The newspaper., 1909-02-05
By LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE
,Copyrigh, 1901. The Bobb,-Merrii Co.,
SYNOPSIS.

CHAPTER I.-"Mad" Dan Maitland, on
reaching his New York bachelor club.
met AN attractive young woman at the
door. Janitor. O'Hagan assured him no
one had been within that day. Dan dis
covered Il womans finger prints in dust
on his desk, along with u letter from his
attorney.
CHAPTER II-Maitland dined with
Bannerman. his attorney. Dan set out
During his walk to the country seat, he
met the young woman in gray. whom
he had seen leaving his bachelors club.
Her auto had broken down.. He fixed II
and by ruse she lost him.
CHAPTER III.-Maitland. on reaching
home. surprised lady in gray. cracking
the safe containing his gems. She. ap-
parently. took him for well-known
crook. Daniel Anisty.
CHAPTER Iv.-Half- -hypnotized. Matt
land opened his safe. took therefrom the
ing "A partnership In crime. The real
Dan Anisty. sought by police OF the
world; appeared on the same ,tn IN, mission. on
girl outside the house and they sped on
to New York in her auto. He had the
jewels and she promised to meet him
that day.
After which. breathing hard and in a
maze of perplexity. he got to his feet.
Already his hearing. quickened by the
emergency. had apprised him OF the
situations imminent hazards. II
needed not the girls hurried whisper.
THE servants," to warn him of their
danger. From the rear wing of the
mansion the sounds OF hurrying feet
were distinctly audible. as. presently.
were the heavy. excited voices of men
and the more shrill and frightened
cries of women.
Needless of her displeasure. Matt
land seized the girl by the arm and
urged her over to the open window.
Don't hang back" he told her ner-
vousIy. You must get out OF this be-
fore they see you. Do As tell you.
please. and we'll save ourselves yet.
II we both make q run for IL. we're
lost. Don't you understand"
NO. Why" she demanded. reiuc-
tant, spirited, obstinate-and lovely In
his eyes.
IF he were anybody else" Maitland
indicated. with a jerk Of his head to-
ward the burglar. But didn't you
see? He must be Maitland-and he's
my double. I'll stay. brazen 1t out.
then. as soon as possible, make my es-
cape and join you by the gate. Your
motors there-wait. BE ready for
me"
But she had grasped his intention
ard was suddenly become plant to his
will You're wonderful" she told
him with a little low laugh and was
gone. silently as a spirit.
The curtains fell behind her in long
straight folds: Maitland stilled their
swaying with touch. and stepped
back into the room. For a momcnt he
raught the eye of the fellow on the
floor: IL was upturned to his. sardonic-
ally intelligent. But the lord OF the
manor had little time to debate con-
sequences.
Abruptly the door was flung wide
and short stout man. clutching up
his trousers with frantic hand. burst
into the library. brandishing over
head rampant revolver.
"Ands hup," he cried. leveling at
Maitland And then. with fallen
countenance: "G-r-r-reat 'eavins. sir.
You, Mister Maitland sir"
"Ah. Higgins" his employer greeted
the butler blandly.
Higgins pulled up. thunderstruck.
painting and perspiring with agitation.
His fat cheeks quivered like the wat
ties OF a gobbler. and his eyes bulged
as, by degrees. he became alive to the
situation.
Maitland began to explain. forestall-
ing the embarrassments of cross-exam-
ination.
by the merest accident. Higgins. l
was passing in my car with party OF
friends. Just for joke | thought I'd
steal up to the house and see how you
were behaving yourselves. BY chance
-again-I happened to see this light
through the library windows" And
Maitland. putting an incautious hand
upon the bull's-eye on the desk, with
drew 1t instantly. with an exclamation
of annoyance and four seorched nm
gers.
Hes been at the safe" he added
quickly, diverting attention from him
self Il was just in time"
MY wor-r-rd!" said Higgins, with
emotion. Then quickly: Did e get
anythin, do you think, sir?"
Maitland shook his head. scowling
over the buffers burly shoulders at the
rapidly augmenting concourse OF serv-