The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-10-07

of nights, because 1t had never been
installed; no b~rass-bound hali-boy
| lounged in desuetude upon the stoop
and took too intimate and personal an
interest in the tenants co%rrespon-
dence. The inhabitants, in brief, were
free to come and go according to the
dictates of their conscience, unsuper-
vised by neighborly women folks, I'M
numbered by a parasitic corps of men,
ials not in their personal employ.
Wherefore was Maitland astonished,
and the more so because Of he season.
At any other season of the year he
would readily rave accounted for the
phenomenon hat now fell under his
observation, on the hypothesis that the
woman was somebody's sister or cousin
or aunt. But at present that explana-
ton was untenable; Maitland happened
to know that not n Of the other
men was in New York, barring him
| self; and his own presence there was
a thing entirely unforeseen.
still incredulous, he mentally conned
the list: Barnes, who occupied the first
fat. was travelling on the Continent;
| Conkling, of the third, had left a fort
! night since to join a yachting party
on the Mediterranean; Bannister n
Wilkes. of the fourth and fifth floors.
respectively, were in Newport n
| Buenos Ayres.
"Odd." concluded Maitland.
So it was. She had just closed the
door. one thought; n now stood
poised as If in momentary indecision
on the low stoop, glancing toward
Fifth avenue the while she fumbled
with a refractory button at the wrist
of a long white kid glove. Blurred
though it was by the darkling twilight
and a thin veil, her face yet conveyed
an impression OF prettiness; an i'm
preston enhanced by careful grooming.
From her hat, a small affair, some
thing green, with a superstructure of
gray ostrich feathers, to the tips of her
russell shoes-including a walking skirt
and bolero of shimmering gray silk
she was distinctly smart and inter-
esting.
He had keenly observant eyes. had
Maitland, for all his detached pose;
you are to understand that he com
pretended all these points in the flick
ering of an instant. For the incident
was over in two seconds. In one the
ld0Y HeSlldllOn was TtSolFtu, Ill an
other she had passed down the steps
and swept by Maitland without giving
him a glance. without even the tremb-
ling of an eyelash. And he had a view
of her back as she moved swiftly away
toward the avenue.
Perplexed, he fingered upon the stoop
until she had turned the corner; after
which he let himself in with a latch
key, and, dismissing the affair tempo
rarily from his thoughts, or pretend
ing to do so, assembled the single flight
of stairs to his fiat.
simultaneously heavy feet were to
be heard dumping up the basement
steps, and surmising that the janitor
was coming to light the hall, the young
man waited. leaning over the baiusters.
His guess proving correct, he called
down:
'O'Hagan? Is that your
9TH saints p~resarve us. But twas
y ersilf gave nae tn sthart, Misther
Maitland, Sort O'Hagan paused In
the gloom below, his upturned face
quantity Illuminated by the flame of
a wax taper in his gaslighter.
I'm dining In town tonight. o'Hagan.
and dropped around to dress. Is any
body else at home? ~