Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-11-09
CHAPTER XVI.
Confessional.

needed no difficulty.
He dashed round the corner. stopped
short with sinking heart. then as
the cabbys signaling whip across the
street caught his eye. fairly hurled
himself to the other curb. pausing at
the wheel. GREATNESS. lifted out OF
himself with joy to ind her faithful
in this ultimate instance.
She was recovering, whose high spir-
It and recuperatiye powers were to
him then and always remained a mar
velous thing; and she was bending
forth from the body of the hanson to
welcome him with smile that in a
twinkling made radiant the world to
him who stood in a gloomy side street
Of New York at three o'clock
OF a summers morning. good
hour and half before the dawn.
For UP there in the tower Of the
sky-scraper he had as much as
told her OF his love; and she had
waited; and now-and now he had
been blind indeed had he failed to read
the promise in her eyes. Weary she
was and spent and overweight; but
there is no tonic in all the world like
the consciousness that where one has
placed ones love. there love has bur
geoned in response. And despite all
that she had suffered and endured. the
happiness that ran like soft fire In her
veins. wrapping her being with its
benef1cent rapture, had deepened the
color in her cheeks and heightened
the glamour in her eyes.
And he stood and stared, knowing
that in all time to no man had ever
woman seemed more lovely than this
girl to him, knowledge that robbed
his mind of all other thought and his
tongue of words. SO that to her fell
the task OF rousing him.
Please she said gently" please
tell the cabby to- take me home, Mr..
Maitland"
He came to and in confusion STAN.
mered: Yes. he would. And he
climbed up on the step with no other
thought than to seat himself at her
side and drive away forever. But
this time the cabby brought him to
his senses, forcing him to remember
that some measure of conference was
demanded even of a man in love.
Where to, sir?"
"Eh, what? OH" And bending to
the girl: Home, you said
She told him the address, num-
Der on Park avenue, above Thirty
fourth street, below Forty-second. He
repeated 1t mechanically, unaware
that it would remain stamped forever
on his memory, indeiibly--the first
personal detail that she had granted
him; the first barrier down.
He sat down. The cab began to
move. and halted again. A face APP
peared at the apron-Hickey's. red
and moon-like and not lacking in com.
placency; for the man counted on
profiting variously by this nights
work
Excuse me, Mr.. Maitland, nd
touching the rim of his derby-"yeh.
too, lam. f'r buttin' in"
Hickey" demanded Maitland, sud-
denly, in tone Of smoldering wrath,
what the-what do you want?"
''Yeh told me tub call round tomor-
row. yeh know. Whenll yeh be in?"
I'll leave note for you with
O'Hagan. Is that all?"
''Yep-that is, there's somethin
else
"Well?"
Excuse me for mentionin' it. but
didn't hnow-it amt generally known.
yeh know, nd one uh tn boys might
We heard me speak tub yer lady by
name nd might pass it on to re-
porter. What l means this" hastily,
as the Maitland temper showed dan
gerous indications of going into active
eruption: Il s'pose yeh don't want me
tub mention t yeh're married, jes'
yet? Mrs. Maitland here" with nod
to her. didn't seem tub take kindly
tub the notion Of it's bein' known"
Hickey"
All. excuse me-"
Drive on, cab5y--instantly! Do
you hear?' }
Hickey backed suddenly away and
the cab sprang into motion: while
Maitland with face Of fire sat back
and ragged and wondered.
Across Broadway toward Fourth
avenue dashed the hanson; and from
the curb.line Hickey watched it with
humorous light in his dull eyes. In
deed, the detective seemed in extraor-
binary conceit with himself. He
chewed with unaccustomed emotion
upon his cold cigar, scratched
his cheek, and chuckled; and, chuck
ling, pulled his hat well down over
brows, thrust both hands into his
trousers pockets, and shambled back
TO the ST Luke building-his heavy
body vibrating amazingly with his
secret mirth.
And 80. shufiing singgishly, he
merges into the shadows, into the mob
that surges about the building. ant
passes from these pages.
In the Gathering hanson, steadyinG
herself with hand against the win,