The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1908-09-05

At That Very Moment the Safe Was
Being Attacked.
collar to hide his linen, darted stealthily
a yard or two to one side, and with
one noiseless bound reached the floor
of the veranda. A breath later. he
stood by the front door, where, at
first glance, he discovered the means
of entrance used by the midnight ma.
rauder; the doors stood ajar, black
interval showing between them.
So that, then, was the way! eau
tiously Maitland put hand upon the
knob and pushed.
A sharp, penetrating squeak brought
him to an abrupt standstill, heart ham,
mering shamefully again. Gathering
himself to spring, If need be, he crept
back toward the library windows, and
accommodating cautiously determined
the fact that the bolts had just been
withdrawn on the inside Of one win
; dow frame, which was swinging wide.
! TITS wise crook that provides his
own quick exit" considered Maitland.
The sagacious one was not, appar-
emily, leaving at that moment. On the
contrary, having made all things ready
for hurried flight upon the first
alarm, the intruder turned back, as
was clearly indicated by the motion of
the light within. The clink of steel
touching steel became audible; and
Maitland nodded. Zimmerman was in
deed justified; at that very moment
tho safe was BENZ attacked
Maitland returned noiselessly to the
door. His mouth had settled into a
hard. unyielding, thin line; and dan
gerous light flickered in his eyes.
| Temporarily the idler had stepped
aside, giving place to the real man
that was Maitland-the man ready to
fight for his own, naked hands against
| firearms, If 1t need be. True, he had
but to step into the gunroom to find
weapons in plenty; but these must be
then loaded to be of service, and
precious moments wasted in the pro-
cess-moments in which the burglar
might gain access to and make of
with his booty.
Maitland had no notion whatever of
permitting anything of the sort to
occur. He counted upon taking his
enemy unawares, difficult as he be-
lieved such feat would be, in the
case of professional cracksman.
Down the hallway he CROPPED his way
to the library door, his fingers at
length encountering its panels; it was
closed, doubtless secured upon the in
side; the slightest movement of the
handle was calculated to alarm the
| housebreaker. Maitland paused, DELHI
Grating another and better plan, hav-
ing in mind short passageway con-
Meeting library and smoking room. In
the library itself heavy tapestry cur
tanned its opening, while an equally
heavy portiere took the place of door
at the other end. In the natural order
Of things a burglar would overlook
| this.
Inch by inch the young man edged
into the smoking room, the door to
which providentially stood Enclosed.
Once within, it was but moments
work to feel his way to the velvet
folds and draw them aside, fortunately
without rafting the brass rings from
which the curtain depended. And then
Maitland was in the passage, acutely
on the alert, recognizing from the con.
tinued click of metal that his antagon-
ist-to-be was still at his difficult task.
Inch by inch-there was the tapestry!
Very gently the householder pushed It
aside.
An insidious aroma Of scorching var
nish (the dark lantern) penetrated the
passage while he stood on its thresh-
old, feeling for the electric light
switch. Unhappily he missed this at
the first cast, and-heard from within
q quick, deep hiss of breath. Some.
thing had put the burglar on guard.
Another instant wasted, and Il
would be too late. The young man
had to chance 1t. And he did, without
further hesitation stepping boldly into
the danger zone, at the same time
making one final. desperate pass 1T the
spot where the switch should have
been-and missing it. On the instant
there came a click of different cali.
Der from those that had preceded IT..
A revolver had been cooked, some
where there in the blank darkness.
Maitland knew enough not to move.
In another respect the warning came
too late; his fingers had found the
switch at last. and automatically had
turned It,
The glare was binding, momentari.
~; but the flash and report for which
Maitland waited did not come. When
his eyes had adjusted themselves to
the suddenly altered conditions, he
saw, directly before him and some six
feet distant. woman's slight figure,
dark cloaked, resolute upon its two
feet, head framed in yelling, features
a6ectually disguised in q motor mask