The Yale expositor., 1909-09-03

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
vatorshaft, 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 eleva
tors (of which one only was alight
and ready for use) stood motionless
as IL 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 an6
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 comprehensive small, shrink
ing, frightened-looking little woman
who bore so heavily on her escorts
arm, as if ready to drop with ex
| haustion.
II appeared that he knew Maitland
by sight, or else thought that he did.
"Oh, ye're Mister Maitland, amt
you?" he said. Nope; If Misther Ban
nerman's in his offs, 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 l amt sure. He may We
been there all night. f'r all / know
But I'll take you up f you want" with
a doubtful glance at the girl
This lady is one of Mr.. Banner
mans clients. and in great trouble
The self-styled Maitland laid his hant
in a protecting gesture over the
fingers on his arm; and pressed then
cruelty. II think we will go up, thanh
| you. If Bannerman's not in, | car
| phone him. I've a pass-key."
The Waterman appeared satisfied;
Maitland's social standing was guar
anty enough.
"All right, sir. Step in
The girl made one final effort &c
hang back. Anisty's brows blackened
by Cod" he told her in a whisper
If you dare y"
And somehow she found herself at
his side in the steel cage, the gate's
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
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 a
slight jar the elevator stopped at %.
''Yous know the way?"
Perfectly" replied Anisty. 1.-TWO
flights up-in the tower"
Right. When yous wants me,
ring"
The car dropped like a plummet,
Saving them i'm darkness-or rather
in 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, superfiuous 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-llke cupola 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 fumbled in a
pocket, presently producing a jingling
bunch of keys. For a moment or two
she heard him working at the lock
and mutterlng In an undertone--prob-
ably swearing-and then, with a 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 passiveiy,
thoroughly snbjugated. and found her
self in a large and wallfurnished Of.
fee. apparently the outer of two
rooms. The glare of electric light at