Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-09-20


ence had prevented his (Maitland's)
keeping the engagement Doubtless
the girl had waited. then gone away
In anger. believing that the man in
whom she had placed faith had proved
himself unworthy. And SO he had lost
her for ever. in all likelihood; they
would never meet again.
But that telephone call?
"O'Hagan." demanded the haggard
and distraught young man. who was
that on the wire just now"
Being Q thoroughly trained servant.
O'Hagan had waited that question in
silence, a-quiver with impatience
though he was. Now. his tongue I'M
leashed, his words fairly stumbled on
one another's heels In hts anxiety to
get them out In the least possible time.
Sure. an twas Teddy. sor. be. the
vice av her. askin' were We In. and
mesilf havin' seen We 90 out no longer
ago thin wan O'Clock and yersilf sayin
not q worrud about comm back at all
a. all. pwhat was l to be tellin' her.
aven II We were LYNN there on the die
van all unbeknownest to me. which
the same mesilf can not"
Help" pleaded the young man
feebly. smiling. "One thing at time.
please, O'Hagar. Answer me one ques-
ton: Did she give name?"
"She did not, sor. though mesilf-
There. there! Wait a bit. l want
to think"
OF course she had given no name: 1t
wouldn't be like her. What was he
thinking OF, anyway! 1t could not
have been the gray girl; for she knew
him only as Anisty: she could never
have thought him himself. Maitland.
But what other woman OF his acquain-
lance did not believe him to be out OF
town?
With q hopeless gesture. Maitland
gave it up. conceding the mystery too
deep for him. his intellect too feeble
to grapple with ali its infinite ramifica-
tions. The counsel he had given
O'Hagan seemed most appropriate to
his present needs: One thing at a
time. And obviously the first thing
that lay to his hand was the silencing
OF OIagan.
Maitland rallied his wits to the task.
"O'Hagan," said he. this man. Snaith.
who was here this afternoon. called
himself a detective. AS soon as we
were alone he raped me over the
head with a loaded cane. and. sus-
pect, went through the fiat stealing
everything he could lay hands on.
Hand me my cigarette case. please.
"'Tis gone. sorts not on the desk.
at Taste, pwhere saw ut last"
All! You see? Now for reasons OF
my own, which I won't enter into,
don't want the AFFAIR to get out and be-
come public. You understand?
want you to keep your mouth shut.
until l give you permission to open it..
VERY good. sor." The janitor-valet
had previous experiences with Matt
HDos generosity in grateful memory;
and shut his lips tightly In promise
Of virtuous reticence.
You won't regret 1t. Now tell mo
what you mean by saying that you saw
me go out at one this afternoon?
Again the food gates were lifted;
from the deluge Of explanations and
protestations Maitland extracted the
general drift of narrative. And in the
end held up his hand for silence.
Il think understand. now. You say
he had changed to my gray suit"
O'Hagan darted into the bedroom.
whence he emerged with confirmation
Of his statement.
"'Tis gone, sor. an
"All right. But" with q rueful smile.
I'll take the liberty OF countermand-
ing Mr.. Snaith's order. II he should
call again. O'Hagan. very much want
to see him."
Faith, and It's mesilf will have .
worrud or two to whisper in the ear
av him, sor." announced o'Hasan.
grimly.
I'm afraid the opportunity will be
lacking. You may tx me a hot bath
now. O'Hasan. and put out my even
ing clothes. I'll dine at the club to
night and may not be back"
And. rising, Maitland approached q
mirror; before which he fingered for
several minutes. cataloGuing his in
juries. Taken altogether. they
amounted to little. The swelling Of
his wrists and ankles was subsidiug
gradually; there was q sigh: redpess
visible in the corners Of his mouth.
and q shadow Of discoloration on hts
right temple-something that could be
concealed by brushing his hair in .
new way.
II think shall do" concluded Malt
land; there's nothing to excite partic-
ular comment The bulk Of the sore
ness Is inside"
Seven p. m.
Time" said the short and thick-set
man casually, addressing no one in
particular.
He shut the I'D Of his watch with
$3.50 80 ~~<vrnnA tho Sfppopioro fo