The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-08-09
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the matter, and ended by placing her
own hand over the print; this one
fitted the other exactly.
'How he must have wondered :.
He is sure to look again. espe-
cially if"
No need to conclude the sentence.
Quickly she placed bag and case
squarely on top of the impression, the
bowl over all, and the book upon the
bowl; then, drawing from her pocket
a pair of long gray silk gloves, draped
one across the book; and, head tilted
to one side, admired the effect.
1t seemed decidedly an artistic ef-
feet, admirably calculated to attract
attention. She was satisfied to the
point of being pleased with herself;
fact indicated by an expressive 6utter
of slim. fair hands. And now, to work!
Time pressed, and A cloud dimmed
the radiance Of her eyes; irresolutely
she shifted in her chair, troubled,
frowning, lips woefully dropping. And
sighed. And still small whisper,
broken and wretched, disturbed the
quiet of the study.
81 can not! o, can not! To spoil
It all, now, when"
Yet she must She must forget her
self and steel her determination with
the memory that another's happiness
hung in the balance, depended upon
her success. Twice she had tried and
failed. This third time she must sue
coed.
And bowling her head in token OF her
resignation, she turned back squarely
to face the desk. AS she did so the
toe of one small shoe caught against
something on the floor, causing
dull jingling sound. She stopped, with
a low exclamation, and Strengthened
up. small bunch of keys in her hand;
eight or ten of them dangling from q
silver ring: Maitiand's keys.
He must have dropped them there,
forgetting them altogether. A find Of
value and one to save her a deal Of
trouble; skeleton keys are so exas-
peratingly slow, particularly when used
by inexpert hands. But how to bring
herself to make use Of these? Alls
fair In war land this was a sort of
war, q war of wits at least): but one
should fight with ones own arms, not
pilfer the enemny's and turn them
against him. To use these keys to
ransack Maitland's desk seemed an
action ever more blackly dishonorable
than this clandestine visit, this mid
night foray.
Swinging the notched metal slips
from 8 slender finger. she contem-
plated them; and laughed ruefully.
What Qualms of conscience in a burg
lar, self-confessed. She was there for
a purpose, recognized. nefarious pur-
pose. Granted. Then why bubble?
She would not bubble. She would be
firm, resolute, determined, cold
blooded, unmindful of all kindness and
courtesy and She would use them,
accomplish her purpose, and have
done, finally and for ever, with the
whole hateful business!
There was a bright spot of color on
either cheek and a hot light of anger
In her eyes as she set about her task.
It would never be less hideous, never
less immediate.
The desk drawers yielded easily to
the eager keys One by oae she had
them open and their contents explored
vain repetition Of yesterday after
moons fruitless task. But she must
be sure, she must leave no stone I'M
turned. Maitland Manor was closed
to her for ever, because of last night.
But here she was safe for q few short
hours, and free to make assurance
doubly sure.
There remained the dispatch box,
the black japanned tin box which had
proved obdurate yesterday She had
come prepared to break its lock this
time, II need be; Maitland's careless
ness spared her the necessity.
She lifted it out of lower drawer,
and put it in her lap. The smallest
key fitted the lock at the first attempt.
The lid came up and
CAAdPO IL ID AOb e%AlOoCNAOA NAoNACA
table that one should temporarily for
get ones compunctions in the long-de-
ferred moment of triumph. The girl
uttered little cry of Joy.
Crashi-the front door downstairs
had been slammed.
She was on her feet in a breath,
faint with fear. Yet not so overcome
that she forgot her errand, her sue
cess. AS she stood up she dropped
the dispatch box back into the drawer,
without a sound, and, opening her
handbag, stuffed something into it.
No time to do more; dull rumble
Of masculine voices was distinctly,
frightfully audible in the stiffness Of
the house; voices of men conyersing
together in the inner vestibule. One
laughed, and the laugh seemed to
penetrate her bosom like knife Then
both strobe across the thing and began
to ascend, as was clearly told her by
footsteps sounding deadened on the
padded carpet.
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