The Pulaskian., 1917-01-05
CHAPTER vil-continued.

-6-
 "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 aker. I didn't report to Drummond."
 ''But why-in heavens name?"
 Ember smiled somberly at the droop- ing ash of his cigar. "There were sev. - eral reasons. In the first place l didn't have to: had asked no retainer from Drummond, and I rendered no bill ]: what I 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,I think, after your marriage. Mrs. Whitaker had tasted the sweets of independence and--got the habit. She had adopted a profession looked upon with abhor- renee by her family. She was already successful in 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 q quiet acknowledg- ment. q thought you'd think so. There was third reason"
 He paused, until Whitaker encour- aged him with "Yes-Y
 'Mr. Whitaker'-the query came point-blank-"do you love your wife2"
 Whitaker caught his breath. "What right-" he began, and checked ab- ruptly. The blood darkened his lean cheeks.
 'S1rs. Whitaker gave me to under stand that you didn't. It wasn't hard to perceive, everything considered, that your motive was pure chivalry-quix- otism. I should like to go to my grave with anything half as honorable and unselfish to my credit"
 q beg your pardon" Whitaker nut tered thickly.
 You don't, then?"
 ''Love her? No.'
 There was slight pause. Then, "I do," said this extraordinary man. meet ing Whitaker's gaze openly. T do" he repeated, flushing in his turn, s'but hopelessly However, that was the third reason" he pursued in a more level voice-'I thought you ought to know about it-that induced me to keep Sara Laws secret. :. I loved her from the day I found her. She has never looked twice at me. But that's why never lost in- terest."
 You mean," Whitaker took him up diffidently-.you continued to-ah-?" Court her-as we say? No" En- bers shoulders, lifting, emphasized the disclaimer. "I'm no fool. l have had the sense not to invite the thunderbolt. She doesn't know it, unless Max told her against my wish; but it was who induced him to bring her before the public, 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 blazes do you mean?' Whitaker demanded, mystified.
 "Did it strike you to wonder at the extraordinary mob her farewell per formance attracted tonight?"
 "Why-yes. It struck me as rather unusual. But then, Max had done nothing but tell me of her tremendous popularity"
 s'That 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 the 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 1t has happened-the same thing, prac- tically: Sara Law on the verge of leaving the stage to marry, fatal ac- cident intervening. Did Max by any chance mention the nickname New York has bestowed on Sara Law?"
 Nickname? No!'
 'They call her The Destroying ADgel'"
 What rot F
 "Yes; but what coincidence. Three men loved her--and one by one they died. And now the fourth. Do you wonder .?''
 "Oh, but-'The Destroying Angel" Whitaker cries indignantly. How can Jley blame herr