The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1908-09-12

A CRISIS had been passed; Maitland
understood that he must wait until a
more favorable time to renew his
opportunities.
II WILL" he said, dropping on his
knees by the safe. I'm my lady's
service!"
mot at ALL" she interposed. II in.
sist. The job is now yours; yours
must be the profits
Then I wash my hands of the whole
affair" he stated in accents of finality.
Il refuse shall go, and you can do
as you will-blunder on" scornfully,
with your nitroglycerin, your rags.
and drills and-and rouse the entire
countryside, II you will"
"Ah, but"
Twill you accept my aid?"
ION conditions. only" she stipulated.
''Halvers?"
He shook his head.
Half shares, or not at ALI" She
was firm.
"A partnerships"
This educed moue Of doubt, with:
Ii uOS WOAIuy IAO uOuOA.
But" he promised rashly, II can
save you-oh, heaps of trouble in other
-ah-lays."
She shrugged helplessly. IF must
then do accept. We are partners.
Dan Anisty and II"
He nodded mute satisfaction, brushed
the tools out Of his way, and bent an
attentive ear to the combination.
/: The girl swept across the room, and
there followed click simultaneous
with the total extinction of light.
=, Startled, "Why-?" he demanded.
"The risk" she replied. I'VE have
been frightfully careless and thought
less"
! Helplessly Maitland twirled the com.
bination dial; without the light he was
wholly at a loss. But breath later
skirts rustled near him; the slide Of
the bulls-eye was jerked back, and a
circle of illumination thrown upon the
lock. He bent his head again, pretend
Ing to listen to the fall of the tum-
blers as the dial was turned, but in
point Of fact covertly watching the
letters and figures upon it.
- The room grew very silent, save for
the family regular respiration Of the
girl who bent near his shoulder. Her
breath was fragrant upon his cheek.
The consciousness Of her propinquity
almost stided him. One fears
that Maitland prolonged the counter
felt study of the combination unneces.
,:sarily.
: Notwithstanding this, she seemed
amazed by the ease with which he
solved it. Wonderful" she ap.
plauded, whispering, as the heavy door
swung outward without jar.
''Hush!" he cautioned her.
In his veins that night madness was
running riot, swaying him at its will.
With never . doubt, never thought
of hesitancy, he forged ahead, willfully
blind to consequences. On the face
of it he was playing a FOOLS part; he
knew It; the truth is simply that he
could not have done other than as he
did. Consciously he believed himself
to be merely testing the girl; subcon-
sciously he was plastic in the grip Of
an emotion stronger than he-moist
clay upon the potter's whirling wheel.
The interior of the safe was re.
vealed in shape little different from
that of the ordinary household strong
box. There were several account
books, ledgers and the like, together
with some packages of docketed bills,
In the pigeon holes. The cash box.
itself . safe within safe, showed a
blank face broken by q small combi-
nation dial. Behind this, in Sc.
preted compartment, tho Maitland heir.
looms languished, half forgotten of
their needless owner.
Tho cash box combination offered
less difficulty than had the outer dial.
Maitland had it open in a twinkling.
Then, brazenly lifting out the inner
framework bodily, he thrust fun
bling hand into the aperture thus dis
closed and pressed the spring, re-
leasing the panel at the back. It dis
appeared as though by witchcraft.
and the splash Of light from the bulls
eye discovered a canvas bag squatting
humbly in the secret compartment; a
fatlittle canvas bag, considerably soiled
from much handling, such as is used
by banks for coin, sturdy, matter-of-
tact, everyday sort Of canvas bag,
with nothing about It Of hauteur, no
lir Of selfimportance or ostentation,
10 betray the fact that it was the re-
ceptacle of small fortune.
At Maitland's ear, incredulous:
rHow did you guess?" she breathed.
He took thought and breath, both
briefly, and prevaricated shamelessly:
"Bribed the head clerk of the safe
manufacturer who built this"
Rising, he passed over to the center
liable, the girl following. STEADY with
the light" he whispered; and loosed
the string around the mouth Of the
bag. pouring its contents, slistening.
priceless, flaming, iridiscent treasure
horde. upon the table.
"Oh!" said small voice at his side.
And again and again: "Oh, Oh! OH"