The Huttig news., 1909-02-13
By LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE
Copyright 1907. The BoDbs- Merrill Col CHAPTER XVII.
 Confessional.

1t the girl was waiting for him
 The driver, after taking up his fare. had at her direction drawn over to the further curb, out of the fringe Of he rabble which besieged the St. Luke building in constantly growing aumbers, and through which Maitland. too impatient to think of leaving by the basement exit, had elbowed and fought his way in an agony of appre- hension that brooked no hindrance, needed no difficulty.
 He dashed round the corner, stopped short with a sinking heart, then as the cabby's signaling whip across the street caught his eye, fairly hurled himself to the other curb, pausing at the wheel. breathless. lifted out of himself with joy to find her faithful in this ultimate instance.
 She was recovering, whose high spir. it and recunerative powers were te him then and always remaincd a mar velous thing; and she was bending forth from the body of the hanson te welcome him with smile that in twinl1ling made radiant the world te him who stood in a gloomy side stree. of New YCrk at three o'clock of summers morning-a good hour and a half before the dawn. For up there in the tower of the sky-scraper he had as much as told her of his love- and she had waited; and now-and now he had been blind indeed had he failed to read the promise in her eyes. Weary she was and spent and overwrought; but there is no tonic in all the world like the consciousness that where enc has placed ones love. there love has bur geoned in response. And despite all that she had suffered and endured. the happiness that ran like soft fire in her veins. wrapping her being with it's beneficent rapture, had deepened the celor in her cheeks and heightened the glamour in her eyes.
 And he stood and stared, knowing that in all time to no man had ever woman seemed more lovely than this girl 10 him; knowledge that robbed his mind of all other thought and hs tongue of words. so that to her fell the task of rousing him.
 Please she said gently-"please tell the cabby to take me home. MT. Maitland"
 He came to and in confusion stam. mered Yes. he would And he climbed up on the step with no other thought than to seat himself at her side and drive away forever. But this time the cabby brought him to bis senses forcing him to remember that some measure of eoherenee was demanded even of man in love.
 Where to. sir?"
 'Eh, what? Oh," And bending to the girl: Home, you said-?"
 She told him the address-a mum Der on Park avenue, above Thirty fourth street. below Forty second. He repeated it mechan cally. unaware hat it would remain stamped forever on his memory. indelibly-the first personal detail that she had granted him. the first barrier down.
 He sat down. The cab began to move. and halted again. A face ap- peared at the apron Hickeys, red and moon like and not lacking in com 9lacency: for the man counted on orofiting variously by this nights work
 Excuse me, Mr Maitland, nd touching the rim of his derhy-"yeh, too. ma'am, fir buttin ia--"
 'Hickey!7 demanded Maitland, su1- denly, in a tone of smeld. ring wrath. what the-what do you want?''
 'Yeh told me tuh call round to-mor- row, yeh know. Whenll yeh be ln?"
 'I'll leave a note tor you with OEa aa. Is that all?
 "Yep-that is, there's somethin' else :"
 "Well?"
 Excuse me for mcntiorin it. but didn't kaow-it aint generally known, yeh know. nd one uh tn boys might ve heard me speak tuh yer lady by name nd might pass it cn to re- porter. What I means this" hastily, as the Maitland temper showed dan gerous indications of going into active lrupsion: 'I spose yeh don't want me tah mention t yeh're married, les yet? Mrs Maitland here.' with nod to her. didn't seem tah take kindly suh the no ion of it's bsin' known"
 "Hiokeyi"
 "Ah, excuse mel"
 Drive on, cabby-instantly. Do ycu hear?"
 Hickey backed suddenly away and the cab sprang into notion while Maitland with a face of fire sat back and ragged and wondered.
 Across Broadway toward Fourth avenue dashed the hansom and from the curb-line Hickey watched it with humorous light in his dull eyes In deed. the detective seemed in extraor dinary conceit with himself He ehewed with unaccustomed emotion