The Washington times., 1913-02-24
CHAPTER TX.
(Continued.)
~" ELI!
with you out Of the way
" he could come back with


N with you out Of the way
" he could come back with
out fear"
'oh-preposterous.,
: 'Is it?''
'Drummond's not that sort. He's
weak, perhaps, but no criminal"
"A criminal is the creature of a
warped judgment. There'd be no GRIM
inals II everyone were able to attain
his desires within the law. Misfor-
tunes breed weird maggots In a mans
brain. Drummond's dragging out a
wretched existence in a world Of dis
torted perspectives; he's not to be
blamed IL presently he begins to zee
things as they are not"
Ember permitfed sanother pause to
lengthen. unbroken by Whitaker.
Shall ! try to find him for you?" he
asked quietly, at length.
NO" Whitaker decided. mo. Lot
him alone-poor deviI!'
Ember disclaimed further responsi-
ders.
"But my wife? Could you find her as
Possibly" the detective admitted
cautiously. But 1 don't mean to-"
Because you don't want me to. Do
your --.
"But principally because she doesn't
want me to. Otherwise she'd let you
know where to look for her."
These fragments Of dialogue are from
conversation that took place in the
month Of June, nearly seven weeks
after the farewell performance at the
Theater Max. Interim, Whitaker had
n Nil in
Of the town, regaining old friendships,
renewing old associations. Save for the
fact that he pursued no gainful occu-
patton, all with him was much as It
had been; as IL the intervening six
years Of exile had been blotted out. or
had never been. The mild excitement
occasioned by his temperance had al
ready subsided: he was again an ac-
cepted and substantial factor in the
society of his kind.
He had abandoned all thought Of re-
turning to New Guinea, entertained, in
deed, no inclination whatever to do 50.
The life he now led was more or less
normal to him. Yet he was sensible Of
a growing restlessness. He had nothing
to busy himself about; this was the un-
guessed secret of his unsettled temper.
And the approach OF hot weather was
narrowing the circle OF his renewed ac-
quaintance. People were leaving town
daily. for Europe, for the seashore, for
He began to receive invitations for
week-ends and longer visits out of town.
A few of the former he accepted-al-
ways, however, returning to New YORK
with a sense of necessity strong upon
his spirit. Something held him there,
some influence elusive OF analysis: he
was discontented but felt that he could
not find content elsewhere.
Gradually he, began to know more
hours of ionliness than suited his hu-
~11
looking Bryan Park. regained and re-
furnished much as they had been SIX
wears before-knew his solitary presence
through many long evening. July
came with blistering breath. and he
took to the Adirondacks. meaning to be
gone a month. Within ten days he was
back, drawn back irresistibly by that
strange, Unsuitable craving Of unformu-
lated desire. Town bored him, yet ne
could not seem to rest away from II.
He wandered In and OUT. up ana ooIh'
an unauiet. irresolute soul. perplexed.
There came one dark and sultry night,
heavy beneath skies overcast, In Aug
ust. Whitaker left a roof garden IN
the middle of q stupid performance and
walked the streets tan fatre rDns that should
bring with II untroubled sleep. On re-
turn a sleepy hallboy with wilted col
lar ran the elevator up to his tenth
flood landing and. leaving him fumbling
at the lock uoOI. utoppSe
inpIy ont of sight. Whitaker entered
and shut the door upon the pitch black
ness of his private hall.
He CROPPED along the wall for the cleo
tric switch, and found only the shank
Of 1.-THE hard rubber button having
disappeared. And then. while still ne
was trying to think how this could
have happened. he sustained murder
GUS assault.
A miscalculation on the part OF the
marauder alone saved him. The black
tack (or whatever the weapon was).
missing his head by the s narr3wsst
der with numbing force. Notwtth-
standing the pain and surprise. Whit
aker rallied and Erappled. thus es-
Gaping q second and probably more
deadly blow.
Put his shoulder was almost useless,
and the pain of II began to sicken
,-'r,. while the man in bis grip fought
like a devil unclaimed. He found him
self wedged beck into n corner. brl-
tai fingers diggtng deep into the