THE
DESTROYING
ANGEL
By
LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE
nlicpp l IIPK ?
Old you ever have a piece of
really good luck for Instance,
help from an entirely unexpected
source when you were In deep
trouble?
Luck, good or bad, Is certain
ly on the trail of Hugh Whlta
ker. You remember, a corps of
eminent surgeons gave him Just
six months to live. So he found
a girl In trouble, married her to
save her good name and disap
peared Immediately. Five years
later he reappeared In New York
from Australia, happy, healthy
and prosperous, and started out
to find the little girl he married.
He discovers her when he goes
to the theater she's Sara Law,
great actress. Mutual recogni
tion across the footlights stops
the play and creates wild ex
citement among the audience.
What next occurs Is told In this
installment. Go to Itl
CHAPTER V Continued.
"Where's Miss Law?" ho asked.
"I dunno go nsk Max."
"Where Is he?"
"You can search mo; Inst I saw of
him he was tearing the star dressln'
room up by the roots."
Whltaker hurried on just In time to
see Max disappearing In the direction
of the stage door, at which point he
caught up with him, nnd from the
manager's disjointed catechism of the
doorkeeper garnered the Information
that the star had hurried out of the
building while Max was making his,
announcement before the curtain.
Max swung angrily upon Whltnker.
"Oh, It's you, Is It? Perhaps you can
explnlu what this means? She was
looking straight at you when she dried
up! I saw her "
"Perhaps you'd better find Miss Law
and ask her," Whltaker Interrupted.
"Have you any Idea where she's
gone?"
"Home, probably," Max snapped In
return.
"Come on, then." Passing his arm
through the manager's, Whltaker drew
him out Into the alley. "We'll get a
taxi before this mob "
"llut, look here what buslness've
you got mixing In?"
"Ask Miss Law," said Whltaker,
shortly. It hud been on the tip of his
tongue to tell the man flatly: "Pin her
husband." But he retained wit enough
to deny himself the satisfaction of this
shattering rejoinder. "I know her," he
added; "that's enough for the pres
ent." At the entrance to tho alley Max
paused to listen to the uproar within
his well-beloved theater.
"I'd give five thousand gold dollars
If I hadn't met you this afternoon I"
he groaned. "I always knew that wom
an was a Jonah !"
"You were calling her your mascot
two hours ago."
"She'll be the death of me, yet," tho
little man Insisted gloomily. He
stopped short, Jerking his arm free.
"Look here, I'm not going. I've got my
work cut out for trie back there" with
a Jerk of his head toward tho theater.
Whltaker hesitated, then without re
gret decided to lose him. It would bo
as well to get over the Impending In
terview without a third factor.
"Very well," he said, beckoning a
tnxlcab In to the curb. "What's tho
address?"
Max gave It sullenly.
"So long," he ndilud morosely as
Whltaker opened the cab door; "sorry
I ever laid eyes on you."
Whltnker settled back In the cab
and, oblivious to the lights of Broad
way streaming past, tried to think. It
suddenly presented Itself to his reason,
with shocking force, that his attitude
must be humbly and wholly apologetic.
It was a singular case: he had come
home to find his wife on the point of
marrying another man and she wns
the ono entitled to feel nggrlevedl
Strange twist of the eternal triangle I
Far too soon the machlno swerved
Into Fifty-seventh street, slipped half
wny down the block, described a wldo
arc to the nor Ui era curb and pulled
op, trembling, before a modest modern
residence between Sixth and Seventh
avenues.
Reluctantly Whltaker got out and,
on suspicion, told the chauffeur to
wait Then, with all the alacrity of
a condemned man ascending the scaf
fold, he ran up tho steps to the front
door.
A mnn-sorvnnt answered IiIk ring
without undue delay.
Was Miss Law at homo? lie would
see.
This Indicated that sho was nt homo.
Whltaker tendered a card with his sur
name penciled after that of Mr. Hugh
Morten In engraved script.
