Show am ilai afa ii y B bai 1647 too ry m enill ci i SYNOPSIS akl 1011 mid dan Matt maitland land on life hl nw new york bachelor bac belor club mot an attract tive alv youns young woman at the door janitor ellazan lazan ass alured ursil hlin him no one had boon been within that day dan discovered covered dl A worn womb arim ani after print in dust on his desk deak siong with from his hi attorney maitland dl dined with bannerman him hid all ali torney dm dan met at out tor for to kt t his bl amaly family jewels durlik his ht walk athe to the country seat att he nt the yo mounir u n 9 woman la in irray gray whom lie if had seen aen le leav lk yi lax ill hi bachelors bachelor club ifer her auto had men down he fixed it by a ruse she ahe lot lost him maitland Malt land on n re reaching achinK home aed lady in gray cray crac kinic the mate att containing ning hla his tero remit W she apparent t ay took him for ft a well wasl known crook dan daniel lel half f zed maitland opened hh afe took the jewl jewitte and save eav them to her first 10 a part in crime the real dan anesty by lice of 0 the world appeared app appeared earod on in n t th 9 mesiton mt on overcame fi mm lyn he ha root met the girl outside the house and they ped on to new york in her auto ile he had the jewels jewel and ahe ih promised prom laed to moot him that day maitland mat Malt t land ron reo elved mr snaith introducing himself as a a ar detective to shield the girl in gray altland about to show him the jew t 1 up 8 edly lost was wan fallad belld by a blow from cane the latter proved to be ba anesty himself and tie he secured the fitio who was wad maitlandt Malt Mait landD lands dou don tims alft le masquera masquerades masqueraded ded as aa the ho latter liitt pr the criminal kept healt and e engagement with the girl in gray cray CHAPTER VII continued it was very plain to a deductive reasoner from the girls attitude toward him that she had fallen into relations of uncommon friendliness with this athla waltrand Walt land young as anasty be their acquaintance to be there had plainly been a flirtation where in lay the explanation ot of Mal forbearance he had been fascinated by theroman the woman had not hesitated to lo take tahe Ant name even as aa anisey was waa then taking his in order to prolong their intimacy so much the better turn about was waa still fairplay mateland Malt Matt land had sown a as anisey the real anisey would reap tle the harvest pretty women interested him deeply though ile he saw little enough of them partly through motives of prudence partly because of 0 a refinement of taste women of the class of 0 this conquist by proxy were out of 0 reach of the enemy of 0 society that IS IB under ordinary circumstances this one on the contrary was not whatever she bhe was or had bid been however successful a cracks woman she might ba b her cultivation and breeding wore were as nipan nt a her beauty and quite as attractive A criminal Is necessarily first a gambler a votary of chance i and aind the blind goddess had bait always been very kind to mr anesty anasty lie ile felt that hero here again she eba was wad favoring him maitland Malt land bo bad eliminated troia from clr garb s life maitland Malt land had tailed failed to keep hla his engagement ga and so would uever sever again be called upon to play tho the part of burglar with tw lier interest for incentive and guerdon eu erdon anlita an aty himself could take up where ma aland had left off easily enough tho dIfficult ift j were insignificant he be had bad only to lo play up to Malt lando standard Jor a while to be maitland Malt Matt land w with th all that gent lemans emans advantages educational and social then gradually Bra crA dually drop back to hla his own I 1 level and be himself dan an anesty sty handsome dan the professional the fit mate for the girl what was she saying but you have lunched already alrea dyl with an appealing pout indeed no he ha protested protest d earnestly 1 I was early conceive my eagerness 1 and by ill III chance a tripod of mine insisted initiated upon lunching with me I 1 had only it a cup of coffeo coffee and a roll ile he motioned to the waiter calling him walterl rather than barcon Oar Gar con intuitively understanding that malt land would never have aired hla his french in a public place and that he could not afford the least slip before a woman as keen hen as this lay a clean cloth and bring the bill of fate fare he demanded tempering hla his lordly instincts and adding the please lease that men of Mal stamp inferiors A fri friend enill 1 tardily echoed the girl when the servant was gone lie ile laughed lightly determined to ito bo frank A detective lif in point of tact fact said he and he enjoyed her surprise you have many such IT for or convenience one tries to have one in fit pich eich city arid and this oh I 1 have litin him fixed all right tie he to me nil all the latest developments and official intentions with rea regard to the maitland arrest her eyes danced tell me sho she demanded imperious the emphasis of intimacy irresistible as bile bhe bent forward for forearms earnis on the cloth slim white hands clasped with tense impatience eyes seeking his why of course escaped no fact scared the butier into un tin gagging him then in a fit of pardonable rage knocked