The newspaper. (Paonia, Colo.) 1904-1910, 1909-03-05
Let me go," she painted. struggling

His voice took on an ugly tone.
Tell"
She was a child in his hands, but
managed nevertheless to rise. AS he
applied the pressure more cruelty to
her arms she cried aloud with pain
and, struggling desperately, knocked
the chair over.
1t went down with crash appalling
ly loud in that silent house and at
that hour; and taking advantage of his
instant of CONSERVATION she jerked
free and sprang toward the door. He
was upon her in an instant. however.
hard fingers digging into her shout
ders. You little fool!"
MOI" she cried. mo. no, no! Let
me go, you-you brute!-
Abruptly he thought better of his
methods and released her. merely put
ing himself between her and the door
way.
Don't be a little fool" he coun-
seled. You kick up that row and
you'll have us both pinched inside of
the next five minutes"
Defiance was on her tongues tip,
but the truth in his words gave her
pause. FACILITATING with the shock.
every outraged instinct a-quiver she
subdued herself and fell back, eying
him fixedly.
They're here" he nodded thought
fully. You wouldn't have stood for
that if they weren't. And since they
are. can find them without your as
sistance. Sit down. l shant touch
you again"
She had scant choice other than
to obey. Desperate as she was. her
strength had been severely overtaxed,
and she might not presume upon 1t
too greatly. Fascinated with terror.
she let herself down into an easy
chair.
Anisty thought for a moment, then
went over to the desk and sat himself
before 1t.
Keys" he commented. rapidly in
ventorying what he saw. How'd you
get hold of them?''
They are Mr.. Maitland's He must
have forgotten them"
The burglar chuckled grimly. Co
medicines multiply. 1t is odd. That
harp. O'Hagan. was coming in with a
can of beer while I was picking the
lock. and caught me. He wanted to
know IL I'D missed my train for Green
fields. and ! gave him my word OF hon
or | had. Moreover. I'D mislaid my
keys and had been ringing for him for
the past ten minutes. He swallowed
every word Of IT, By the way. here's
a glove of yours. You certainly man
aged to leave enough clews about to
insure your being nabbed even by .
New York detective
He faced about. tossing her the
glove, and with II SO keen and pene-
trating a glance that her heart sank
for fear that he had guessed her Sc
cret. But as he continued she re-
rained confidence.
Il could teach you a thing or two
lie suggested, pleasantly. You make
about as many mistakes as the aver
age beginner. And, on the other nand,
you've got the majority beaten 10 a
finish for 'cuteness. You're as quick
as they make them"
She Strengthened up. uneasy. OPP
pressed by a vague surmise as to
whittier this tended.
Thank you" she said. breathlessly.
but hadn't you better"
Plenty of time. my dear. Maitland
has gone to Greenfields and we've sew
eral hours before us. Look here, little
woman. why don't you take a tumble
to yourself. cut out all this nonsense.
and look to your own interests"
Il don't understand you" she fal-
tered, but If"
I'm talking about this Maitland
affair. Cut It out and forget 1t. You're
too gcod-looking and valuable to your
self TO lose your head just all on &C
count of a little moonlight Irritation
with a good-looking millionaire. You
don't suppose for an instant that
there's anything in it for yours. do
you? You're nothing to Maitland
just an incident; next time he meets.
the baby-stare for yours. You can
thank your lucky stars he happened to
have a reputation to sustain as vii
lage cut-up. gay. sad dog. always out
for good time and hang the expense.
Otherwise he'd have handed you yours
without a moments hesitation. I'm
not doing this up in tin-foil and tying
a violet ribbon with tassels on 1t, but
I'm handing 1t straight to you: some
thing you don't want to forget. You
just sink your hooks in the fact that
you're nothing to Maitland and that
q ~.