Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-03-14
But she WAS gone. The hall door
slammed before he could reach 1t.
CHAPTER XIX.
One Way Out.

| Toward eight in the evening, after
Il day-lOng search through all his &C.
| cuStomed haunts, Ember ran Whlta.
ker to earth in the dining room of the
PrlmOrdial. The young man, alone
ut table, was in the act of topping
off an excellent dinner with a still
more excellent cordial and a SUPER
excellent cigar.
| lie wore rough tWeeds, and they
were damp and baggy; his boots were
muddy; his hair was Il tritle disorder
ly. The ensemble made q figure wildly
lnc0ngruOus to the soberly splendid
and stately dining hall of the Primor-
dial club, with its sparse patronage
| of members in evening dress.
Ember, himself as severely beauti-
full In black and white as the ceremo-
NOUS livery of today permits man
to be, was wOnder-struck at sight of
Whitaker in such unconventional
guise, at such time, in such a place.
With neither invitation nor salutation,
he slipped into chair on the other
side of the table, and stared.
w upon
him, and called a waiter.
Ember, always abstemious, lifted
his hand and smiled negative smile.
Whitaker dismissed the waiter.
"Well ?" he inquired cheer
fully.
"What right have you got to look
like that?" Ember, demanded.
"The right of every free-born Amer
lean citizen to make an ass of himself
according to the dictates of his con-
science. I've been exploring the dark
backwards and abysm Of the Bronx
afoot. Got caught in the rain on the
way home. Was late getting back,
and dropped in here to celebrate"
give been looking for you every
where, since morning"
II suspected you would be. That's
why | went walking-tO be lonesome
and thoughtful for once in a way"
Ember stroked his chin with thought
full fingers.
you've heard the news, them
'ln three ways" Whitaker re-
turned, with calm.
Flows that-three wayS?'
Through the newspapers, the bill
boards, and from the lips of my
wife,"
Ember opened his eyes wide.
you've been to see her?'
"She called this morning"
But Ember interrupted, thrusting
ready and generous hand across the
table:
"NIy dear man, am glad!"
Whitaker took the proffered hand
readily and firmly. THANK you. . i
l was saying: she called this morning
to inform me that, though welded
once, we must be strangers noW-and |
evermOre!'
But you-of course-you argued |
that nonsense out of her head"
ITO the contrary-again."
"But-my dear man you said you
were celebrating; you permitted me !
to congratulate you just now"
1.-THE point is" said Whitaker, with
4 bland and confident grim 1--WE sue
,eeded in arguing that nonsense out
If my head-nOt hers-mine."
Ember gave helpless gesture. Pm
afraid this is one Of my stupid
81 mean that though Mary ran away
rom me, wouldn't listen to reason,
AVE, in the course of an afternoons
lard tramping, come to the conclu-
ion that there is nothing under the
un which binds me to sit back and
ccept whatever treatment she pur-
'Oses according me by courtesy of
ules Max"
Whitaker bent forward, his coun.
enance discovering a phase of seri-
uSness hitherto masked by his twist
d smile.
II mean I'm tired of all this poppy ,
Ock. Unless I'm an infatuated ass,
larry loves me with all her heart. She 6
as made up her mind to renounce me
artly because Max has worked upon +
er feelings by painting some lurid 9
icture of his imminent artistic and
nancial damnation if she leaves him,
nrtly because she believes, or has r
cen led to believe, In this destroy
e angel moonshine. Now she's got /
} listen to reason. SO, likewise, Max"
you're becoming more human word r
' word" commented Ember with y
zen approval. Continue; elucidate; y
can understand how fairly resolute :,
yer with the gift of CAB can talk
fond female into deny II
6 her pet superstition; but how g
'u're going to get around Max passes y
Y comprehension. The man unques- Il
)nably has her under contract" q
But you forgot his god Is NAM o
on" Whitaker put In. MAX will do Il
lything in the world for money. q
herein resides the kernel of NV pIor Al