The newspaper., 1909-02-26
ance; Fifth avenue. branching Into the
north with its desolate sidewalks oddly

ance; Fifth avenue. branching Into the
north with its desolate sidewalks oddly
patterned in areas of dense shadow
and a cold, clear light. Over the way
the park loomed darkly. for all its
scattered arcs, a black and silent
space, a well of mystery.
1t was late, quite late; the clock
in front of Dorlon's (he craned his
neck to see) made the hour one in the
morning: the sidewalks were COM
paratively deserted. even the pulared
portice of the Fifth Avenue hotel des-
titute of loungers. A timid hint os
GOODNESS, forerunning the dawn. rode
up on the breeze.
He looked up and away northward.
for many minutes. over housetops
stenciled black against the glowing
sky, his gaze yearning into vast dis
tances OF space, melancholy tingeing
the complexion of his mind. He fan
cied himself oppressed by vague un-
easiness, unaccountable as to cause.
unless
From the sublime to the ridiculous
with a vengeance. his thoughts tum-
bled. Gone the glamour Of romance
in a twinkling. banished by rank ma
terialism. He could have blushed for
shame; he got slowly to his feet. ir-
resolute. trying to grapple with a con
dition that never before in his exis-
tence had he been called upon to con-
slider. >
He had just realized that he was
fat-strapped for cash. He had given
his last quarter to the cabby. hours
back He was registered at a strange
hotel. under an assumed name, un-
able to beg credit even for his break
fast without declaring his identity and
thereby laying himself open to suspi-
cion. discourtesy. insult.
OF course there were ways out. He
could telephone Bannerman. or any
other OF half n dozen acquaintances. in
the morning: but that involved expla-
nations. and explanations involved
making himself the butt Of his circle
for many n weary day.
There was money in his lodgings.
In the Chippendale escritoire; but to
get II he would have to run the Eaunt-
let Of reporters and detectives which
had already dismayed MIN IN prospect
O'Hagan-ah,
phone. Impulsiyely. inconsideraie OF
the hour. he turned to IT,
Give me nine-o-eight-nine Madison.
please" he said: and waited. receiver
to ear.
There was n slight pause; buzz:
the voice OF the switchboard opera
tor below stairs repeating the number
to central: central's appropriately
mechanical reiteration. another buzz.
a silence; a prolonged buzz. and again
the sounding silence.
Hello he said. softly. into tho
transmitier. at a venture.
No answer.
-Hello,"
Then central. irritably: Go ahead
You've got your party"
Hello. hello,"
A faint hum OF voices. rising and
falling. beat against the walls OF his
understanding Were the wires
crossed, He lifted an impatient finger
To jiggle the hook and call central to
order. when-something crashed
heavily. He could have likened the
sound. without a strain of imagination.
to a chair being violently overturned.
And then a woman's voice. clear. ac-
cents Informed with anger and pain:
MOI" and then
Say. that's my mistake. That line
you had's out of order. I had call
for them a while ago. and they didn't
answer. Guess you'li have TO wait"
Central, Central'~ he pleaded.
desperately. Il say. central. give me
that connection again. please"
'Ah. say. what's the matter with
you. anyway Didn't | tell you that
line was out OF orders Ring on"
Automatically Maitland returned the
receiver to Us rest. and rose. white
Tipped and troubling. That woman's
voice'