Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-25
Copyright, 1ooz-The Bobbs-Merri1i COZ
Author Of :::The Private War.,i

ing as it had the very moment that tbs
door had closed noselessly behind her.
the double stroke had sounded to her
like knell. or perhaps more like the pre-
Jude to the wild alarum of tocsin. first
striking her heart still with terror, then
urging 1t into panic f1utterings.
But these. as the minutes drew on.
marked only by the dull methodic ticking
of the clock. quoted: and at length she
mustered courage to move from the door.
against which she had fiattened herself.
one hand clutching the knob. ready to
pull 1T open and fly upon the first ag-
greSSive sound. =
In the interval her eyes had become ac-
| customed to the darkness. The study
door showed pale oblong on her right:
to her left. and little toward the rear
of the fiat. the door OF Maitland's bed
| chamber stood ajar. To this she tiptoed.
with every fiber OF her being. No sounds
as Of the regular respiration Of a sleeper
warning her she at length peered stealth
lily within. simultaneously she pressed the
button OF an electric hand lamp. Its cir
| cumscribed blaze wavered over pillows
and counterpart spotless and undisturbed.
Then for the first time she breathed
freely. convinced that she had been right
| In surmising that Maitland would not re.
turn that night.
Since early evening she had watched the
house from the window of a top-hoor
hall bedroom in the boarding house OPP
| seen Maitland. stiff and uncompromising
in rigorous evening dress. leave in a cab.
Since then only once had a light APP
peared in his rooms: at about half after
nine the janitor had appeared in the
study. turning up the gas and going to
the telephone. Whatever the. nature OF
the communication received. the girl had
taken Ii to indicate that Maitland had
decided to spend the night elsewhere. for
| the study light had burned for some ten
! minutes. during which the janitor could
occasionally be seen moving mysteriously
about. and something later. bearing a
suit case. he had left the house and shut.
| fed rapidly eastward to Madison avenue.
! So she felt convinced that she had all
the small hours before her. secure from
| interruption. And this time. she told
herself she purposed making assurance
But first to guard against discovery
| from the street.
| Turning back through the hall she dis
pensed with the hand lamp, entering the
| darkened study. Here all windows had
| been closed and the outer shades drawn
l-O'Hagan's last act before leaving with
the suit case: additional proof that Matt
land was not expected back that night.
| For the temperature was high,s the air in
| the closed room sitting.
Crossing to the windows the girl drew
down the dark green inner shades ana
closed the folding wooden shutters over
them. And was conscious of a deepened
sense of security.
| Next going to the telephone she re-
moved the receiver from the hook and let
| it hang at the full length of the cord.
In the dead silence the small voice OF
number? Hello. what number?'-fol-
| lowed by the grumbling of the armature
| as the operator tried fruitlessly to ring
| the disconnected bell. The girl smiled
| family, aware that there would now be
| no interruption from an inopportune call.
There remained as a final precaution
only grand tour Of the fiat. which she
made expeditiously. passing swiftly and
| raids does not attire ones self in silks
| and starched things) from room to room,
all comfortably empty. Satisfied at last.
she found herself again in the study. and
brass student lamp with the green shade,
which she discovered on the desk.
Standing. hands resting lightly on hips.
breath coming quickly, cheeks flushed
inscrutable emotion. she surveyed the
| room. Out of the dusk that lay beyond
| the plash of illumination beneath the
/ lamp. the furniture began to take on
| familiar shapes-the divans. the heavy
leather-cushioned easy chairs the tall
clock with its pallid staring face, the
small tables and tabourettes handily dis
posed for the reception Of books and
towering, old-fashioned mahogany book
! case. the useless. ornamental. beautiful
| Chippendale escritoire. in one corner-all
somberly Swallowed and all combining to
diffuse an impression of quiet, easy-going
| comfort
| Just such a study as he would naturally
| have. She nodded silent appreciation Of
1t as whole. And, nodding. sat down at
| the desk, planting elbows on its polished
] surface interlacing her fingers and Grad
ling her chin upon their backs, turned
| suddenly pensive.
! (To be continued tomorrow