Hearts and Masks

"Your orders shall be obeyed to the letter," said the chief

importantly. He already saw his name figuring in the New York papers

as having assisted in the capture of a great thief.

I cursed under my breath. If it hadn't been for the girl, I am ashamed

to confess, I should have cursed out loud. She sat rigid and

motionless. It must have been a cruel ordeal for her. But what was

puzzling me was the fact that she made not the slightest effort to

spring her alibi. If I had had one! Where was Hamilton? I scarcely

inclined to the idea of sleeping in jail in a dress-suit.

Haggerty departed. A silence settled gloomily down on us. Quarter of

an hour passed. The grim-visaged police watched us vigilantly. Half

an hour, three-quarters, an hour. Far away we heard the whistle of an

out-going train. Would I had been on it! From time to time we heard

faint music. At length there was a noise outside the door, and a

moment later Hamilton and two others came in. When he saw me, he

stopped, his eyes bulging and his mouth agape.

"Dicky Comstalk?" he cried helplessly. "What the devil does this

mean?"--turning to the police.

"Do you know this fellow, Mr. Hamilton?" asked the chief.

"Know him? Of course I know him," answered Teddy; "and I'll stake my

last dollar on his honesty."

(Thanks, Teddy!) I began to breathe.

"But--" began the chief, seized with sudden misgivings.

"It is impossible, I tell you," interrupted Hamilton. "I know this

gentleman is incapable of the theft. There is some frightful mistake.

How the dickens did you get here, Dicky?"

And briefly I told him my story, my ass's ears growing inch by inch as

I went along. Hamilton didn't know whether to swear or to laugh;

finally he laughed.

"If you wanted to come, why didn't you write me for an invitation?"

"I shouldn't have come to your old ball, had I been invited. It was

just the idea of the lark."

"We shall have to hold him, nevertheless," said the chief, "till

everything is cleared up. The girl--"

Hamilton looked at the Blue Domino.

"Madame, will you do me the honor to raise your mask?"

She did so; and I saw Hamilton draw in his breath. Her beauty was

certainly of an exquisite pattern. He frowned anxiously.

"I never saw this young woman before," he admitted slowly.

"Ha!" cried the chief, glad to find some one culpable.