The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1909-07-02


which fact the weight in his pocket
was assurance.
Maitland. Anisty's thoughts
verged off upon an interesting tan
gent. What was Maitland's motive in
arranging this meeting? It was self
evident that the twain were of one
world-the girl and the man of fash
ion. But, whatever her right OF her
itage, she had renounced it, declassing
herself by yielding to thievish in
stincts, voluntarily placing herself on
tie level Of Anisty. Where she must
remain. for ever.
There was comfort in that reflection.
He glanced up to find her eyes bent in
gravity upon him. She. too, it APP
peared, had fallen prey to reverie.
Upon what subject? An absorbing
one, doubtless, since it held her alb
stracted despite her companions di-
rect. unequivocally admiring stare.
The odd light was Pickering again in
the cracksman's glace. She was then
more beautiful, than aught that ever
he had dreamed Of Such hair as was
hers, woven seemingly of dull flames,
lambert, witching! And eyes-beauti-
fll always, but never more so than at
this moment. when filled with sweetly
pcnsive contemplation. Was
she reviewing the last "a hours, dream
ing of what had passed between her
and that silly fool, Maitland? If only
Anisty could su-mise what they had
afH 10 ~ NJ
been acquainted; If only she would
give him a hint, leading word!
If he could have read her mind, have
seen behind the film of thought that
clouded her eyes, one fears Mr.. Anisty
might have lost appetite for an excel
lent luncheon.
For she was studying his hands, her
memory barking back to the moment
when she had stood beside the safe,
holding the bulls-eye.
In the blackness of that hour a disk
Of light shone out luridly against the
tapestry of memory. Within its radius
appeared two hands, long, supple,
strong, Immediately white, graceful
ard dexterous, as delicate of contour
as a woman's. yet lacking nothing of
masculine vigor and modelling; hands
that wavered against the blackness,
fumbling with the shining nickeled
disk of a combination lock. a..
The impression had been and re-
manned one extraordinarily vivid.
Could her eyes have deceived her so?
Thoughtful ?"
She nodded alertly, instantaneously
mistress of self; and let her gaze,
serious yet half smiling, linger upon
his the exact fractional shade of an in
slant longer than had been, perhaps,
discreet. Then. lashes dropped long
upon her cheeks, and her color deep
ened all but imperceptibly.
The mans breath halted. then came
a trace more rapidly than before. He
bent forward impulsiyely. The
girl sighed, ever so gently.
II was thoughtful It's all
so strange, you know
His attitude was an eager question.
II mean our meetlng-that way, last
night" She held his gaze again. mo-
mentarily, and
Damn the waiter!" quoth savagely
Mr.. Anisty to his inner man, sitting
back to facilitate the service of their
neal
The girl placatcd him with an insig-
n!ficaat remark which led both into a
maze of meaningless but infinitely di-
verting inconsequences; diverting, at
least. to Anisty. who held up his head,
giving her back look for look, jest for
jest, platitude for platitude when the
waiter was within hearing dlstance) /;
altogether. he felt, acquitting himself
very creditably.
AS for the girl, in the course of the
next half or three-quarters of an hour
she demonstrated herself conclusively
a person of amazing resource, de-
veloping with admirable ingenuity a
chance observation. The gentle man
nered and self-sufficient crook was
taken captive before he realized It
however willing he may have been
Enmeshed in a hundred uncompre
hended subtleties, he basked, purring
the while she insinuated herself be
meath his guard and stripped him OF
his entire armament of cunning. vigi
lance, invention, suspicion, and dis
trust.
He relinquished them without q
sigh. barely conscious of the spolia
ton. After all, she was of his trade
herself mired with guilt; she would
never dare betray him, the conse
quences to herself would be so dire.
Besides. patently-almost too much
so-she admired him. lie was hei
hero. Had she not more than limited
that such was the case. that his ex
ample, his exploits. had fired her e
emulation-however weakly feminine
He saw her before him. dainty
alluring, yielding, yet leading him on
altogether desirable. And so long hac
he, Anisty, starved for affectionl
II am sure you must be dying for Z
smoke"
BEG pardon!" He awoke abruptly
| IN 6nd hitocaIf fWfrlfuO tho oha -,