Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1909-07-29
CHAPTER vlI.-continued.

CHAPTER Vll.-continued.
He nodded, eyes to hers, fascinated,
with an odd commingling of fear and
hope and satisfied self-love. Nov /
am unccnnected with the affair. No
ore knows that | had any hand in it.
Besides, no n knows me-that +
steal" Her tone fell lower. The POI
lice have never heard of me. DAM"
"I-believe-"
Il. could get away" she interrupted;
"and then, if they stopped you"
You're right, by the powars!" He
struck the table smartly with his first.
You do that and we can carry this
am Maitland-i am eve wearing Matt
lands clothes!" he boasted. Il went
to his apartments this morning and
saw to that, because it suited my pur,
nose to be Maitland for a day or two"
Then" Her gaze questioned his.
Waiter" cried Anisty. And, when
+. the man vas deferential at his elbow:
Call a cab, at once, please"
Certainly, sir"
The rest of the corps of servants
were at the other end of the big room.
Anisty made certain that they were
not watching, then stealthily passed
the canvas bag to the girl. She bent
her head, bestowing it in her handbag.
You have made me happy,
Dam came TREMENDOUSLY from beneath
The hat brim.
Whatever doubts may have assailed
him when it was too late, by that re-
mark were effaced, silenced. Who
could m~istrust her sincerity?
Then when and where may | see
you again?" he demanded.
The same place"
1t was a bold move; but she was
standing; the waiter was back, an
nouncing the cab in waiting, and he
dared not protest. Yet his pat riposte
commanded her admiration.
NO. Toe risky. If they are watch
ing here, they may be there, too" He
shook his head decidedly. The flicker
o. doubt was again extinguished; for
undoubtedly Maitland had escorted her
home that morning; her reference had
been to that place. Somewhere else,"
he insisted, confident that she was
playing fair.
She appeared to think for an in
slant, then, fumbling in her pocket
book, extracted a typical feminine
pencil stub-its business end looking
as though it had been gnawed by a
,s.l;+s,o ,at- a~I corthhla1 hocfify
on the back of a menu card:
Mrs. McCabe, 205 West One Hun
dred and Eighteenth street. Top floor.
Ring three times"
II shall be there at SEVEN she told
him. You won't fail me?"
Not if I'm still at liberty" he
laughed.
And the waiter smiled at discretion,
a far-away and unobtrusive smile that
could by no possibility give %offense;
at the same time it was calculated to
convey the impression that, in the
opinion of one humble person, at least,
MI. Maitland was a merry wag.
"Good-by DAM"
Anisty held her fingers in his hard
palm for an instant, rising from his
chair.
"Good-by, my DEAR" lie said, clum-
silly.
He watched her disappear, eyes
humid, temples %throbbing. by the
powers!" he cried. But she's
worth it,"
Perhaps his meaning was vague,
-A
even to himself. He resumed his seat
mechanically and sat for a time
s,ar.ng dreamiiy into vacancy, blunt
fingers drumming on the cloth.
No he declared at length. mo;
I'm safe enough in her
hands"
Once secure from the public gaze.
the girl crowded back into a corner of
the cab. as though trying to efface her
self. Her eyes closed almost auto
matically; the curve of laughing lips
became a doleful droop; a crinkle APP
reared between the arched brows;
waves CT burning crimson flooded her
face and throat.
In her Jap both hands lay clenched
into tiny fists-clenched SO tightly that
1T hurt. numbing her fingers-a phys
ical pain that, somehow, helped her to
endure the paroxysms of shame. That
she should have stopped SO low!
Presently the fingers relaxed, and
her whole frame relaxed in sympathy.
The black squall had passed over;
but now were the once tranquil waters
RULED and angry. Then languor
gripped her like an enemy; she lay
~listless in its hold, sick and faint with
disgust OF self.
This was her all-suficient punish
ment; to have done what she had
done, to be about to do wcet she con-
temp!ated. For she hNi set her hand
TO the plow; there mast now be no
drawing back, fswescs hateful might
prove her task.