Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-10-01
BY
BY
LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE
Author of The Private War
Terence O'Rourke. Gentleman
Adventurer
,opyrigh', 1907, The Dobbs-Merrill Company
deathly peril and terror.

deathly peril ana terror.
A sob that was at the same time an
oath rose to his lips. Baffled, helpless,
he fell back tears of rage starting to his
eyes, her accents ringing in his ears as
terribly pitiful as the cry of lost and
wandering soul
"Godr' he mumbled incoherently, and
in desperation sent the pistol-butt crash
ing against the glass. 1t was tough
stout, stubborn; the first blow scarcely
flawed it. AS he redoubled his efforts
to shatter it, Hickey's hand shot over
his shoulder to aid him. And with
startling abruptness the barrier seemed
to dissolve before their eyes. the glass
falling inward with a shrill clatter.
Quantity, with the effect Of picture
cast by a cinematograph in a darkened
auditorium, there leaped upon Maitlands
field Of vision the picture of Anisty
standing at bay, face drawn and tense
lips curled back, eyes lurid with defiance
and despair. He stood, poised upon the
balls of his feet, like a cat ready to
spring, in the doorway between the inner
and outer offices. He raised his hand
with an indescribably swift and vicious
gesture, and a flame seemed to blaze out
from his finger tips.
At the same instant Hickey's weapon
spat by Maitland's cheek; the young man
IelI the not furnace VI IL
The burglar reeled as though from
tremendous blow. His inflamed features
were suddenly whitened, and his right
arm dropped Imply from the shoulder
revolver falling from fingers involuntar-
fly relaxing.
Hickey covered him. Surrender he
roared. And fired again. For Ansty had
gone to his knees, reaching for the re-
volver with his uninjured arm.
The detectives second bullet winged
through the doorway, over Anisty's head
and bit through the outer window AS
Anisty, with a tremendous strain upon
his falling powers, struggled to his feet,
Maitland, catching the murderous CLEAN
in the mans eye, pulled trigger. The
burglars answering shot expended itself
as harmlessly as Maitlands. Both went
wide OF their marks.
And of a sudden Hickel had drawn the
bolt, and the body of police behind forced
Maitland pell-mell into the room. AS he
recovered he saw Hickey hurting himself
at the criminals throat-one second too
late. True to his pledge never to be TAX
en- alive, Anisty had sent his last bullet
crashing through his own skull.
A cry of horror and CONSERVATION
forced itself from Maitlands throat. The
police halted each where he stood, trans
fixed. Anisty drew himself up, with
trace of pride in his pose; smiled hor-
ribly; put hand mechanically to his
lips.
Hickey caught him as he FELL but Matt
land, unheeding, leaped over the body
that had in life resembled him so fatally,
and entered Bannerman's private office.
The grey girl lay at length in a corner
of the room. shielded from observation
by one of the desks. Her eyes were clos
ed. her cheeks wore the hue OF death;
the fair young head was pillowed on one
white and rounded forearm, in an atti-
tude Of natural rest, and the FURNISHED
hair, its heavy coils slipping from their
fastenings, tumbled over her head and
shoulders in shimmering glory. like a
splash OF living flame.
With a low and bitter cry the young
man dropped to his knees by her side.
In the outer Office the police were as
sembled in excited conclave, blind to all
save the momentous fact of Anisty's last,
supremely consistent act. For the time
Maitland was utterly alone with his great
and aching loneliness.
After a little while timidly he touched
her hand. 1t lay upturned, white slen-
der fingers like exotic petals curling in
upon the rosy hollow of her palm. And it
was soft and warm.
He lifted 1T tenderly in both his own,
and so held it for a space, brooding.
marveling at its perfection. And in
evitably he bent and touched it with his
lips, as If their ardent contact would
warm 1T to sentence.
The fingers frightened upon his own
slowly, surely; and in the binding joy
of that moment he was made conscious
of the ineffable sweetness of opening,
wondering eyes.