The Huttig news., 1908-10-24

obe had been within that day Dan dis cl l"ered womans finger prints in dust on his desk. along with letter from his attorney.
 CHAPTER U.-Maitland dned with Zimmerman, his attorney. Dan set out fer Greenhelds, to get his family jewels During his walk to the country seat. he met the young woman in gray. whom he had seen leaving his bachelors club Her auto had broken down. He fixed it and by ruse she lost" him.
 He lefted his shoulders helplessly and tried to school his tongue to co. herence. f1 confess. We'll, certainly I didn't count on finding you here. Miss Wentworth And the black cloak, you know"
 Reversible, of course gray inside, as you see-Handsome Dan," The gIrl laughed quietly, drawing aside an edge of the garment to reveal it's in- ner face of silken gray and the futed ruffles of the gray skirt underneath
 He nodded appreciation of the de- vice, his mind now busy with specula- tions as to what he should do with the girl, now that he had caught her. At the same time he was vaguely vexed by her persistent repetition of the ob- solescent nickname.
 Handsome Dan." he iterated all but mechanically. Why do you call me that, please? Have we met before? could swear, never before this night!"
 But you are altogether too modest, she laughed Not that it's bad trait in fEn oh ak,f Of nfnc sfNy,a al But really, 1t seems a bit in credible that any one so widely ad vertised as Handsome Dan Anisty should feel surpise at being recog nized. Why, your portrait and biog- rarhy have commanded space in every yellow journal in America recently,
 And. dropping the revolver into a pocket in her cloak, 'I was afraid you might be a servant-or even Matt land" she diverted the subject, with d nod.
 But-but if you recognized me as Anisty, back there by the ford, didn't you suspect I'd drop in on you"
 Why, of course! Didn't you all but tell me that you were coming here?'
 But"
 T thought perhaps I might get through before you came, MT. Anisty; 1 but I knew all the time that. even il | you did manage to surprise me-er-- on the job, you wouldn't call the DO lice" She laughed confidently, and oddly enough-at the same time neryously. You are certainly a very bold man, and as surely a very care less one, to run around the way you do without so much as troubling to grog beard or a mustache, after your picture has been published broad cast"
 Did he catch a gleam of admiration in the eyes behind the goggles?
 Now. If ever they get hold of my portrait and print We'll" sighed the girl wickedly, lifting slim, bare fingers In affected concern to the mass of ruddy hair, "in that event I suppose l shall have to become a natural. blonde!"
 Her humor, her splendid fearless ness, the lightness of her tone, com bined with the half laughing, half-se- rious leok that she swept up at him, to ease the tension of his emotions. For the first time since entering the room. he mi'ed; then in silence for time regarded her steadfastly, thinking.
 So he resembled this burglar, Anis- ty, strongly enough to be mistaken for him-eh? Plainly enough the girl be- lieved him to be Anisty. Well, and why not? Why shouldn't he be Apisty for the time being. if it suited his purpose so to masquerade9
 It might possibly suit his purpose lie thought his position enc uncommon ly difficult. As Maitland he had on his hands female thief, hardened char aeter, a common malefactor (strange tfat he got se little reffsh of the ternsN. caught red-handed, as Malt l land, his duty was to hand her over te the law, b be dealt with as-what she was, Yet, even while these eonsid epations were urging themselves upon h;H, he knew his eyes appraised hel l With eI en admiration and interest. She stood before him, slight, delicate, pret ty, appealing in her ingenious eandor; and at his mercy. How could he bring himself to deal with her as he might with-well, Anisty himself2 she was a woman he gentleman.
 As Apisty, however-if he chose te assume that experts identity for the ponce-he would be placed at once or a plane of equality with the girl; from fellow of her craft she could hardI, refuse attentions. As Anistg, fe woult put himself in a position to earn hel friendship, to rain-perhans-her con fdence, to learn something of hel necessities, to aid and protect her iron the consequences of her misdeeds i possibly-=te sum up-te divert hel footsteps te the paths of calling les! hazardous and more honorable. Worthy ambitien-to reform a bur glar! Maitland regained something Q his lost self-esteem, applauding him self for entertaining motive ss laudahle. And he chose his course, fol better or worse, in these few seconds Thereby proving his ineontestabie title te the name and repute of Mad Malt