The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-09-05
THE POWERS AND MAXINE
. All Rishas Reservsa.


 ins to hide the place where her nest of her pride. her high courage the veneer of hardness which her experi- ence or the world had given, she was tnIiniteiy patethic in my eyes; and though l had never loved her, though ald love another woman, would have slven my lie at this minute if I could nave saved her from the catastrophe
 CHAPTER V.
 sVor Does What He Can for Marine.
 HOW long a time do you think nad been in this room, Monsieur" she sshed, before you---ra ther rudely. I must say-broke in upon my conver sallon with my friend?"
 You had been here exactly three Police. VI
 As much as that? should have thought loss. We had to greet each other. after having been parted for many months; and still, in the three minutes, you believe that we had time 70 concoct plot of some sort. and to ma some safe corner--all the while in emi-darkness--for the hiding of a .nIns important to the police--a bomb, clever" 'ei' Mademeiselle.
 Perhaps l ought to thank you for the compliment" she answered allow. Ing ahger to warm her voice at last. put this is almost beyond a joke. A woman comes to the rooms of d friend. 1oun oi them are So placed that they For that reason. and for the wornan's sake. the friend chooses to take name tbat isn't his--as he has a right 70 do. Yet, just because that woman happens unfortunately to be we'll known-her face and name being pub. nc property-she Is followed she is spied upon. humiliated. and all, no aouo'' on account of some silly mis- thke, or malicious false information An, It Is shameful, Monsieuri won ser ne police of Paris can stoop to such stupidity, such meanness. when we have found out that 1t is mistake, the police of Paris will apologize to you Madenoiselle, through me-" said the Commissary, until them regret if our duty makes us disa gree able to you" Then, turning to his two gendarmes. he directed them to search the room, beginning with all possible places in which paper par eel or large envelope might be hidden, within ten metres of the spot where Mademoiselle and Monsieur had stood talking together when the police open cd the door.
 Maxine did not protest again. With her head up. and a look as if the three policemen were of no more importance to her than the furniture Of the room she walked to the mantelpiece and stood leaning her elbow upon 1t. Wearin ess, disEusted indifference were in her attitude; but I guessed that she felt herself actually in need of the physical support.
 The two gendarmes moved about in noiseless obedfence. stheir faces express glance at Maxine. giving themselves entirely to the task at which they had been set. But their superior oficer did not once take his eyes from the pure profile she turned scornfully to- wRrd him. knew why he watched her thus. and thought of a foolish. chiId's game I used to play twenty years ago, at Iittle-boy and. girl par ties; the game of Hide the andker- chief" While one searched for the treasure. those who knew where 1t was stood by, saying: Now you are warm. Now you are hot--boiling hot Now you are cool again. Now you are fec cold" It was as If we were five play CTS at this game. and Maxine de Rem Eie's white, deathiy smiling face was expected to proclaim against her will. Now you are warm. Now you are hot. Now you are ice cold"
 There was a table fin the middle of the room, with one or two volumes of photographs and brightly-bound guide books of Paris upon it, as we'll as my hat and gloves which had tossed down as I came in. The gendarmes picked up these things. examined them, natA AAAN wtA hA ble; peered behind the silk cushions on the sofa, opened the doors and drawers of a bric-a-brac cabinet and a small writing desk lifted the cor. ners of the rugs on the bare, polished floor; and finally, lowing apologies to Maxine for disturbing her, took out the logs from the fireplace where the fire was ready for lighting. and pried into the vases on the mantel. Also they shook the silk and lace window curtains. and moved the pictures on the walls When all this had been done in vain, the pair confessed with shrugs of the shoulders that they were at loss.
 During the search. which had been conducted in silence, had curious sensation, caused by my intense sym pathy with Maxine's suffering. I felt as if my heaft were the pendulum of a clock which had been jared until 1t was uncertain whether to go on or stop. Once, when the gardarmes were peering under the sofa. or behind the sofa cushions, a grey shadow round Maxine's eyes made her beautiful face look like a death-mask in the white electric light. which did not fail now, or spare her any cruelty of revelation. She was smiling eontemptuously still always the same smile-but her fore head appeared to have been sprinkled with diamond dust.
 I saw that dewey sparkle, and won dered, sickeningly, If the enemy saw 1t too. But had not long to wait be- fore being satisfied on this point. The keen-eyed Frenchman gave no further instructions to his baffied subordi- mates. but crossing the room to the sofa stood staring at 1t fxedly. Then, grasping the back with his capable looking hand, instead of beginning at once a quest which his gendarmes had abandoned. he searched the face of the tortured woman.
 Unninching in courage. she seemed not to see him. But 1t was as If she had suddenly ceased to breathe. Her bosom no longer rose and fell. The only movement was the visible knock ing of her heart I felt that, In am other moment. if he found what she had hidden, her heart would Knock 40 longer. and she would die. For a sec ond. I wildly counted the chances of overpowering all three men. stunning them into unconsciousness. and giving Maxine time to escape with the letter case. But l knew the attempt would be useless Even if I could succeed, the noise would arouse the hotel. Peo- nle would come. Other policemen