Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1916-12-15
CHAPTER Vlt-continued.

"And you found her and told Drum
mOnd-T
Whitaker leaned over the table,
studying the mans face with intense
interest. -
"No-and yes. I found Mrs. Whit
eker. l didn't report to Drummond."
"But why-in heavens name?"
Ember smiled somberly at the droop
ing ash of his cigar. ''There were sew
eral reasons. In the first place didn't
have to: / had asked no retainer from
Drummond, and / rendered no bill:
what l had found out was mine, to
keep or to sell, as chose. chose not
to sell because-well, because Mrs.
Whitaker begged me not to-"
"Ah!" Whitaker breathed, sitting
back. "WhyY
"This was all of a year, think,
after your marriage. Mrs. Whitaker
had tasted the sweets Of independence
and-got the habit. She had adopted
q profession looked upon with abhor-
renee by her family. She was already
successful in a small way, had little
need of the money she would get as
claimant of your estate. She enlisted
my sympathy, and-I held my tongue"
''That was decent of you
The man bowed a quiet acknowledge
ment 81 thought you'd think So
There was third reason"
He paused, until Whitaker encour-
aged him with a "Yes-p
"Mr. Whltaker"-the query came
point-blank-"do you love your wife2"
Whitaker caught his breath. "What
right" he began, and checked abb
ruptly. The blood darkened his lean
cheeks.
"Mrs. Whitaker gave me to under.
stand that you didn't. 1t wasn't hard
80 perceive. everything considered, that
your motive was pure chivalry-quix-
otism. / should like to go to my grave
with anything half as honorable and
unselfish to my credit"
II beg your pardon" Whitaker NUT
tered thiekly.
"You don't, them"
Love herr No."
There was slight pause. Then, 81
do" said this extraordinary man, meet
ing Whhaker's gaze openly. 81 do"
he repeated, flushing in his turn, "but
hopelessly However,
that was the third reason" he pursued
In more level voice-'T thought you
ought to know about it-that induced
me to keep Sara Laws secret.
loved her from the day l found her.
She has never looked twice at me.
But that's why never lost in
terest"
You mean," Whitaker took him I'D
diffidently-'you continued to-ah-?"
Court her-as we say? No" EN-
ber's shoulders, lifting, emphasized the
disclaimer. I'm no fool. have had
the sense not to invite the thunderbolt
She doesn't know 1t, unless Max told
her against my wish; but it was l who
Induced him to bring her before the
pubic, four years ago, as Joan Thurs
day. Since then her destiny has been
rather too big thing for me to tam
per with; but I've watched and Won
dered, sensing forces at work about
her of which even she was unsus-
picious."
'What in bl2zes do you meanT"
Whitaker demanded mystified.
Did 1T strike you to wonder at the
extraordinary mob her farewell per-
formance attracted tonight?"
"Why-yes. 1t stuck me as rather
unusual. But then, Max had done
nothing but tell me of her tremendous
popularity"
''rhat alone, great as it is, wouldn't
have brought so many people together
to stare at the outside of a theater
The magnet was something stronger
fhe morbid curiosity of New York
Those people were waiting, thrilled
with expectancy, on tiptoe for the sen
sation that presently came to them
the report of Drummond's death"
what the devil"
Patience! This is the third time II
has happened-the same thing, prac
dcally: Sara Law on the verge O.
leaving the stage to marry, a fatal &C
cident intervening. Did Max by an,
chance mention the nickname New
York has bestowed on Sara Law?"
Nickname? MOI"
''They call her The Destroyin
Angel"
''What rotw
Yes; but what coincidence. Tire
men loved her-and one by one the
died. And now the fourth. Do yo
wonder z"
"Oh, but-The Destroying Angel
Whitaker cried Indignantly. "How Gu
they blame her?"