Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-07
XVI.
ReceSsional.

Him. hrumm.' Thus Hickey. the mop
portunely ubiquitous. numbering hastily
| in from the other office and checking in
! an extreme OF embarrassment. in the mid
die of the floor
Maitland glanced ever his shoulder and.
! subduing a desire to fay The man alive.
released the girls hand.
/ Il say. hickey.' he observed. carefully
suppressing every vestige of emotion.
will YOU lend me hand here? Bring
a CHAIR. please. and glass of water.
| The detective stumbled over his feet and
| brought the chair at the risk of his neck.
Ihen he went away and returned with
| the water. In the meantime the girl. 81
lently enough for all that her eyes were
| speaking. with Maitland's assistance
| arose and seated herself.
You will have to stay here few
minutes. he told her. "until-er--"
Il understand she told him. in a
| choking tone.
Hickey awkwardly handed her the glass.
She slipped mechanically.
II have a cab below" continued Matt
land. And I'll try to arrange it so that
we can get out of the building without
| crowd"
She thanked him with a glance.
There's TIL freight elevator, suggested
Hickey. helpfully..
| can do for you. anything you wish?" con-
tinued Maitland to the girl. standing be-
tween her and the detective.
She Fitted her face to his and shook
her head. very gently. NO" she
breathed through trembling lips. You
you've BEEN But there was sob in
her throat and she hung her head again.
Not a word ordered Maitland. ''Sit
| here for few minutes if you can. drink
| the water and-ah-fix up your hat. you
| the fellow insist on hanging round sob.
land l will go and make arrangements.
"Th-thank YOU" whispered the small
voice. shakily.
| turned upon Hickey i'm sudden exaspera-
ton. His manner was enough: even the
obtuse detective could not ignore t.
Maitland had no need to speak
I'm sorry. sir he said. standing his
! ground manfully but with a trace more
| of respect in his manner than had there
tofore characterized it. but there's uh
Observation-Disclosures fren Bannerman's
outside nd wants tub speak tub yeh."
Tell him to-
Excuse me. He says he's gottuh see
yeh. If yeh don't come out. he'll come
after yeh. ! thought yeh d ruther-''
That's kindly thought of" Maitland
relented. I'll he there in a minute he
added. meaningly.
| Hickey took an impressive face to the
doorway, where. whether or not with de-
sign. he stood precisely upon the .thresh-
old. filling 1t with his burly shoulders.
Maitland bent again over the girl and
| took her hand
Dearest he said. gently. please don't
| run away from me again.
Her eyes were brmming and he read
his answer in them. Quickly-it was no
time to harry her emotions further; but
brushed her hand with his lips and joined
Hickey. Thrusting the detective gently
into the outer room. with not unfriendly
hand upon his shoulder. Maitland closed
| the door.
Now see here he said, quietly and
firmly. You must help me arrange to get
this lady away without her becoming
identified with the case, Hickey. I'm in
| position to say good word for you in
the right place: she had positively moth
ing to do with Anisty" this. so far as he
could tell. was as black a lie as he had
ever manufa ctured under the lash of me-
cessityl. 'and-there's wad in it for the
boys who help me out"
well. ." The detective shifted
from one foot to the other. cycling him in
| tently. Il guess we fix it-freight
elevator nd side entrance. Yeh have the
cab waitin'. nd
I'll go with the lady. you understand.
and assume all responsibility You can
range the details with me, at my rooms,
since you will be SO kind.
Il dunno Hickey licked his lips
watching with a somber eye the prepare
isty's body. I'D We give a farm if l
could We caught that son of gun alive.'
he added. at apparent random and vim
dictively. "All right Yeh be responsible
for TIL lady. if she's wanted, will yeh?''
Positively"
Il gottuh have her name nd address -
rs that essential?
Sure. Gottuh protect myself n case
anythin' turns up. Yeb oughttuh know
thai
..I-don't want il IN con,e ont M.jt
land hesitated trying to invent a plaus-
ible lie.
well. any one can see how you feel
about it
Maitland drew long breath and antici-
pated rashly. ITS Mrs. Ma tland' he
told the man with tremor
Hickey nodded. unimpressed. "Uh-huh.
| knowed that all along" he replied.
But seem as yeh didn't want il talked
about - And. apparently needless of
Maitland's startled and suspicious stare:
If yeh're goin' to see yer fran' yeh bet
ter get a Wiggle on. He won't last long"