Graham guardian., 1911-12-08

dash with her for the freedom be-
yond the great steel door. For an In.
start that impulse almost got the up.
per hand Of her common sense. Had
not Sands been there, she might have
done something so foolish as to com.
plicate her young friends position
still further in the eyes of all the
city's newspapers and their readers.
AS 1t was, she increased the tender.
ness OF her caresses, and sought to
soothe Elinor's agitation with little
love words such as had long been
common in their daily intercourse But
this tenderness only recalled to ELI.
nor all the affection, safety, and shell.
ter she had left behind her in Mrs.
Missioner's home, and at the thought
she broke into uncomfortable sobs.
The millionaire's discomfort was
augmented thousandfold by this
scene between the women. He shift.
ed mis- weight from one fost to the
other. crumpled the rim of his derby
hat until 1t bent like the brim of an
Alpine, and at length, unable to view
the girls distress with anything like
equanimity, he walked to the other
end Of the reception-room and stood
looking through the giant latticework
at the tide Of traffic in Centre Street.
1t was not until the widow had re-
stored Elinor's calmness, not until she
had assured the trembling prisoner OF
her love, confidence. and full belief In
her innocence a hundred times, not
until their emotion had affected even
the matron long Injured to human woe
that the girl saw Sands. His sturdy
bulk, the square set Of bis shoulders
the uncompromising fidelity In his
strong face, gave her a new sense OF
pleasure. Surely her case could not
be desperate with two such loyal
friends to defend her! For the space
of a star-dash, she forgot even Fitch
although her lover at that moment
was Fastening uptown with Britz in
quest Of the missing thread that
should lead to her vindication. Still
with her arm around Mrs. Missioners
waist, she extended her hand to
Sands, and thanked him In a way
more effective than any mere girlish
prettiness for the proof of his faith in
her that he had given in coming with
Mrs. Missioner to see her.
"Not that 1t would take much per.
suasion to make you accompany Doris
anywhere" she said with smile, and
she was not at all remorseful when
she noted the dark flush of pleasure
that spread over his features. "But
cannot help taking comfort in the
fact that you have come to see me,
and that very evidently 1t had cost
you no struggle to do 80. II all OF
you could only know what these long
weeks have been to me, you would
understand how deeply the sight OF
old friends affects me. Here ! have
been in world apart. The poor
creatures who share this dreadful
home with me only make my situa.
tion worse, for can do nothing for
them, and yet the sight Of their mis-
cry distresses me beyond words"
Elinor did not know how much she
had been spared by the considerate-
ness Of the warden in assigning her to
a tier OF cells in which the more bru.
tai inmates Of the Tombs never were
confined She had had only glance
Of the neither depths. Grave though
the charge against her was. the good
old man, whom an accident of poll.
tics had placed In control of the prts-
on, had recognized from the first that
she was of finer mould than anyone
who had been entrusted to his Gus
tody in his whole term Of Office, and
he had seen to It that her eyes and
ears we're not assaulted by the sights
and scenes of the blacker depths.
Years passed, and Elinor was woman
of much graver maturity ere she knew
how much Of misery she had escaped.
The visit of Mrs. Missioner and
Sands did Elinor so much good that,
when they went away, 1t was with a
lighter heart she returned to her cell,
with renewed courage she steeled her.
self to await the efforts Of the good
friends and the devoted lover she
knew were working to clear her name
Of the frightful charge Donnelly and
Carson had lodged against her.
Her confidence In DR.. Fitch was not
misplaced. for in the short time when
Mrs. Missioner in her Limousine was
speeding back to her home in Million
aires Row, and Sands. in a brougham.
was returning to his office In the
Bowling Green building, Fitch and
Britz were standing on a Fourth Ave
nue. corner a short distance north OF
Twenty-third Street, gazing with dis
may at twenty-story skyscraper that
stood on the site of the little old curio
shop to which duty had called the
young ambulance surgeon years be-
fore.
"You are sure this is the placer
asked the detective.
Absolutely" said the doctor. II
went over there to get some brandy
for the old man when was working
him out Of his stupor."
WELL" said the sleuth, so far as
that old curiosity shop is concerned,
we're up against It; or. what Is worse,
we are not up against 1t. We are con-
fronted by this steel and stone mon
strosity, and | guess there's no use
wasting time making inquiries there;
but there may be few old-timers
with memories along this block. and
we'll see what ws can find out. You
take that side OF the street, and I'll
take this"
Britz and Fitch went into one shop