| Show SERI AL BY A WEIL the A A 4 BRALA hl a RL BOWL 16 by L 0 UIS JOSEPH VANCE malc co SYNOPSIS mud mod dun dan maitland Malt land on reaching his new byork york bachelor clua lub met an attractive young woman at the door janitor 0 chapan wil lagan assured him no one had been within thin that day dan discovered a wom ans linger finger prints in dust on his desk along with a letter from life ills attorney maitland altland Al dined with bannerman his him attorney r 0 ey dan set t out for gre e n nh elds to set t hl hi family jewels during his walk 0 o the country seat lie he met the young woman in gray ra whom he had seen leav ing inc his b bachelors sg cm ro club ifer her auto h had ad broken en d down own lie he fixed it by a ruse she lost him maitland Malt land on reaching lioma home surprised lady in pray gray cracking the safe aate containing on hie kerns gems she apparently took him for a well known crook danle daniel anisey halt hypnotized maitland Malt land opened erica ills ids safe took hypnotized t tile the je lemeli we 1 and gave them to lier her first forming a part ner g 1 hip in crime the real dan Art latko mou g lit by police of it the worlo world appeared on the same rolo slone maitland Malt land overcame of b bilm rahe he e met tile the girt outside the house and ahey sped on to new york in her auto ile he had the lewels jewels and slie she promised to rn kimt et him that day mat Malt maitland land received a air introducing himself as a eier sh d detective active to shield beld the girl in gray bray maitland Malt land about to show him the jew la up lost was felled b by y a blow from 11 cane the latter proved bobc lo 10 itt anasty himself and he secured the ema Aki mity Pity who wa wait Malt lands dou 1111 wd aa dwter w CHAPTER V continued at sight of 0 him the thief wat waa 3 L con on of 0 an inward tremor followed by a thrill ol of excitement like ilia a wave of heat sweeping through his being instantaneously his eyes hashed flashed then were dulled imperturbable listless hallmarked hull marked the prey of 0 ennui he waited alt e d undecided upon the stoop while ahil 0 the watcher opposite catching sight sigh bof of him abruptly abandoned hta his slouch and hastened across the street excuse me he began in a loud tone while yet a dozen feet away but aint this mr maitland Malt land anisey lifted his brows and shoulders at one and the same time and bowed slightly well my good man im a detective from headquarters mr maitland Malt land we got a phone from greenfields long lone island this morning from the local police your butler all ah I 1 see about tills this man anasty 7 you dont mean to tell me what I 1 shall discharge Il ligins at once just on my way to breakfast wont you join me we can talk this matter over cover at our leisure what do you say to eugenes its haray and I 1 dare say we can find a quiet corner uy by the way have you the time concealed about your person anasty was fumbling in his fob pocket and inwardly cursing himself for having been such an all ass as ai to overlook maitlandt Malt Mait lands timepiece deuced awkward 1 hp he muttered in genuine annoyance ive mislaid millaid my watch its most one mr air malti I 1 land flattered tile the man from bead headquarters dropped into step by the burglars side elde CHAPTER VI eugenes at two since we dont want to be over ever beard remarked mr air anisey its it no BO use ilise trying the grillroom downstairs although I 1 admit it Is ii more interesting just as yeh say sir mr awed awe and awkward the police detective stumbled up the steps behind Us lie imperturbable guide it was a great honor in mo ma eyes to lunch in company with a swell man alan of stodgy common sense and limited education that he was wai the glamour of the maitland Malt land millions obscured lit ahli otherwise clear vision completely and tm uneasily easily lie he specula speculated tei as to whether or not he would be able to manipulate corr correctly etly the usual display of knives and forks an obsequious headwaiter head walter greeted them bowing in the lobby good afternoon mr air maitland Malt land he be murmured table tor for two good afternoon responded the with an assumed abstraction str action inwardly I 1 congratulating ll upon having hit bit upon a restaurant where here the real maitland Malt land was evidently known there were few clr cir rum atances stances which he could not turn to profit fewer emergencies to which ho be could osuld nut not rise he complimented Iland handsome some dan anasty A table tor for two he drawled malt land imd wise in a corner somewhere away from the crowd you know this way it if you please mr air malt ia land ad illy hy the way suggested the burglar unfolding his serviette and glancing keenly about the room which by good chance was thinly populated py by the ha way you know you told me your name yet yei Il lickey john W detective bureau thank you A languid hand pushed the pink menu card across the table to mr hickey and what do you seo see that like well became conscious set ous that both unwieldy feet were nervously twined about the legs ot of his chair blushed disentangled them and in an attempt to cover his confusion plunged madly into consideration of a column of table chote french not one word of which