Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-10-26

and Drummond-a blind and unreason-
ing affection that asked no questions
and made nothing Of faults. The ca
pacity for such sentiment was dead in
him, as dead as Peter Stark, as dead
as DrummOnd.
It was nearly midnight, but the hour
found Whitaker in no humor for bed or
the emptiness Of his room. He strolled
into the lounge, sat down at a detached
table in q corner, and ordered some
thing to drink. A page, bearing some
thing on a salver, ambled through the
lounge, now and again opening his
mouth to bleat, dispassi0nately Mis-
ia Whitaker, Mista Whitaker !"
The owner of that name experienced
a flush Of evaporation. What right
had the management to cause him to
be advertised in every public room of
the establishment? But the
next instant his resentment eyapOr-
ated, when he remembered that he re-
manned Mr.. Hugh Morten in the mana
gerial comprehension.
He lifted finger; the boy sweryed
toward him, rendered a blue envelope,
accepted a gratuity and departed.
It was a cable message; very prob
ably an answer to his to Grace Petit
Whitaker tore the envelope and I'M
folded the Enclosure, glancing first at
the signature to verify his surmise. AS
he did So he heard his name a second
time.
pardon me; this is Mr.. Whitaker"
A man stood beside the little table
one whom Whitaker had Indifferent
ly noticed on entering as an equally
lonely lOunger at another table.
Though he frOwned involuntarily
with annoyance, he couldn't well deny
his identity.
"Yes," he said shortly, looking the
man up and down with captious eye.
Yet it was hard to find much fault
with this invader of his preOccupatfOn.
He had the pOiSe and the dress of a
gentleman: dignity without aggressive
ness, completeness without OstentatiOn.
He had spare, not ungraceful body, a
plain, dark face, q humorous mouth,
steady eyes: a man easily forgotten or
overlooked unless he willed it other
wise.
''Nfy name is Ember," he said quiet
~. of you'll permit me-my card"
He offered a slip of pastebOard en-
graved with the name of Martin EN-
Der. "And I'll sit down, because [
want to talk to you for a few min
utes.''
Accordingly he sat down. Whitaker
glanced at the card, and questioningly
back at Mr. Ember's face.
81 don't know you, but .
What are we to talk about, please?"
The man smiled, not unpleasingIy.
''Mrs. Whitaker" he said.
Mrs. Whitaker didn't send you to
me? Then how What the deuce-!'
st happened to have a seat near your
box at the theater tonight" Mr.. En-
Der explained coOlly. "FrOm-What
saw there, [ inferred that you must be
yourself. Afterwards I got hold of
Max, confirmed my suspicion, and ex-
tracted your address from him.
81 see," said Whitaker, slowly.
''Who the devil are your he demanded
bluntly.
81 was" said the other slowly, "once,
q private detective. NOw-Tm a per-
son of no particular employment, of in
dependent means, with a penchant-
you're at liberty to assume-for polk
ing my nose into other peoples bust
| ness. Mrs. George Petit once en-
Ladislas, who had run away with a
| chauffeur named Morton"
"Just a minute" said Whitaker sud
denly-"by your leave"
Ember bowed gravely For thought
longer Whitaker's gaze bored into his
eyes in vain effort to fathom what was
going on behind them, the anlmus un-
| discovered by his words; then, remem-
bering, he looked down at the cable
message in his hand.
Martin Ember (it RAM private
agency 1435 Broadway, Grace Petit"
Whitaker folded the paper and put II
away III Il POCKET.
go on, please" he said quietly.
'In those days." Mr.. Ember resumed
81 did such things indifferently we'll.
had little trouble in following the run
aWays from Southampton to Green
port. There they parted. He was want
ed for theft in a former position, was
arrested, convicted and sent to Sing
Sing; where he presently died, I'm
glad to say. Miss Ladislas had
registered at the Commercial house as
Mrs. Morton. She was there, alone,
under that name, for nearly q week
before you registered as Hugh Nor
ten, and in the space of a few hours
| married her, under your true name,
and shipped her off to New York"
fright" Whitaker agreed steadily
"And them"
81 traced her to the Hotel Belmont,
where she stopped overnight, then lost
her completely; and so reported to
Mrs. Petit. l came into little money
about that time, and gave up my bust
ness: gave it up, that Is, as far as
placing myself at the service Of the
public was concerned. After some time
Mr.. DrummOnd sought me out and
begged me to renew my search for
Mrs. Whitaker; you were dead, he told
me; she was due to come into your
estate-a comfortable living for an in
dependent woman