that fool down and dished out of the window presumably in pursuit of us up to a late hour he ha returned and pollee police opinion Is divided as to whether malt land arrested anasty and antany sot got away or vice versa excellently she clasped lier her bands noiselessly a kay gay little gesture nest lire so whatever the outcome one thing 1 la certain higgins will presently bo be seeking another berth she lifted her brows prettily illg gins with the rising In ln flecion the butler you hear heart eyes wondering she moved her hend head slowly from side aldo to side hear what 1 I fancied that you had waited a moment on tt t a veranda he ha finessed oh I 1 was quite too frightened he took this tor for a complete denial hotter better and better tie he had actually feared she had eavesdropped however and blatt lands authoritative way with the servants vante had been too convincingly natural to to have deceived a woman of her keen wits there followed a lull while aulsay wax wan ordering order lne tho the luncheon he did elaborately and with success tilling offing himself humorously hang tho ap expense 1 maitland Malt land pays paya of which chic fact the weight in his hia pocket was we assurance maitland Malt land thoughts though ta verged berged on off upon an interesting tangent what was maitlandt Mal Mait lands motive in arranging this meeting it was self evident that the twain were of bf one world the girt girl and the man of fashion nut but whatever her right of hertage heritage she had renol renounced need it herself h by yielding to thievish instincts voluntarily placing herself on tle me level of anisey where she sha must remain for ever there was comfort in that reflect reflection fOrt lie ile glanced up to find her eyes bent in gravity upon him she too it appeared had fallen a prey to deverle fe te verto verle j upon what subject an absorbing one doubtless since le it held her abstracted str acted despite her companions direct unequivocally admiring stare the odd light was flickering again in the cracksman cracks mans a glace she sha was then nore more beautiful than aught that ever he had bad dreamed of such hair bait as aa was hers woven seemingly of dull flames lambent witch witching and eyes beaucl ful always but never more so BO than at this moment when filled with swee sweetly aly pensive contemplation I 1 was waa she reviewing the last 24 hours dreaming of what had pissed between her an and d that silly fool maitland Matt land it only anisey could surmise what they had bad said to each other how long loni hey they had bad been acquainted it if only sho she would give him a hint a leading word it he could have toad read her mind have seen behind the him film of thought that clouded her eyes one fears mr anisey might have lost appetite for an excellent luncheon for she was studying hla his hands bands her m memory mory harking back to the binom moment nt when she ebe had stood beside tho the sale safe holding the bullseye bulls eye jn in tho the blackness of that hour a disk of light shone out luridly against the tapestry of memory within its radius appeared two hands long supple strong immaculately white graceful and dexterous as delicate of oc contour as a womans comans wo mans yet lacking nothing of masculine vigor and ng that wavered against the blackn 6 fumbling w with ith the shining disk of a combination lock the impression had bad been and remained one extraordinarily vivid cou could id her eyes haye have deceived her so sot thoughtful she nodded alertly instantaneously nil Aress of self and let her faze gaze serious yet half smiling linger upon big ho exact bract fractional iogal shade of an in seyit YN lonar longer than had been perhaps discreet e then hen lashes drooped long upon P her er cheeks and her color deep e 0 lynli but imperceptible J kman a breath rapidly than before bi fore bat forward impulsively the gar gl almed sighed ever so BO gently yi 11 was waa thoughtful its all you know ll 11 10 B attitude was an eager question J it mean dinean our mooting meeting that war last night egl she held bit hi gaze again momentarily menta rily and damn the walterl savagely mr anasty to his inner man sitting b back a ak to facilitate the service of their n weal eal the girl placated him with tin an ensig remark which led both into a maze maxe ot of meaningless but infinitely diverting In consequences diverting at least to anisey who held up tip hla his head giving her back look for look jest for jest jeet platitude for platitude when the waiter was within hearing distance Oto altogether gether he felt acquitting hamb I 1 i very creditably As aa tor for the girl in the course of the next halt liala or three quarters of an hour she demonstrated herself conclusively a person of 0 amazing resource developing ve with admirable ingenuity a campaign planned on the spur of a observation the gentle mannered and self belf crook was taku taken captive before he be realized it however willing he may have been enmeshed meshed in a hundred bended subtleties he basked putting purr lne ahe while she inal fuated herself beneath his guard and stripped him of his ht entire armament of cunning vigilance lince invention suspicion and distrust ile relinquished them without a sigh barely pons conscious clous of the spoliation after all she was