The Irish standard., 1908-11-14

"ASAA !oPAuAy AASAS ASoSAA6 SpCcuS AAduo
her slightly giddy. Despite Anisty's
supporting arm she reeled back
against the wall of the cage, closing
her eyes. The man observed this with
covert satisfaction.
AS the speed decreased she began
to feel slightly stronger; and again
opened her eyes. The floor numbers,
black upon white ground, were
steadily slipping down; the first she
recognized being 10. The pace was
sensibly decreased. Then with a
slight jar the elevator stopped at %.
"Yous know the way?"
Perfectly" replied Anisty. 1.-TWO
flights up-in the tower"
Right. When yous wants me,
ring"
The car dropped like plummet,
leaving them in darkness-or rather
in thick gloom but slightly mod
Grated by the moonlight streaming in
at windows at either end of the cor.
ridor. Anisty gripped the girl more
roughly.
"Now, my lady! No shennanigan!"
A futile, superfluous reminder. Tenn
porarily at least she was become as
wax in his hands. So complex had
been the days emotions, so severe her
nervous tension, so heavy the tax
upon her stamina, that she had lapsed
into a state of subjective conscious
ness, in which she responded without
purpose, almost dreamily to the sug-
gestions of the stronger will.
Wearily she stumbled up the two
brief flights Of stairs leading to the
tower-like cupola of the sky-scraper;
two floors superimposed upon the roof
with scant excuse save that of giving
the building the distinction Of being
the loftiest in that section of the city
certainly not to lend any finishing
touch of architectural beauty to the
edifice.
On the top landing door confront
ed them, its glass panel shining dimly
in the darkness. Anisty paused, un-
tremendously thrusting the girl to
one side and away from the head of
the staircase; and here fumbled in q
pocket, presently producing jingling
bunch Of keys. For moment or two
she heard him working at the lock
and muttering in an undertone-prob-
ably swearing-and then, with click,
the door swung open.
The man thrust hand inside.
touched an electric switch, flooding
the room with light. and motioned the
girl to enter. She obeyed passively,
thoroughly subjugated, and found her.
self in a large and well-furnished Of
fce, apparently the outer Of two
rooms. The glare of electric light at
first partly blinded her; and she
halted instinctively few steps from
the door, waiting for her eyes to be.
come accustomed to the change.
Behind her the door closed softly;
and there followed thud as a bolt
was shot. An instant later Anisty
caught her by the arm and, roughly
now and without wasting speech, hur.
ried her into the next room. Then,
releasing her, he turned up the lights
and, passing to the windows, threw
two or three Of them wide; for the
air in the room was stale and lifeless.
"And now" said the criminal in a
tone Of satisfaction. NOW we can talk
business, my dear"
He removed his overcoat and hat.
throwing them over the back of a con.
venient chair, drew his fingers
thoughtfully across his chin, and,
standing at little distance, regarded
the girl with shadow of a saturnine
smile softening the hard line of his
lips.
She stood where he had left her, as
If volition was no longer hers. Her
arms hung slack at her sides and she
was swaying trifle, her face vacant.
eyes blank; very near the breaking
down point.
The man was not without percep-
ton; and recognized her state-one
in which, he felt assured, he could get
very little out of her. She must be
strengthened and revived before she
would or could respond to the direct
catechism he had in store for her. In
his own interest, therefore, more than
through any yielding to motives Of
pity and compassion, he piloted her to
a chair by window and brought her
a glass of clear cold water from the
filter in the adjoining room.
The cold, fresh breeze blowing in
her face proved wonderfully invigorat-
Ing. She let her head sink back upon
the cushions of the easy, comfortable
leather chair and drank in the clean
air in great deep draughts, with a
sense Of renewing vigor, both bodily
and spiritual. The water helped, too;
she dabbled the tip of a ridiculously
small handkerchief in it and bathed
her throbbing temples. The while.
Anisty stood over her, waiting with
discrimination II with scant patience.
What was to come she neither knew
nor greatly cared; but, with an in
stinctive desire to postpone the newt
able moment Of trial, she simulated
deadly languor for some moments aft.
er becoming conscious Of her position;
and lay passive, long lashes all but