Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-09-07
BY LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE
Author OF The Private War
Terence O'Rourke. Gentleman
Adventurer
opyrieht, 1901, The Dobbs-Merrill Compan,

raids does not attire ones self in silks
! and starched things) from room to room
! all comfortably empty Satisfied at last
she found herself again in the study, ana
| now boldly. mind at rest. lighted the brass
! student lamp with the green shade which
F! she discovered on the desk.
Standing hands resting lightly or
/, hips, breath coming quickly, cheeks flush
| ed and eyes alight with some intimate
/ and inscrutahle emotion, she surveyed the
room. Out OF the dusk that lay beyond
the plash OF illumination beneath the
lamp. the furniture began TO take on IA
| miliar shapes; the divans, the heavy
| leather cushioned easy chairs, the tall
| clock with it's pallld staring face, the
small tables and tabourettes, handily dis
| posed for the reception or books ana
magazines and pipes and glasses, the
| towering, old-fashioned mahogany book
cas-, the useless, ornamental, beautiful
Chippendale escritoire, in one corner; all
somberly Swallowed and all combining
to diffuse an impression Of quiet.
easy-going comfort.
! Just such a study as he would natu.
rally have. She nodded silent approba-
! ton at the desk. And nodding, sat
down at the desk planting elbows on its
polished surface. interlacing her fingers
and grading her chin upon their backs;
/ turned suddenly pensive.
no time to waste, and much to accom-
plish. Sitting back, her fingers
sought and pressed the clasp OF her
| hand bag, and produced two articles-a
/ golden cigarette case and slightly soiled
canvas bag. The Maitland jewels were re-
| turning by a devious way, to their owner
| But where to put them, that he might
! find them without delay? 1t must be no
| conspicuous place, where O'Hagan would
be apt to happen upon them; doubtless the
janitor was trustworthy, but still {.
| Misplaced opportunities breed criminals.
II was all a risk to leave the treasure
there without the protection OF nickeleo-
/ steel walls and time-locks; but risk tnat
must be taken. She dared not retain II
| longer in her possession; and she wouIo
| oontrive a way in the morning 10 COM
municate with Maitland and warn him.
| Her gaze searched the area where the
lanpligbt fell soft yet strong upon the
darx shining wood and heavy brass desk
| fittings; and paused, arrested by the un-
usual combination of inverted bowl ana
J superimposed book. riddle to De read
with facility; in twinKllns . sne
had uncovered the incriminatlnS
| Observation-Disclosures if it could be
| traced, that is to say.
! "Oh!" she cried softly. And laughed
a little. "Oh, how careless!
| Fine brows puckered she pondereo the
matter. and ended by placing her own
hand over the print; this one htted the
other exactly.
How he must have wondered!
| He Is sure to look again, especially II
No need to conclude the sentence.
| ouicl.lv she placed bag and case squarely
| on top Of the impression, the bowl over
! all and the book upon the bowl; then,
1 T1OCEpt a pair OF lOQR
gray silk gloves, draped one across the
! hook: and, head tilted to one side, ad-
| mired the effect.
It seemed decidedly an artistic effect,
admirably calculated to attract attention.
she was satisfied to the point of being
pleased with herself: fact indicated by
| an expressive fiutter 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 woefui-
ly dropping And sighed. And still
! small whisper. broken and wretched, dis
/ turbed the quiet of the study.
81 can not! o, can not! To
spoil IL all. now, when :"
Yet she must. She must forget herself
and steel her determination with the
memory that anothers happiness hung
in the balance, depended upon her sue
cess Twice she had tried and failed
This third time she must succeed.
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 stooped, with low exclamation, and
straightened up, a small bunch of keys
In her hand: eight or ten of them dang
ling from a silver ring: Maitlands keys.
He must have dropped them there, for
getting them altogether. find Of value
and one to save her deal of trouble:
skeleton keys are so exasperatingly SLOW,
particularly when used by inexpert hands.
But how to bring herself to make use I
these? Alrs fair in war land this was
a sort OF war, war Of wits at least)
! but one should fight with ones own
arms, not pilfer the enemy's and turn
them against him To use these keys
: to ransack Maitland's desk seemed an
action even more blackly dishonorable
: than this clandestine visit, this mid
: night foray
i Swinging the notched metal slips
= from q slender finger, she contemplate
! ed them and laughed ruefully What
: dualms of conscience in a burglar self
confessed. She was there for pur-
pose. a recognized nefarious purpose
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, ac-
J complish her purpose, and have done
finally and forever. with the whole
hateful business!
q. There was a bright spot of color on
either cheek and hot light Of anger
in her eyes as she set about her task
II would never be less hideous, never
less immediate.
+ The desk drawers yielded easily "a
> the keys. One by one she had them
open and their contents explored--valn
repetition Of yesterday afternoons fruit.
I less task. But she must be sure, she
. must leave no stone unturned. Malta nd
Manor was closed to her forever, be-
l cause Of last night. But here she was
q safe for n few short hours, and free
2 to make assurance doubly sure.
= There remained the despatcn-box, the
, black japanned tin box which had prov.
ed obdurate yesterday. She had come
prepared to break it's lock this time
p IL need be; Maitland's carelessnesS
{ spared her the necessity.
a She lifted ii out of a lower drawer