t
THE DESTROYING ANGEL
By LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE
CHAPTER
X V I I — Continued.
—
20 —
At six that evening, returning to his
rooms to dress, Whitaker found an­
other note waiting for him. In a hand­
writing that his heart recognized with
a sensation of wretched apprehension.
He comprehended Its contents with
difficulty, half blinded by a swimming
mist o f foreboding.
My Dear: I find my strength unequal
to the strain ot seeing you tonight. In­
deed. I am so worn out and nerve-racked
that I have had to consult my physician.
He orders me Immediately to a sanato­
rium. to rest for a week or two. Don't
worry about me. I shan't fall to let you
know as soon as I feel strong enough to
see you. Forgive me. I love you dearly.
MART.
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
unreasonable demutuls upon him.
These falling o f any effect other than
the resigned retort. “ 1 uni a detective,
not a miracle-monger," he would fly
Into desperate, gnawing, black rages
that made Ember fear for his saulty
nnd self-control and cnused him to be
haunted by that gentleman for hours—
once or twice for days— until he re­
sumed his normal poise of a sober and
civilized man. He was, however, not
ofteu aware o f this sedulous espio­
nage.
“ I believe so." He had u mutch for
that Impertinence: “ But you, I see,
have come off without a blemish.”
“ I nut very well,” she admitted, un­
perturbed. Her glance embraced the
room. “ You’re very comfortable here."
“ I have been."
“ I hope that doesn’t mean I’m In
the way.”
"T o the contrary; hut I sail day
after tomorrow for Australia.”
"Oh? That's very sudden. Isn’t It?
You don’t seem to have done any pack­
ing. Or perhaps you menu to come
back before a great while?"
“ I shan’t come back, ever."
“ Must I believe you made up your
mind this morning?”
“ I have only Just read the announce­
ment o f your opening tomorrow night."
“ Then . . .
1 am driving you out
of the country?"
Her look wns luipersonnl and curi­
ous.
Ills shoulders moved negligently.
“ Not to rant about It." he replied: “ I
find I am not needed here."
“ Oh. denrl” tier lips formed a fu­
gitive, petulant mouo: “ And It'a my
fault?”
“There’s no use ndnclng mntters. Is
there? 1 am not heartbroken, nnd If
I am bitterly disappointed I don’t care
to— in fact, I luck the ability to druma-
tlze It."
"You are taking It well, Hugh?" said
she, critical.
Expressionless, he waited an Instant
before Inquiring pointedly: "W ell?”
Deliberately Inylng aside her light
muff, her scurf and handbag, she rose:
equality of poise wns lmis>s.slble If be
would persist lu standing. She moved
a little nearer. "
“ Hugh." she said In a voice of sin­
cerity, “ I’m uwfully sorry— truly 1
a m !”
He made no reply; waited.
“ Perhaps I ’m wrong,” she went on,
“ but I think most women would have
spared themselves this meeting—”
“ Themselves and the man,” he In­
terjected dryly.
“ Don’t be cross, Hugh. . . .
I had
to come. 1 had to explain myself. 1
wanted you to understand. Hugh, I—”
She was twisting her hands together
The paper slipped from Whitaker's
trembling hand and fluttered unheed­
C H A P T E R X V I II .
ed to the floor. He sprang to the tele­
phone and presently had the W aldorf
Temperamental.
on the w ire ; It was true, he learned:
September
wnn«“J nnd
October
Mrs. Whitaker had registered at the dawned in grateful coolness: an exqui­
hotel In the morning, and had left at site month of crisp nights and enliven­
four in the afternoon. He was refused ing days, o f mellowing sunlight und
information as to whether she had early
gloamings tenderly colored.
left a forwarding address for her Country houses were closed and the­
tualL
• aters reopened. Then suddenly the
He wrote her Immediately, and per­ town blossomed overnight with huge
haps not altogether wisely, under eight-sheet posters on every avullubie
stress of distraction, sending the let­ hoarding, blazoning the news:
ter by special delivery in care of the
J U L E S MAX
hotel. It was returned him In due
begs to announce the return of
course of time, embellished with a pen­
SARA LAW
ciled memorandum to the effect that
In a new Comedy entitled “ Faith"
Mrs, Whitaker had left no address.
by J U L E S M A X
He communicated at once with Em­
Theater M A X — Friday October 15th
ber, promptly enlisting his willing
But, Whitaker had the information
services. But after several days of
earnest investigation the detective before he saw the broadsides In the
streets. The morning paper propped
confessed himself baffled.
