Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1909-06-03

the first cast, and-heard from within
a quick, deep hiss of breath. Some,
thing had put the burglar on guard.
Another instant wasted, and 1t
would be too late. The young man
had to chance 1t. And he did, without
further hesitation stepping boldly into
the danger zone, at the same time
making n final. desperate pass at the
spot where the switch should have
been-and missing 1t. On the instant
there came a click of a different cali
Der from those that had preceded II.
A revolver had been cooked, some
where there in the blank darkness.
Maitland knew enough o to move.
In another respect the warning came
too late; his fingers had found the
switch at last, and automatically had
turned II.
The glare was binding, momentari-
ly; but the flash and report for which
Maitland waited did not come. When
his eyes had adjusted themselves to
the suddenly altered conditions, he
saw, directly before him and some six
feet distant, a woman's slight figure,
dark cloaked, resolute upon its two
feet, head framed in yelling, features
effectually disguised in a motor mask
whose round, staring goggles shone
blankly in the warm white light.
On her part. she seemed TO recog-
nize him simultaneously. On his.
Il. 1t may as well be admitted that
Maitland's wits were gone wool-gath-
ering, temporarily at least; a state of
mind not objectionable when il is
taken into consideration that he was
called upon to grapple with and stimuli
taneously to assimilate three
he found himself nose to nose with a
revolver, and that one of a~ble-bodied
and respect-compelling proportions.
For the first time In his life, again, he
was under necessity OF dealing with n
housebreaker. But most Supplying
of all he found the fact that this house.
breaker, this armed midnight maraud-
er, was a woman! And so IL was not
altogether fearlessness that made him
to all intents and purposes ignore the
weapon; it Is nothing to his credit for
courage II his eyes struck past the
black and deadly mouth of the revolver
and looked only into the blank and TX
pressionless eyes of the wind mask; 1t
was not lack of respect for his skins
integrity. but the sheer, tremendous
wonder of 1t all, that rendered him
oblivious to the eternity that lay the
other side of a slender, trembling fin
ger tip.
And so he stared, agape, until pres
emily the weapon wavered and was
lowered and the woman's voice,
touched with irony, brought him to his
senses.
ooh" she remarked. coolly, its
only YOU"
Thunderstruck, he was able no more
than to parrot the pronoun: you
you!"
We're you expecting to meet any
one else, here, tonight" she inquired
in suavest mockery.
He lefted his shoulders helplessly,
and tried to school his tongue 10 CO.
florence. II confess. Well,
certainly ! didn't count on finding you
here. Miss Wentworth. And the black
cloak, you know"
Reversible, Of course; gray inside,
as you see-Handsome DAM" The
girl laughed quietly. drawing aside an
nJarn ~ tba ND Ft,,nnf Tn rAyyaoI tee o.,
ner face of silken gray and the iuted
Tuffles of the gray skirt underneath.
He nodded appreciation of the de-.
vice, his mind nov busy with specula.
tions as to what he should do with the
girl, now that he had caught her. At
the same time he was vaguely vexed
by her persistent repetition OF the OBJ
solescent nickname.
Handsome Dan," he iterated all but
mechanically. why do you call me
that, please? Have W met before? |
could swear, never before this night"
But you are altogether too modest"
she laughed. Not that it's a bad trait
in the character of a professional.
4. But really! 1t seems a bit in
credible that any n SO widely ad.
vert!sed as Handsome Dan Anisty
should feel surprise at being recog-
nized. Why, your portrait and biog.
raphy have commanded space in every
yellow journal in America recently"
And, dropping the revolver into a
pocket in her cloak, Il was afraid you
might be a servant-or even Matt.
land she diverted the subject, with
a nod.
"But-but If you recognized me as
Anisty, back there by the ford, didn't
you suspect I'd drop in on you"
Why, OF course! Didn't you all but
tell me thaAyou were coming here?"
But"
Il thought perhaps ! might get
through before you came, Mr.. Anisty:
but | knew all the time that, even If
you did manage to surprise me-er-
the job, you wouldn't call the po-
She laughed confidently, and
enough-at the same time
n%ervously. You are certainly a very
bold man, and as surely a very care
less one, to run around the way you
do without SO much as troubling TO
grow a beard or a mustache, after
your picture has been published broad.
CTo BE coNTINUED)