Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1909-09-18

/ "1S . t1iiSSt ohy -SCAdpSl ere sue was
half led, half dragged into the entrance
of the building.
The marble slabs of the vestibule
| echoed strangely to their footsteps
| those slabs that shake from dawn to
dark with the tread of countless feet
They moved rapidly toward the ele
vator-shaft, passing on their way de
serted cigar and news-stands shroud
| ed in dirty brown clothes. By the dark
and silent well, where the six elevar
tors (of which one only was alight
and ready for use) stood motion1ess
as if slumbering in utter WEAKNESS
after the gigantic exertions of the day
they came to halt; and a chair was
scraped noisily on the floor as a night
Waterman rose, rubbing his eyes and
yawning, to face them.
Anisty opened the interview
brusquely. rs Mr.. Bannerman In
now?" he demanded
The Waterman opened his eyes
wider, losing some of his sleepy ex-
preston; and observed the speaker
and his companion-thes small, shrink.
ing, fredericksburg little woman
who bore so heavily on her escorts
arm, as If ready to drop with ex.
haustion.
by sight, or else thought that he did.
"Oh, ye're Mister Maitland, amt
your" he said. Nope; if Misther Ban,
nerman's in his offs, 1 dunno nothin'
about it."
"He was to meet me here at two"
Anisty affirmed. It's a very import
ant case. I'm sure he must be along.
Immediately, if he's not upstairs.
You're sure"
Nah, I amt sure He may we
been there all night, FIR all I know.
But I'll take you up f you want" with
a doubtful glance at the girl.
'sThis lady is one of Mr.. Banner
mans clients, and in great trouble"
The self-sty1ed Maitland laid his hand
in a protecting gesture over the
fingers on his arm; and pressed them
cruelty. 81 think we will go up, thank
you. If Bannerman's not in, 1 can
phone him. I've a pass-key."
The Waterman appeared satisfied;
MaitIand's social standing was guar.
anty enough.
"Al1 right, sir. Step in
The girl made one final effort to
hang back. Anisty's brows blackened.
by God!" he told her in a whisper.
IF you dare y"
And somehow she found herself at
his side in the steel cage, the gates
clang ringing loud in her ears. The
motion of the car, shooting upwards
with rapidly increasing speed. made
her slightly giddy. Despite Anisty's
supporting arm she reeled back
against the wall of the cage, closing
her eyes The man observed this with
covert satisfaction.
AS the speed decreased she began
to feel slightly stronger; and again
opened her eyes. The floor numbers,
black upon a white ground, were
steadily slipping down; the first she
recognized being 10. The pace was
sensibly decreased. Then with
slight jar the elevator stopped at %.
'sYous know the way?"
Perfectly" replied Anisty. 1.-TWO
flights -up-in the tower"
Fright When yous wants me.
ring
The car dropped like a plummet.
leaving them in darkness-or rather
in a thick gloom but slightly mod
Grated by the moonlight streaming in
at windows at either end of the cor
ridor. Anisty gripped the girl more
roughly.
Now, my lady. No shennanigan!"
A futile, superf1uous reminder. Tenn
porarily at least she was become as
wax in his hands. So complex had
been the days emotions, so severe her
nervous tension, so heavy the tax
upon her stamina, that she had lapsed
into a state of subjective conscious
ness, in which she responded without
purpose, almost dreamily to the sug-
gestions of the stronger will.
YEARLY she stumbled up the two
brief flights of stairs leading to the
tower-like cupo1a of the sky-scraper;
two floors superimposed upon the roof
with scant excuse save that of giving
the building the distinction of being
the Hottest in that section of the city
certainly not to lend any finishing
touch of architectural beauty to the
edifice.
On the top landing a door confront
ed them, its glass panel shining dimly
in the darkness. Anisty paused, un-
tremendously thrusting the girl to
one side and away from the head Of
the staircase; and here fumb1ed in
bunch of keys. For moment or two
she heard him working at the lock
and muttering in an undertone-
ably swearing-and then, with click,
the door swung open.
The man thrust a hand inside,
touched an electric switch, flooding
the room with light, and motioned the
girl to enter She obeyed passively.
thoroughly subjugated, and found her
self in a large and well-furnished Of