“ I f you ask me,” he commented at up on his breakfast table contained
the conclusion o f his report, “ the an­ the Illuminating note under the cap­
swer is she means to be let alone until tion. “ News of Flays and Flnyers:”
she’s quite ready to see you again."
Jules Max has sprung another ai.d per­
Whitaker raged. “ She— she loved haps his greatest surprise on the theater­
me there on the island. She couldn’t going public o f this city. The astute
manager has been out o f town for two
change so quickly, bring herself to months
secretly rehearsing the new com­
treat me so cruelly, unless some In­ edy entitled "Faith,” of which he Is the
fernal influence had been brought to author and In which Sara Law will re­
turn finally to the stage. Additional in­
bear upon her.”
terest attaches to this announcement in
“ It’s possible, but I— ”
view of the fact that Miss Law has au­
“ Oh, I don't mean that foolishness thorized the publication of her Intention
about her love being a man's death never again to retire from the stage.
The opening performance of "Faith”
warrant. That may have something
will take place at the Theater Max to­
to do with it, but— but— I conquered morrow evening. Friday, October 15 .
that once. . . . N o ; somebody has
Whitaker glanced up Incredulously
got hold o f her, worked on her sym­
at the date line o f the sheet. Short
pathies, maligned me . .
notice, indeed: the date wns Thursday,
“Do you object to telling me whom
October 14.
Max had planned his
you have in mind?”
game and had played his cards cun­
“ The man you suspect as well as I—
ningly, In withholding this announce­
the one man to whom her allegiance
ment until the last moment
means everything—the man you named
A fter a pause Whitaker rose and be­
to me the night we met for the first
time, as the one who’d profit the most gan to walk the length o f the room,
by keeping her from leaving the hands In his pockets, head bowed In
thought.
stage 1”
Search as he would, he could dls- [
“ Well, If it’s Max, you’ll know In
cover no rankling Indignation, nothing
time.”
“ I ’ll know before long. As soon as but some self-contempt, thnt he hnd
allowed himself to be so carried away i
he gets back in town— ”
by infatuation for an Ignoble woman, j
“ So you’ve been after him?”
“ Why not? But he’s out on the Pa­ und a cynic humor that made It pos- j
cific coast; or so they tell me at the sible for him to derive a certain satis- j
theater.
Expected back about the faction from contemplating the com- I
middle o f July—they say in his office.” pleteness of this final revelation of
herself. Returning to the breakfnst
“ Then that lets him out.”
table, he took up the pnper, turned
“ But it’s a lie.”
to the shipping news, and ran his eye
“ W ell— ?”
“ I ’ve just remembered: Max was at down the list o f scheduled sailings:
the Fiske place, urging her to return, nothing for Friday; his pick of half
the night before you caught Drum­ a dozen boats listed to sail Saturday.
The telephone enabled him to make
mond at the bungalow. I saw them,
walking up and down in front o f the a hasty reservation on the biggest nnd
cottage, arguing earnestly: I could fastest of them all.
He had just concluded that business
tell by her bearing she was refusing
whatever he proposed. But I didn’t and was waiting with his hand on the
know her then, and naturally I never receiver to call up Ember and an­
connected Max with the fellow I saw, nounce his departure, when the door­
disguised In a motoring coat and cap. bell Interrupted. Expecting the waiter
Neither of ’em hnd any place in my to remove the breakfast things, he
thoughts that night.”
went to the door, threw It open, and
Ember uttered a thoughtful “ Oh?” turned back Instnntly to the telephone.
adding: “ There may be something in As his fingers closed around the re­ with a manner denoting great mental
what you say— suspect, that is. I f I ceiver a second time, he looked round strain. O f n sudden she checked nnd
dropped them, limp and open by her
agree to keep an eye on him, will you and saw his wife. . . .
promise to give me a free hand?”
His hand fell to his side. Otherwise sides. “ You see,” she said with the
“ Meaning— ?”
he did not move. But his glance was apologetic smile, “ I'm trying not to
“ Keep out of Max’s w a y : don’t risk that o f one Incuriously comprehending a c t ”
a wrangle with him.”
” Oh,” he said In a tone o f dawning
the existence o f a stranger.
“ Oh—go ahead— to blazes— as far
The woman met It fairly and fear­ comprehension— “ so that’s i t !”
as you like.”
“ I ’m afraid so, Hugh. . . . I’ m
lessly, with her head bfgii and her lips
“Thanks," Ember dryly wound up touched with a trace o f her shadowy, dreadfully Rorry for you— poor boy!—
the conference; “ but these passing illegible smile. She was dressed for but I ’m afraid that's the trouble with
flirtations with your present-day tem­ walking, very prettily nnd perfectly. me, and It can never be helped. I was
per leave me with no hankering for
A fter a moment she Inclined her born with a talent for acting; life has
greater warmth.” . . .
head slightly. “ The hallboys said you made me an actress. Hugh . . .
