Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1920-11-01

all tIlIt tlUln ana properly ought 10 bc
done under the circumstances.
Whitaker walked back To his hotel.
There was no other place to go; no
place, that is, that woocd his humor in
that hour. He WAS, indeed, profoundly
shocled, He held himself mcaSurnby
responsible for brUmmOnd'S act of dcS-
pclntlon Next to poor Peter Stark,
whom his heart moIlrncd without ccaS-
ut alI the men he had known and liked
in the Old life Now -. he felt
alone and very lonely, sick of heart
and fornrn. There WAS, of course,
Lynch, his pa:tnrr in the AntipodcS (;
Whitaker was fond Of Lynch. but not
with the affection that generous spir-
tied youth had accorded Peter Stark
and Drummond-a blind and unrcnson-
Ing affection that asked no questions
and made nothing of faults. The ca
parity for such sentiment WAS dead in
him. rs dead rs Peter Stark, as dead
as prummond.
Il was nearly midnight, but the hour
found Whitaker in no humor for bed or
the emptiness Of his room. He strollcd
into the lounge. sat down at Il detached
table in Il corner. and ordered some
thing to drink. \ page, bearing some
thing on SalNer, Anlblcd through the
mouth to blcat, dispassionatcly "Mis-
ia Whitaker, Mista Whitaker,'
The owner Of that name experienced
flush of evaporation. What right
had the management to cause him to
he advertised In every public room Of
the establishment? But the
next instant his resentment evnpor-
Rted. when ne remembered that he re-
malned Mr.. Hugh Morten in the mana
geriul comprehension.
He lifted finger; the boy swerved
toward him. rendered a blue envelope,
accepted gratuity and departed.
II was n cable message; very prob
ably an answer to his to Grace Petit.
Whitaker tore the envelope and I'M
folded the Enclosure. glancing first at
the signature to verify his surnise. As
he did so, he heard his name second
time.
pardon me; this is Mr., Whtaker"
A man stood beside the little table
one whom Whitaker had Indifferent
~ noticed on entering as an equally
lonely lOunger at another table.
Though he frOwucd involuntarily
with annoyance, he couldn't well deny
his identity.
Yes" he said shortly, looking the
man up and down with captious eye.
Yet 1t was hard TO find much fault
with this invader of his preoccupation.
He had the poiSe and the dress of
gentleman: dignity without aggressive
ness, completeness without OStcntation.
He had Il spare, not unErucelul body, Il
plain. dark face. n humorous mouth,
steady eyes a man easily forgotten or
overlooked unless he Willcd it other
wise.
"My name is Emhcr," he said quiet
Is. IF you'll permit mc-my card"
He offered slip of pasteboard en-
gravcd with the name of Martin EN-
Der. "And I'll sit down, because |
want to talk to you for a few min
utes.'
Accordingly he sat down. Whitaker
glanced at the card, and QuestioningIy
back at Mr.. Embcrs face.
Il don't know you, but
What are we to talk about, please?"
The man smiled, not unplensinsly.
"Mrs. Whitaker" he said.
"Mrs. Whitaker didn't send you to
me? Then how What the deuce"
II happened to have a seat near your
box at the thcater tonight" Mr.. En-
Der explained coolly. 'From-what |
saw there, / inferred that you must be
Afterwards | got hold Of
Max, confirmed my suspicion, and eX-
tractcd your address from him.
81 Sec" said Whitaker, slowly.
"Who the devil are you?' he demanded
bluntly.
81 was,' said the other slowly, "once,
q private detective. NoW-lm Il per-
son of no particular employment, Of in
dependent means. with Il penchant--
you're at liberty to nsSume-for polk
ing my nose into other peoples BUSH
ness. Mrs. George Petit once cui-
ployed me to find her sister, Miss Mary
Ladislns. who had run away with IL
chauffeur named Norton
"Just minute" said Whitaker sud-
denly-"by your leave"
Ember bowed sruvely. For thought
longer Whitakers guze bored into his
eyes in vain effort to fathom what was
going on behind them, the animus UNI
discovered by his words; then, remem-
bering, he looked down at the cable
message in his hand.
Martin Ember ut RAM private
agency 1435 Broadway, Grace Petit"
ITO be continued.)