V
WILFUL MISSING
It was one o'clock in the morning before Whitaker allowed himself to be
persuaded; fatigue reënforced every stubborn argument of Peter Stark's to
overcome his resistance. It was a repetition of the episode of Mary Ladislas recast and rewritten: the stronger will overcame the admonitions of a saner judgment. Whitaker gave in. "Oh, have your own way," he said at length, unconsciously iterating the words that had won him a bride. "If it must be...."
Peter put him to bed, watched over him through the night, and the next morning
carried him on to New Bedford, where they superintended the outfitting of
Peter's yacht, the Adventuress. Beyond drawing heavily on his bank and sending Drummond a brief note, Whitaker failed to renew communication with his
home. He sank into a
