Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-04-03
Destroying
Angel
By Louis Joseph Vance
Autho, Of
"7he Pool Of F7ans."
1.-THE Bronss Bell" The Block
Bog" "7hs Bras Beol."
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Copyrights BY Louis Joseph Vance

away IN pocket.
go on, please" he said quietly.
"In those days." Mr.. Ember resumed,
II did such things indifferently well.
had little trouble In following the run
aways from Southampton to Green
port. There they parted. he was want
ed for theft in former position, was
arrested, convicted and sent to Sing
Sing; where he presently died, I'm
glad to say. Miss Ladislas had
registered at the Commercial house as
Mrs. Morton. She was there, alone,
under that name, for nearly a week
before you registered as Hugh Nor
ten, and in the space Of few hours
married her, under your true name,
and shipped her of to New York"
Fright" Whitaker agreed steadily.
"And then-Y
IT traced her to the Hotel Belmont,
where she stopped overnight, then lost
her completely; and so reported to
Mrs. Petit. came into little money
about that time. and gave up my busi-
ness: gave it up, that is. as far as
placing myself at the service Of the
i public was concerned. After, some time
Mr.. Drummond sought me out and
begged me to renew my search for
Mrs. whitaker; you were dead, he told
me; she was due to come into your
estate-a comfortable living for an in
dependent woman"
'And you found her and told Drum
mond-?"
Whitaker leaned over the table,
studying the mans face with intense
interest.
"NNc-snd yes I found Mrs. Whit.
aker. didn't report to Drummond."
"But why-ln heavens name"
Ember smiled comberly 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 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 ibreathed, sitting
back. "Why?"
"This was all Of year, 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 ina 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 quiet acknowledge
ment. II thought you'd think go.
There was q third reason"
He paused, until Whitaker encour-A
aged him with q "Yes-?'
..Mr. Whitaker"-the query came
point blank-"do you love your wife7"
whitaker caught his breath. what
right-!' he began, and checked alb
ruptly. The blood darkened his lean
cheeks.
..Mrs. Whitaker gave me to under
stand that you didn't. It wasn't hard
to perceive, everything considered, that
your motive was pure chivalry-qu
otism. should like to 60 to my grave
with anything half as honorable and
unselfish to my credit"
Il beg your pardon" Whitaker mutt
tered thickly.
You don't, thenI"
Love her? No.
There was q slight pause. Then, IT
do" said this extraordinary man, meet
ing Whitaker's gaze openly. Il do"
he repeated, flushing in his turn, "but
hopelsssly However,
that was the third reason" he pursued
in more level voice-'I thought you
ought to know about it-that induced
me to keep Sara Laws secret. :.
loved her from the day found her.
She has never looked twice at me.
s. But that's why / never lost in
terest."
"You mean," Whitaker took him up
difidently- continued to-ah-?'t
"Court her-as we say? No." EN-
hers shoulders, lifting, emphasized the
disclaimer. I'm no fool. I have had
the sense not to invite the thunderbolt.
She doesn't know 1t, unless Max told
her against my wish; but 1t was who
induced him to bring her before the
public, four years ago, ~ 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 blaxes do you mean"
Whitaker demanded, mystified.
y did 1t strike you to wonder, at the
extraordinary mob her farewell per-
Torrance attracted tonight7"
"Why-yes. It struck me as rather
unusual. But then, Max had done
nothing but tell me Of her tremendous
popularity"
"That alone, great as 1t is, wouldn't
have brought go many people together
to stare at the outside of a theater.
The magnet was something stronger
7 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"
s'What the devil"
patience! This Is the third time IL
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