The Irish standard., 1908-10-10

Time pressed, and A cloud dimmed
the radiance of her eyes; irresolutely
she shifted in her chair, troubled,
frowning, lips woefully dropping. And
sighed. And still small whisper,
broken and wretched, disturbed the
quiet OF the study.
Il can not! o. can not! To spoil
1t all, nov, when"
Yet she must. She must forget her.
self and steel her determination with
the memory that another's happiness
hung In the balance. depended upon
her success. Twice she had tried and
failed. This third time she must sue.
ceed.
And bowling her head in token of her
resignation. she turned back squarely
to face the desk. AS she did so the
toe Of one small shoe caught against
something on the floor, causing
dull jingling sound. She stopped, with
low exclamation. and Strengthened
up. a small bunch of keys in her hand;
eight or ten of them dangling from q
silver ring; Maitlands keys.
He must have dropped them there,
forgetting them altogether. A find of
value and one to save her deal Of
trouble: skeleton keys are so exas.
peratingly slow. particularly when used
by inexpert hands. But how to bring
herself to make use Of these? Airs
fair In war land this was a sort OF
war, q war of wits at least); but one
should fight with ones own arms, not
pilfer the enemny's and turn them
against him. To use these keys to
, ransack Maitland's desk seemed an
action ever more blackly dishonorable
than this clandestine visit, this mid.
night foray.
Swinging the notched metal slips
from a slender finger she contem.
plated them; and laughed ruefully.
What qualms of conscience in a burg
lar, self-confessed! She was there for
purpose, recognized, nefarious pur-
pose. Granted. Then why quibble?
She would not quibble. She would be
firm, resolute. determined, cold
blooded. unmindful Of all kindness and
courtesy and She would use them,
accomplish her purpose. and have
done. finally and for ever, with the
whole hateful business!
There was bright spot of color ON
either cheek and hot light Of anger
in her eyes as she set about her task,
1t would never be less hideous, never
less immediate.
The desk drawers yielded easily to
the eager keys. One by one she had
them open and their contents explored
vain repetition Of yesterday after
Moons fruitless task. But she must
be sure, she must leave NO stone un.
turned. Maitland Manor was closed
to her for ever, because of last night.
But here she was safe for few short
hours, and free to make assurance
doubly sure.
There remained the dispatch box.
the black japanned tin box which had
proved obdurate yesterday. She had
come prepared to break its lock this
time, If need be; Maitland's careless
ness spared her the necessity.
She lifted it out of a lower drawer,
and put 1t in her lap. The smallest
key fitted the lock at the first attempt.
The lid came up and
Perhaps it is not altogether discred-
table that one should temporarily for
get ones compunctions in the long-de.
ferred moment of triumph. The girl
uttered little cry Of Joy.
Crash!-the front door downstairs
had been slammed.
Che e..
faint with fear. Yet not so overcome
that she forgot her errand, her sue.
cess. AS she stood up she dropped
the dispatch box back into the drawer,
without sound, and, opening her
handbag, stuffed something into it.
No time to do more; a dull rumble
Of masculine voices was distinctly,
frightfully audible in the stiffness Of
the house; voices Of men conversing
together in the inner vestibule. Ono
laughed. and the laugh seemed to
penetrate her bosom like knife. Then
both strode across the tiling and began
to ascend, as was clearly told her by
footsteps sounding deadened on tho
padded carpet.
A~AAN0oSAlShOus ouo LUluOu W Lu0
student lamp and with a quick twirl
and upward jerk of the chimney.catch
extinguished the fame. A reek Of
smoke Immediately began to foul the
close, hot air; and she knew that it
would betray her. but was helpless to
stop 1t. Besides, she was caught,
trapped, damned beyond redemption
unless-unless 1t were not Maitland,
after all, but one Of the other tenants,
unexpectedly returned and bound for
another fiat.
Futile hope. Upon the landing by
the door the footsteps ceased; and q
key grated in the wards of the lock.
Blind with terror, her sole thought
an instructive impulse to hide and SO
avert discovery until the last possible
instant, and on the bare chance of
something happening to save her, the
girl caught up her skirts and fed like
TO Be ContiuVed,1