He Ma red round him with pardon-
' able wonder. If this were truly the
home of Mary Laillslas Whltaker her
property he had bullilod far better
( than he could possibly have foreseen
J with that Investment of live hundred
, dollars six years since. Soft, shaded
1 lights, rare furnishings, the rich yet
delicate atmosphere of exquisite taste,
the hush anil orderly perfection of a
homo made titul maintained with con
summate art: these furnished him with
dim, provoking Intimations of an hull
, tldunllty to which he was a stranger
less than a stranger nothing. . . .
i Almost Immediately ho bocamn
I aware of feminine footsteps on tho
j staircase there entered to him a lady
, well past middle ago, with tho dignity
and poise consistent with her years, her
manifest breeding and her Iron-gray
hair.
"Mr. Whltaker?"
He bowed.
"I am .Mrs. Socretan, n friend of
Miss Law's. She has asked mo to say
that she begs to be excused, at least
for tonight. And I am further Instruct
ed to ask If you will be good enough
to leave your address."
"Certainly: I'm stopping nt the Kltx
Cnrlton ; hut" he demurred "I should
like to lenve a note. If I may ?"
Mrs. Secretan nodded an assent.
"You will find materials In tho desk
there," sho added. Indicating an es
critoire. Thanking her. Whltaker sat down,
and, after some hesitation, wrote a few
lines:
Please don't think 1 mean to causa you
the slightest Inconvenience or distress. I
shall be glad to further your wishes In
any wny you may care to designate.
Please believe In my sincere rejsret . . .
Signing and folding this, ho rose nnd
delivered It to Mrs. Secretan.
He found himself In the street, with
his trouble for all reward for his pains.
He wondered what to do, where to go.
next. The driver of the tnxlcnb was
holding the door for him, head bent to
catch the address of the next stop. But
his fare lingered still In doubt.
Dimly he became aware of the vio
lent bawllngs of a brace of news ven
dors who were ramping through the
street, one on either sidewalk. At the
spur of a vague wonder If the papers
were already noising abroad the news
of the fiasco at tho Theater Max, Whlt
aker purchased a paper.
"Ther'y'are, sir. 'Orrlble moldcr
. . . Thanky . . ."
The mnn galloped on. howling. But
Whltnker stood with his gaze riveted
In horror. The news Item so pointedly
offered to his attention was clearly
legible In the light of the cab lamps:
LATEST EXTRA
TRAGIC SUICIDE IN HARLEM
RIVEn.
Stopping his automobile In the middle
of Washington bridge at 7:30 p. m.. Car
ter S. Drummond, the lawyer, and fiance
of Bara Law, the actress, threw himself
to his death In the Harlem river. The
body has not yet been recovered.
CHAPTER VII.
A History.
Whltaker consulted a telephone book
without finding that Drummond had
any private residence connection, and
then tried at random one of the clubs
of which they had been members In
common In the days when Hugh Whlt
aker was a human entity In tho knowl
edge of the town. Here he had better
luck luck, that Is, In as far as It put
an end to his wanderings for the
night; he found a clerk who remem
bered his face without remembering
his name, and who, consequently, was
not unwilling to talk. Drummond, It
seemed, hud lived at the club; he had
dined alone, that evening. In his room;
had ordered his motor car from tho ad
jacent garage for seven o'clock; and
had left at about that hour with a
small handbag and no companion.
Nothing further was known of his
actions save the police report. Tho car
had been found stationary on Wash
ington bridge, nnd deserted, Drum
mond's motor coat and cap on the
driver's seat. Bystanders averred that
a mnn had been seen to lenve the car
and precipitate himself from the brldgo
to the stream below. Tho body was
still unrecovered. The club had noti
fied by telegraph u brother In San
Francisco, the only member of Drum
mond's family of whom It had any rec
ord. Friends, fellow members of tho
club, were looking ufter things doing
all that could anil properly ought to be
dono under tho circumstances.
Whltaker walked back to his hotel.
Thero was no other placo to go; no
place, that Is, that wooed his humor In
that hour. He was, Indeed, profoundly
shocked. He held himself measurably
responsible for Drummond's act of des
peration. Next to poor Peter Stark,
whom his heart mourned without ceas
ing, he had cared most for Drummond
of all tho men ho had known and liked
In the old life. Now ... he felt
alone and very lonely, sick of heart
nnd forlorn. Thero was, of course,
Lynch, his partner In tho Antipodes;
Whltnker was fond of Lynch, but not
with tho ufteetlnit that a generous-spir
ited youth hail ticooriloil Peter Stark
and Druiiiniotiil a blind and unreason
ing affection that asked no questions
and made nothing of faults. Tho en
parity for such sentiment was dead In
hint, as dead as Poter Stark, as dead
as Drtiniiiiond.
