The Red Cloud chief., 1909-09-02

L anu kViiNlt hluuHtSS IO"s pI'
had OWNED so clearly the motive that
had permitted Anistys escape In or.
| der that she might be saved, not alone
| from Anisty. not alone from the shame
/ OF imprisonment, but from herself as
wcll--from herself as Maitland knew
| her. The burglar out Of the way, by
| ruse. evasion, or subterfugc she would
be sccrctcd from the prying of the po-
| lice. struggled out of the house and
taken to a place of safety. given n
now chance to redeem herself, to clean
her hands Of the mirC of theft, to be-
| come worthy of the womanhood that
was hers.
| But now-shc thrust fingcrnalls
cruelty into her soft palms. striving
to contain herself and keep her tongue
from crying aloud to those three
brutal. blind men the truth: that she
was guilty Of the robbery. she with
Anisty; that Maitland was Maitland
a word synonymous with man Of
honor"
In the beginning, indeed, all that re-.
strained her from doing 81 was her
knowledge that Maitland would be
more panied by her sacrifice than glad
dcned OF relieved. lie was go sure Of
clearing himsclf. II was in.
conceivable to her that there could be
men so stupid and Grassy unohsorv-
ant as to he able to confuse the idcn.
| tity of the two men for q single in
slant What though they did resemble
each other in form and feature? The
likeness went no deeper; below the
surface, and rising through II with
every word and look and gesture. lay
II worldwide gulf of difference in
every shade ut thought. feeling. and
instinct.
She herself could never again be de.
ccived no. never Not for second
could she mistake the one for the
other. What were they saying?
The turmoil OF her Indignation sub
sided as she listened. brcathlcssly, to
Maitland's story of his adventures;
and the joy that lcapcd In her for his
frank mcndacity in supprossiug every
incident that involved her. was all but
ovcrpowering. She could have wCpt
for sheer happiness, ana at later
time she would; but not now. when
everything depended ON her maintain.
| ing the very silence OF death.
How dared they doubt him? The
insolents' The crude british insol.
cnce of them Her anger ragged high
again and as swiftly was
quonchcd, cXtingushod in a twnklinp
by terror born OF her excitement and
a bare suggestion thrown out by
Hickey.
e. cXplainin' how crook like
Anisty made thrco tries in ono day
10 steal some jewels and didn't get
en-. Where were they, all this time"
Maitland's cool rctort was lost upon
her What matter? If they disbc.
leved him, persisted in calling him
Anisty. in natural course they would
undertake to search the Nat. And If
she were found. Oh. she must
spare him that! She had given him
cause for suffering enough. She mus;
get away. and that instantly. before
From a distance. tomorrow
morning-tonight evenly telegraph
she could communicate with him
At this iuncture OlIagan entered
with his parcel. The rustic of tho
paper as he brushed against the door
iamb was In itself n hint TO mind
keyed to the highest pitch Of excite
ment and seeking a way of escape
from a position conceived to be peril
Gus. In trice the girl had turned
and sped, lightfoOted, to the door open.
Ing on the private hall.
Here, hating for "A brief reconnais
sance, she determined that her plan
was feasible. If hazardous. She ran
the risk of cncountering some one
ascending the stairs from the ground
floor; but II she We're cautious anG
quick she could turn back In time. On
the other hand, the men whom she
most feared were thoroughly occupied
with their differences, dead to all save
that which was happening within the
rooms four walls. a curtain hung
perhaps IA third of the way across the
study door, tempering the light in tn,
hall; and the broad shoulders Of the
cabby obstructcd the remainder of the
opening.
1t was chance. She poised herself
on tiptoe. half undecided, and-the
rustling of paper as O'Hagan opened
the parcel afforded her an opportunity
to escape, by drowning the noise o
her movements.
For two eternal seconds she wa.
edging stealthily down toward tho
outer door then, In no time at all
found herself on the landing and
confronted by fresh complication
one unforeseen: how to leave the
house without being observed
stopped, and perhaps detained unit
too late? There would be men at tho
door, beyond doubt; possibly police
stationed there to arrest all persons
attempting to leave.
No time for weighing chances. Tn,
choice of two alternatives lay before
her: either to return to the alcovC
| ar 10 seek safety I'm tho darkpnco ~