The Montana plaindealer. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1906-1911, 1911-09-08
CHAPTER VII.
Illumination.

banished: simultaneously the masque-
raider brought his gaze down from the
ceiling, his thoughts to earth, his vigil
lance to the surface, and himself to his
feet. summoning to his aid all hat he
possessed of %esour and eXpedient.
Trapped!-the word blazed incan-
descent in his brain. So long had he
foreseen and planned against this very
moment.
Yet panic swayed him for but a lit
tie instant: as swiftly as it had over
come him it subsidized, leaving him
shocked, a shade more pale, but rapid
ly reasserting control of his faculties.
And with this shade of emotion came
complete reinsurance.
His name had been uttered in no
stern or menacing tone; rather its
syllables had been pitched in a low
and guarded key, with an undernote
of raiIlery and cordially. In brief, the
momen that he recognized the voice
as a wOman,s, he was again master OF
himself. and, aware that the result of
his instructive impulse to rise and de-.
fend himself, which had brought him
to a standing position, would be in
terpreted as only the natural action OF
a gentleman addressed by a feminine
acquaintance. he was confident that
- had not betrayed his primal con-
s~ternation. He bowed, smiled. and
with eyes in which establishment swift
" gave place to qualification and COM
nlnfn pnn1 nvphnnginn nnnrafra1 hoW
who had addressed him.
She seemed to have futtered to the
table, beside which she now stood,
slightly ~swaying, her walking costume
of gray shot silk falling about her in
soft, tremulOus petals. Dainty, chic,
well-poised. serene, fiawlessly pretty
IL her miniature fashion: Anisty rec
ognized her in a twinkling. His per-
ceptions, trained to observations as in
Simultaneous as those of a snapshot
camera, and well-nigh as accurate,
had. photographed her individuality in
deliDly upon the film of his memory,
even in the abbreviated encounter of
the previous night.
BY a similar play of educated reason
ing faculties keyed to the highest pitch
of immediate action, he had difficulty
as scant in accounting for her pres
nee there. What he did not quite
comprehend was why Maitland had
used her so kindly; for it had been
plain enough that that gentleman had
surprised her in the act of safe-break-
ing before eonniying at her escape.
But, allowing that Maitland's actions
had been based upon motives vague to
the burglars. understanding, it was
quite in the scheme of. possibilities
that he should have arranged to meet
his protegee at the restaurant that
afternoon. She was come to keep an
appointment to which (now that An
isty came to remember) Maitland had
alluded in the beginning of their con-
v~ersation.
Well and good; once before, within
the past two hours, he had told him
self that he vas ~Good-enough Matt
land. He was be even better now.
But you did surprise mel" he de.
clared, gallantly, before she could won
der at his slowness to respond. you
see, l was dreaming"
He permitted her to surmise the OBJ
ject round which his dreams had been
woven.
"And I had expected you to be Gag
erly watching for mel" she parted,
archly.
Il was mentally. But" he
warned her, seriously, mot that name.
Maitland is known here; they call me
Maitland-the walters. 1t seems l
made a bad choice. But with your as
ststance and discretion we can bluff 1t
out, ell right"
Il forgot. Forgive me-" But now
she was in the chair opposite him.
tucking the lower ends of her gloves
into their wrists.
mo matter-nobody heard"
Il very nearly called you Handsome
DAM" She flashed a radiant smile at
him from beneath the rim of her pic.
ture hat.
A fire was kindled in Anisty's eyes;
he was conscious of a quickened drum
ming of his pulses.
Dan is Maitland's front name.
he remarked, ~absently.
Il thought rs much" she responded,
speculative.
The burglar hardly heard. It has
been indicated that he was quick
because he had to be, in the
very nature of his ayocation. Just
his brain was working rather
more rapidly than usual, even; which
was one reason why the light had
into his eyes.
CTO BE CONTINUED)