It was nearly midnight, but tho hour
found Whltnker In no humor for bed or
tho emptiness of his mom. Ho strolled
Into tho lounge, sat down at a detached
table In a corner, and ordered kuiiio-
thing to drink. A page, hearing some
thing on a salvor, ambled through tho
lounge, now anil again opening his
mouth to bloat, dispassionately: "Mia
ta Whltaker, Mlsta Whltaker 1"
The owner of that name experienced
n Hush of exasperation. What right
had tho management to cause him to
he advertised In every public room of
tho establishment? . But the
next Instant his resentment evapor
ated, when ho remembered that ho re
mained Mr. Hugh Morton In the mana
gerial comprehension.
He lifted a linger; the hoy swerved
toward him, tendered a blue envelope,
accepted a gratuity and departed.
It was a cable message; very prob
ably an answer to his to (irnce Pottlt.
Whltaker tore tho envelope nnd un
folded the luciosttre. glancing llrst at
the signature to verify his surmise. As
he did so, ho heard his name a second
time.
"Pardon me; this Is Mr. Whltaker?"
A mnn stood beside the little table
ono whom Whltaker had Indifferent
ly noticed on entering as an equally
lonely lounger at another table.
Though he frowned Involuntarily
with annoyance, he couldn't well deny
his Identity.
"Yes," ho said shortly, looking tho
man up nnd down with a captious eye.
Yet It wns hard to And much fault
with this Invader of his preoccupntlon.
Ho had the poise and the dress of a
gentleman: dignity without aggressive
ness, completeness without ostentation.
He had n spare, not ungraceful body, a
plain, dark face, a humorous mouth,
Rtendy eyes: a man easily forgotten or
il
Whltaker Stood With His Gaze Rlv
eted In Horror.
overlooked unless ho willed It other
wise. "My name Is Ember," he said quiet
ly. "If you'll permit mt my card."
Ho offered a slip of pasteltoard en
graved with the name of Martin Um
ber. "And I'll sit down, because 1
want to talk to you for a few min
utes." Accordingly he sat down. Whltaker
glanced at the card, and quostlonlngly
bncl; at Mr. Knitter's face.
"I don't know you, hut . . .
What an.' we to talk about, please?"
The man smiled, not unpleaslngly.
"Mrs. Whltaker," he said.
"Mrs. Whltaker didn't send you to
me? Then how What tho detict I"
"I happened to have a seat near your
box at the theater tonight," Mr. lum
ber explained coolly. "From what I
saw there, I inferred that you must bo
yourself. Afterwards I got hold of
Max, confirmed my suspicion, and ex
tracted your address from him."
"I see," said Whltaker, slowly.
"Who the devil aro you?" ho demanded
bluntly.
"I was," said the other slowly, "once,
a private detective Now I'm a per
son of no particular employment, of In
dependent means, with u penchant
you're ut liberty to assumo for pok
ing my nose Into other people's busi
ness. Mrs. (Jeorgo Pettlt once cm
ployed tne to find her sister, Miss Mary
Ladlslas, who had run away with a
chauffeur named Morton."
"Just n minute," said Whltaker sud
denly "by your leave "
Umber bowed gravely. For n thought
longer Whl taker's gazo bored Into his
eyes In vain effort to fathom what was
going on behind them, tho animus un
discovered by his words; then, remem
bering, ho looked down at tho cablo
messago In his hand.
"Martin Ember (It ran) prlvntr
agency H!W Broadway, (Irneo Pettlt."
Whltaker folded tho paper and put It
away In n pocket.
"do on, please," ho said quietly.
"In those days," Mr. Ember resumed,
"1 did such things Indifferently well. I
had little trouble In following tho run
away from Southampton to (Ircon
port. Thero thoy parted. Ho was want
ed for theft In a former position, wns
arrested, convicted and sent to Sing
Slug; where ho presently died, I'm
glad to say. . . . Miss Ladlslas had
registered nt tho Commercial house us
Mrs. Morton, Sho was there, alone,
under that name, for nearly a week
before you registered as Hugh Mor
ton, and In the spaco of a few hours
married her, under your true name,
and shipped her off to New York."
