of 0 the night through which he was groping toward her I hello fello Is this nine o yes yes Is this the residence of alexander C graeme Gra emo yes the syllable almost choked her Is this miss graeme at the phone it Is miss sylvia Ora Orn emo erno yes yea this Is daniel maitland Malt land Syl sylvia vial As aa it I idad did not know your she cried involuntarily there followed a little pause and in her berr throat the pulses tightened and drummed 1 I have opened the bag sylvia please go on and ive sounded tho the de depths ol of your our hideous infamy amyl I 1 oh his he was laughing ivo ive done more ive made a burnt offering within the last five minutes can you guess what it Is 1 I 1 I dont want to fuessl guess 1 I 1 want to be told A burnt offering on tho the altar ol of your happiest lappine ti dear this tha daoara in tho the case of the dougherty investment company no longer exist dili dan sylvia does it please you ou dont don t you know itow how can it do anything but please me it if you knew how bow I 1 have suffered bee because ause my father suffered fearing the no but you must listen dan it was wag wearing him down to his grave and I 1 thought you thought that it if you could get the pipers papers and give them to him yes I 1 could kee feco no harm because he e wits was as innocent as you of course hut but why t you ask me ile he did and you refused hut but how could I 1 tell sylvia that you were his daughter and that I 1 should Il hush tish central will hear centrals central s got other things to do besides listening to early morning con coll tabulations I 1 love you dan yes I 1 love to hear bear you ou say so dear please say that last word over again I 1 t get it dear and that means that you 11 mar ry me mea A pause I 1 say that means I 1 heard you on dan nut but it does docs it yes when whenever you please ill come up tip now dont don t be a silly well when thin then today to day yos yes no gut but when tomorrow to morrow I 1 mean next week I 1 mean next month no today to day at tour four ill call for you but dan swee sweetheart t bearil nut but Y sou 0 11 how can 1 I 11 easily enough theroa theres the little ch church ground around the corner but ive nothing to wear oh another pause dan you dont don t wish it truly I 1 do wish it truly today to day at tour four the church of the transfiguration yes ill scare up a best man it if you 11 find bridesmaids now you will wont won t you I 1 it if you wish it dear ill have to ask you to repeat that 1 I shant there very well meekly dut but will you yew tell me one thing please what Is it where on earth did you get hold of that kit of tools she laughed softly my big brother caught a burglar once and kept the kit for a remembrance I 1 borrowed them give me your big brother s address and ill send ern em back with my thanks no by georgel george I 1 wont won t either ive I 1 ve as mue much wright right to keep em as he has on that principle and again she laughed very gently and happily dear god that such hap bap could come to one sylvia yes dear do you ou love me mea I 1 think you may believe it when I 1 sit here at four 0 clock in tho the morn ing listening to a silly boy talk non sense over a telephone wire but I 1 want to hear bear you say bay so out dut central I 1 tell you central has other things thing to do at this juncture the voice ot of central jaded and acidulated broke in curtly are ara you through thi ough THE END |
