The newspaper., 1909-04-02

man, and
The thought was flashing in his
mind illumining the darkness of his
despair with the hope that he would
| be able to force word as to the girls
whereabouts from the burglar ere the
| police arrived; Maitland's foot was
on the upper step. when a scream of
| mortal terror-her voice,-broke from
within. Half maddened. he threw him
self bodily against the door, twisting
| the knob with frantic fingers that
slipped upon its immovable polished
surface.
The bolt had been shot. he was
barred out. and, with only the width of
| a mans hand between them. the girl
was in deathly peril and terror.
\ sob that was at the same time an
oath rose to his lips. Baffied. helpless,
he fell back, tears of rage starting to
his eyes. her accents ringing in his
ears as terribly pitiful as the cry of
lost and wandering soul.
Cod" he mumbled incoherently.
and in desperation sent the pistol-butt
crashing against the glass. 1t was
tough, stubborn; the first blow scarce
ly fawed it. As he redoubled his ef
forts to shatter it, Hickey's hand shot
over his shoulder to aid him.
And with startling abruptness the
barrier seemed to dissolve before their
eyes. the glass falling inward with
shrill clatter.
Quantity. with the effect of pic
ture cast by a cinematograph in
darkened auditorium, there leaped
upon Maitlands field OF vision the pic
ture of Anisty standing at bay. face
drawn and tense, lips curled back,
eyes lurid with defiance and despair.
He stood. poised upon the balls OF
his feet. like a cat ready to spring.
in the doorway between the inner and
outer Offices. He raised his hand with
an indescribably swift and vicious
gesture. and a fame seemed to blaze
out from his finger-tips.
At the same instant Hickey's Weapon
spat by Naitland's cheek: the young
man felt the hot furnace breath of it.
The burglar reeled as though from
a tremendous blow. His infiamed fea-
lures were suddenly whitened. aad his
right arm dropped Imply from the
shoulder. revolver falling from fingers
involuntarily relaxing.
Hickey covered him. Surrender"
he roared. And fired again. For
Anisiy had gone to his knees. reach
ing for the revolver with his unin-
jured arm.
The detectives second bullet winged
through the doorway. over Anisty's
head. and bit through the onter win
dow. As Anisty. with a tremendous
strain upon his failing powers. strug-
gled TO hiD feet. Maitland. catching the
murderous CLEAN in the mans eye.
pulled trigger The burglars answer
ing shot expended itself as harmlessly
as Maitland's Both went wide of their
marks.
And of a sudden Hickey had drawn
the bolt. and the body of police be.
hind forced Maitland rell-mell into the
room As he recovered he saw Hickey
hurting himself at the criminals throat
one second too late. True To his
pledge never to be taken alive. Anisty
had sent his last bullet crashing
through his own skull.
n cry of horror and CONSERVATION
forced itself rom Maitlands throat
The police halted, each where he
stood, transfixed. Anisty drew him
self up. with a trace of pride in his
pose; smiled horribly; put fand
mechanically to his lips
And died.
Hickey caught him as he fell. but
Maitland. unheeding. leaped over the
body that had in life resembled him
so fatally. and entered Bannermans S
private office.
The gray girl lay at length in
corner of the room. shielded from OBJ
servation by one of the desks. Her
eyes We're closed. her cheeks wore the
hue of death; the fair young head was
pillcwed on one white and rounded
forearm. in an attitude of natural rest,
and the FURNISHED hair. its heavy coils
slipping from their fastenings, tum-
bled over her head and shoulders In
shimmering glory, like splash OF liv-
ing flame.
With a low and bitter cry the young
men dropped to his knees by her side.
In the outer Office the police were as
sembled in excited conclave, blind to
all save the momentous fact OF
Anisty's last. supremely consistent act.
For the time Maitland was utterly
alone with his great and aching lone
illness.
After a little while timidly he