"Itlght," Whltaker agreed steadily.
"And then?"
"1 traced her to the Hotel Belmont,
where she stopped overnight, then lost
her completely; and so reported to
Mrs. Pettlt. I eunio Into n little money
about that time, and gave up my busi
ness: gave It up, that Is, as far an
placing myself at the service of tho
public was concerned. After some time
Mr. Drummond sought me out and
begged the to renew my search for
Mrs. Whltaker; you were dead, ho told
mo; sho wns duo to como Into your
estate a comfortable living for an In
dependent woman."
ASIkj r4 r unit thirsts r9 tVlm man 1
Ember? Is he on tho level, or Is ',
I he a smart rascal who has evil
I designs on Whltaker? ',
(TO m: CONTINUED.)
PERSONAL WASTE HEAVY TAX
Standard Oil Would Soon Qo Bank
rupt on "System" That Most
Americans Follow.
How many mornings does your cook
spoil tho toast? You don't know.
Nor do you keep tabs on tho f0 oth
er apparently trilling things of orery
day.
From the moment you draw nn un
necessary amount of water for your
mottling hath until you have touched
the push button and stopped that tire
less electric meter at night and retire
to rest It Is waste plus "don't know"
all along the lino, writes "Olrard" In
the Philadelphia Public Ledger.
If Standard Oil was as careless with
Its pennies iim a man making $10 n
week Is with his. It would bo bank
rupt before Christmas. But you know
well enough that you'vo got to bo
wide nwako to Hitatch even one cent
from J. I). 11.
And here Is President Ben's rail
road, which has run passenger trains
.'1,000,000 miles without killing n pas
senger. Why? Because he has made
In three anil one-half years .oOO.OOO
tests to see that his trainmen observe
tho rules of safety.
But, helgb-ho, you never test any
thing In your smaller affairs to sec
how many little spigots are pouring
out pennies needlessly. Just tho same
they are taxing you a great deal more
than your church pew.
Freighter Unloads Quickly.
About midsummer tho Italian enrco
boat Mllazzo, undoubtedly the largest
freighter on tho seas, completed Its
maiden voyage rrom Mipios to New
York. Tho vessel Is of special Inter
est because of Its remarlcahlu unload
ing facilities, which enable Its M, 000
ton cargo to bo discharged within forty-eight
hours. It Is particularly de
signed w the transportation of grain
and coal, but because of current condi
tions Is now carrying a general cargo.
The ship Is Olli feet In length. .'. feet
across the beam and when loaded ills
places i!0,OIO tons. Its single screw Is
turned by a -1,000 horse power quadru
ple expansion engine. The ship's un
loading equipment Is Its most wonder
ful feature according to Popular Me
chanics Magazine.
The Far-8lghted Woman.
You are. let us say, a canaille nte-
nnirrimhcr or a teacher: If throiiL'h
any untoward circumstances, you
should no neroii oi ono or your lac
ultles necessary to your vocation,
what would you do? Such things do
happen, you know, and wlso Is tho
woman who cultivates a hobby or an
nviiciitlon that employs other facilities
than tho ones sho uses dally. If you
know notning etso ntti teacning, nun
should lose your bearing, you would
bo stranded on I bo Island of tho help
less; If your dally work Is of tho
niiinual sort, cultivate a hohhv for
something that requires mental effort.
If your mental faculties are In uso
dully, give them a rest by doing Homo
sort of manuul work. Exchange.
Occasionally Useful.
Wn all of US clvo tho fn rinnrn n
mighty lot of advice, but tho mont of
. L. . I . . . It . ...At
inem uoui mum ii, sometimes moron
a bit of It thoy can uso.
Tho Censor.
