The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1908-11-28

his eyes. ner accents ringing in his
ears as terribly pitiful as the cry of
lost and wandering soul.
"God!" he mumbled incoherently,
and in desperation sent the pistol.butt
crashing against the glass. 1t was
tough, stubborn; the first blow scarce
ly f.awed it. AS he redoubled his ef-
forts to shatter it, Htckey's hand shot
over his shoulder to aid him.
And with startling abruptness the
barrier seemed to dissolve before their
eyes, the glass falling inward with
shrill clatter.
Quantity, with the effect Of a pic.
ture cast by cinematograph in
darkened auditorium. there leaped
upon Maitland's field Of vision the pic
ture of Anisty standing at bay, face
drawn and tense, lips curled back.
eyes lurid with defiance and despair
He stood, poised upon the balls of
his feet. like cat ready to spring,
in the doorway between the inner and
outer Offices. He raised his hand with
an indescribably swift and vicious
gesture, and flame seemed to blaze
out from his finger-tips.
At the same instant Hickey's weapon
spat by Maitland's cheek; the young
man felt the hot furnace breath of it.
The burglar reeled as though from
a tremendous blow. His inflamed fea-
lures were suddenly whitened, and his
right arm dropped Imply from the
shoulder, revolver falling from fingers
involuntarily relaxing.
Hickey covered him. Surrender"
he roared. And fired again. For
Anisty had gone to his knees, reach
ing for the revolver with his unin-
jured arm.
The detectives second bullet winged
through the doorway, over Anisty's
head, and bit through the outer win
dow. AS Anisty, with a tremendous
strain upon his failing powers, strug-
gled to his feet. Maitland, catching the
murderous CLEAN in the mans eye,
pulled trigger. The burglars answer
ing shot expended itself as harmlessly
rs Maitlands. Both went wide of their
| marks.
And of sudden Hickey had drawn
the bolt, and the body of police be-
hind forced Maitland pell-mell into the
room. AS he recovered he saw Hickey
hurting himself at the criminals throat
-one second too late. True to his
pledge never to be taken alive, Anisty
had sent his last bullet crashing
through his own skull.
A cry Of horror and CONSERVATION
forced itself from Maitland's throat.
The police halted, each where he
stood, transfixed. Anisty drew him
self up, with trace of pride in his
pose; smiled horribly; put hand
mechanically to his lips
| And died.
/! Hickey caught him as he fell, but
; Maitland, unheeding, leaped over the
body that had in life resembled him
SO fatally, and entered Bannerman's
private Office. RI,
The gray girl lay at length in a
corner of the room, shielded from OBJ
servation by one of the desks. Her
: eyes were closed, her cheeks wore the
hue Of death; the fair young head was
pillowed on one white and rounded
forearm, in an attitude of natural rest,
and the FURNISHED hair, it's heavy coils
slipping from their fastenings, tum-
bled over her head and shoulders in
shimmering glory, like splash of liv-
ing flame.
! With low and bitter cry the young
men dropped to his knees by her SIDE
In the outer office the police were as
sembled In excited conclave, blind to
all save the momentous fact Of
Anisty's last, supremely consistent act.
For the time Maitland was utterly
alone with his great and aching lone.
Illness.
After q little while timidly he
touched her hand. It lay upturned,
white slender fingers like exotic petals
curling in upon the rosy hollow Of her
palm. And it was soft and warm.
He lifted 1t tenderly in both his
own, and SO held it for a space, brood
ing, marveling at its perfection. And
inevitably he bent and touched it with
his lips, as il their ardent contact
WouAu WoIm IL W 6cuIlSuCc.
The fingers frightened upon his own,
slowly, surely; and in the binding Joy
of that moment he was made con.
scious of the ine1able sweetness OF
opening, wondering eyes.
CHAPTER XVI.
Recessional.
Him, hrumm!" Thus Hickey, the
inopportunely ubiquitous, numbering
hastily in from the other office and
checking, in an extreme of embarrass.
! ment, in the middle of the floor.
Maitland glanced over his shoulder,
and, subduing a desire to fay the
man alive. released the girls hand.
| Il say, Hickey" he observed, care.
fully suppressing every vestige of
emotion, will you lend me hand
here? Bring a chair, please, and a
glass Of water"
The detective stumbled over his
feet and brought the chair at the risk
1 - III