Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-07

Who. Bannerman? What the deuce
do YOU mean
Hes the Teller I plugged in the ele-
vator. that's all. Put a hole through his
lungs They took him into an once on
the twenty-first floor. right oppsi the
shaft
But what in heavens name has he TO
do with this CHASTITY mess"
Hickey turned a shrewd eye upon Matt
land. II guess he can tell yeh hettern
me-.
With smothered exclamation Maitland
hurried away. still incr sdulous and i'm
pressed with a belief. firmer with every
minute. that the wounded man had been
wrongly identified.
| He found him as Hickey had said he
would. sobbing out his life. supine upon
the couch OF office which the janitor
had opened to afford him place TO die
| in. Maitland had to force a way through
a crowded doorway. where the night
Waterman was holding forth in aggrieved
incoherence on the cruel treatment he had
suffered at the hands of the lawbreakers.
A phrase came to Maitlands ears as he
shouldered through the group.
80 . gra bbed me an trun me outer
the cage inter the hall. an then the
shootin' begins. an ] Jumps downstairs Z
| the siXteent' floor - -
Bannerman opened dull eyes as Matt
land entered and smiled family.
"Ah-h. Maitland" he gasped: thought
you'd Z" . come
Racked with sorrow. nothing guessing
of the career that had brought the law
yer to this pass. Maitland slipped into
chair by the head of the couch and closed
his hand over Bannerman's chubby. icy
| fingers.
Poor. poor old chap. he said. broken
| ly. How in heaven
But at Bannerman's look the words
died on his lips. The lawyer moved rest
| lessly. Don't pity me-" he said. I'm a
low tone. This is what I might have
- expected ] suppose man OF
| Anisty's stamp Z" . desperate character
." it's all right. Dan, my just due.
IL don't understand. of course" fall
tered Maitland.
Bannerman lay still moment then
| continued: II know you don't. That's
why sent for you. ." . Member that
night at the Primordial? When the deucs
| was IT? -" can't think straight long
at a time. . That night ! dIned with
you and touoh he'd you up abou; the jewels?
We had a bully salad you know. and 1
spoke about the Graeme affair. ."
"Yes. yes
well . . I've been up to that game
for years. I'd find out where the plumber
was. and Anisty always divided
| square. I used to advise him.
OF course you won't understand-you'v
never wanted for a dollar in your life
| Maitland said nothing. But his hand
remained upon the dying mans.
This would never have happened II
- . Anisty hadn't been impatient. He
was hard to handle. sometimes. wasn't
sure. you know about the jewels; l only
| said thought they were at Greenfields.
| Then I undertook to find out from you.
but he was FESTIVE. and without saying
anything to me went down to Greenfields
| on his own hook-just to have a look
around. he said. And so -" so the fat
was In the fire..
Don't talk any more. Bannerman."
Maitland tried to soothe him: You'll
! ftrn,p eyh o. y-ie6 nd
need never have gone to such lengths.
If you'd come to me-
The ghost Of a sardonic smile fitted.
anonymously. across the dying mans
/ waxen, cherubic features
"Oh. h-n.' he said: you wouldn't un-
derstand. Perhaps you weren't born with
the right crook in your nature-or the
wrong one Perhaps it's because you
It's that that counts
He compressed his lips and after a mo-
ment spoke again. You never did have
the true sportsman's love OF the game
| for it's own sake. You're like most OF the
rest of the crowd-content with mighty
! cheap virtue Dan. I don't know
that I'd choose just this kind of wind
, up. but it's been fun while it lasted.
He did not speak again. but lay with
closed eyes.
Five minutes later Maitland rose and
unclasped the cold fingers from about his
away.
At the door Hickey was awaiting him.
Yer lady he said. soon they
had drawn apart from the crowd. lis
waitin for yeh in the cab downstairs.
She gettin' bit highsteercal md I
thought I'd better get her away.
Oh. she's waitin all right he added.
alarmed by Maitland's expression.
But Maitland had left him abruptly:
and now. as he ran down flight after
echoing flight of marble stairs. there
rested cold fear i'm his heart. In the room
he had just quilted a man whom he had
called friend and looked upon with af-
fectionate regard. had died a self-con-
fessed and unrepentant liar and thief.
If now he were to find the girl another
time vanished-if this had been but a ruse
of hers finally to elude him-if all men
were without honor. all women faithless-
if he had indeed placed the love of his
life. the only love that he had ever
known. unworthily-if she cared so little
who had seemed to care much -
ITO be continued tomorrow