Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-09-13

his instructive impulse to rise and de-
fend himself, which had brought him
to = standing position, would De IN
terpreted as only the natural action Of
a gentleman addressed by q feminine
acquaintance, he was confident thar
he had not betrayed his primal con.
sternation. He bowed. smiled. ana
with eyes In which establishment swift
ly gave place to qualification and com
pIete comprehension. appraised her
who had addressed him.
She seemed to have tluttered to the
table. beside which she now stood,
slightly swaying. her walking costume
OF gray shot silk falling about her II
soft, tremulous petals. Dainty, chic,
well.poiscd, serene lawiessly pretty
In her miniature fashion: Anisty rec
ognized her in a twtnkling His per
ceptions. trained to observations as IN
Simultaneous as those Of snapshot
camera, and well-nigh as accurate.
had photographed her individuality in
delibly upon the film of his memory.
even In the abbreviated encounter OF
the previous night.
BY a similar play of educated reason
ing faculties keyed to the highest pitch
OF immediate action, he had difficulty
"a scant in accounting for her pres
ence there. What he did not quite
comprehend was why Maitland had
used her so kindly: for It had been
plain enough that that gentleman had
surprised her IN the act OF safc'brCak-
ing before connlvfnS at her escape.
but. allowing that Maitland's actions
had been based upon motives vague TO
the burglars understanding. 1t was
quite in the scheme Of possibilities
that he should have arranged to meet
| his prOtegee at the restaurant that
afternoon. She was come to keep an
appointment to which (now that An
isty came to remember> Maitland had
alluded in the beginning OF thet- con-
, vsrsation.
Well and good: once before. within
the past two hours. he had told him
! self that he was Good-enOugh Matt
, land He was be even better now.
But you did surprise mel" he de-
clared. calamity. before she could won
der at his slowness to respond. You
| see, ! was dreaming.
| lie permitted her to surmiSe the OBJ.
ject round which his dreams had been
woven.
And had expected you to be Gag
erly watching for me-" she parried.
archly
Il was mentally. But he
warned her, seriously not that name.
Maitland is known here; they call me
Maitland-the walters. 1t seems l
made a bad choice But with your as
sistance and discretion We can bluff 1t
out. all right"
Il forgot Forgive ne" But now
! she was in tho chair opposite him.
| tucking the lower ends of her gloves
! into their wrists.
! No matter-HoboJ5 heard"
| Il very nearly called you Handsome
Dan" She flashed u radiant smile at
him from beneath the rim Of her pic
! ture hat
| A fire was kindled in Anisty's eyes;
| ne was conscious Of a Quickened drum
ming OF his pulses.
Dan is Maitland's front name,
| also" he remarked, absently.
Il thought az much" she responded,
| quietly speculative.
| The burglar hardly heard. Il has
been indicated that he was quick
| witted, because he had to be, in the
| very nature of his avocaton. Just
| now his brain was working rather
| more rapidly than usual. even: which
vas one reason why the light had
| leaped into hts eyes.
1t was very plain-to deductive
| reasoner-from the girls attitude to-
| ward him that she had fallen into re-
iatiOns OF uncommon friend.fness with
this Maitland. young as Anisty be-
| licved their acquaintance to be. There
! had plainly been a fiirtatfon-where-
| In lay the explanation of Maitland's
! forbeararce; he had been fascinated
by the woman, had not hesitated to
take Anisty's name {even as Anisty
| was then taking his) IN order to pro-
! long their intimacy.
So much the better. Turn about
| was still fair play. Maitland had sown
| as An:sty: the real Anisty would reap
, the harvest. Pretty women interested
! him deeply. though he saw little enough
/ o: them. partly through motives OF
! prudence, partly because Of refine
ment OF taste: women Of the class Of
this conquest-byproxy were out OF
reach a the enemy Of society. That
Is. under ordinary circumstances. This
one, on the contrary, was not; what
| ever she was or had been however
successful a crackswoman she might
be. her cultivation and breeding were
| as apparent as her beauty; and quite
] as attractive.
A criminal Is necessarily first gam
bier. q votary Of Chance; and the