Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-09-17
The Brass BOwl
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..


Leaving the hotel. Maitland strobe qui-
city but rapidly across the car tracks
To the sidewalk bordering the park. A
dozen nighthawk cabbies bore down upon
him, yelping in chorus. He motioned TO
the foremost, jumped into the hanson
and gave the fellow his address.
Five dollars" he added, If you make
IL in 1--WE minutes"
An astonished horse, reused from
Iroop-eared lethargy. was yanked almost
- main strength out Of the cab-rank and
INTO the middle OF the avenue. Before
9 could recover. the long whip-lash had
capped out over the roof OF the vehicle,
nd re found himself stretching away
4 up the avenue on a dead run.
Yet TO Maitland the pace seemed dead
~ slow. He fdgeted on the seat in
Ian agony OF impotence, dozen times
I feeling in his waistcoat for his
latch-keys. They were there, and his nm
! gers itched to use them.
| BY the lights streaRing past he knew
4 that their pace was furious, and was
haunted by fear lest it should bring the
| police about his ears. At 18th street IN
deed, a dreaming policeman, startled by
tie uproar, emerged hastily from the shell
tering gloom of a store-entrance, shouted
after the cabby an inarticulate question,
and, getting no response, unsheathed his
night-stick and Hoped up the avenue in
pursuit, making the locust sing upon the
pavement at every jump.
In the cob. Maitland. turning to watch
through the rear peep-hole, was thrown
violently against the side as the hanson
rocketed on one wheel into his street. Re-
covering. he seized the dashboard ana
gathered himself together. ready to spring
the instant the vehicle paused IN its head
long career.
rraFeftnnarSta ndin &
OF the address, in all likelihood, the horse
was refined in on its launches some three
houses distant from the apartment build
ing. Maitland found himself sprawling
on his hands and knees on the sidewalk,
picked himself up. shouting you'll waltz
to the driver. and sprinted madly the few
yards separating him from his own front
door. keys ready in hand.
simultaneously the half-winded police
man numbered around the Fifth avenue
corner. and a man, detacning himself
from the shadows Of neighooring door
way, began to trot -loutishly across tht
street. evidently with the intention OF In
tercepting Maitland at the door.
He was hardly quick enough. Maitland
did not even see him. The door slammed
in the mans face. and he. painting harsh
". raped out an imprecation and be-
gan a frantic assault on the push-buttoh
marked "Janitor."
As for Maitland. he was taking the
stairs three at clip, and had his pass
key in the latch almost as soon as ms
feet touched the first landing. An instant
later he thrust the door open and blum
| dered blindly into the pitch darkness ot
his study.
For a moment he stood bewildered
and dismayed by the absence OF
light He had thought, somehow,
TO find the gas-jets uaring. The atmos-
phere was hot and foul with the door OF
kerosene. the blackness filled with strange
sounds and mysterious moving shapes
A grunting gasp came to his ears, and
then the silence and the night alike
were split by a report, accompanied oy
a streak of orange fame shooting cell
ingward from the middle of the room.
It's light transient as II was, gave MIN
some inkling Of the situation. Unthlhk-
inglv he flung himself forward, ready TO
| erappIe with that which first should meet
his hands. Something soft and yielding
brushed against his shoulder, and sub
consciously, in the auto-hypnosis Of his
excitement, he was aware of mans
voice cursing and a woman's cry Of tri-
umph trailing of into wall of pain.
on the instant he found himself at
grips with the marauder. For moment
both swayed dazed by the shock Of col
losion. Then Maitland got footing on
the carpet and put forth his strength;
the other gave way, slipped, and went to
his knees. Maitland's hands found his
throat fingers sinking deep into flesh as
he bore the fellow backward.
A match fiared noiselessly and the gas
blazed overhead. A cry OF establishment
choked in his throat as he recognized
his own features duplicated in the face
Of the man whose throat ho was slowly
and relentlessly constructing. Anisty! He
had not thought Of him or connected him
with the sounds that had thrilled and
alarmed him over the telephone wire COM
ing out Of the void and blackness of
night. Indeed, he had hardly thought
any coherent thing about the matter.
The ring Of the girls Nor had startled
| him, and he had somehow thought, vague
| ", that O'Haran had surprised her in
the fat. But more than that
He glanced swiftly aside at the girl
standing still beneath the chandelier, the
match in one hand burning toward her
| hnger-tips, in the other Anisty's revolver.
i Their eyes met, and in hers the light Of
| gladness leaped and fell like a living
flame, then died. 10 be replaced by look
Of entreaty and prayer so moving that
his heart in its unselfish chivalry went
/ out TO her.
! Who or what she was. howsoever
damning the evidence against her, he
would believe against belief, shield her
10 the end at whatever hazard to him