The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1916-12-22
CHAPTER Vll-continued.

CHAPTER vll-continued.
-
.And you found her and told Drum
mond-?"
Whitaker leaned over the table.
studying the mans face with intense
interest.
"No-and yes. I found Mrs. Whit
aker. I didn't report to Drummond.
"But why-in heavens name?
Ember smiled somberly at the droop
ing ash of his cigar There were sew
eral reasons. In the first place didn't
have to: 1 had asked no retainer from
Drummond, and l rendered no bill !:
what had found out was mine, to
keep or to sell, as chose. chose not
to sell because-well, because Mrs.
Whitaker begged me not to-"
"Ah!" Whitaker breathed, sitting
back. "Why?
'"This was all of year, think,
after your marriage. Mrs. Whitaker
had tasted the sweets of independence
and-got the habit. She had adopted
q profession looked upon with abhor-
renee by her family. She was already
successful in 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 think so.
There was a third reason
He paused, until Whitaker encour-
aged him with a "Yes-?"
"Mr. Whitaker"-the query came
point-blank-"do you love your wife?"
Whitaker caught his breath. "What
right" he began, and checked ab-
ruptly. The blood darkened his lean
cheeks.
'Mrs. Whitaker gave me to under
stand that you didn't. 1t wasn't hard
to perceive, everything considered, that
your motive was pure chivalry-quix-
otism. should like to 60 to my grave
with anything half as honorable and
unselfish to my credit"
II beg your pardon Whitaker NUT
tered thickly.
"You don't, then?'
"Love her? No."
There was a slight pause. Then, 'I
do" said this extraordinary man, meet
Ing Whitaker's gaze openly. 81 do"
he repeated, flushing in his turn, "but
hopelessly However,
that was the third reason" he pursued
in a more level voice-"I thought you
ought to know about it-that induced
me to keep Sara Laws secret. .
I loved her from the day found her.
She has never looked twice at me.
.. But that's why. 1 never lost in
terest."
"You mean," Whitaker took him up
difidently-"you continued to-ah-T'
"Court her-as we say? No." EN-
ber's shoulders. lifting, emphasized the
disclaimer. "Tm no fool. have had
the sense not to invite the thunderbolt.
She doesn't know it, unless Max told
her against my wish; but it was who
induced him to bring her before the
public, four years ago, as Joan Thurs
day. Since then her destiny has been
rather too big thing for me to tam
per with; but I've watched and won
dered, sensing forces at work about
her of which even she was unsus-
picious."
''What in .blzes do you mean?"
Whitaker demanded, mystifed.
"Did it strike you Ito wonder at the
extraordinary mob her farewell per-
formance attracted tonight?"
"Why-yes. 1t struck me as rather
unusual. But then. Max had done
nothing but tell me of her tremendous
popularity"
"That alone, great as 1t is, wouldn't
have brought so many people together
to stare at the outside of a theater.
The magnet was something stronger
the morbid curiosity of New York.
Those people were waiting, thrilled
with expectancy. on tiptoe for the SEN
sation that presently came to them :
the report of Drummond's DEATH
what the DEVIL
Patience! This is the third time it
has happened-the same thing. prac-
tically: Sara Law on the verge of
leaving the stage to marry, fatal ac-
cident intervening. Did Max by any
chance mention the nickname New
York has bestowed on Sara Law?"
Nickname? No."
"They call her The Destroying
Angel"
What rot.''
"Yes; but what coincidence. Three
men loved her-and one by one they
died. And now the fourth. Do you
wonder -!
"Oh, but-'The Destroying Angel"
Whitaker cried Indignantly. "How can
they blame herr"
'It isn't biame-it's superstition.
Listen
Ember bent forward, holding Whit
nker's gaze with intent, grave eyes.
1.-The first time he said in rapid un-
dertone, twas Il year or so after her
triumph as Joan Thursday. There
were then two men openly infatuated
with her, a boy named Custer, and a
man 1 believe you knew-William
Hamilton
'I knew them both"
"Custer was making the pace; the
announcement Of his engagement to
Sara Law was confidently anticipated.
H.. dies! .rtldrniy; the cor0per's jury