The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1909-07-22
,,,e,. and nxnrio. which ssv. OF l.,.

Il
grown to be so commonly regarded as
necessities. II boosted. for instance,
no garage: no refrlgerating system
maddcncd those dependent upon Il: a
dlssipatcd electric lighting system
never went out OF nights. because II
had never been installed: no brass.
bound hall boy lounged in desuetude
upon the stoop and took too intimate
and personal an interest in the ten.
ants' correspondence. The iuhabi.
tants. in brief. we're free 10 come and
go according 10 the dictates Of their
conscieuccs, unsupervised by neigh.
borly women folS. unhlndercd by a
parasitic corps Of menlals not in their
personal employ.
| Wherefore was Maitland astonishcd.
and the more so because Of the season
At any other season OF the year he
would readily have accounted for the
phenomenon that now fell under his
observation, on the hypothesis that the
woman was somebody's sister or cous-
In or aunt But at present that expia.
nation was untenable; Maitland hap
pencd TO know that not one OF the 9th.
or men was In New York. barring
himself. and his own presence there
was a thing entirely Unforeseen.
still incredulous. he mentally conned
the list: Barnes. who occupied the
first fiat. was travelling on the con.
tlnent; Conkllng. OF the third. had left
a fortnight Stree TO Join yachting
| party on the Mediterranean; Bannlster
and wilkes. OF the fourth and fifth
floors. respectively. were in Newport
and Buenos Aires.
odd" concluded Maitland.
So IL was She had Just closed tn,
door one thought; and now stood
poised as u in momentary indeclsioa
on the low stoop. glancing toward
| Fifth avenue the while she fumblCd
! with a refractory button at the wrist
OF long white kid glove Blurred
though IL was by the darkling twilight
and a thin veil her face yet conveyed
an impression OF prettiness: an i'm.
preston enhanced by careful groom
ing. From her hat. n small affair.
something green. with a superstruc.
ture Of gray ostrich feathers. to the
tips OF her russell shoes-including q
walking skirt and bolero OF simmer.
ing gray silk-she was distinctly
"smart" and interesting.
He had keenly observant eyes. had
Maitland. for all his detached pose:
you are to understand that he com.
pretended all these points In the flick.
- In 81 a..
was over In two seconds. In one the
lady's hesitation was resolved. in an.
other she had passed down the steps
and swept by Maitland without giving
him a glance. without even the trem.
bling Of an eyelash. And he had a
view Of her back as she moved swiftly
away toward the avenue
PerpleXed. he fingered upon the
stoop until she had turned the corner;
after which he let himself in with a
latch key. and dismissing the AFFAIR
temporarily from his thoughts. OF pre-
tending TO do so. assembled the single
aight OF stairs to his fiat
simultaneously heavy feet we're to be
heard dumping up the basement steps:
and surmising that the janitor was
coming TO light the hall. the young
man waited. leaning over the balus.
tiers. His guess proving correct. he
called down:
"OHagan? Is that you."
"Th' saints presarve us! But twas
yersilf gave me tn sthart, Mlsther
Maitland. sOr," O'Hagan paused In
the gloom below, his upturned face
quantity Illuminated by the fame OF a
wax taper In his gaslighter.
I'm dining in town 10 night. Ola.
gan. and dropped around TO dress. Is
anybody else at home?"
"Nivyer a wan. sor. Shure. tn house
do be quiet's amy tomb"
Then who was that lady. O'Hagan?"
"Leddy, sor ?"-in unbOunded amaze
ment.
Yes" impatiently. "A young WON
an left the house just as was com.
ing in. Who was she?"
"Shure an think ye must be
dramin', sor. Diyvle a femaic-ray.
spicts to ye,-has been In this house
for nanny an nanny tn wake. sor."
But, i tell you"
Belize twas somewan fist sthepped
into the vesthibule. mebbe to tie her
shoe. sor. and ye thought"
"Oh. very we'll" Maitland relin-
pushed the inQuisition as Improbable.
willing to concede O'Hagan's theory a
reasonable one, the more readily since
he himself could by no means have
sworn that the woman had actually
come out through the door. Such had
merely been his impression, honest
enough. but founded on circumstan.
tial evidence.
when you're through, O'Hagan," he
told the lrishman. you may come and
shave me and lay out my things. II
you will"
Very good, sor. In wan minute"
But O'Hagan's conception OF the
passage OF time was a thought vague;