| Show PICTURES DY by p 4 k TW tha B SYNOPSIS mad alad dan maitland on retching reaching new york bachelor club met an attractive yount youns woman at the door janitor Ol lagan assured him no one vad had been within that day dun dan discovered a wom ans finger prints in dust on hl his ION desk along alone with a letter from his attorney maitland Malt land dined with his him attorney dan set bt out for to get fet his hl family jewiss jew mateland Malt Matt land on an r reaching e a hidir home surprised lady in xray gray c aaning raning the sate safe containing contain containing his gems geina she apparently took him for r a well known crook daniel anesty halt hyp noticed noti sed maytland Malt land and opened ills date bate took too the jewels and gave crave them to her first forming a partnership in crime th the real dan anasty sought by pollee police 0 of the world 1 kenred maitland altland ll overcame overcame hl him he and a 13 the girl went to new york k in her a auto t 11 lie had the jewels sh she wan to tn meet him that lay day A W mr snaith introduced himself a as a detective to shield the girl in rray gray maytland Malt land about to show him the jewels Bur dir lout lost wan felled by a blow from cane the latter proved to be anasty himself and tie he secured tile the gems antaky who ws wax Mattl aids double mas as the latter tier the criminal kept malt lands engagement with the girl in gray it he gave her the gems gema the girl in gray aray v visited ted blatt lands apartments during tila his absence and returned gems eem maitland without cash cah called up hla his home and and heard bieard a womans comans vol bolea expostulating anisey disguised an maitland Malt land tried to ring from her the location of the gems gema A crash was wag heard at the front door maitland Malt Malti land and overwhelmed the crook allow ing ba him to escape to ahlee the young woman the girl in g array ray made her escape jumping into a cab an iastan instant i late later r hy hv work ng a ruce mae anasty was nt at tier her side ar ian t took ati her pr to attorney llan bermans ner mans office CHAPTER XIV continued behind her the door closed softly nod aid there followed a thud as a bolt was shot an instant later anisey caught her by the arm and roughly now and without wasting speech hurried her into the next room then releasing her he turned up the lights and passing to the windows threw two or three of them wide for the air in the room was waa stale antl anil lifeless and now said the criminal in a tone of satisfaction now we can talk business my dear ile he removed his overcoat and hat throwing them over the back of a convenient chair drew his fingers thoughtfully across his chin and standing a tai I 1 ding at a little distance regarded the girl with a shadow of a saturnine smile softening the hard line of his lips she stood where he had left her as it if volition was no longer hers iler her arms hung slack alack at her sides and she was swaying a trifle her face vacant eyes blank very near the breaking down point the man was not without perception and recognized her state oner in which he felt assured he could get gel very little out of her she must be 3 strengthened and revived before she would or could respond to the direct catechism he had in store for her lu in his own interest therefore more than through any yielding eldin to motives of pity and compassion he piloted her to a chair by a window and brought her ablass a glass of clear cold water from the filter in the adjoining room the cold fresh breeze blowing in lier face proved wonderfully invigorate lax las she let her head bead sink back bach uvon upon the cushions ot the easy comfortably comfort abl 11 leather chair and drank in n the clean air in great deep araug its with a sense of renewing visor vigor both bodily and spiritual the water helped too she eho dabbled the up tip of a ridiculously small handkerchief in it and bathed her throbbing temples the while anisey stood over her waiting with discrimination it with scant patience what was to come she neither knew nor greatly cared but with an instinctive 8 tive desire to postpone the inevitable moment of trial she simulated deadly languor for some moments after becoming conscious of her position and lay iny passive long lashes all but touching her cheeks checks in which now a faint color was growing gaze wandering at random out over a dreary wilderness of flat rectangular roofs livid in the moonlight broken by long a straight clefts of darkness in whose depths lights gleamed faintly far in the he bouth the sky came down purple and black to the horizon where a stiver spark glittered like a low hung star the torch of liberty 1 I think anistor Ani clear cut tones incisive as a razor edge crossed the listless trend of her thoughts 1 I think we will now get down to business my lady she fined her lashes meeting his masterful stare with a look of calm inquiry felir well so youre better belter now nowa possibly it was a mistake to give you that rests rest my iny lady still when ones a gentleman cracksman 1 ile he