Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-16

through observation" And small white
hand sestured significantly. toward the
collection of burglars tools-drills and
chisels. skeleton keys putty and all
neatly displayed upon the rug before the
massive safe
You mean that you wish me to crack
this safe for your' he INQUIRED. with in
ward CONSERVATION
NOT for me. Disappointment 1 admit
is mine; but not for the loss sustain In
the presence of the master am content
to stand humbly to one side as BELTS one
of my lowly state in-in the ranks of our
profession l resign. l abdcate- in your
favor: claiming nothing by right of
priority
You are too generous" he mumbled.
confused by her thinly yelled ridicule.
Not at ALL" she replied. briskly II
am entirely serious. My loss of today
will prove my gain tomorrow. 1 look for
incalculable benefit through study of
contemptuous toss of her head toward
the burglars kit. ARE clumsy, anti
quated. out of date. 1" But then, I'm
only an amateur"
ION. but a woman" he began to
apologize on her behalf.
"Oh. but woman!" she raped out
smartly. II wish you to understand that
this woman. at least. is no mean"
And she hesitated.
Thief" he supplied crudely
that" e
'True enough. = But you were first
in the field I fail TO sec why I should
reap any reward fors Hardness The
spoils must be yours"
1t was a test-Maitland watched her
keenly, fascinated by the subtlety of the
game.
But 1 refuse. Mr.. Anisty-positively re-
fuse to go to work while you stand aside
and-and laugh"
Pride. He stared. openly amazed. at
this Overwhelmingly feminine bundle of in
consistencies. With each facet of her
character discovered to him. minute by
minute. the study of her became to him
the more engrossing. He drew nearer,
eyes speculative.
Il will agree" he said slowly. 'to
! crack the safe. but upon conditions"
but asserting her dignity "Yes?" she
led him on. though in no accent of en-
couragement.
Back there. in the river" he dra wled.
deliberately: forcing the pace. Il found
She flushed, lip curling. ''And back
there. in the river. thought you-a gen.
tleman!'
Although burglar?"
"A gentleman for all that!'
Il promise you 1 mean no harm" he
prefaced. But don't you see how 1 am
putting myself in your power? Every
moment you know me better, while I have
uOl yet even lOOkcu l1IO your lace WIFI
the light full upon it. Honor among
thieves. little woman!'
She chose to ignore the intimate note in
his voice. You're wasting time she
limited. crisply.
II am aware of that fact Permit me
to remind you that you are helping me to
waste It, will not go ahead until l
have seen your face. 1t is simply an ordi-
nary precautiOn.
"Oh. If it's a matter of business
62A1f- "a vuif
magnificent gravity.
She hesitated but moment longer,
then with a quick gesture removed her
mask. Maitland's breath came fast as
he bent forward. peering into her face:
though he schooled his own features to
an expression of intent and inoffensive
stud.ousness. he feared the loud thump-
ing Of his heart would betray him. AS
witchery of moonlight had not served to
exaggerate the sensitive, the almost
miniature. beauty of her. If anything.
Its charm was greater there in the full
glare of the electric chandelier, as she
faced him. giving him glance for glance.
quite undismayed by the intentness of his
scrutiny.
In the clear light her eyes shone lus-
trous, pools of tawny flame; her hair
showed itself of rich and luminous cop
perry hue spun to immeasurable fineness;
faint color burned in her cheeks but in
contrast her forehead was as snow-the
pure. white. close-grained skin that is the
heritage Of red-headed women the world
over. and their chiefest charm as well;
while her lips . +"
AS for her lips. the most coherent state
ment to be extracted from Mr.. Maitland
is to the effect that they were altogether
desirable. from the very first
The hauteur of her pose, the sympathy
and laughter that lurked in her mouth,
the manifest breeding in the delicate
modelling of her nostr.ls. and the firm,
straight arch Of her nose, the astonishing
allurement of her eyes, combined with
their spirited womanliness-these, while
they completed the conquest of the
young man. abashed him. He found him
self Of sudden endowed with a painful
appreciation of his own imperfect;ons,
the littleness of his ego. the inherent
coarseness of his masculine fiber, the
poor futility of his ways. contrasted with
her projections. He felt as II rebuked
for some unwarrantable presumption.
For he had looked into eyes that
were windows of a soul. and the soul
was that of child, unsullied and i'm
maculate.
You may smile. but as for Maitland. he
deemed 1t no laughing matter. From
that moment his perception was clear
that. whatever she might claim to be-
however damnipg the circumstances in
which she appeared to him, there was no
evil in her.
But what he did not know and did not
even guess, was that, from the same in
slant. his being was in bondage to her
will So love comes. strangely masked
CTO be continued tomorrow