conveyed the slightest particle ot of information to his intelligence well he repeated and moistened his lips the room seemed suddenly very hot notwithstanding the fact that an all obnoxious electric tan fan was sending i current of cool air down the back of his bis neck deck 1 I aint he declared in ultimate desperation hungry much had a bite a little while back over to tho the gilsey house bar would a little drink 7 thanks I 1 dont mind walter bring mr hackey a bottle of no 72 for me let me ine see cafe au aalt with a grand air and tolls rolls you must remember this is my breakfast beak tast fast mr air heckey I 1 make it a rule never to drink anything tor for six hours after rising anisey selected a cigarette from tho the maitland Malt land case lit it and contemplated tho the detectives countenance with a winning smile now as to this anasty affair last night under the stimulus of the cham to say naught of his relief at good afternoon responded the masquerader having evaded the ordeal of the cutlery hickey discoursed variously find and at length upon tho the engrossing subject of anisey gentleman cracksman while the genial counterpart of daniel milt malt land listened with apparent but deceptive apathy and had much ado to keep from laughing in his guests face as the latter earnest unfolded his plans for laying the burglar by the heels from time to time and at intervals steadily decreasing the hand of tho the host sought the neck of the bottle inclining it carefully above the thin stemmed glass that heckey kept in almost constant motion and the detectives tec tives fatuous loquacity flowed as the contents of the bottle ebbed yet as the minutes wore on the burglar began to be c conscious on tha iha it was but a shallow well of information and amusement that he pumped the game fascinating with its spice of daring as it had primarily been began to pall at length the masquerader calculated the hour as ripe tor for what lie had contemplated from the beginning and interrupted hickey with scant consideration in the middle ot of a most interesting exposition pardon me im sure it I 1 trouble you y ou again for the time the fat red fingers sought for the timepiece the bottle was now empty the hour as on an bounced was ten minutes to two ive an engagement invented anisey plausibly with a friend at two it if excuse me garcon then I 1 und stand mister allster maitland Malt land we ea cn count on yeh anisey eyelids drooping tipped back ills his chair a trifle and regarded hacky y with a fair imitation of the whimsical maitland Malt land smile Ill hardly ardly I 1 think why not nott truculently to be frank with you I 1 have three excellent reasons the first should be sufficient clent im too lazy disgruntled hickey hackey stared rod and shook a disapproving head 1 I was wag afraid ot nf that yh yeh swells dont never seem to think of yer duties to anlita airily waved too the india indictment ia ent islda aside moreover I 1 have lost ls nothing you see I 1 happened to la jiwat at tho the right moment our criminal friend got nothing for his pains the wel are safe reason no 2 1 my property I 1 hold no grud t against Sia fast anisey r well I 1 dunno t 1 i 11 and as for reason no 3 I 1 dont care cara to have this affair it the papers get hold of 0 it took up a lot of silly billy details excite the cupidity of every thaleti in ii the chunil tat t and make me more aral abbi than I 1 care to ah c contemplate 1 f ft y 1 IlIc keys eyes glistened ondre ot course it yeh want it kept quiet il bested 1 1 l 1 1 Ani anistes hand sought lit ket how flow much well I 1 gusa I 1 can IQ to ta you yeh ought tuh know h aw bad yell yeli ant want the matter bushed fv at As I 1 calculate it then fit ought to be enough for or the boys and f aft will repay you for your trouble ti 1 the end of 0 Ilic keys ex penal W panatela was waa tilted vard the ceiling belling cel ling wonder lf it would he murmured grat gratl lna fl d anasty stuffed something bulky balks back into hla his pocket and wadded another green and dg lored into a little pill which flicked carelessly across the theft the detectives large laree mottled p over it and moved toward ehla y alet coat I 1 11 f ll As I 1 wits was sayin savin he be resume resu mcw 0 im 1 T sorry yell yeh dont geeyer see yer w i lt ivin us a hand but perhaps yeha I rIght still it if the citizens id d only sv 4 11 ll us a hand in a while 4 f ali ah but what gives you yam it living Y heckey argued the nj sophist what but the of the criminal element it if bained with you for the of crime what would beton become 10 of your lob job ile iio rose and wrung one warmly by the hand handout arl t but Dut there I 1 am sorry to have to 0 bu bunya awny now that you atty V to find me drop in some I 1 venan and ana have a cigar and a chat im in t own a good deal off and on ard nd waya glad to see a friend f is man an sty woul would dhoti n ha have a ventured to play islay his catch so rou roughly jilly but as he had reckoned the comfortable state of mind induced by an unexpected addition to his income and d 4 quart of champagne had dulled the official apprehensions of sergt hickey mumbling a vague ague acceptance of at the too genial invitation the exalted detective rose and ambled cheerfully down the room and