chuckled unpleasantly not troubling to finish his sentence welt well he mocked seating sealing himself easily upon an adjacent table able weye were here at last where well suffer no ina interruptions to our little council of war beyond the watchman theres probably not another soul in the building and from that window there it la Is a straight drop of 0 24 stories to broadway while im between you and the door so you i on may be resigned to stay hero here until I 1 get ready to let you go eo if you scream for help no one will hear you very well she sha assented mechanically turning her head away with a shiver of disgust la in it you want the jewels he ha said bluntly you yet might have guessed that 1 I did and have saved saed yourself and me considerable trouble by speaking ten minutes mint ites ago yes she agreed abstractedly now tie ho continued with i hint of anger in his voice you yon are going ac c tell she shook her head slightly oh but you are my lady and his tone rasped quickened with the latent brutality of the nat uril criminal and I 1 know that not force me to extreme measures mea aurea it be pleasant for you you know an ah I 1 promise you I 1 shall stop at nothing I 1 whatever er to make you speak no wc answer la in absolute indifference she felt lay her bar strongest weapon she must keep calm and self gelf possessed re twins fl to be terrified into a quick and thoughtless answer this afternoon he said harshly you stole from me the maitland Malt land jewels where ore are they 1 I shall not tell lie ile bent swiftly forward and took one of her hands in his instinctively she che clenched it and he wrapped his strong hard fingers around the small white flat fist then deliberately inserted a hard finger joint between her second and third knuckles slowly increasing the pressure and watched with absolute indifference the lines of agony grave themselves upon her smooth unwrinkled forehead and the color leave her cheeks cheeka as the pain grew too exquisite then suddenly discontinuing the pressure but retaining her hand he laughed shortly will you speak my lady or will you have more dont she aho gasped please where are the jewels will you no have you given them to 1 Walt ll altland land no where are they 1 I dont know stop that nonsense unless where did you leave them 1 I wont tell I 1 wont ali ah please please I 1 tell me never ah hs hl A an n abrupt and resounding hammering at the outer door forced him to leave off he dropped her hand band with an oath and springing to his feet drew his revolver rev olvar 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 of offense or defense tor for she ha could not have endured the torture could an instant n tant longer if forced to it to fight fight she would it if only she had bad something a stick of wood to defend herself with but there was nothing nothing at all the room was 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 for a couple of steel engravings in heavy wooden frames there were three heavily upholstered leather armchairs arm chairs and nd on revolving desk chair a tell 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 not been complete there was the telephone but he would hearl hear or was the partition soundproof sound bound proof As it in contradiction of th the c bu suggestion ages there came to her ears very clearly tho the sound of the hall door creaking on en its bing egland then a roans dans voice shrill with anger and anxiety you fool do you want to ruin us both what do you mean the door crashed to interrupting the protest and drowning AnI anistes reply 1 I was passing the new voice took u up p its plaintive remonstrance and tho the watchman called me in and said eald that you were telephoning for or me damn the interfering tool I 1 interrupted anasty but this insanity anasty this about a woman what the r he newcomers new comers tones ascended a high bedle ot of right fright and rage lower your voice you ass the burglar responded sternly and lie ile took his own advice and 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 aa impassioned squeak dut but long ere this had bad come to pass the girl was risking all at the telephone receiver to ear she was imploring central to connect her with ninety eight nine madison if only sho she might get mateland Malt Matt land tell him where the jewels were hidden irn him to remove them then she could escape further suffering buffering by open confession what number came centrals languid query after a space did you say bay nine eight no rio central nine o eight nine Madl please and hurry hurry ah im rangin em they aint answered yet gilme time there they are arc go ahead I hello lella hello Is ut iler her heart sank mank OH Oll agans voice meant that maitland Malt land ans out chagan la 19 that you tell mr maitland Malt laud lies iles rawn gawn out for or the nought an tell him please dut but hes out ring king up tip in the marnin dut but cant you take this message tor for him please the door was suddenly jerked open and anisey leaped into the room face white with passion terrified the girl sprang