A Daughter of Delilah — page 177: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

168 EDGAR ALSTON’S BETTER SIDE. stairs. He came home late last night, and went out again before daylight. He told me he might be away a day or two.’”’ The lawyer hesitated a moment, then he said: ‘‘Much obliged,’’ and tossed the man acoin, ‘‘No. — Park avenue.’’ he called to the driver. ‘‘Hurry up.”’ Alston flushed and paled by turns. ‘‘What is your theory now?’’ he demanded. ‘‘T am half in doubt,’’ was the reply. ‘‘I believe that the janitor is an honest fellow, but I can’t understand Hawk- ley. The nest in Park avenue may have been broken up, and the detective is on the scent. Iam going there to con- vince myself. We have to deal with a gang of the cutest swindlers the present century has seen. The more terrible their situation, the brighter their wits. No ordinary man can cope with them, and the presiding genius is a woman. It was a woman who indirectly caused the downfall of the most remarkable statesman of any age. Princess Marie d’Orleans was the conscious artificer of Bismarck’s ruin— while kings and empires trembled at his word! It has ever been so, and will go on until the world is in ashes.”” When the cab turned into Park avenue Alston felt his heart leap with fury. Isabel Russell’s power was gone. In its place was something akin to the hate that burned in Hawkley’s breast. | Outwardly the building looked the same, and the law- yer decided first to put one or two questions to the janitor. These elicited nothing. So many people came in and out that he had noticed no one in particular. The tenants of the apartments indicated had certainly not gone away to his knowledge. Eomichbooks.Go