The censor is not tho man who puts
ths news In tho newspapers, and hi
doesn't havo much luck keeping It out
COMB
SAGE TEA IN
AT
DARKEN IT
It's Grnntlmolher'H Kcclno
keep her LockH Dark,
(Hussy, Itcautiful.
to
Tho old-tlmo mixture of Sago Ten
and Sulphur for darkening gray,
streaked nnd faded hair Ih grand
mother's recipe, and folks nro again
using It to keep their hair n good,
oven color, which Is quite sensible, as
wo are living In an ago when n youth
ful nppenrnucu Is of tho greatest ad
vantage. Nowadays, though, wo don't hnvo
the troublesome task or gathering tho
sago and the tnussy mixing nt bom?.
All drug stores sell tho roadyto-UHo
product. Improved by the addition of
other Ingredients, cnlled "Wyeth's
Hugo nnd Sulphur Compound" for
about CO cents a bottle. It Is very
popular because nobody can discover
It ban boon applied. Simply moisten
your comb or a soft brush with tt and
draw this through your hair, taking
one small strand at n time; by morn
ing tho gray hair disappears, but what
delights tho lu.lles with Wyeth's Bnge
and Sulphur Compound, Is that, be
sides beautifully darkening the hair
after a few applications, It also pro
duces that soft lustre and nppearanco
of abundance which Is so attractive.
This rendy-to-uso preparation Is a de
lightful toilet requisite for thono who
desire a more youthful appearance. It
Is not Intended for tho cure, mltlgntton
or prevention of dlsonso. Adv.
Room, or Company?
With all propor respect to membors
of congress, wo wish they'd quit coin
lug homo ho much and give tho rail
roads a chance to haul a Utile coal.
Kansas City Star.
Dr. Pierce's Pellets aro best for liver,
bowels and stomach. Ono little Pellet
for a laxative three for a cathartic.
A Grave Situation.
"So Marie Is engaged?"
"Yes, to an undertaker."
"An undertaker? Sho must ho dead
In lovo." Exchange
8wlnglng Round tho Circle.
Mrs. A. Our cook has lived In soma
of tho best families.
Mrs. Ours has lived In all of them
and In now on circuit for tho second
time. Exchange.
Chronic Constipation In asdangorous
an disagreeable. Garflold Tea cures
It. Adv.
Locating the Action.
"And Flzzlepalo ran through a for
tune?" "No; ho novor did anything so onor
gotlc. He stood still and lot tho for
tune show tho speed." Exchange
Soothe Itching Scalps.
On retiring gently rub spots of dan
druff and Itching with Cutlcurn Oint
ment. Next morning shampoo with
Cutlcurn Soap and hot water. For free
samples address, "Cutlcurn, Dept. X,
Boston." At druggists und by mall.
Soap U5, Ointment 28 and W). Adv.
A Rapid Flrer.
Mrs. Peck I always think twlco bo
fore I speak onco.
Peck Exactly, my dear but then
you aro such a quick thinker, Ex
change. KIDNEYS, USE SALTS
If your Buck hurls or Iilntldcr
bothers, drink lots of
water.
Whon your kldnoys hurt and your
back feels sore, don't get scared and
prococd to load your stomach with a
lot of drugs that oxclto the kldnoys
und Irritate tho entire urinary tracL
Keep your kldnoys clean llko you keep
your bowels clean, by flushing them
with a mild, harmless salts which re
moves tho body's urinous wnsto and
stimulates thorn to their normal activ
ity. Tho function of tho kldnoys Is to
filter tho blood. In 24 hours thoy
strain from It 600 grains of acid and
waste, no wo can readily understand
tho vital Importance of kooplng tho
kldnoys nctlvo.
Drink lots of water you can't drink
too much; also got from any pharma
cist about four ounces of Jad Salts;
tako a tablcupoonful In a glasB of
wator boforo breakfast each morning
for a few days and your kidneys will
act fine. This famous salts Is mado
from tho acid of grapes and lomon
Julco, combined with llthla, and haa
boon usod for generations to clean
and stlmulato clogged kldnoys; also
to noutrallzo tho acids In urlno so It
no longer Is a sourco of Irritation, thus
ending hladdor woaknoss,
Jad Salts Is lnoxponslvo; cannot In
Juro; makes ft delightful offorvoscont
llthlft-wator drink which ovoryono
should tako now and then to koop
their kidneys clean and active Try
this, also kcop up tho wator drinking,
and no doubt you will wondor what
bocarao of your kidney troublo and
backache. Adv.
DRUGS EXCITE YOUR