Arizona republican., 1910-12-24


 CConfiHHei /yo" Jrrfsyds,)
 They all listened. The front-door bell rang Adolphus, in response to a gesture from his mother, rose sulkily to his feet
 Job I hate, '" he muttered as he left the room. The Barnes's. full of the small curi- osity of people of their class. were in tent upon listening for voices outside. The demeanor of MT. Spencer FitZ- gerald, therefore, escaped their notice. It is doubtful, in any case, whether their perceptions would have been suf- ficiently keen to have enabled them to trace the workings of emotion in the countenance of a person so mag | niflcently endowed by Providence with the art of subterfuge. Mir. Spencer Fitzgerald seemed simply 10 have stiff | fened into acute and earnest attention. It was only for moment that he hesi- tated His unfailing inspiration told him the truthi
 His course of action was simple.- he rose to his feet and strolled to the window.
 Some one who has lost their way in the fog. perhaps" he remarked. What a night "
 He laid his hand upon the sash simultaneously there was a rush of ! cold air into the room, a half-angry, half frightened exclamation from Adolphus in the passage, a scream from Miss Maud-and no MT. Spencer Fitzgerald! No one had time to be more than blankly astOnished. The door was opened, and a police inspec- tor, in very nice dark braided uni form and peaked cap, stood in the doorway.
 MT. Barnes dropped the port, and Mrs. Barnes. emulating her daughters example, screamed. The inspector, as though conscious of the draught, moved rapidly toward the window.
 You had a visitor here. Mir. Barnes" he said quickly" Mir. Spencer Fitzgerald Where is he?"
 There was no one who could answer. Mir. Barnes was speeches. between the shock of the split port and the appear ance of a couple of uniformed police men in his dining-room. John DOry, the detective, he knew well enough in his private capacity, but in his uni form, and attended by policemen, he presented a new and startling ap- pearancei Mrs. Barnes was in hys- terics, and Maud was gazing like creature turned to stone at the open window, through which little puffs of fog were already drifting into the room. Adolphus, with an air of be- wilderment, was standing with his mouth and eyes wider open than they had ever been in his life. And as re- gards the honored guest of these ad- mirable inhabitants of Daisy Villa, there was not the slightest doubt but that MT. Spencer Fitzgerald had dis appeared through the window.
 Fitzgerald's expedition was nearly at an end. Soon he paused, crossed the road to a block of flats, ascended to the eighth floor by an automatic lift, and rang the bell at a door which bore simply the number II. A trim parlor-maid opened it after few min utes' delay.
 "Is Miss Emerson at homer" he asked.
 Miss Emerson is in." the maid ad- mitted, with some hesitation, but I am not sure that she will see any one tonight"
 "I have a message for her." Fitz- gerald said.
 Will you give me your name, sir, please?" the maid asked.
 An inner door was suddenly opened. A slim girl, looking taller than she really was by reason of the rug upon which she stood, looked out into the hall-a girl with masses of brown hair loosely coiled on her head. with pale face and strange eyes. She opened her lips as though to call her visitor by name, and as suddenly closed them again. There was not much expres- sion in her face, but there was enough to show that his visit was not unwel- come
 You! she exclaimed. Come in Please come in at oncei
 Fitzgerald obeyed the invitation of the girl whom he had come to visit. She had retreated a little into the room, but the door was no sooner closed than she held out her hands.
 Peter! she exclaimed Peter, you have come to me at lasti
 Her lips were a little parted; her eyes were bright with pleasure; her whole expression was one of absolute delight. Fitzgerald drowned. as though he found her welcome a little too enthusiastic for his taste.
 Violet" he said. please don't look at me as though were a prodi- gal sheep. If you do, I shall be sorry that 1 came"
 Her hands fell to her side, the pleasure died out of her face-only her eyes still questioned him. Fitz- gerald carefully laid his hat on a va cant chair.
 Something has happened?" she said Tell me that all that madness is over-that you are yourself again,
 So far as regards my engagement with Messrs. Howell & Wilson," he said, despondently, you are right. As regards Barnes. there has been no direct misunderstanding be- tween us. but I am afraid. for the present. that I must consider that well, in abeyance."
 That is something, sine ex- claimed, drawing a little breath of relief. Sit down. Peter. Will you have something to eat? finished dinner an hour ago, but"
 Thank you" Fitzgerald inter- rupted. " supped-extremely well in Streatham."
 "In Streatham, 7" she repeated "Why. how did you get there? The fog ia awfll"