from tho the desk carrying the instrument with her placing the tha revolving chair between her and her enemy the brass bowl please tell him bin that she cried clearly into the re celver anti and anisey was upon he her yr striking thin the telephone from her grasp with one swift blow and seizing her savagely ay y the wrist As the tha instrument clattered and pounded on the hoor she was sent reeling and staggering halfway across the room As she brought up against the flat topped desk catching its edge and saying saving herself a fall the burglar caught up the telephone who Is that he shouted impera lively into the transmitter whatever the reply it seemed to plead pies him ills brown brow cleared the wrath that had bad made his fa face i ce almost unrecognizable subsided he even smiled Binl led and the girl trembled knowing that he had solved her secret for sho she had hoped against hope that the only words lie be coul dhave heard board her speak would have had too a signi significance fleance tor for hla his comprehension n As AB slowly and composedly b he replaced the receiver on its hook and returned the instrument to the desk a short abort and rotund figure of a man in rumpled evening dress dresa and wearing a wilted collar hopped excitedly into the room cast at the girl onu one glance out of eyes that glittered with excitement like black diamonds set in a face the hue of yeast and clutched the burglars arm aim oh anisey An Anis laty tyl he cried piteously what Is it what Is it tell me ines its all right returned the burglar dont you worry little man pull yourself together and laughed but what what stammered the other only that ashes riven given herself away chuckled anisey beautifully and completely the brass bowl says she thinking I 1 never saw one or on malt lands desk and Ol lagan and who the davvie are you says the man on the other end of the wire when I 1 ask aak who he be Is and and pleaded the little man dancing with worry and it means that my lady here returned the jewels to maitland Malt land by hiding them under a brass ash receiver on his desk ass that I 1 was wag not to ka know ow I 1 you 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 his hat fiat and coat what will you do Ani anisey sty do contemptuously why what Is there to do but go and get thorn them weve risked too much and made new york too hot for the two of us my dear sir air to get out of the game without the profits but I 1 beg of you you ne edat grimly it wont bring you in any money but maitland Malt Matt land larid la Is out ohagan answered the phone dont you understand T rut but he be may re return hla his lookout im sorry for him if ho he does anisey produced tho the revolver from fiora his bis pocket and twirled the cylinder significantly 1 I owe mr maitland Malt land something he said nodding to the tha white faced girl by the table and I 1 be sorry to and what brorein bro broke kein 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 this impetuous female from calling up police headquarters for a good guess speaking of which I 1 think we had best settle this telephone business once and to for r all the burglar tu tinned nod a to the peak deak and began tw t id work w ork the in with a I 1 small mv driver which he prodoc produced d from fro mais I 1 S coat pocket talking the while our best plan ray my dear banner roan man Is for you to come with roe me at least as far as the nearest corner you can watt wait there it youre youra too cowardly to go tho the limit like a man ill got get tho the loot and join you and we can make a swift lilko bike for the first train that goes goe farthest out 0 of f town A pity for weve done pretty well you and 1 I old boy you with your social entree and bump of locality to locate the spoils mo me with my courage and skill to t 0 lift em and an equitable division oh dont worry about her bannerman ashes as deep in it as either of us only she happens to be b e sentimental and an outsider on this deal she wont blab besides youre youre ruined anyway as tar far as New Yorks concerned conic come along aln finished she novt worst send any important messages over that wire tonight to night I 1 guess my dear young ladal rising and throwing the overcoat over his arm he waved his hat bat at her in sardonic courtesy 1 I cant say it has been a pleasure to know you but you have made it interesting I 1 admit and I 1 bid you a very good night the charwoman will let you out when she cornea comes to clean up in the morning adieu my dearl dear the little man bustled after him bleating and fidgeting and the lock clicked she was alone utterly and forlornly alone and had lost lost all all that she ahe had prized and hoped to win oven even him she raised fluttering impotent bulte w bilte hands to her temples trying to collect herself in the outer room a clock was ticking unconsciously she moved to the doorway and stood looking for a time at the white expressionless dial it was waa some time a minute or two before she deciphered the hour ten minutes past two ali ah the lifetime she eho had bad lived live in the |
