The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1916-12-22

decided that he had misjudged the in
tentions Of loaded revolver. People
whispered 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 60 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"
II understand you. Please go on"
Approximately eighteen months
later man named Thurston-Mitchell
Thurston-was considered q dangerous
aspirant for the hand of Sara Law. He
was exceedingly well fixed in a money
way-a sort of dilettantish architect,
with Offices in the Metropolitan tower.
One day at high noon he left his desk
to 60 to lunch at Martins; crossing
Madison square, he suddenly fell dead,
with bullet in his brain. 1t was a
rifle bullet, but though the square was
crowded, no one had heard the report
Of the shot, and no one was seen car
rying q rifle. The conclusion was that
he had been shot by somebody using a
gun with Maxim silencer, from
window on the south side of the
square. There were no clues.''
"And now Drummond!" Whitaker
exclaimed in horror. "Poor fellow!
Poor woman!''
A slightly sardonic expression modi-
fed the lines of Ember's mouth. $50
far as Mrs. Whitaker is concerned"
he said with the somewhat pedantic
mode Of speech which Whitaker was to
learn to associate with his moments of
most serious concentration-"I echo
the sentiment. But let us suspend
judgment on Drummond's case until
we know more. 1t is not as yet an es-
tablished fact that he is dead"
'You mean there's hope
There's doubt" Ember corrected
acidly-"doubt, at least, in my mind.
You see, saw Drummond in the flesh,
alive and vigorous, good half hour
after he is reported to have leaped to
his DEATH"
"Where?" -
Coming up the stairs from the
downtown subway station In front of
the Park Avenue hotel. He wore
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 c. S. D., but was other
wise pretty thoroughly disguised, and,
I fancied, anxious enough to escape
recognition"
you're positive about this?"
''The man was Carter S. Drummond.
I don't think can be mistaken"
(which way did he go?"
Toward the Pennsylvania station,
fancy; that is, he turned west through
Thirty-third street. 1 didn't follow
was getting into taxi when I caught
sight Of him."
'But what did you think to see him
disguised? Didn't it strike you as
curious?'
very" said Ember dryly. sat the
same time. it was none Of my affair
then. Nor did 1t present itself to me
as matter worth meddling with until,
later, my suspicious were aroused by
the scene in the theater-obviously the
result of your appearance there-and
still later, when heard the suicide re-
port"
But" Whitaker passed a hand
across his dazed eyes. "What can it
mean? Why should he do this thing"
There are several possible explaoa-
tions. How long has Drum
mond known that you are alive?"
"Since noon today"
May ask, what was the extent of
your property in his trust?"
"a couple of hundred thousands"
"And he believed you dead and was
unable to find your widow -
"Oh, don't think that!' Whitaker
expostulated.
Nor do I. We're merely consider
ing possible explanations. There's a
third :"
"Well?"
"He may have received a strong hint
that he was nominated for the fate
that overlook young Custer, Hamilton
and Thurston; and so planned to give
his disappearance the color of a SINH
lar end.'
you don't mean to say you think
there was any method in that train of
tragedies?''
I'm not in the least superstitious,
my dear man. I don't for an instant
believe, as some people claim to, that
Sara Law is destroying angel, hound
ed by a tragic fate: that her love is
equivalent to the death warrant of
the man who wins it."
But what do you think, then?'
Il think said Ember slowly, his
gaze on the table, that someone with
very strong interest in keeping the
young woman single-and on the
stage"
Max, Impossible!'
Ember shrugged. "In human nature
no madness is impossible. There's not
shred of evidence against Jules Max.
And yet--he's q gambler. All theatri-
cal managers are, OF course; but Max
Is card-fend. The tale of his plung