Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1916-12-02
Whitaker read aloud:

Dear D.: I'm not feeling Well, so of
for vacation. Burke has just been in
and paid 1880 in settlement of our claim
I'm enclosing herewith my check for your
share. Yours.
h. w.
"Far be 1t from me TO cast up" said
Drummond; 'but I'd like to know why
the deuce you couldn't let a fellow
know how i'll you were"
That's so. And you never heard-2"
Merely a rumor ran round. More
than that nothing-until we heard that
the Adventures had been lost, half a
year later"
I'm sorry" said Whitaker contritely.
ut was thoughtless :"
''But that isn't ALL" Drummond OBJ
jected, f1ourishing another paper. "See
here--Exhibit B-came in a day or so
later.1
"Yes." Whitaker recognized the
document. 81 remember insisting on
writing to you before we turned in
that night"
He ran through the following COM
munication:
Dear Drummonh married here, to-
night, Mary Ladslas Please look out for
her while I'm away. Make her an allow
ance out OF my money-fve hundred a
month ought to be enough. I shall die
intestate, and she'll get everything then,
OF course. She has your address and will
communicate with you as soon as she
gets settled down in town. Faithfully,
Hugh Morten Whitaker
''If 1t hadn't been so much in char
acter," commented Drummond, "Pd've
thought the thing forgery-or a poor
joke. Knowing you as well as did.
however just sat back to wait
for word from Mrs. Whitaker"
sand you never heard, except that
once!" said Whitaker thoughtfully.
Here's the sole and only evidence
I ever got to prove that you had told
the truth"
Drummond handed Whitaker a sim
gle, folded sheet of note-paper stamped
with the name of the Waldorf-Astoria.
Dear Sir: I inclose herewith a bank
note for 500, which you win be kind
enough to credit to the estate of your
late partner and my late husband. Mr..
Hugh Morten Whitaker.
Very truly yours,
Mary Ladislas Whitaker.
Dated. you see, the day after the
report of your death was published
here"
But why?" demanded Whitaker,
dumfounded. "Why?"
Mrs. Whitaker may have desired to
marry again Immediately. If I'm any
judge of human nature, she argued
that repayment of the loan wiped out
every obligation. Feminine logic, per-
haps, but"
Whitaker nodded in somber abstrac-
ton.
you may not" continued Drum
mond with light malice, have been
so generous, so cOnsiderate and
chivalric, after all"
'Oh, cut thatr" grCwled Whitaker,
unhapIily, II never meant to come
back"
''Then why did your"
"Oh l don't know. Chiefly
because l caught Anne Presbury's
sharp eyes on me in Melbourne-as l
said a while ago. At the worst-if
what you suggest has really happened
its an Open-and-shut case; no ones
going to blame the woman; and it
ought to be easy enough to secure a
separation or divorce"
you'd consent to thatf" inquired
Drummond intently.
"It's the only dccent thing l can
do"
Drummond laughed quietly. 'If
that's how you feel" he said, II can
only give you one piece of professional
advice"
whats that?"
Find your Wife"
After a moment of puzzled thought,
Whitaker admitted ruefully: You're
right. There's the rub
I'm afraid you won't find 1t an
easy job. did my best without uncov-
ering a trace Of her"
Did you try old Thurlow?"
'Her father died within eight weeks
from the time you ran away. He left
everything to charity, by the way.
Unforgiving Brighter"
"Well, there's her sister, Mrs. Petit"
Address," observed Drummond,
dryly: "the American Embassy, Ber-
lin. =. j.. Pettit's got some sort Of
minor diplomatic berth over there"
20 the DEVIL But, anyway,
I can write"
He moved to a window and stared
rudely at the Post Office Building for
a time. ''I'm going to md her Just the
same-if she still Ives" he announced,
turning back.
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