Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1909-07-17

ne did deliberately and with success,
telling himself humorously: Hang
the expense! Maitland pays" OF
which fact the weight In his pocket
was assurance.
Maitland Anisty's thoughts
verged of upon an interesting tam
gent What was Maitland's motive in
arranging this meeting? 1t was self
evident that the twain were of one
world-the girl and the man of FASH
len But, whatever her right of her
itage. she had renowned it. declassing
herself by yielding to thievish in
stincts, voluntarily placing herself on
the level of Anisty. Where she must
remain, for ever.
There was comfort in that reflection.
He glanced up to find her eyes bent in
gravity upon him. She, too, it ap-
peared, had fallen a prey to reverie.
Upon what subject? An absorbing
one, doubtless, since it held her abb
stracted despite her companions d.
rect, unequivocally admiring stare.
The odd light was Pickering again in
the cracksman's glace. She was then
more beautiful than aught that ever
he had dreamed Of. Such hair as was
hers, woven seemingly of dull flames,
lambert, witchingl And eyes-beauti-
ful always, but never more so than at
this moment, when filled with sweetly
pcnsive contemplation. Was
she reviewing the last "a hours, dream
ing of what had passed between her
and that silly fool, Maitland? If only
Anisty could surmise what they had
said to each other, how long they had
been acquainted; if only she would
give him hint, a leading word!
If he could have read her mind, have
seen behind the film of thought that
c1ouded her eyes, one fears Mr.. Anisty
might have lost appetite for an excel
lent luncheon.
For she was studying his hands, her
memory barking back to the moment
when she had stood beside the safe,
holding the bulPs-eye.
In the blackness of that hour a disk
OF light shone out luridly against the
tapestry of memory. Within it's radius
appeared two hands, long, supple,
strong, Immediately white, graceful
ard dexterous, as delicate of contour
as a woman's, yet lacking nothing of
masculine vigor and modelling; hands
that wavered against the blackness,
fumbling with the shining nickeled
disk of combination lock. :.
The impression had been and re-
manned one extraordinarily vivid.
Could her eyes have deceived her so?
Thoughtful
She nodded alertly, instantaneously
mistress of self; and let her gaze,
serious yet half smiling, 1inger upon
his the exact fractional shade of an in
slant longer than had been, perhaps,
discreet. Then lashes dropped long
upon her cheeks, and her color deep
ened all but imperceptibly.
The mans breath halted, then came
a trace more rapidly than before. He
bent forward impulsively. The
girl sighed, ever so gently.
Il was thoughtful. It's all
SO strange, you know"
His attitude was an eager question.
L mean our meeting-that way, last
night" She held his gaze again, mo-
mentarily, and
Damn the waiter,'' quoth savagely
Mr.. Anisty to his inner man, sitting
back to facilitate the service of their
meal.
The girl placated him with an insig-
n;f1cant remark which led both into a
maze of meaningless but infinitely di-
verting inconsequences; diverting, at
least, to Anisty, who held up his head,
giving her back look for look, Jest for
jest, platitude for platitude (when the
waiter was within hearing distance);
altogether, he felt, acquitting himself
very creditably.
AS for the girl. in the course of the
next half or three-quarters of an hour
she demonstrated herself conclusively
a person of amazing resource, de-
veloping with admirable ingenuity
campaign planned on the spur of a
chance observation. The gentle man.
nered and self-sufficient crook was
taken captive before he realized it,
however willing he may have been.
hended subtleties, he basked, purring,
the while she insinuated herself be-
meath his guard and stripped him of
his entire armament of cunning, vigi-
lance, invention, suspicion, and dis
trust.
He reIinquished them without
sigh, barely. conscious of the spolia-
ton. After all, she was of his trade,
herself mired with guilt; she would
never dare betray him, the conse-
quences to herself would be so dire.
Besides, patently-almost too much
so-she admired him. He was her
hero. Had she not more than limited
that such was the case, that his ex-
ample, his exploits, had fired her to
emulation-however weakly feminine?
He saw her before him, dainty,
alluring, yielding, yet leading him on
altogether desirable. And so long had
he, Anisty, starved for affection.