out of the door anesty anasty lit another cigarette and contemplated the future with satisfaction As a diplomat lie he was inclined to held himself a success indeed all things taken under mature consideration the conclusion was inevitable that he was the ery devil of a follow fellow with what consummate skill lie had played ills hla land hand now the pursuit of the mateland Malt Matt land burglar would be abandoned tho the news item suppressed at headquarters and it was equally certain that Matt BI altland land when eventually liberated aou would id be at pains to keep his part of tho the affair very much in shadow the masquerader ventured a mys teal real smile at the world in general one pictured tho evening when tile the infatuated detective should find it convenient to drop in on the inclusive mr maitland Malt land mr air anesty CHAPTER VII illumination in a breath was self satisfaction banished simultaneously the masque rader brought his gaze gaie down from thi the ceiling his thoughts to earth hla his vigilance to the surface and himself to hla his feet summoning to his aid all that he possessed of resource and expedient trapped the word blazed incandescent la in his brain so long had bad ho he foreseen and planned against this very moment yet vet panic swayed him for but a little instant as an swift swiftly as it had overcome him film it subsided leaving him shocked a sadde more pale but rapidly reasserting control of lit hl faculties and with this shade of emotion came complete reassurance ats I 1 ha name had been uttered in no stern or menacing tone to rather ther its syllables had been pitched in a low and guarded key wit with an of raillery lall lery and cordiality in ili brief the moment that he recognized the boico at as a womans comans wo mans he was again master or of himself and aware aare that the result of ills instinctive impulse to rise and defond himself which land had brought him to a standing position would be interpreted as only the natural action of a gentleman addressed add leased by a feminine acquaint anen he was confident that ho he had not betrayed his primal consternation ster nation ile ho bowed smiled and with eyes in which asto astonishment nishn 1 tnt I ly gave place lilace to gratification and complete comprehension apprised hei who had addres addressed Reil him j she seemed to have t to the he table beside which she acl nal nfl stood slightly swaying her walk lati of gray shot silk falling abo aboff her in soft bott trem ou bious u 3 p atals da dalsay I 1 y chic poised serous flawless flaw leisi pretty in fr her miniature fashion anisey tee roo her in a twinkling ilia pep captions cep tlona trained to observations as aa ln la HS as those of it snap abol camera and well nigh as s accurate urata haj had photographed hor her individuality tn in delilly upon the film ot of his hie memory even in the abbreviated encounter 0 the previous night fly by a n similar play of educated reason log ing faculties keyed to the highest pitch of 0 immediate action he had difficult ag aa cant in ili accounting for her pres euce ence there wit lie he did not comprehend comprehend was wy alir maitland Matt land had wed nd he her r so BO kindly for it had been plain enough that thai that gentleman had surprised her in the act of safe break ink ing before conniving at her escape hut but allowing that Matt lands actions had been based upon motives vague to the burglars understanding it was quito quite in the scheme of possibilities that lie he should have arranged to meet his egee at the restaurant that afternoon she was come to keep an appointment to which chief biow now that an laty came to remember mateland Malt Matt land had alluded in the he beginning of their conversation well vell and good once before within the post past two hours he had told him self that he was goodenough good enough malt land lie ito was be even bet better now but you did surprise met he de dared gallantly before she he could wonder at hla his slowness to respond you see I 1 was dreaming ile he permitted her to surmise the ob eject lect round which hla his dreama had woven and I 1 had expected you to be eagerly watching for met me she parried archly 1 I was me mentally kally but he h warned her seriously not that name mateland Malt Matt land Is known here they call me maytland Matt land the waiters it seems I 1 made a bad choice but with your as si distance stance alfi tance and discretion we can bluff it out all right 1 I forgot forgive me but now she was in the chair opposite him tucking the lower ends of her acoves into their wrists no matter nobody heard 1 I very nearly called you handsome Hand sonn din dan 11 she flashed a radiant dintle at hap aro ni beneath the rim dofher of her piety ty Anft f I 1 i A fl fire iVis was ind kindled in als gyesi il he was conscious of a quickened drumming of 0 his pulses dan Is maitlandt Malt Mait lands front name also he remarked absently 1 I thought as much she responded speculative the burglar hardly heard it has ha been indicated that lie was quick witted because lie had to be in the very nature of his avocation just now his bla brain was working rather more rapidly than usual even which was BBS one reason why the light had leaped into his eyes TO BE CONTINUED |
