The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1916-10-19
Whitaker read aloud A:

Dear D.: I'm not feeling we'll. so of
for vacation. Burke has just been in
and paid 1880 in settlement of our claim
I'm enclosing herewith my check for your
share. Yours,
H. NJ. w.
Ear be It from me to cast up" said
Drummond; "but I'd like to know why
the deuce you couldn't let a fellow
know how i'll you We're"
That's so. And you never heard-?"
Merely a rumor ran round. More
than that nothing-until we heard that
the Adventures had been lost, half a
year later"
I'm sorry" said Whitaker contritely.
1T was thOughtless :"
''But that isn't ALL" Drummond OBJ
jected, flourishing another paper. "See
here-Exhiblt B-came In a day or so
| later"
Yes" Whitaker recognized the
document. 81 remember insisting on
writing to you before we turned In
that night"
He ran through the following COM
munication:
Dear Drummond: I married here. to-
night. Mary Ladislas. Please look out for
| her while / IN away Make her an allow
ance out or my money-fve hundred a
| month ought to be enough. I shall die
| intestate, and she'll get everything then,
or course. She has your address and will
communicate with you as soon as she
| gets settled down in town. Faithfully.
Hugh Morten Whitaker.
"If it hadn't been so much i'm char
ncter," commented Drummond, "Pd've
thought the thing forgery-or q poor
Joke. Knowing you as well as did.
however just sat back to wait
for word from Mrs. Whitaker"
"And you never heard, except that
oncei" said Whitaker thoughtfully.
Heres the sole and only evidence
I ever got to prove that you had told
the truth"
Drummond handed Whitaker a sim
gle, folded sheet of note-paper stamped
with the name of the Waldorf-Astoria.
Dear Sir: I inclose herewith a bank
note for $500 which you will be kind
| enough to credit to the estate OF your
! late partner and my late husband. Mr..
| Hugh Morten Whitaker.
| Very truly yours,
| Mary Ladislas Whitaker.
Dated you see, the day after the
report of your death was published
here"
But why?" demandeS Whitaker.
dumfOunded "Why?"
''AIrs Whitaker may have desired to
marry again Immediately. If I'm any
| judge of human nature, she argued
that repayment of the loan wiped out
every obligation. Feminine logic, per-
haps, but"
Whitaker nodded In somber abstrac-
ton
You may not" continued Drum
mond with light malice, shave been
| so generous, so considerate and
chlyalric, after all"
"Oh cut that" growled Whitaker.
unhappily, 81 never meant to come
| back"
''Then why did your"
"Oh don't know. Chiefly
because L caught Anne Presbury's
sharp eyes on me in Melbourne-as /
said while ago. At the worst-if
what you suggest has really happened
Its an open-and-shut case; no ones
| going to blame the woman; and IL
ought to be easy enough to secure a
separation or divorce"
YOU'D consent to that?" inquired
| DrummOnd lntently.
''It's the only decent thing I can
| do"
Drummond laughed quietly. Tf
that's how you feel" he said. "I can
only give you one piece Of professional
advice"
'Whats th0tT
'Find your wife"
After a moment Of puzzled thought,
/ Whitaker admitted ruefully: you're
right There's the rub"
"Tm afraid you won't find II an
easy Job. / did my best without uncov-
/ ering a trace Of her"
"Did you try old ThurlowT"
Her father died within eight weeks
from the time you ran away. He left
everything to charity, by the way.
Unforgiving blighter."
"Well, there's her sister, Mrs. Petit"
Address" observed Drummond.
/ dryly: "the American Embassy Ber-
/ lin. Pettits got some sort Of q
minor diplomatic berth over there"
20 the devil But, anyway.
I can write"
He moved 20 n window and stared
rudely at the Post Office Building for
a time. 'Tm going to find her just the
snme-if she still lives" he announced.
/ turning back.
fr@e-l@-
III Al 49,, tsfLfs.ts.. - e. III