The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-08-02

briefly, and prevaricated s1amelessly;
"Bribed the head clerk of the safe
manufacturer who built this"
Rising, he passed over to the center
table, the girl following. Steady with
the light" he whispered; and loosed
the string around the mouth of the
bag, pouring it's contents, a glistening,
priceless. flaming, iridiscent treasure
horde, upon the table.
"Ohlr said 8 small voice at his side.
And again and again: "Oh, OH OH"
Maitland himself was moved by the
wonder of it. The jewels seemed to
I'll the room with flashing, amazing,
coruseant glamour, rainbow-like. His
breath came hot and fast as he gazed
upon the troye; a queens ransom, q
fortune incalculable even to its owner.
AS for the girl, he thought that the
wonder of it must have struck her
dumb Not sound came from the
spot where she stood.
Then, abruptly, the sun went out;
1t least, such was the effect; the light
Of the hand lamp vanished utterly,
leaving partly-colored blur swim
ming against the impenetrable black
ness. before his eyes.
His lips opened; but a small hand
fell firmly upon his own, and tiny,
tremulous whisper shrilled in his ear.
'Hush--ah. hush!"
what"
} STEADY some one coming.
the jewels"
He heard the dull musical clash of
them as her hands swept them back
into the bag, and a cold, sickening fear
rendered him almost faint with the
sense of trust misplaced, illusion re-
solved into brutal realities. His fingers
closed convulsively about her wrists;
but she held passive.
"Ah, but l might have expected
that" came her reproachful whisper
Take them, then, my-my partner
that was" Her tone cut like a knife,
and the touch of the canvas bag, as
she forced It into his hands, was hate
sul to him.
Forgive me" he began.
But hsten,"
For a space he obeyed, the silence
at first seeming tremendous; then,
faint but distinct, he heard the tinkle
and slide OF the brazen rings support
ing the smoking room portiere.
His hand sought the girls; she had
not moved, and the cool, firm pressure
OF her fingers steadied him. He
thought quickly.
Quick" he told her in the least of
whispers. Leave by the window you
opened and wait for me by the motor
cer."
There was no time to demonstrate
with her Already he had slipped away,
shaping a course for the entrance TO
the passage But the dominant thought
in his mind was that at all costs the
girl must be spared the exposure. She
was to be saved, whatever the hazard
Afterwards
The tapestry rustled, but he was
yet too far distant to spring. He
crept on with the crouching, vicious
attitude, mental and physical, of a
panther stalking its prey.
Like thunderclap from clear sky
the glare of the light broke out from
the ceiling. Maitland paused. trans
fixed, on tiptoe, eyes incredulous, brain
striving to grapple with the astounding
discovery that had come to him.
The third factor stood in the door
way, slender and tall, in evening dress
as was Maitland-a light, full over
coat hanging open from his shoulders;
one hand holding back the curtain, the
other arrested on the light switch. His
lips dropped open and his eyes, too,
were protruding with amazement. Fea-
ture for feature he was the counter
part of the man before him; in word,
here was the real Anisty-
The wonder of it all saved the day
for Maitland; Anisty's establishment
was sincere and the more complete
in that, unlike Maitland, he had been
unprepared to find any one in the
library.
For mere second his gaze left
Maitland and travelled on to the girl,
then to the ri1ed safe-taking in the
whole significance of the scene. When
he spoke, it was as if dazed.
by Godi" he cried-or, rather, the
syllables seemed to jump from his
lips like bullets from a gun.
The words shattered the tableau. On
their echo Maitland sprang and fas-
tened his fingers around the others
throat. Carried off his feet by the
sheer ferocity of the assault, Anisty
gave ground a little For an instant
they were swaying back and forth,
with advantage to neither. Then the
burglars collar slipped and somehow
tore from its stud, giving Maitland's
hands freer play. His grasp frightened
about the mans gullet; he shook him
mercilessly. Anisty staggered, gasped,
reeled, struck Maitland once or twice
upon the chest-feeble, weightless Ell
bow jabs that went for nothing, then
concentrated his energies in vain
attempt to wrench the hands from his
throat. Keeling, tearing at Maitland's