Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1911-08-04
CHAPTER XVII,
Confessional.

But the cab was there; and within
it the girl was waiting for him.
The driver, after taking up his fare,
had at her direction drawn over to
the further curb, out of the fringe of
the rabble which besieged the st.
Luke building in constantly growing
numbers, and through which Maitland.
too impatient to think of leaving by
the basement exit, had elbowed and
fought his way in an agony of appre-
hension that brooked no hindrance,
needed no difficulty.
He dashed round the corner, stopped
short with sinking heart, then as
the cabbys signaling whip across the
street caught his eye, fairly hurled
himself to the other curb pausing at
the Wheel breathless, lifted out of
himself with joy to find her faithful
in this ultimate instance.
She was recovering, whose high spir-
it and recuperative powers were to
him then and always remained mar
velous thing; and she was bending
forth from the body of the hanson to
welcome him with smile that in a
twinkling made radiant the world to
him who stood in gloomy side street
of New York at three o'clock
of SUMMERS morning-a good
hour and half before the dawn
For up there in the tower of the
Lab, la hnI oh,
told her of his love; and she had
waited; and now-and now he had
been blind indeed had he failed to read
the promise in her eyes. Weary she
was and spent and overwrought; but
there is no tonic in all the world like
the consciousness that where one has
placed ones love, there love has bur-
geoned in response. And despite all
that she had suffered and endured, the
happiness that ran like soft fire in her
veins, wrapping her being with its
beneficent rapture, had deepened the
color in her cheeks and heightened
the glamour in her eyes.
And he stood and stared, knowing
tSat in all time to no man had ever
woman seemed more lovely than this
girl to him; knowledge that robbed
his mind of all other thought and his
tongue of words, so that to her fell
the task of rousing him.
Please she said gently-"please
tell the cabby to take me home, Mr..
Maitland"
He came to and in confusion STAN.
mered: Yes, he would And he
climbed up on the step with no other
thought than to seat himself at her
side and drive away forever. But
this time Che cabby brought him to
his Senses forcing him to remember
that some measure of conference was
demanded even of man in love.
Where to, sir?"
"Eh, what? OH" And bending to
the girl Home, you said-?"
She told him the address-a mum,
Der on Park avenue, above Thirty.
fourth street, below Forty-second. He
repeated it mechanically, unaware
that it would remain stamped forever
on his memory, indelibly-the first
personal detail that she had granted
; him; the first barrier down.
He sat down. The cab began to
move, and halted again. A face ap
peared at the apron-Hickey's, red
and moon-like and not lacking in com.
placency; for the man counted on
profiting variously by this nights S
. work.
Excuse me, Mr.. Maitland, nd
touching the rim of his derby-"yeh
too, ma am, fr buttin' in"
Hickey" demanded Maitland, sud
denly, in tone of smoldering wrath
what the-what do you want?"
"Yeh told me tub call round to-mor.
row, yeh know, When'll yeh be in?
"I'll leave a note for you with
O'Hagan. Is that all?"
, "Yep-that is, there's somethin
else
, "Well?"
I Excuse me for mentionin it, but
didn't know-it amt generally known
yeh know, nd one uh tn boys might
We neard me speak tun yer lady Dy
name nd might pass it on to re
porter. What | means this" hastily
as the Maitland temper showed dan
, gerous indications of going into active
, eruption: 81 s'pose yeh don't want me
, tub mention t yeh're married, jes
yet? Mrs. Maitland here" with nod
, to her, didn't seem tub take kindly
, tub the notion of it's bein' known"
Hickey"
"Ah, excuse me-"
: "Drive on, cabby-instantly! Dc
t you hear?'
; Hickey backed suddenly away and
? the cab sprang into motion: while
! Maitland with face of fire sat back
/ and ragged and wondered.
Across Broadway toward Fourth