The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1908-11-28

janitor had opened to AFFORD him a
place to die in. Maitland had to force
a way through a crowded doorway,
where the night-watchman was hold
ing forth in aggrieved incoherence on
the cruel treatment he had suffered at
the hands Of the law.breakers. A
phrase came to Maitland's ears as he
shouldered through the group.
grabbed me an trun me
outer the cage, inter the hall, an then
the shootin' begins. an Jumps down.
stairs T. the sixteent' door. :"
Bannerman opened dull eyes as
Maitland entered, and smiled family.
"Ah-h, Maitland" he gasped;
thought you'd come"
| Racked with sorrow, nothing guess
ing Of the career that had brought the
lawyer to this pass. Maitland slipped
! into chair by the head of the couch
! and closed his hand over Bannerman's
! chubby. icy fingers.
Poor. poor old chap" he said,
brokenly. How in Heaven"
! But at Bannerman's look the words
died on his lips. The lawyer moved
restlessly. Don't pity me-" he said
in low tone. This is what might
have expected, I suppose
! man Of Anisty's stamp des-
perate character it's all right,
Dan, my just due. 3. :"
II don't understand, Of COURSE" fal.
tered Maitland.
! Bannerman lay still moment, then
continued: Il know you don't. That's
why I sent for you. Member
that night at the Primordial? When
the deuce was It? can't
think straight long at time. :.
That night dined with you and
touched you up about the jewels? We
had bully salad, you know, and
spoke about the Graeme affair. !"
Eyes, yes"
! well I've been I'M to that
game for years. I'd find out where the
plumber was. and Anisty al.
ways divided square. used
to advise him. OF course you
won't understand-you've never want
ed for dollar in your life. ;"
Maitland said nothing. But his hand
remained upon the dying mans.
"This would never have happened
II Anisty hadn't been impa.
tent. He was hard to handle, some.
times. wasn't sure, you know. about
the Jewels; only said thought they
were at Greenfelds. Then under
took to find out from you, but he was
! FESTIVE, and without saying anything
to me went down to Greenhelds on his
own hook-just to have look around,
he said. And so /. so the fat
was in the fire."
Don't talk any more, Bannerman."
Maitland tried to soothe him. you'll
pull through this all right, and You
need never have gone to such lengths.
II you'd come to me-"
/ The ghost of sardonic smile fitted,
anonymously. across the dying mans
waxen, cherubic features
! ooh, hell" he said; you wouldn't
understand. Perhaps you weren't born
with the right crook in your nature
or the wrong one. Perhaps It's be-
cause you can't see the fun in playing
the game. It's that that counts"
| 1AO lSoSOU lpDS 6l1u dLCCI y
moment spoke again. you never did
have the true sportsman's love Of the
game for its own sake. You're like
most of the rest Of the crowd-content
with mighty cheap virtue, Dan. {.
don't know that I'd choose Just this
kind Of a wind-up, but it's been fun
while 1t lasted. Good-by, old man."
He did not speak again, but lay with
closed eyes.
Five minutes later Maitland rose
and unclasped the cold fingers from
about his own. With heavy sigh he
turned away.
At the door Hickey was awaiting
him. yer lady" he said, as soon as
they had drawn apart from the crowd,
rs waitin' for yeh in the cab down
stairs. She was gettin' q bit high
steerical nd l thought I'd better get
her away. Oh, she's waitin'
all right" he added, alarmed by Matt
lands expression. But Maitland had
left him abruptly; and now, as he ran
down flight after echoing flight of
marble stairs, there rested cold fear
in his heart. In the room he had Just
quilted, q man whom he had called
friend and looked upon with affection
ate regard, had died a self.confessed
and unrepentant liar and thief.
II now he were to find the girl an
other time vanished-if this had been
but ruse of hers finally to elude him
If all men were without honor, all
women faithless-if he had indeed
placed the love Of his life, the only
love that he had ever known, unworth-
ily-if she cared so little who had
seemed to care much