Days ran stolidly on Into weeks, and were busy on the telephone. I insiM- I’ve found out something.” Her eyes
these into a month. Nothing happened. ed on coming directly up. I wish v e ^ nppenled wistfully.
“ I’m not genu­
Max did not return; the whispered ru­ much to see you for a few moments. ine.”
mor played wildfire in theatrical cir­ Do you mind?”
He nodded Interestedly.
cles that the eccentric manager had
“ I’m Just an actress, an Instrument
“ By no means,” he said, a little
encountered financial difficulties insu­ stiffly but quite calmly. “ I f you will for the music of emotions. I ’ve been
perable. The iJilftioards flanking tjie be good enough to come In— ”
trained to respond, until now I re­
entrance to the Theatre Max contin­
He stood against the wall to let her spond without knowing It, when there’s
ued to display posters announcing the pass.
no true response here." She touched
reopening early in September with a
“ I had to come this morning,” she the bosom of her frock.
musical comedy by Tynan Dodd; but explained, turning.
He said nothing.
“This afternoon
the comedy was not even In rehearsal we have a rehearsal. . .
With a half sigh sb*i moved away
by September 15.
He
bowed
an
acknowledgment to the window.
Ember went darkly about his vari­ “ Won’t you sit down?”
"O f course you despise me. I de­
ous businesses, taciturn— even a trace
“Thank you.” Seated, she subjected spise myself— I mean, the self that
more than ever reserved In his com­ him to a quick, open appraisal, dis­ was me before I turned from a woman
munication with Whitaker— preoccu­ arming in Its naive honesty.
Into an actress. But It’s the truth: I
pied, bat constant In his endeavor to
“ Hugh . . . aren’t you a bit thin­ have no longer any real capacity for
fnhearten the desponding husband.
emotion, merely an Infinite capacity
ner?”
$
’S
*E
for appreciation of tho artistic delinea­
tion of emotion, true or feigned. That
. . . thnt la why, when you allowed
me you hnd grown to love me ao, I
responded ao quic kly. You were In
love— more honestly than 1 had ever
seen love revealed. It touched mo. I
was proud to hnvo Inspired auch a
love. I wanted, for the tlmo being, to
have you with me always, thnt I might
always study the wonderful, the
beautiful mnnlfeslnilons of your love.
Why, Hugh, you even managed to
make me believe I was worth It— thut
my response was sufficient repayment
for your adoration. . . ."
He said nothing. She glanced fur­
tively ut him nnd continued:
“ I meant to be sweet and faithful
when I left thnt note for you on ihe
yacht, Hugh; I was grateful, and I
meant to be generous. . . . But
when I went to the Waldorf, the first
person I met wns Max. O f course I
had to tell him what hnd happened.
And then ho threw himself upon uiy
compassion. It seeing that losing me
hnd put him In the most terrible
trouble nhout money, lit* wns short,
and he couldn't get the backing he
nceiled without me, his call upon my
services, by way o f tissurnnce to Ida
backers. And I began to think
I
knew I didn’t love you honestly. Hugh,
and that life with you would be n liv­
ing lie. What right had t to deceive
you that way. Just to gratify my love
o f being loved? And especially If by
doing that I ruined Max. the man to
whom, next to you, I owed every­
thing? I couldn't do It. But I took
time to think It over— truly I did. I
really did go to n sanatorium, nnd
rested there while 1 turned the whole
matter over carefully In my mind, nnd
at length reached my decision to Stick
by Max nnd let you go, free to win the
heart o f a woman worthy o f you.”
(TO BK CONTINUED.)
JAPAN FIFTH IN POPULATION
CONCRETE ROAD GREAT HELP
Farmer Enabled to Double Size of
Load to Market and Reduces
Strain on Horses.
No extensive mad Improvement In
any community can be carried on with­
out more money than can usually be
raised by direct taxation extending
thmugli n abort term. It Is unjust to
expect the taxpayers of today to as­
sume the total cost of uii Improvement
which Is to last Into the next genera­
tion, so bonds are usually Issued to
finance the building of minis iliat will
permanently cut down ...................... .
petise mid reduce lintiliug costs. These
bonds are sold mid thus converted In­
to money.
Interest on the bonds Is
paid nnd the bonds retired by funds
obtained from current mad taxes.
When the bonds have been paid the
community still lias its concrete muds
In excellent condition.
