Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1916-12-30

ut isn't blame-it's superstition.
Listen :"
Ember bent forward, holding Whit
aker's gaze with intent, grave eyes.
THE first time" he said in a rapid I'M
dertone, 'was a year or so after her
triumph as Joan Thursday. There
were then two men openly infatuated
with her, boy named Custer, and
man l believe you knew-William
Hamilton"
81 knew them BOTH"
Cluster was making the pace; the
| announcement Of his engagement to
Sara Law was confidently anticipated.
He died suddenly; the coroners jury
decided that he had misjudged the in
tentiOns of a loaded revolver. People
whispered a suicide, but it didn't look
quite like that to me. However
. Hamilton stepped into his
place. Presently we heard that Sara
Law was to marry him and leave the
stage. Hamilton had to go abroad ON
business; on the return trip-the we'd
ding was set for the day after he land
ed here-he disappeared, mo one knew
how. Presumably he fell overheard
by accident one night; sane men with
everything in the world to live for do
such things, you mountaineering to
the newspapers"
81 understand you. Please 80 on"
Approximately eighteen months
later a man named Thurston-Mitchell
ThurstOn-was considered a dangerous
aspirant for the hand of Sara Law. He
was exceedingly well fixed in a money
way-a sort of dilettantish architect,
with offices in the Metropolitan tower
One day at high noon he left his desk
to go to lunch at Martins; crossing
Madison square, he suddenly fell dead,
with a bullet in his brain. 1t was a
rifle bullet, but though the square was
crowded, no one had heard the report
of the shot, and no one was seen car
rying q rifle. The conclusion was that
he had been shot by somebody using q
gun with a Maxim sileneer, from a
window on the south side of the
square. There were no clues"
"And now DrummondP p Whitaker
exclaimed In horror. Poor fellow (!
Poor wOman!"
A slightly sardonic expression nodi-
fed the lines of Ember's mouth. $50
far as Mrs. Whitaker is concerned"
he said with the somewhat pedantic
mode of speech which Whitaker was to
learn to associate with his moments Of
most serious cOncentration-T echo
the sentiment. But let us suspend
judgment on Drummond's case until
we know more. 1t is not as yet an es-
tabllshed fact that he is dead"
''You mean there's hope"
There's doubt" Ember corrected
acidly-"doubt, at least, in my mind.
You see, saw Dr0mmond in the flesh,
alive and vigorous, a good half hour
after be is reported to have leaped to
his death"
"WhereT
Coming up the stairs from the
downtown subway station in front Of
the Park Avenue hotel. He wore a
hat pulled down over his eyes and an
old overcoat buttoned tight up to his
chin. Ee WIS carrying a satchel bear
ing the initials c. S. D., but was other
wise pretty thoroughly disguised, and,
1 fancied, anxious enough to escape
recognition"
you're positive about thisT
"The man was Carter S. Drummond.
l don't think I can he mistaken"
(which way did he go?"
Toward the Pennsylvania station,
fancy; that is, he turned west through
Thirty-third street. didn't follow-I
was getting into taxi when l caught
sight of him"
"But what did you think to see him
disguised? Didn't it strike you as
curlous?"
very" said Ember dryly. "At the
same time, 1t WAS none of my affair
then. Nor did Il present itself to me
as matter worth me1dling with until,
later, my suspicious were aroused by
the Scene in the observation-disclosures the
result of your appearance there-and
still later. when heard TIE suicide re-
port"
But" Whitaker passed a hand
across his dazed eyes. what can 1t
meant Why should he do this thingT'
There are several possible expIana-
lions. How long has Drum
I mond known that you are aliveY'
'Since noon today"
May I ask. what was the extent Of
your property in his trust?"
"a couple Of hundred thousands"
"And he believed yon dead and was
unable to find your wfdc3 -
''Oh, l don't think that! - Whitaker
expostulated.
40 l. w. -.z-zr-- ----a L.