The Irish standard., 1908-10-24


! ness OF his study.
! For thought he stood bewildered
+, and dismayed by the absence Of light
(: He had thought, somehow. to find the
| ~ss Jets flaring. The atmosphere was
/ hot and foul with the odor of kero.
sene. the blackness filled with strange
sounds and mysterious moving shapes.
! a Srunting gasp came to his ears. and
! then the silence and the night alike
were split by report. accompanied by
! streak Of orange flame shooting
cei]insward from the middle of the
| room.
Its light. transient as it was. gave
him some inkling of the situation Un-
thinkingly he flung himself forward,
, ready to grapple with that which first
+, should meet his hands. Something
soft and yielding brushed against his
! shoulder. and subconsciously, in the
auto-hypnosis of his excitement, he
was aware Of mans voice cursing
and woman's cry of triumph trailing
of into wall of pain
On the instant he found himself at
grips with the marauder. For a mo.
/, ment both swayed, dazed by the shock
of collision. Then Maitland got foot.
ing on the carpet and put forth his
strength; the other gave way, slipped,
and went to his knees Maitland's
hands found his throat. fingers sinking
deep into flesh as he bore the fellow
backward.
\ match fared noiselessly and the
gas blazed overhead. a cry of aston.
ishment choked in his throaat as he
recognized his own features duplicated
in the face of the man whose throat he
was slowly and relentlessly construct
ing. Anisty! He had not thought of
him or connected him with the sounds
that had thrilled and alarmed him over
the telephone wire coming out Of the
void and blackness Of night Indeed.
he had hardly thought any coherent
thing about the matter. The ring of
the girls MOI" had startled him, and
he had somehow thought, vaguely,
thatO'Hagan had surprised her in the
fiat. But more than that
He glanced swiftly aside at the girl
standing still beneath the chandelier,
the match in one hand burning to.
ward her finger tips. in the other An
isty's revolver. Their eyes met, and
in hers the light Of gladness leaped
and fell like living flame. then died,
to be replaced by a look of entreaty
and prayer so moving that his heart
In its unselfish chivalry went out to
her.
Who or what she was howsoever
damning the evidence against her, he
would believe against belief, shield her
to the end at whatever hazard to him
self. whatever cost to his fortunes.
Love is unreasoning and unreasonable
even when unrecognized
His senses seemed to vibrate with
redoubled activity, to become abnor-
mally acute. For the first time he was
! conscious of the imperative clamor Of
the electric bell in O'Hagan's quarters,
as we'll as of the janitor's rich brogue
voic1ng his Indignation as he opened
the basement door and prepared to as.
cend. Instantly the cause of the dis.
! turbance flashed upon him.
His strangle hold on Anisty relaxed,
he released the man. and. brows
knitted with the concentration of his
d thoughts, he stepped back and over to
the girl, lifting her hand and gently
| taking the revolver from her fingers.
Below. O'Hagan was parleying
through the closed door with the late
callers. Maitland could have blessed
his hot-headed Irish stupidity for the
delay he was causing.
Already Anisty was on his feet
again, blind with rage and crouchins
as If ready to spring, only restrained
by the sight Of his own revolver,
steady and threatening in Maitland's
| hand.
For the least part Of second the
young man hesitated, choosing his
way. Then, resolved, in accents of
determination: Stand up, you hound!"
he cried. Back to the wall there!"
and thrust the weapon under the burg
lars nose.
The move gained instant obedience
Mr.. Anisty could not reasonably hest
tate In the face Of such odds.
"And you," Maitland continued over
his shoulder to the girl without remov.
ing his attention from the burglar, into
the alcove there, at once! And not a
word, not whisper, not sound until
I call you!"
She gave him one frightened and
piteous glance, then, unquestioning,
slipped quietly behind the portieres.
To Anisty, again: Turn your pock-
cts OUT" commanded Maitland.
Quick, you fool! The police are be-
low; your freedom depends on your
haste"
Anisty's hands flew to his pockets,
emptying their contents on the floor.
Maitland's eyes sought in vain the
shape of the canvas bag. But time
was too precious. Another moments
procrastination and
THAT will do" he said. crisply,
without raising his voice. "Now listen
to me. At the end of the hall, there,