The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1916-11-23

1t isn't blame-it's superstition.
Listen :"
Ember bent forward, holding Whit
aker's gaze with intent, grave eyes.
The first tlme," he said in a rapid un-
dertone, "was a 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"
81 knew them both"
Custer was making the pace; the
announcement of his engagement to
Sara Law was confidently anticipated.
He died suddenly; the corOner's Jury
decided that he had mlsjudged the in
tentions of loaded revolver. People
whispered a suicide, but it didn't look
quite like that to me. However
Hamilton stepped into his
place. Presently we heard that Sara
Law was TO marry him and leave the
stage. Hamilton had to go abroad on
business; on the return trip-the we'd
ding was set for the day after he land
ed here-he disappeared, no one knew
how. Presumably he fell overheard
by accident one night; sane men with
everything in the world to live for do
such things, you know-according to
the newspapers"
Il understand you. Please go on"
Approximately eighteen months
later man named Thurston-NIitchelI
Thurston-was considered a dangerous
aspirant for the hand Of Sara Law. He
was exceedingly well fixed in a money
way-a sort of dIlettantlsh architect
with offices in the Metropolitan tower
One day at high noon he left his desk
to go to lunch at Martins; crossing
Madison square, he suddenly fell dead
with a bullet in his brain. 1t was q
rifle bullet but though the square was
crowded, no one had heard the report
of the shot, and no one was seen car
rying a rifle. The conclusion was that
he had been shot by somebody using q
| gun with q Maxim silencer, from q
window on the south side OF the
| square. There were no clues"
"And now DrummOnd !" Whitaker
exclaimed in horror. "Poor fellow
! Poor wOmanw
! slightly sardOnic expression modi
! fed the lines of Ember's mouth. "SC
far as Mrs. Whitaker is concerned .
he said with the somewhat pedantiC
mode Of speech which Whitaker was Ia
| learn to associate with his moments OF
most serious concentration-'T echo
the sentiment. But let us suspend
Judgment on Drummond's case until
we know more. It is not as yet an es
tablished fact that he is dead"
you mean there's hope"
There's doubt" Ember corrected
acldly-"doubt, at least. In my mind
You see, saw Drummond I'm the flesh
alive and vigorous, a good half hour
after he is reported to have leaped tC
his DEATH"
"WhereT
Coming up the stairs from the
downtown subway station I'm front OF
the Park Avenue hotel. He wore 3
hat pulled down over his eyes and an
old overcOat buttoned tight up to his
chin. He was carrying a satchel bear.
Ing the initials Q. S. D., but was other.
wise pretty thoroughly disguised, and
fancied, anxious enough to escape
recognition"
You're positive ebOut thls3"
"The man was Carter s. Drummond
don't think / can be mistaken"
(which way did he go7"
Toward the Pennsylvania station. !
/ fancy; that IS, he turned west through
/ Thirty-thlrd street I didn't follow
was getting into taxi when / caught
/ sight Of him"
but what did you think to see him
disguised? Didn't it strike you as
/ curlousW
VERY" said Ember dryly. at the
some time, &c was none of my affair
then. Nor did it present itself to me
/ as q matter worth meddling with until.
I later. my suspicious were aroused by
I the scene I'm the theater-o obviously the
result Of Sour appearance there-and
sdli later, when I heard the suicide re-
| port"
But whitaker passed a hand
across his dazed eyes. "Whot can Il
menn7 Why should be do this thingY'
"rhere are several possible explaos
| tions. How long has Drum.
I m0nd known that you are alivef"
"Since noon today"
'Moy I ask what was the extent OF
I your property in his trustg"
"A couple Of hundred thousands"
And ne believed you dead md was
unable to find your widow -
ooh, ] don't think thotw Whitaker
exposulated.
'Nor do l. We're merely consider.