of 0 his trade herself mired with guilt she would never dare betray hint him the conse to herself would bo be so dire besides patently almost too much so she him lie ile w was as hiir bor horo hero tied had she not more than tha hinted that such was waa the th W th that at his example his exploits had fired her to emulation however weakly feminine ile he saw aw her before him dainty ilal nty alluring luring ul yielding yet leading hint him ort on altogether desirable and so long had hi he anisey starved for affect affections ioni 1 I inn ani sure you liast to be lying dying for a woke beg pardon ile he awoke abruptly to find twirling the sharp ribbed stell of ilis his e empty apty pty class ab he stared into this Is as though seeking there a clu clue to wit what at ticy they had beatt taching ab about lut I 1 hazily t amily lie he understood that they ahey had be been drifting close upon the p perilous shoals of intimate personalities what had he told her what had he not no matter it was waa clearly to be seen that bet her bet regard for him had waxed rither thau ban waned as a result of their conversation one had bad but to look fook into her eyes to bo be reassured ith fla tri tn that one did look breathing heavily what an ingenuous child it w wi i j i to show she blin lit in her heart so 0 treely freely lie ile wondered that title this should be so it none the less lesa a lust just aud id glace ful tribute to hla his fascinations she repeated her arch query she was waa sure he ba wanted to smoke indeed he dij lt if she eha would permit and forthwith maitlandt Malt Mait lanas lands cigarette case was produced with a flourish what a beautiful easel casel in an instant it was in her hands hand beautiful full she Iter iterated sited inspecting the delicate tracery of the monogram engravers art head bended forward face shaded by the broad brimmed hat you like it itt you would care to own it anasty demanded unsteadily 17 the inflection of doubtful sur our pi ise was a delight to tho the ear ohl oh I 1 I 1 think of accepting Bes besides ldes 1 I have no use uee for it of course you aliet are not that sort an hour back be could have kicked himself for the grammatical bunder now he was wholly illumed besides she seem to notice p but as a little token between us P she drew back pushing the case across the cloth 1 I dream but it if I 1 insist it you insist why I 1 suppose its awfully good of you she flashed him a maddening glance you do me pro honor he amended hastily then jhen daringly 1 I dont bk much in exchange only A cigarette she suggested hastily ile he laughed pleased and diverted i be enough now if light it for or me she glanced dubiously round the now almost deserted room and a waiter started forward as it animated by a spring anasty motioned him imperiously back go on he coaxed no one can see and watched flattered the slim white fingers that extracted a match from the stand and drew it swiftly town down the prepared surface of the box holding the flickering flame to the end of 0 a white tube whose tip lay lav between lips curved scarlet and pouting The there ref 1 A palo pala wraith of 0 smoke floated away on the fan churned air and anisey was vaguely conscious of receiving the glowing cigarette from a hand whose sheer perfection was but enhanced by the ripe curves of a rounded forearm ile he inhaled deeply with satisfaction undetected by him the girl swiftly passed a furtive handkerchief across her lips when ho be looked again she was wag smiling and the golden case had disappeared site she shook her head at him in mock 1 bold matil man she called him but the crudity of it was lost upon him as she had believed it would be the moment had come tor for vigorous meas uren she felt guile having paved the wit war y why do you call me that to appear so openly running the th gauntlet of the detectives sh bh r startled a 1 wat I Q co courna you baw she insisted S lawr 0 o r why y perhaps I 1 am raw rals taken but I 1 thought you knew and trusted to your likeness to mr malt malar land anasty frowned collecting himself him bewildered what are you driving at anyhow he demanded roughly you see the detectives I 1 should have thought your man would have warned you I 1 noticed four lott ing round the entrance as I 1 came in and feared why you tell ell me then 1 41 1 I have just told you che he reason I 1 8 supposed u you were in your disguise thava pd so the alarmed adarme d expression grai gradually lually faded although he remained troubled 11 1 I sure am maitland Malt land to ta the life he continued with satisfaction even the headwaiter head waiter and of 0 course sho she insinuated do dell e macly 1 toly you have disposed of 0 the loot he shook his head bond gloomily no time as yet lier her dismay was evident you dont mean to say ilmy my pocket oli oil she glanced stealthily wound in your pocket she whispered and and it 1 they stopped you 1 am maitland Malt land ant it they insisted on searching you she was round eyed with apprehension Th so her perturbation was hla jaw dropped they would tina find the tha jewels known to be stolen ay illy iy godt god he cried kava savagely gely dan I 1 11 1 II 11 1 beg your parrion parr ton but what ahi I 1 to dol do you yon are sure la Is on the nearest cornar corn buerl pr he whistled and stared at her |