The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1916-12-21

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 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
hutter 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-did you
call mel"
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 1t. "Bring that up to the IL
brary," he said, land 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 1t was
in him to be glad of anything just
then. He dropped heavily into 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
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.
"Hel-lo" he said, contriving 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. Hugh J
What's up?"
cts all up" said Whitaker, trying
to pull himself together. "Everything's
up!"
Don't believe it," said Stark, coolly.
"My feet are on the ground; but you
look as If you'd seen a ghost"
II have-my own" said Whitaker.
The page now stood beside him with
a tray. "Open It," he told the boy,
indicating a half-bottle of champagne;
and then to Peter: "Pm having
bath. Won't you jump imp
Peter whistled, watching the wine
cream over the brandy in the long
glass. "King's peg, eh?" he said, with
a 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.
81 need this now"
II hope" Peter said thoughtfully,
"that the man who started that lie
about drink making fellow forget
died the death Of dog. He deserved
to, anyway" He stopped at Whitaker's
side and dropped a hand on his
shoulder. Hugh" he said, you're
one of the best. Don't. :"
Whatever he had meant to say, he
left unfinished because Of the return
of the page with his Scotch; but he
had said enough to let Whitaker under
stand that he knew about the Carstairs
affair.
"That's all right" said Whitaker;
"Pm not going to make fool Of my
self, but l am in pretty bad way.
Boy"
"Hold ont" Peter interrupted.
you're net going to order another?
What you've had is enough to gal
vanize a corpse"
Barring the negligible difference of
few minutes or months, that's me-"
returned Whitaker.
"Td like to know what you mean by
that" Peter remarked, obviously wor-
lied. "What's the matter with your
"Ask Greyerson. I can't remember
the name-lt's too long-and couldn't
pronounce it IL did,"
Peters eyes narrowed. "What fool
ishness has Greyerson been putting
into your headT he demanded. tive
a good mind to go punch his"
"It isn't his fault" Whitaker as
serted. "Tts my own-or rather, it's
In the nature of postum