Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-09-24

, his head he fixed her with an ln1leXlpie
glare, chill and heartless as steel
that one squeal out of you will be the
last. Oh, I've got no seruples; arrest
to me means a living death. I'll take
a shorter course by preference, and-I'n
take you with me for company"
"You-you mean you would shoot me?"
she whispered. incredulous.
Like a dog" he returned with unc-
ton.
You. a man. would-wouId shoot a
woman?'
You're not a woman, my lady; you're
a crook. Just as I'm not a man; I'm
a crook. We're equals, sexless, soul
less. You seem to have overlooked that.
Amateurs often do. Tonight l made
you a fair proposition, to play square
with me and profit. You chose to be
naughty. Now you see the other side Of
the picture"
Bravado? Or deadly purpose? How
could she tell? Her heart misgave her;
she crushed herself away from him as
from some abnormally vicious, loathly
reptile.
He understood this and regarded her
with a confident leer, inscrutably strong
and malovolent
And there is one other reason why
you will think twice before making a
row" he clinched his case. IF you did
that. and I weakly permitted the police
to nab and walk us off. the business
would get in the papers-your name and
all; and-what'd Maitland think Of you
then. my lady? what'd he think when he
read that Dan Anisty had been pinched
on Broadway in company with the little
woman he'd been making eyes at
whom he was going, in his fine
manlike way, TO reach down
hand to and yank up out of the gutter
and redeem ano-and all that slush ?
h?"
And again his low evil laugh made her
shudder.
Now you won't risk that You'll
come with me and behave, 1 guess, all
right"
She was dumb. stupefied with misery.
He turned upon her sharply.
''Wen?"
Her lips moved in soundless assent
lips as pallid and bloodless as the wan
young face beneath the small inconspic-
uCgs hat.
The man grunted impatiently; yet was
satisfied. knowing that he had her now
completely under control; a condition not
hard TO bring about in a woman who,
Ike this. was worn out with physical
fatigue and overwrought with nervous
4 HANnAn. ne GOAuAAlDAAS Adh bGCh AdNOA a
BILE the result was pre-eminently com
Portable. She would give him no more
trouble.
The hanson swerved suddenly across
the car tracks and pulled up at the curb.
Anisty rose with an exclamation of re-
lief and climbed down to the sidewalk.
turning and extending a hand TO assist
the girl.
Come he said imperatively. We've
no time to waste"
For an instant only she harbored a fu
gitire thought Of resistance; then his
eyes met hers and held them, and her
mind seemed to go blank under his
( steadfast and domineering regard.
Gomez" he repeated sharply. Tremb-
/ ling she placed a hand IN his and some
how found herself by his side Regard
less of appearances the man retained her
hand, merely shifting it beneath his arm,
where a firm pressure of the elbow held
it as in a wise.
You need't wait" he said CURLY to
the cabby; and swung about, the girl by
his side.
NO nonsense now" he warned her
/ tensely. again thrusting a hand in his
breast pocket significantly.
IT understand" she breathed family.
between closed teeth.
! She had barely time to remarS
the towering white facade of upper
/ Broadway's tallest sky-scraper, ere
she 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 rap
/ idly toward the elevator-shaft, passing
on their way deserted cigar and news
stands shrouded in dirty brown cloths.
/ BY the dark and silent we'll, where the
six elevators of which one only was a.
| light and ready for use) stood motionless
as IL slumbering in utter WEAKNESS after
I the gigantic exertions of the day, they
| came to a halt: and a chair was scraped
I noisily on the floor as a nightwatchman
rose, rubbing his eyes and yawning. to