The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1916-11-30


been confined wholly to the one quar-
ter whence he had had every reason to
anticipate neither protest nor ex-
posure. In Whitakers too-magndni-
nous opinion, the man had not been
so much thief as one who yielded to
the temptation to convert to his own
needs and uses n property against
which, 1t appeared, no other living be-
ing cared to enter n claim. The mon
etary loss was an inconslderable thing
to man with an interest in mines in
the Owen Stanley country. He said
nothing. Drumnond's name remained
untarnished, save in the knowledge of
a few.
OF these, Martin Ember was one.
Whitaker made point of hunting him
up. The retired detective received con-
firmation of his surmise without any
anaZement.
'You still believe that he's allve?"
Implicitly" Ember asserted with
conviction.
Gould you find him, If necessary?"
within day, think. Do you wish
me TOT"
Ember permitted Whitaker to con-
slider the matter In silence for some
moments. Then. do you want ad-
vice?" he inquired.
"Wen?"
'Hunt him down and put him behind
the bars" said Ember instantly.
"What's the good of that2"
"Your personal safety"
"How?"
with you out of the way, he could
come back without fear"
Ember permitted another pause to
lengthen, un5rokea by Whitaker.
''Shall try to find him for you?" he
said quietly, in the end.
NO" Whitaker decided. mo. Let
him alone-poor devilw
Ember disclaimed further RESPONSE
bility with a movement of his shoul-
ders.
''But my wlfeP Could you find her
as readily?"
Possibly" the detective admitted
cautiously. But don't mean to-"
"Why not?"
principally because she doesn't want
me to. Otherwise she'd let you know
where to look for her."
"True."
These fragments of dialogue are
from a conversation that took place in
the month of June, nearly seven weeks
after the farewell performance at the
Theatre Max. Interim, Whitaker had
quietly resumed his place in the life
of the town. regaining old friendships
renewing old associations. The mild
excitement occasioned by mis- reappear-
ance had already suJsided; he was
again an accepted and substantial fac
tor in the society of his kind.
Gradually he began to know more
hours OF loneliness than suited his
tastes. His r0oms-the old rooms over
looking Bryant park regained and re-
furnished mRch as they had been six
years before-knew his solitary pres
ence through many a long evening.
July came with blistering breath and
he took to the Adirondacks, meaning
TO be gone a month. Within ten days
he was home again. drawn back ire
sistibly by n strange, Unsuitable crav-
ing of unformulated desire. Town
bored him, yet he could not seem to
rest away from IL.
He wandered I'm and out, up and
down, an unquiet, lrresolute soul, tre-
nendously perplexed.
There came one dark and sultry
night, heavy beneath skies overcast. in
August. Whitaker left a rcof-gar6ea
In the middle OF a stupid performance,
and walked the streets till long after
midnight courting the fatigue that
alone could bestOw untroubled sleep.
on lis return a sleepy hall-boy with
a wllted collar ran the elevator up 10
his tenth-floor landing and. leaving him
fumbling at the lock OF his door.
dropped clankingly out Of sight Whit
oker entered and shut himself In with
the pitch-biackness III his private foll.
Tie groped along the wall for the
electric switch and found only the
shank OF &C. the hare rubber button
having disappeared. And then, while
still Le was tryiag TO think how this
could have Happened, he sustained a
murlerous assault.
A miscalculaion on the part Of the
rarcu1er alone saved him. The Black
jack (or whatever TIE weapon wos)
missing his head by the narr3west
shave, descended upon his left shoul-
der with numbiEg force. Notwith.
standing his pain and surprise. whit
aker rallied ana grnpple3, thus oscap-
Ing q second and probably more deadly
blow.
But his shoulder was al-aost useless,
and the pain Of 20 began O. slcken him.
while the man in his grip fought like
a devil unclaimed
For some minutes the night wos rem
dcrod wild and violent with the crashes
1f ogcrthrown furniture and the thud
ana hump OF struggling bodies Then
Wblusgr trotr frcc 0nd plunred ip
.tI.rf H. Itl.. .fraI fa In fH. lIf..affe..