No community can afford to spend
Its money with less caution than a pri­
vate Individual would display.
Tin*
community should do likewise. When
you ure asked to vote for a bond Issue
to build concrete mads you are not
raising public money to upend It, but to
Invest if) As concrete road tiilh-nge
In a community Is Increased, the bur­
den o f road maintenance decreases,
and the saving thus resulting will not
only puy Interest on the bonds, but
provide funds to retire them ns they
fnll due. In this way borrowing Is
Hindi* profitable.
Touring possibilities at nil seasons
of the year and every day In the year
go liiiiid-ln-linnd with the concrete
road. "Safety first" Is realized as the
result o f the non-skid surface. Con­
crete boulevards through the open
Country of the Little Brown Men Haa
Been Growing Rapidly During
Last Decade.
Japan has been growing In popula­
tion since tho wur with Husain at a
rate comparuhle with Germany's, In
the generation Just passed. The ex­
pansion o f territory following the wnr,
contributed some millions, so that the
aggregate for Greater Japan us oow
officially declared Is 71,793,078.
But Japan proper contuius 33,350,-
295, muklng her fifth lu population
among the world's nations— following
China, Russia, the United .States and
Germany, In order. The density Is
even greater than In Holland or Eng­
land. And particularly interesting la
the statement of the census bureau
that the mules are In excess— 102.14
for every J00 females. That, of course,
is contrary to the general rule except
In the colonies, territory where the
stage o f pioneer development Ims not
been completed, or lu some of our
western states.
With Jupau growing at a rate ap­
parently more rapid than any other
country except the United .Stales, con­
sidering also the limited territory for
sustaining her people, no oilier ex­
planation Is necessary to account for
the tendency of the Japanese to emi­
grate. That tendency Is of some con­
cern to the United States, and to all
the commonwealths or colonies in the
Pacific.— Houston Post.
Superior Type of Concrete Road.
country mnkc riding pleasurable by do­
ing away with the Jar, dust In dry
weather and mud In wet weather. A
smooth surface makes steering easy,
reduces tire cost, lessens fuel eon-
sumption. These are some o f the ways
In which n concrete mad benefits the
motorist.
Reduced to simple terms, a concrete
road helps the farmer luitil two loads
at one trip Instead of one load at two
trips; or. It doubles the size of the
load and ruts In two the tractive pow­
er necessary to transport farm pro­
duce. With less capital tied up ifi
horses there Is more rush to put Into
equipment to produce more rush. The
concrete road reduces tjie strain on
horses nnd lengthens their lives. It
reduces wear on wagons nnd liiirncss.
Where motortrucks arc used It les­
sens tire and fuel expense. It puts the
farmer In n state of preparedness to
reach markets quickly when prices nre
best, nnd he can take Ids profits nnd
get home with more cash than lie could
by slow linuling on a bad road. It
adds to llu* acreage value o f n farm
beenuse It Increases Its earning possi­
bilities. A concrete road makes all o f
these advantages permanent, bringing
Its toll of profit to the farmer dnlly
In the form of time, money nnd effort
saved.
Easy for "Trouble Man.”
Every telephone company hns a
“ trouble department" where all cotn-
plulnts of bud service uml defective
equipment go. The men who make the
repulrs and adjustments are known
as "trouble men,” und they liuve to be
not only expert workmen, hut chaps
of intelligence und fotninon sense, for
they meet many problems thut urc not
set down In the hooks. Thoughtless
people can do many tilings to put a
telephones out of commission und some
o f them are simple— a wet umbrella
leaned up agnlnst the wiring in such a
way that It grounds the current, nnd
o f course makes the phone useless.
In this particular case the ubibrella
remained where It ought not to have
been while the owner o f the phone
fretted nnd fumed because he could
not get Centrnl, nnd then went to a
neighbor's nnd called up the telephone
company.
When the "trouble man”
arrived he saw at once what the mat­ Co-operative Projects Carried On With
Funds From Forest Service and
ter was and picked up the umbrella.
Local Communities.
"N ow call Central,« he suggested, and
the Irate patron got nn immediate re­
In 1917 nenrly $4.30,000 wns avail­
sponse.— Leslie’s.
able for roads nnd trnlls w-lthln the
national forest boundaries from the
Mirror Held in Mouth.
So that a woman's hands may be ten per cent fund derived from re­
As In previous y«>nrs c«)-op-
free while she Is nrrnnglng her hair, a ceipts.
Frenchman has invented n mirror that eratlve projects were carried on with
la supported by n bracket held In the funds contributed by the forest serv­
ice and by local communities.
mouth.
BUILDING ROADS IN FORESTS