Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1916-12-21
THE 0|
DESTROYING
|I ANGEL 0|
IT By IT
LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE III
CHAPTER x-Continued.

ply my intention no longer to bear my
masculine weight upon a women-ei-
rher you or any other woman"
A smile contended momentarily with
the frown, and triumphed brilliantly.
IL mean TO ask you" he said delib-
erately, "to whom am indebted--2'
TO his CONSERVATION the smile van
ished. as though a cloud had sailed be-
fore the sun. Doubt and something
strongly resembling incredulity in
formed her glance.
"Do you mean to say you don't
know?" she demanded after moment
surely Mr.. Ember must have told
your
"Ember seemed to be laboring under
the misrepresentation that the Fiske
place was without a tenant"
"Ohw Her tone was thoughtful.
"Has he gone back to town."
Business called him. At least such
was the plausible excuse he advanced
for depriving himselfaof my exclusive
society"
81 see" she nodded-"T see ;"
"But aren't you going to tell me?
Or ought to prove my human intelll-
gence by assuming on logical grounds
that you're Miss FiskeT
"If you please" she murmured, her
intent gaze seeking the distances of
the sea.
"Then that's settled" he pursued in
accents of satisfaction. you are Miss
Fiske-Christian name at present I'M
known to deponent And we are neigh
bors. DO you know, / think this a
very decent sort of world after all?"
"And still"-she returned to the
charge-'you haven't told me what you
mean to do, since you refuse my help"
y mean" he asserted cheerfully, ito
sit-here until some kind-hearted person
fetches me stick 10 serve as emergen-
cy staff. Then | shall make shift to
hobble to your motor boat and thank
you very kindly for ferrying me home"
She shook her head IN dainty annoy
nnce, then, llght-footed darted from
sight round the side of the bnthhouse.
Presently she reappeared, dragging an
eight-foot pole. He rose on one foot
and tested the staff with his weight.
"'Twill do" he decided. And thank
you very much"
But even with its aid, his progress
toward the boat necessarily consumed
Il tedious time. 1t was impossible to
fnvor the injured foot to any great ex
tent. He made little or no attempt to
converse while in motion, so she had
plenty of opportunity to make up her
mind about him.
If her eyes were reliable index.
she fouad him AZ least interesting. At
times their expression was engmntic
beyond any reading. Again they
seemed openly perplexed. At all
times they were warily regardful. Once
she sighed quietly with passing look
of sadness of which he was wholly
unaware.
"OId-about that fellow" he OBJ
served during halt. 81 was sure he
was Drummond--untilI saw"
"Drummoud !"
"Friend of mine You don't
by any chance know Drummond, do
your
"Fve heard the name"
"You must have. Supposed to have
committed sulcide-jumped or Wash
ington bridge a week before he was to
marry Sara Law, the actress? .
l may ms well tell you--it's no secret.
although only few people know it.
Ember saw Drummond, or thinks he
did alive, in the flesh, good .half.hour
after the time of his reported suicide"
'How very curlous" There was
nothing more than civil but perfume
tory interest I'm the comment. "Are
you ready 10 go ont"
And another time. when they were
near the boat:
"When DO you expect Mr.. Ember2'
asked the girl.
Tonight, probably"
IL shall be glad to see him." said
the girl In what Whitaker thought a
curious tone. please tell him. will
you? Don't forget"
IF that's the way you feel about
him. shall be tempted TO wire him
not tO come"
Absurd" she laughed.
When finally they came to the end
OF the dock, he paused. considering the
thgee-foot drop 90 the deck OF the mo-
tor boat. III II weren't low tide :"
he explained, crestfalleu.
'But, since II is low tide, you'll have
TO let me help you again, the girl re-
torted, jumping lightly but surely to
the cockpit.
She turned and offered him hand,
eyes dancing with gay malice.
Like all men, you must turn to a
woman in the end-howeyer brave your
strut
"oh, It's that way. is IT'D Thank you.
but fancy ! can manage"
And with the aid of the clothss-prop
he did manage TO make the descent
without her hand and without disaster.
The girl started the engine and took
the wheel MS The boat swung draining