Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-16
III-Contiuued.

On her part she seemed to recognize
him simultaneously. On his 1t
may as well be admitted that Maitland S
wits were gone wool-gathering. tempo
rarily at least; a state Of mind not I'M
pardonable when it is taken into con-
sideration that he was called upon to
grapple with and simultaneously to as
simulate three momentous facts. For the
first time In his life he found himself
nose to nose with revolver. and that
one of able bodied and respect-compellng
proportions. For the first time in his
life again. he was under necessity of
dealing with housebreaker. But most
Supplying of all he found the fact that
this housebreaker, this armed midnight
marauder. was a woman, And SO it was
not altogether fearessness that made him
to all intents and purposes ignore the
weapon it Is nothing to his credit for
courage il his eyes struck past the black
and deadly mouth of the revolver and
looked only into the blank and express
sionless eyes of the wind mask: 1t was
not lack of respect for his skins in
tegrity. but the sheer. tremendous Won
der of II all, that rendered him oblivious
to the eternity that lay the other side Of
a slender. trembling finger tip.
And so he stared. agape, until presently
the weapon wavered and was lowered.
anu the WOHan VOICE, tOuCHeu WIFI
irony. brought him to his senses.
oh" she remarked, coolly. Its only
YOU"
Thunderstruck. he was able no more
than to parrot the pronoun: "You-you"
Were you expecting 10 meet any one
else here tonight?" she inquired, in suav-
est mockery.
He lifted his shoulders helplessly and
tried to school his tongue to conference.
Il confess 80 Well. certainly didn't
on fndinO hare Mice Want
Worth. And the black cloak, you
know
Reversible. of course: gray inside as
you see-Handsome DAM The girl
laughed quietly, drawing aside an edge
of the garment to reveal its inner face of
slken gray and the futed ruff1es of the
gray skirt underneath.
He nodded appreciation of the device.
to what he should do with the girl. now
that he had caught her. At the same
time he was vaguely vexed by her per-
sistent repetition of the obsolescent nick
name.
Handsome Dan" he iterated all but
mechanically. "Why do you call me that.
please? Have We met before? / could
swear never before this night.'
But you are altogether too modest"
she laughed. Not that it's a bad trait
in the character of a professional.
But really! 1t seems a bit incredible that
any one widely advertised as Hand
some Dan Anisty should feel surprise at
being recognized Why. your portrait and
every yellow journal in America re-
cently,''
And, dropping the revolver into a
pocket in her cloak, Il was afraid you
she diverted the subject. with nod
"But-but If you recognised me as
Anisty. back there by the ford. didn't
you suspect I'd drop in on you-''
why. of course! Didn't you all but
tell me that you were coming here?'
II thought perhaps might get through
before yeu came. Mr.. Anisty; but knew
all the time that. even If you did manage
to surprise me-er-on the job, you
wouldn't call in the police" She laughed
confidently. and-oddly enough-at the
same time nervously. You are certainly
q very bold man, and as surely a very
careless one. to run around the way you
do without so much as troubling to grow
a beard or mustache. after your picture
has been published broadcast"
Did he catch gleam of admiration in
the eyes behind the goggles?
Now. If ever they get hold of my por-
trait and print 1t. - Well.' sighed
the girl, wickedly. lifting slim. bare
fingers in affected concern to the mass of
ruddy hair lin that event / suppose /
shall have to become a natural blond!'
Her humor. her splendid fearlessness.
the lightness Of her tone. combined with
the half-laughing. half-serious look that
she swept up at him, to ease the tension
of his emotions. For the first time since
entering the room. he smiled; then in 81
lence for a time regarded her steadfastly,
thinking.
SO lie resembled this burglar Anisty.
strongly enough to be mistaken for him
Ell? Plainly enough the girl believed him
to be Anisty - Well and why not =?
Why shouldn't he be Anisty for the
time being. IL it suited his purpose SO to
ma squerade?
1t might possibly suit his purpose. He
thought his position one uncommonly
difficult AS Maitland he had on his
hands a female thief hardened char
acter. a common malefactor (strange that
he got so little relish of the termsD,
caught red-handed: as Maitland. his duty
was to hand her over to the law. to be
dealt with as-what she was. Yet, even
while these considerations were urging
themselves upon him, he knew his eyes
appraised her with open admiration and
interest. She stood before him, slight,
delicate. pretty. appealing in her ingenu-
Gus candor, and at his mercy. How
could he bring himself to deal with her
as he might with-well. Anisty himself?
She was a woman, he a gentleman.
AS Anisty. however, he chose to as
sumo that experts identity for the nonce
he would be placed at once on plane
of equality with the girl; from fellow
of her craft she could hardly refuse at
tentions. As Ansty. he would put him
self in a position to earn her friendship,
to gain-perhaps-her confidence, to learn
something of her necessities, TO aid and
protect her from the consequences of her
misdeeds: possibly-to sum up-to divert
her footsteps to the paths of calling
less hazardous and more honorable.
Worthy ambition--to reform a burglar.
Maitland regained something of his lost
self-esteem. applauding himself for en-
Pertaining a motive SO laudable. And he
chose his course, for better or worse in
these few seconds. Thereby proving his
incontestable title to the name and repute
of Mad Maitland.
His face liKhtened; his manner changed:
which she had cast him, and which he
stood so ready to accept and act.
We'll and good he conceded with an
air. Il suppose l may as we'll own
up-'
"Oh. | know you" she assured him,
with little confident shake Of her head.
There's no deceiving me. But" and
her smile became rueful, IF only you'd
waited ten minutes more, OF course l
recognized you from the frst-down there
by the river and knew very well what
was your-lay; you gave yourself away
completely by mentioning the distance
frCm the river to the Manor. And l did
SO want to set ahead of you on this job.
What feather in ones cap to have fore
stalled Dan Anisty. 49, But hadn't you
better be little careful with those
lights? You seem to forget that there
are servants in the house. Really. you
know. | find you most roman:ically au-
dacious. Mr.. Anisty-qu!te in keeping
with yCur reputation.
You ovcrwheim me-" he murmured.