Arizona republican., 1908-07-12

voice. This cursed John this internal spirit raised by weak woman's fancy to stand Between her and her happiness and his happiness! She replied meekly:
 NO; did not dare. I have not asked him. but if you" She faltered blushing, irresolute, turning aside her graceful head.
 TT ask you to ask him? Never!"
 His hatred of this imaginary brother was writ ten plain upon his face. She understood instant ly.
 How hard you are" she exclaimed And how incredulous of everything which you can't and feel and hear, Good-bye!'
 Their hands met; he noticed how her fingers vi- brated at his touch. A voice within struggled for utterance He wished to say: Christine. I love you with all my heart and soul" The same voice whispered that he must speak now never, that it was not yet-too late.
 They parted. After the door had closed behind her. he sprung forward irresolute. his features twisted by indecsion. And then the habit of a lifetime seized him. His face grew impassive his relaxed muscles grew rigid; he returned ponder ously to his desk, once more the obedient slave of that tyrant his reason.
 For some hours he worked feverishly making up the time he had squandered imposing upon himself a pennance of unremittng labor, of undivided at tention to the innumerable duties of editor. The pile of letters to be answered dwinded to small proportions He heard his assistant leave the of fee; the boy first to come and last to go. ran of whistling Doors were samming all the big building stopped work for the day. Soon Adrian sensible that he and hall porter left alone. Still, he wrote on and trying to blot out the pathetic face of Christine with ink.
 And then suddenly his telephone bell rang. He picked up the instrument. astonished and perplexed Who ringing him up at seven in the evening? And how did they know that he was in his office at such hour?
 Who is it?" he asked T am Adrian Steele" "I am Christine Messiter."
 Adrian recognized her voice at once. The tone of it seemed stronger. clearer. more vital Yet he asked anxiousy.
 Are you ill?"
 "I am quite we'll" came the reply. ".-ou are alone Will you go at to your assistants desk? In the middle drawer you will find a small bunch of keys. One of them-a Bramah key-un- locks the japanned box which you will find in the lowest right-hand drawer. In the japanned box the missing securities. Will you look at once?"
 'Yes," said Adrian, confounded: "but-''
 A faint voice murmured: Goodbye"
 Adrian hesitated. The obvious questions-the how, and why, and when-rushed to his lips but never passed them.
 Christine" he said passonately, "Christne-are you there?"
 Yes"
 T love you-do you hear? And I am coming to you. Wait for me! Christine do you love me?" 'T-love-you. I-shall- -wait-for-you." And then-sence!
 Adrian shut up his desk and put on his hat and overcoat before he remembered Christine's mes sage Great Heaven, how had such knowledge come to her? He rushed into his assistants room. His desk was locked, but the middle drawer hap pened to be open. The small bunch of keys met his eye. He pulled at the lowest right-hand draw er-that, surely. would be locked. No. By some mischance the patent lock of the futed lid. which ought to have locked the desk and all drawers-in it, had failed to work properly. Adrian the japanned box.
 The securities were there
 With a trembling hand, with beating heart and throbbing brain he thrust them into his pocket and replaced the box and bunch of keys. He had a strange look of awe upon shis face as he went down stairs.
 Passing through the hall he noticed the porter and a couple of workmen, and paused to ask what they were doing at such a late hour. The telephone, he was told, needed adjusting. The job, however. was nearly done.
 ''Is it disconnected now?" Adran asked.
 
 worry, Mir. Steele; it will be in good order before business hours tomorrow.
 Adrian rushed up the street and into Broadway, whence hansom bore him swiftly to the address of Miss Messiter
 The landlady-not the maid he remembered opened the door.
 Where is Miss Messiter? She telephoned to me-not half hour ago"
 He was pushing by, when she cutched at his sleeve. Something in her stupid kind face arrest ed him.
 - We have no telephone in the house sir, Miss Messiter come home about four. I took her a cup of tea. I'm sure she's not gone out again; she's in the second floor frolt"
 Adrian was half way up the stairs before she had finished her sentence. He knocked at Christine's door, inclining his head to hear her quiet: Come in" There was no answer The landlady breath ing very heavily, joined him, and opened the door, By the light of lamp Adrian could Christine lying back in her chair asleep. The landlady and