The newspaper., 1909-02-26
CHAPTER TX.
Procrastination,

CHAPTER TX. =. t-fffs
Procrastination.
The cab which picked Maitland up
at his lodgings carried him but a few
blocks to the club at which he had, the
previous evening, entertained hts law
yer. Maitland had selected 1t as the
one Of all the clubs of which he and
Zimmerman were members. wherein
he was least likely to meet the latter.
Neither frequented its sober precincts
by habit. Its severe and classical
building on corner of Madi-
son avenue overlooking the square. is
but the outward presentment OF an III.
stitution To be member Of which Is
\ duty. but emphatically no great
pleasure. to the sons cf New York
family OF any prominence.
But In its management the younger
generation holds no suffrage: and is
not slow to declare that the Primordial
Is rightly named. characterizing the
individual members of the board Of
governors as antediluvians. prehistoric
monsters who have never learned that
laughter lends a SAVIOR TO existence.
And SO 1t is that the younger genera
ton (which is understood to include
Maitland and Bannerman). while 1t re-
ligiously pays its dues and has the
name OF the Primordial engraved upon
its cards. shuns those deadly respec-
table rooms and seeks its comfort else
where.
Maitland found 1t dull and depress-
ing enough. that same evening. some
~
impressive Longing rooms were but
ssparsely tenanted. other than by the
ennuied corps of servants: and the
few members who had lent the open
doors the excuse of their presence
were OF the elderly type that hides
itself behind a newspaper In an easy
chair and snorts when addressed.
The young man strolled disconso-
lately enough into the billiard room.
thence (dogged by n specter OF lone
liness) to the bar. and finally. in sheer
desperation, to the dining room. where
he selected table and ordered an
evening paper with his meal.
When the former was brought him.
he sat up and began TO take a new in
terest in life. The glaring headlines
that met his eye on the front page
proved as bracing as a slap in the
face.
The Maitland Jewels" he read.
half aloud: Daring Attempt at Burg
larry. Mad" Maitland Catches Hand
some Dan" Anisty in the Act of Crack
ing His Safe at Maitland Manor.
Which Was Which? Both Principals
Disappear
A dull red glow suffused the read
er's countenance: he compressed his
lips, only opening them once. and then
to emit a monosyIlabic oath. which can
hardly have proved any considerable
relief to his surcharged emotional ma
ture.
The news-story was exploited as a
beat" IL could have been little else.
since nine-tenths of its exclusive de-
tails" had been born full-winged from
the fecund Imagination of busy re-
porter to whom Maitland had refused
an interview while in his bath. some
three hours earlier. Maitland discov-
cred with relief that boiled down to es-
sentials It consisted simply OF the
AhdA oDThtpoty
HIMSELF had caught somebody tpre-
sumably Anisty) burglarizing the H.
brary safe at Maitland Manor that
morning: that one of the somebodies
(no one knew which, had overpowered
the other and left him in charge OF the
butler. who had presently permitted
his prisoner to escape and then talked
for publication.
It was not to this SO much that Matt
land objected 1t was the illustra-
tions that alternately saddened and
maddened the young man; the said H.
Illustrations comprising blurred half
tone reproductions Of photographs
taken on the Maitland estate; a dia-
gram of the library, as fanciful as the
text 1t Illuminated. and two portraits.
side by side, of the heroes. himself
and Anisty, excellent 1ikenesses both
Of the originals and of each other.