The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1911-04-14
SYNOPSIS.
COPYRIGHT 1907
|rHE soees-nsnalLL GO.

.eMad" Dan Maitland, on reaching his
New York bachelor club, met an attrac-
tive young woman at the door; yanitoI
O'Hagan assured him no one naa neTn
ans finger prints in dust on his desk
along with a letter from his attorney.
Maitland dined with Bannerman. MS az
get his family jewels. During his walk
to the country seat, he met the young
woman in gray. whom he had seen leav,
broken down. He fixed 1t. BY ruse she
'1ost'' him. Maitland. on reaching nome,
surprised lady in gray, cracking the saie
containing his gems. Sne. o aRpaT naniei
Anisty. Half-hypnotized, Maitland opened
his safe, took therefrom the jewels, ana
gave them to her, first forming a par par;
sought by police of the world, appeared
on the same mission. Maitland overcame
him He met the girl outside the house
and they sped on to New York in her au,
to- He had the jewels and she promised
to meet him that day. Maitland received
Mr.. Snaith." introducing himself as
detsetivs TO shield ant the b Sr the IN g 3ey
els. supposedly lost, was felled by blow
from "Snaiths" cane The latter proved
to be Anisty himself and he secured the
bic. masqueraded as the latter. Inc
criminal kept Maitland's engagement with
the girl in gray. He gave her the gems.
were to meet and divide the loot. Matt
land revived and regretted missing his
engagement. Anisty. masqueraolng as
Maitland narrowly ay VOID J., Ca Srae
visited Maitland's apartments during MS
absence and returned gems
CHAPTER vIII.-Continued.
But where to put them, that he
might find them without delay? It
must be no conspicuous place, where
O'Hagan would be apt to happen upon
them; doubtless the janitor was trust
worthy, but still Misplaced
opportunities breed criminals.
1t was all a risk to leave the treas
ure there, without the protection of
nickeled-steel walls and timelocks;
but a risk that must be taken. She
dared not retain it longer in her pos
session; and she would contrive way
In the morning to communicate with
Maitland and warn him.
Her gaze searched the area where
the lamplight fell soft yet strong upon
the dark shining wood and heavy
brass desk fittings; and paused, ar
rested by the unusual combination of
inverted bowl and super-imposed book.
A riddle to be read with facility; in a
twinkling she had uncovered the in
eliminating Observation-Disclosures
If it could be traced, that is to say.
"Oh!" she cried, softly. And laughed
. little. ooh, how careless!"
Fine brows puckered, she pondered
the matter, and ended by placing her,
own hand over the print; this one
fitted the other exactly.
"How he must have wondered! :.
He is sure to look again, espe-
cially If"
No need to conclude the sentence.
Quickly she placed bag and case
squarely on top of the impression, the
bowl over all, and the book upon the
bowl; then, drawing from her pocket
a pair of long gray silk gloves, draped
one across the book; and, head tilted
to one side, admired the effect.
1t seemed decidedly an artistic ef-
feet, admirably calculated to attract
attention. She was satisfied to the
point of being pleased with herself;
fact indicated by an expressive flutter
of slim, fair hands. And now, to work.
Time pressed, and A cloud dimmed
the radiance of her eyes; irresolutely
she shifted in her chair, troubled,
frowning, lips woefully dropping And
sighed. And still small whisper,
broken and wretched. disturbed the
quiet of the study.
Il can not! o, can not! To spoil
1t all, now, when"
Yet she must. She must forget her.
self and steel her determination with
the memory that another's happiness
hung in the balance, depended upon
her success. Twice she had tried and
failed. This third time she must sue
coed.
And bowling her head in token of her
resignation, she turned back squarely
to face the desk. AS she did so the
toe of one small shoe caught against
something on the floor, causing a
dull jingling sound. She stopped, with
a low exclamation, and Strengthened
up. small bunch of keys in her hand;
eight or ten of them dangling from a
silver ring; Maitlands keys.
He must have dropped them there,
forgetting them altogether. A find of
value and one to save her a deal of
trouble; skeleton keys are so exas.
peratingly slow, particularly when used
by inexpert hands But how to bring
herself to make use of these? Au's
fair in war (and this was a sort of
war, a war of wits at least); but one
should fight with ones own arms. not
piifer the enemny's and turn them
against him. To use these KEYS tn
ransack Maitlands desk seemed an
action ever more blackly dishonorable
than this clandestine visit. this mid.
night foray.
Swinging the notched metal sims
from . slender finger, she contem.
plated them; and laughed ruefully.
What Qualms of conscience in a burg.
Lar. self-confessed! She was there for
purpose, recognized, nefarious pur.
pose. Granted. Then why bubble
2hA would v,o& r,,{hAY>