Waterbury Democrat., 1901-04-25

l the authorities. Sandy would be back by nine unless some thing utter | ly unforeseen detained him at East
 Paco. Meantime what else could she | do?-what could she plan to rescue l that reckless, luckless, harebrained, handsome fellow from the plight into
 which his misguided, wasted passion
 had plunged him?
 l From the veranda the clink of glass and china, the low hum of merry chat, the sound of half-smothered
 laughter, fell upon the earsand vexed
 her with it's careless jollity. Impa-
 tiently she threw herself upon the l o.her-the left-side, and then-sat
 bold upright in bed.
 l Not a breath of air was stirring. The night was so still she could hear
 the soft tinkle of the ships bells off l the Luneta-could almost hear the
 soothing plash of the wavelets on the l beach, There was nothing whatever | to cause that huge mahogany door l to swing upon it's well-oiled hinges. l She heard them close it when they | went out; she saw that it was closed
 when they were gone, yet, as she
 
 faint light through the northward windows, that door was slowly, stealthily turning, until at last, wide open, it interposed between Ter and | the outward light at the front. Many an evening lately she had lain
 with her hands clasped under the
 back of her bonny head looking
 dreamily out through that big open
 window, across the gallery beyond
 and the open easements in front,
 watching the twinkle of the electric lights above the distant ramparts of the old city and the nearer gleam of the brilliant globes that hung aloft along the west edge of the Bagum- bayan.
 Now one-half of that vista was shut off by the massive door, the other was unobscured, but even as with, beating heart, still as a trembling
 mouse, she sat and gazed, something glided slowly, stealthily, noiselessly between her and those betraying lights, something dark, dim and hu-
 man, for the shape was that of a man, native, as she knew by the stifay brushed-up hair above the fore head, the loosely falling shirt-a na- tive taller than any of their house hold seryants-a native whose move
 ments were so utterly without sound that Maidie realized on the instant that here was one of Manila's fa-
 nous veranda-climbing house thieves, and her first thought was for her re volver. She had left it, totally for AL | outer gallery.
 Even though still weak from her
 long and serious illness, the brave,
 army-bred girl was conscious of no sentiment of fear. To cry out was sure to bring the instant escape of the intruder, whereas to capture him
 and prevent his getting away with such valuables as he had probably already laid hands on became instant ly her whole ambition. The side win dows were closed by the sliding blinds. Even if he leaped from them it would be into narrow court shut
 in by a ten-foot spike-topped stone
 wall. He had chosen the veranda found the family at dinner on the
 back gallery, and the quiet streets well-nigh deserted save by his own skilled and trusted pals from whose shoulders he had easily swung himself to the overhanging structure at the front. He would doubtless retire that way the moment he had slowed beneath his loose, Tapping
 ropas such items as he deemed of marketable value
 He was even now stealthily moving
 across the floor to where her dress ing table stood between the westward
 windows. The man must have the eyes of cat to see in the dark, or else personal and previous knowledge of the premises. If she could only slip as noiselessly out by the foot of the bed, interpose between him and the door and that one wide-open
 window, then scream for help and
 grab him as he sprang, she might
 hope to hold him for second or two,
 and then Brent and Dr. Frank would be upon him.
 All her trembling was from excite
 msnt; she knew no thought of fear. But strong and steady hands were needed, not the fever-shattered mem
 bers only just beginning to regain their normal tone. She slid from un-
 derneath the soft, light coverlet with
 out sound. The sturdy yet elastic
 bottom of plated cane never creaked
 or complained. She softly pushed
 outward the fine mosquito netting,
 gathered her dainty night robe close ly about her slender form, and the
 next minute her little bare feet were
 on the polished hardwood floor, the
 massive door barely five short steps
 away. She cautiously lifted the net ting till it cleared her head, and
 then, crouching low, moved warily
 towards the dim, vertical slit that
 told of subdued light in the salon
 There was no creak to those thick
 blackwood blanks with which Manila
 mansions are foored. Her out
 stretched hand had almost reached
 the knob when her knee collided with
 a light bamboo bedroom chair. There
 was instant bamboo rasp and protest, followed by instant vigorous spring
 across the room and instant piercing
 scream from Maidie's lips.