The newspaper., 1909-04-02
CONTINUED from page fourl

it had descended a score of feet the
safety-clutch acted and with a third
tremendous jar. shaking the building
the car halted.
Hickey and Maitland were then some
FIVE floors below. Stop 'er at 49," or
dered the detective. There was n lilt
of exultancy in his voice. I'VE got
him now. all right. all right. He'll try
to get down by-There!" Overhead
the crash of gate forced open was
followed by a scurry of footsteps over
the tiling. stop er and well heai
him off. So now-eeeasy"
Maitland shut off the power as the
car reached the nineteenth floor.
Hickey opened the gate and jumped
out Shut that" he commanded
sharply, as Maitland followed him,
-'in case he gets past us
He paused a moment in thought
heavy head on bull-neck dropping for
ward as he stared toward the rear OF
the building He was fearless and re
sourceful for all his many deficiencies.
Maitland found time, quantity enough,
to regard him with detached curiosity,
rare animal. illustrating all that was
best and worst in his order. Endowed
with exceptional courage. his ad.
dress in emergencies seemed alto
gether admirable.
"Yeh guard them stairs" he decided,
suddenly. "I'll run through this hall,
md see what's doing. Don't hesitate
TO shoot If he tries TO jump yeh-" And
was gone. dumping briskly down the
corridor TO the rear.
Maitland. yielding the initiative to
the others superior generalship. stood
sentinel. revolver in hand. until the
detective returned. overheated and
sweating. from his tour. to report
''nothin' doin','' with characteristic
brevity. He had the same report to
make on both the twentieth and TWEEN
-ty-first floors. where the same pro-
cedure was observed: but as the latter
was reached unexpected and very well
come reinforcements were gained by
the arrival of third car. containing
three patrolmen and one roundsman.
Yet numbers created delay; Hickey
was seized and compelled to pant ex.
plantations. TO his supreme disgust.
And, suddenly impatient beyond en-
durance, Maitland left them and alone
sprang up the stairs.
That this was simple -foolhardiness
may be granted without dispute. But
it must be borne In mind that he was
very young and ardent. very greatly
perturbed on behalf Of IN actor in
the tras lie Lulce. tn
their thea iElcw.t i1 BE- no interest
whatsoe,cr. Aac l. ia ihs heat OF
chase he had for az hnsian; forgotten
her. now he remembered: and at once
the capture of Anisty was relegated
20 the status of matter of secondary
importance. The real matter at stake
was the safety of the girl whom
Anisty. by exercise of an internal in
genuity that passed Maitland's com
prehension. had managed to spirit into
this place of death and darkness and
whispering halls. Where she might
be, in what degree of suffering and
danger-these were the considerations
that sent hm in search of her without
a thought of personal peril. but with
sick heart and overwhelmed with a
sitting sense of anxiety.
More active than the paunchbur
dened detective. he had sprinted down
and back through the hallway of the
-twenty-second floor. without discover
ing anything. ere the police contingent
had reached an agreement and the
stairhead.
There remained two more floors. two
final flights. little hopelessly he
swung up the first. And as he did so
the blackness above him was riven by
tongue of fire. and bullet. singing
past his head. flattened itself with a
vicious spat against the marble dado
of the walls. Instinctively he pulled
up. finger closing upon the trigger Of
his revolver: fash and report fol-
lowed the motion. and a panel of
ribbed glass in door overhead was
spIintered and fell in clashing frag-
ments. all but drowning the sound OF
feet in flight upon the upper staircase.
A clamor of caution. warning, en-
couragement. and advice broke out
from the police below. But Maitland
haydly heasd Already he was again
in pursuit. taking the steps two at
leap. With a hand upon the newell
post he swung round on the twenty
third floor, and hurled himself toward
the foot of the last fight. A crash
like rifie-shot rang out above, and
for a second he fancied that Anisty
had fired again and with a heavier
raapAp nnf N, od iat ta1,y ha ,a,If,od