Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-10-19
shadow.

Ihe elevator kept him waiting a
moment or two, just round the corner
from the grill-roOm door, whence came
q sound of voices talking and laughing.
Whitaker heard what was being said
without, at first, comprehending-
heard and afterwards remembered in
vivid detail.
Seems to be the open season for
runaWays," Hamilton was saying Its
only a few days since Thurlow Lads
las daughter-what's her name?-
Mary-took the bit between her teeth
and bOlted with the old mans chauf-
feur."
Somebody asked: 'How far did
they get before old Ladislas caught
upT' @
'He didn't give chase. He's not that
kind. If he was put to it, old Thur
low could play the unforgiving parent
in melodrama without any makeup
whatever"
Hes just like that" said Hamil-
ton. Remember his other daughter
Grace, clipping with young Petit few
years ago? Old Ladislas had a down
on Pettit-Who's a decent enough kid,
Notwithstanding Grace was
promptly disowned, and they've no
hope of ever touching a penny of the
Ladislas conn.,
"But what became of them-Mary
and the stoker-person?"
Nobody knows, except possibly
themselves"
whats she like, this Mary-quite-
contrary?" inquired George Brenton's
voice.
"Oh, nothing but a kid" said little
Fiske.
mot over eighteen"
The elevator was waiting by this
time, but Whitaker paused an instant
before taking it, chiefly because the
sound of his own name, uttered by
Hamilton, had reused him out of the
abstraction in which he had overheard
the preceding conversation.
"Anyhow, I'm sorry for Hugh Whit
aker. He's going to take this hard,
mighty hard"
George Brenton asked, as if sur
prised: What? I didn't know he
was interested in that quarter"
"You must be blind. Alice Carstairs
has had him going for year. Every
body thought she was only waiting for
him to make some big mOney-he as
much as anybody, fancy"
Brenton added the last straw.
That's tough" he said soberly. "Whit-
aker's a white man, and Alice Car
stairs didn't deserve him. But [
wouldn't blame any man for feeling
cut-up to be thrown over for an out
and-out. rotter like Percy Grim
shaw. -
Whitaker heard no more. At the
first mention of the name of Alice Car
stairs he had Snatched her letter from
his pocket and was reading. Nobody
will ever know just what Alice Car
stairs saw fit to write to Hugh Whit
aker. The blood ebbed from his face
and left 1t CHASTITY, and when he had
torn the paper to shreds and let them
tlutter about his feet, he swayed per-
ceptibly-sO much so that one OF the
pages took alarm and jumped TO his
side.
''Beg pardon, Mr.. Whitaker you
call me?"
Whitaker steadied himself and
stared until he recognized the boy.
NO." he said thickly, "but I want you.
Give me a bar order"
The boy produced the printed form
and Whitaker hastily scrubbed his or
der on it. Bring that up to the IL
brary," he said, "and be quick about
it."
He stumbled into the elevator, and
presently found himself in the library.
There was no one else about, and
Whitaker was as glad of that as it was
IN him to be glad of anything just
then. He dropped heavily into a big
armchair and waited, his brain whirl-
Ing and Seething, his nerves on edge
and screeching. In this state Peter
Stark found him.
Peter Sauntered into the room with
a manner deliberately careless. Be
meath that mask he was anything but |
Indifferent, just as his appearance was
anything but fortuitous. Moreover,
Peter had already heard about Alice |
Carstairs and Percy Grimshaw.
Hello he said contriying by mere |
accident to catch sight of Whitaker, |
who was almost invisible in the big |
chair with its back to the body of the |
room. ''What you doing up here, Hugh7
What's up?"
Its all up" said Whitaker, trying |
to pull himself together. ''Everythings
up!"
Don't believe it," said Stark. cooIly.
My feet are on the ground; but you |
look as if you'd seen a ghost
81 have-my own" said Whitaker.
The page now stood beside him with |
tray. "Open it," he told the boy.
Indicating a half-bottle of champagne;
and then to Peter: I'm having a
bath. Won't you jump in?"
Peter whistled, watching the wine
cream over the brandy in the long
glass. Kings peg, eh?' he said with
lift Of disappearing eyebrows. Here,
boy, bring me some Scotch and plain
water for common people,
The boy disappeared as Whitaker
lifted his glass.
I'm not waiting" he said bluntly.