The Huttig news., 1908-12-26

EetHeTs TeduN 10 SpFlnS the instant the vehicle paused in it's hesdlong career.
 Through the eabby's misunderstood ing of the address. in all likelihood the horse was refined in on it's launches some three houses distant from the apartment building. Matt land found himself sprawling on his hands and knees on the sidewalk. picked himself up. shouting: "YouH wait?" to the driver. and sprinted madly the few yards separating him from his own front door, keys ready in hand
 Simultaneously the half-winded po- liceman numbered around the Fifth avenue corner and man, detaching himself from the shadows of neigh boring doorway. began to trot loutish- ly across the street, evidently with the intention of intercepting Maitland at the door.
 He was hardly quick enough Matt land did not even see him. The door
 damned in the mans face. and he, panting harshly. rapped out an i'm preeation and began frantic assault JD IUt HuSu- uldEhSU JdU.ICT.
 As for Maitland he was taking the stairs three at clip. and had his pass key in the latch almost as soon as his feet touched the first landing. An in- stant later he thrust the door open and blundered blindly into the pitch dark ness of his study.
 For a thought he stoud bewildered k.. aL He had thought. somehow, to find the gas jets haring. The atmosphere was ..ot and foul with the odor of kero. sene, the blackness filled with strange sounds and mysterious moving shapes. A gruating gasp came to his ears, and then the silence and the night alike were split by report. accompanied by streak of orange flame shooting eeilingward from the middle of the room
 It's light. transient as it was. gave him some inkling of the situation Un- thinkipgly he flung himself forward, | ready to grapple with that which first should meet his hands. Something soft and yielding brushed against his | shoulder, and subeonsciouslv. in the auto-hypnosis of his excitement he was aware of mans voice eursing and woman's cry of triumph trailing off into vail of pain
 On the instant he found himself at grips with the marauder. For a mo- ment both swayed. dazed by the shock of collision. Then Maitland got foot ing on the carpet and put forth his strength; the other gave way, slipped, and went to his knees. Maiiland's s hands found his throat, fingers sinking deep into flesh as he bore the fellow l backward.
 A match fared noiselessly and the gas blazed overhead A cry of aston ishment choked in his throaat as he recognized his own features duplicated in the face of the man whose throat he was slowly and relentlessly constrict- ing. Anisty, He had not thought of him or connected him with the sounds that had thrilled and alarmed him over the telephone wire coming out of the void and blackness of night Indeed. he had hardly thought any coherent thing about the matter The ring of the girls "Nol" had startled him, and he had somehow thought. vaguely. thatO OHagan had surprised her in the fiat. But more than that
 He glanced swiftly aside at the girl standing still beneath the chandelier, the match in one hand burning to- ward her finger tips, in the other An isty's revolver. Their eyes met. and in hers the light of gladness leaped and fell like a living flame, then died to be replaced by a look of entreaty and prayer so moving that his heart in it's unselfsh chiyalry went out to her.
 damning the evidence against her, he would believe against belief. shield her to the end at whatever hazard to him. self. whatever cost to his fortunes. Love is unreasoning and unreasonable even when unrecognized
 His senses seemed to vib9ate with redoubled activity. to become abnor- mally acute. For the first time he was conscious of the imperative clamor of tlS Clcttlit USll III V I1dSdu QudTII1S, as we'll as of the ianitors rich brogue voicing his indignation as he opened the basement door and prepared to as- cend Instantly the cause of the dis turbance flashed upon him.
 His strangle hold on Anisty relaxed, he released the man, and. brows knitted with the concentration of his thoughts. he stepped back and over to the girl. lifting her hand and gently taking the revolver from her fingers
 Below. O'Fagan was parleying through. the elosed door with the late callers. Maitland could have blessed his hot-headed Irish stupidity for the delay he was causing.
 Already Anisty was on his feet again. blind with rage aud crouching IS if ready to spring. only restrained by the sight of his own revolver, steady and threatening in Maitland's hand.
 For the least part of a second the young man hesitated. choosing his way Then. resolved. in accents of