Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1918-07-16
|I THE 4
DESTROYING
NJ ANGEL 0|
II = By - HI
LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE
CHAPTER xVII-Continued.

writing that his heart recognized with
q sensation of wretched apprehension.
He comprehended its contents with
difficulty, half blinded by swimming
mist of foreboding.
My Dear: I find my strength unequal
10 the strain of seeing you tonight. In
deed. I am so worn out and nerve-racked
that have had to consult my physician.
He orders me Immediately to a sanato-
rum, to rest for a week or two. Don't
worry about me. I shant fail to let you
know as soon as / feel strong enough to
see you. Forgive me. 1 love you dearly.
MARY.
The paper slipped from Whitaker's
trembling hand and fiuttered unheed-
ed to the floor. He sprang to the tele-
phone and presently had the Waldorf
on the wire; 1t was true, he learned:
Mrs. Whitaker had registered at the
hotel in the morning, and had left at
four in the afternoon. He was refused
information as to whether she had
left a forwarding address for her
mail.
He wrote her Immediately, and per-
haps not altogether wisely, under
stress of distraction, sending the let
ter by special delivery in care of the
hotel. 1t was returned him in due
course of time, embellished with pen
ciled memorandum to the effect that
Mrs Whitaker had left no address.
He communicated at once with EN-
Der, promptly enlisting his willing
services. But after several days of
earnest investigation the detective
confessed himself bafiled.
IF you ask me-" he commented at
the conclusion of his report, "the an
swer is she means to be let alone until
she's quite ready to see you again"
Whitaker ragged. "She-she loved
me there on the island. She couldn't
change so quickly, bring herself to
treat me so cruelty, unless some in
fernal influence had been brought TO
bear upon her."
ITS possible, but I"
ooh, 1 don't mean that foolishness
about her love being a mans death
warrant. That may have something
to do with it, but-but-I conquered
that once. No; somebody has
got hold Of her, worked on her SYM
pathies, maligned me :"
do you object to telling me whom
you have in mindT
''The man you suspect as well as I
the one man to whom her allegiance
means everything-the man you named
to me the night we met for the first
time, as the one who'd profit the most
by keeping her from leaving the
stagel"
"Well. If it's Max, you'll know in
time"
a'I'll know before long. AS soon as
he gets back in town"
$50 you've been after him?"
"Why not? But he's out on the Pa
cific coast; or so they tell me at the
theater. Expected back about the
middle of July-they say in his Office"
"Then that lets him out"
'But it's a lie."
'Well-?"
1--WE just remembered: Max was at
the Fiske place, urging her to return,
the night before you caught Drum
mond at the bungalow. / saw them,
walking up and down in front of the
cottage, arguing earnestly: 1 could
tell by her bearing she was refusing
whatever he proposed. But 1 didn't
know her then, and naturally / never
connected Max with the fellow 1 saw,
disguised in a motoring coat and cap.
Neither of 'em had any place in my
thoughts that night"
Ember uttered a thoughtful "Oh?"
adding: "There may be something in
what you say-suspect, that is. If l
agree to keep an eye on him, will you
promise to give me a free hand?"
'Meaning-T
Keep out of Max's way: don't risk
a wrangle with him."
"Oh-go ahead-to blazes-as far
as you like"
Thanks" Ember dryly wound up
the conference; "but these passing
fiirtations with your present-day tenn
per leave me with no laundering for
greater warmth"
Days ran stolidly on into weeks. and
these into a month. Nothing happened.
Max did not return; the whispered ru-
NOR played wildfire in theatrical cir
cles that the eccentric manager had
encountered financial difficulties insu-
perable. The billboards fianking the
entrance to the Theatre Max contin-
ued to display posters announcing the
reopening early in September with a
musical comedy by lyman Dodd; but
the comedy was not even in rehearsal
by September 10.
Ember went darkly about his vari-
GUS businesses, taciturn--even a trace
more than ever reserved in his COM
munication with Whitaker-preoccu-
pied, but constant in his endeavor to
enhearten the responding husband.
Mary Whitaker made no sign. Now
and then Whitaker would lose patience
and write to her. He received not a
line of acknowledgment.
Sometimes, fretted to a frenzy, he
sought out Ember and made wild and
III