The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1908-09-05


Wentworth know no one of
that name. Who the dickens can
she be-"
If it had not been contrary to his
code of ethics. he would gladly have
raved, CRASHED his teeth, footed the
dance of rage with his shadow. In
deed. his restraint was admirable, the
circumstances considered He did
nothing whatever but stand still for
matter of five minutes, vainly racking
his memory for a clue to the identity
of Miss Wentworth"
At length he gave 1t up in despair
and abstractedly felt for his watch fob.
Which wasn't there. Neither, investi-
cation developed, was the watch. At
which browning stroke of misfortune
the timepiece must have slipped
from his pocket into the water while
he was tinkering with that Infamous
arbureter-Maitland turned eloquent.
" red in the face.
1.-THE price," he meditated aloud,
with an effort to resume his pose, lis
q high one to pay for wave Of gray
glove and the echo of a pretty laugh"
With which final fling at Fortune he
set off again for Maitland Manor,
trudging heavily but at round pace
through the dust that soon settled
upon the damp cloth of his trousers
legs and completed their ruination.
But Maitland was beyond being dis
turbed by such trifes. A wounded
vanity engaged his solicitude to the
exclusion Of all other interests.
At the end Of As minutes he had
covered the remaining distance be.
tween Greenfield station and Maitland
Manor. For five minutes more he
strobe YEARLY over the side path by
the box hedge which set aside his ances.
trail acres from the public highway. At
length, with an exclamation, he paused
at the first opening in the living bar
rier; wide entrance from which a
blue-stone carriage drive wound away
to the house. invisible in the waning
light, situate in the shelter of the
grove Of trees that studded the lawn.
Gasoline! Brrr!" said Maitland,
shuddering and shivering with the
combination Of nauseous odor and
the nights coolness-the latter by now
making itself as unpleasantly promi.
nent as the former.
Though he hated the smell with all
his heart, manfully inconsistent he
raised his head, shifting the air for
further evidence; and got his reward
In sickening gust.
Tank leaked" he commented with
brevity. Quart of the stuff must have
trickled out right here. Ugh! If it
goes on at this rate, there'll be another
breakdown before she gets home"
And, Serve her right, too!" he
growled, vindictive.
But for all his indignation he &C.
knowledged a sneaking wish that he
might be at hand again, in such event,
second time to give gratuitous serv-
Ice to his gray lady.
Analysing this frame Of mind (not
without surprise and some disdain of
him who weakly entertained it, he
crossed the drive and struck in over
the lawn, shaping his course direct for
the front entrance of the house.
BY dead reckoning the hour was
TWO, or something later; and a chill
was stealing in upon the land, waited
gently southwark from Long Island
sound. All the world beside himself
seemed to slumber, GREATNESS, in
sensate. Wraith-like, gray shreds Of
mist drifted between the serried boles
of trees, or, rising, yelled the moons
wan and pallid face, that now was low
upon the horizon. In silent rivalry
long and velvet-black shadows skulked
across the ample breadths of dew
drenched grass. Somewhere a bird
stirred on its unseen perch, chirping
sleepily; and in the rapt silence the
inconsiderable interruption broke with
startling stress.
In time-not long-the house lifted
into view; a squat, rambling block Of
homegrown architecture with little to
recommend it save its keen associa-
tions and it's comfort. At the edge Of
the woods the lord and master paused
indefinitely, with little purpose, sur.
veying idly the pale, columned facade,
ano wondering whether or not his en-
trance at that ungodly hour would
rouse the staff of house servants. II
1t did not-he contemplated with mild
amusement the prospect Of their sur
prise when, morning come, they should
find the owner in occupation.
"Bannerman was right" he con.
coded; any"
The syllables died upon his lips; his
gaze became fixed; his heart thumped
wildly for an instant, then rested still;
and instinctively he held his breath,
tip-toeing to the edge of the veranda
the better to command q view Of the
library windows.
These opened from ceiling to floor
and should by right have presented to
his vision a blank expanse of dark
glass. But, oddly enough, even while
thinking of his lawyers warning, he
had fancied. "Ah!" said
Maitland, softly.
A disk of white light, perhaps foot
or Is inches In diameter, had fitted