Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1916-11-10
CHAPTER vIl-conslnued.

~And you found her and told Drum
monsi-42'' +.~ o-
Whitaker leaned over the table,
studying the mans face with Intense
interest.
"No-and yes. / found Mrs. Whit
nker. l didn't report to Drummond-"
''But why--ln heavens nameT
Ember smiled somberly at the droop
ing ash Of his cigar. "There were sew
eral reasons. In the first place ] didn't
have to. had asked no retainer from
Drummond, and rendered no bill;
what l had found out was mine, to
keep or TO sell, as chose. chose not
20 sell because--well, because Mrs
whitaker begged me not to-"
"Ahr' Whitaker breathed, sitting
back. "whyT
''This was all OF a year, l think
after your marriage. Mrs. Whitaker
had tasted the sweets of independence
and--got the habit. She had adopted
a profession looked upon with abhor-
renee by her family. She was already
successful In a small way. had little
need Of the money she would get as
claimant of your estate. She enlisted
my sympathy, and--I held my tongue.
"That was decent of you."
The man bowed quiet acknowledg-
ment II thought you'd thlnk So
There was third reason"
He paused. until Whitaker encour-
aged him with 'Yes-T
''Mr. Whitaker"-the query came
point-hlank-'do you love your wifer'
Whitaker canght his breath. "What
right" he began, and checked aD-
ruptly. The blood darkened his lean
cheeks.
"Mrs. whitaker guve me to under
stand that you didn't. 1t wasn't hard
to perceive, everything considered, that
your motive wps pure chivalry-quix
otism. / should like to go to my grave
with anything half as honorable and
unselflsh to my credit"
II beg your pardon" Whitaker NUT
tered thickly.
"You don't, thenT
Love herr No"
There was q slight pause. Then, '1
do" said this extraordinary man, meet
ing whitaker's gaze openly. II do
he repeated, flushing In his turn, 'bu
hOpelessly d. However
that was the third reason" he pursued
In a more level voice-'T thought yOJ
ought to know about lt--that induced
me to keep Sara Laws secret.
loved her from the day.I found her
She has never looked twice at me
But that's why never lost in
tsyest.-
''You mean" Whitaker took him vi
diffidently-4.'you continued to-ah-? !?
Court her-as we sayf No" Em
ber's shoulders, lifting. emphasized tn
disclaimer. "Tm no fool. have hal
\ the sense not to invite the thunderbolt
She doesn't know 1t. unless Max toll
her against my wish but 1t was | VIII
Induced him to bring her before tn
public, four years ago, as Joan Thurs
day. Since then her destiny has bee
rather too big a thing for me to tan
per with; but I've watched and wOI
dered. sensing forces at work abou
her Of which even she was unsui
piciOus." -Ftf
'swhat In blazes do you mean
whitaker demanded, mystihed-
"Did II strike you TO wonder at tn
extraordinary mob her farewell pc
Torrance attracted tonlght2"
-why--yes. It struck me as rath,
unusual But then, Max had dor
nothing but tell me OF her tremeHdol
popularity"
"That alone, great as It is, wouldu
have brought so many people togeth,
to stare at the outside of theate
The magnet was something stronger
the morbid curiosity OF New Yor
Those people were waiting. thrifl'
with expectancy. on tiptoe for the sc
sation that presently came to then
the report OF Drummond's death" \
what the devil-I" "N'
patience This Is the third time
has happened-the same thing, prs
tically: Sara Law on the. verge
leaving the stage to marry. fatal {
cident intervening. Did Max by a
chnnce mention the nickname N,
York has bestowed on Sara Law?"
"Nlckname2 mol" 7
"They call her The Destroy
Angel I"
%what rotF'
eyes; but what coincidence. Thl
men loved her--and one by one tn
died. And now the fourth. DO )
wonder ~
"oh. but-'The Destroying Angel
whitaker cried Indignantly. How {
they blame herf' "a
TT isn't blame-Irs superstltI
Listen !"
Ismber bent forward. holding WI
aker,s gase with intent, grave ey
'-The first time," he said In a rapid
dertone, ''was a year or so after
triumph as Joan Thursday. Tn
wers then two men openly infatua
with her, boy named Custer. ant
man believe you knew-Willi
Hamilton"
1T knew them both"
"Custer wnz making the pace;
announcement Of his engagement
sarn Law was confidently anticipat
He died suddenly; the coroner's
decided that he had misjudged the
tentIons Of a loaded revolver. Pee
whispered suicide, but 1t didn't
quite like that to me. Howe
Hamilton stepped into
place. Presently we heard that
Law was to marry him and leave
stage Hamilton had to go abroad
business; on the return trip-the v
ding was set for the day after he ID
ed here--he disappeared, no one k
how. Presumably he fell overbC
by accident one night; sane men '
everything In the world to live fol
such things. you know-aecordinl
the newspapers"
II understand you. Please 60 Of