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SYNOPSIS. 11 Feter Knipht, defeated for political of fice in his town, decides to venture New Tork in order that the family fortunes might benefit by the expected rise of his charming daughter, Lorelei. A well known critic interviews 1orelel Knijrht. now stafre beauty with Bergman's Revue, for a special article. Her coin-hunting mother outlines Lorelei's ambitions, hut Biosson, the press agent, later adds his Information. Lorelei attends Millionaire Hammon's gorgeous entertainment. She meets Merkle, a wealthy dyspeptic. Bob Wharton comes uninvited. Lorelei dis covers a blackmail plot against Hammon, In which her mother is involved. Merkle and Lorelei have an auto wreck. The blackmailers besmirch her good name. Lorelei learns her mother is an unscru pulous plotter. She finds In Adoree Dm orest a real friend, and finds Bob Whar ton is likable, Lorelei leaves her family and goes to live alone. Lorelei and drun ken Bob Wharton are tricked into mar riage. Lllas shoots and wounds Ham mon seriously. Adoree Demorest meets Campbell Fope. Hammon dies. Old man Wharton seeks to divorce his son and Lorelei, but they refuse to separate even under pain of disinheritance. At last Lorelei shows her fine character to those who would use her as a dupe and to those who misjudge the girl. In a dilemma that would have non plused most thoughtful women, young Bob Wharton's wife mas ters a situation in a manner to make him proud of her. And she chooses to stick by Bob. How very powerful agents tried to wreck their honeymoon and how Lorelei set about to build a foundation of permanent hap piness In marriage is told in this installment. Old Man Wharton is accusing Lore lei and trying to persuade his son to leave her. CHAPTER XVII Continued. Lorelei was standing very white and till; now she said, "Don't you thick you'd better go?" The elder man laid aside his hat and gloves, then spoke with snarling delib eration. "I'll go when I choose. No high and mighty airs with me, if you please." After a curious scrutiny of them both he asked his son: "You don't really imagine that she married you for anything except your money, do you?" "I flattered myself " Bob began, stiffly. "Bah! You're drunk." "Moderately, perhaps or let us say that I am in an unnaturally argumenta tive mood. I take issue with you. You see, dad, I've been crazy about Lorelei ever since I first saw her, and " "To be sure, that's quite natural. But why in hell did you marry her? That wasn't necessary, was it?" Lorelei uttered a sharp cry. Bob rose; his eyes were bright and hard. Mr. Wharton merely arched his shaggy brows, inquiring quickly of the bride: "What's the matter? I state the case correctly, do I not?" "No!" gasped Lorelei. "Let's talk plainly" "That's a bit too plain, even from you, dad," Bob cried, angrily. "It's time for plain speaking. You got drunk, and the trapped you. I'm here to get you out of the trap." Ad dressing himself to Lorelei, he said: "Ten thousand dollars will buy a lot of clothes. I believe that's the amo Merkle offered you, isn't It?" "Merkle? What are you tal about?" Bob demanded. "Did Mr. Merkle tell you how why he came to make that asked Lorelei, indignantly. "No. But he offered it, did hi "Yes, and I refused it. A why?" J "We don't seem to be getti very well," Bob interposed. T my wife and your daughf What's more, I love her; r that ends the Reno chati "That's a Lie!" crossed to Lorelei's side and encircled her with his arm. "There's no price tag on this marriage, dad, and you'll regret what you've said' Wharton senior shrugged wearily. "You tell him, miss; maybe he'll be lieve you." "Tell him what?" asked Lorelei. "The truth, of course." lie paused for a reply, and, receiving none, broke out wrathfully: "Then I "ill. She's a grafter, Bob, and her wbo!; family are grafters. Now, let me 3nisb. She eiakes her living i mv wv she can; f ) 11 l A ovex. or ?w vomc Lire 'ILLUSTRATION 6rT. PARKER she smirks at you out of every catch penny advertisement along Broadway. Sbe' 'The Chewing-Gum Girl' and 'The Petticoat Girl' and 'The Bathtub Girl'" "There's nothing dishonest in that." "Just a minute. I won't have my daughter's face grinning at me every time I get into a street car. I'd be the laughing-stock of the country. It's legitimate, perhaps, but it's altogether too damned colorful for me." "Is that all you have against her?" "Not by any means. She's notori ous" "Newspaper talk!" "Is it? She's made her living by bleeding men, by taking gifts and renting herself out the way she did at Hammon's supper. Men don't support show girls from chivalrous motives. I had her family looked up, and it didn't take two hours. Listen to this report." "No!" Lorelei gulped. " 'No police record as yet' 'Broker living at the Charlevoix apartments' 'Injured by a taxicab while intoxi cated,' " quoted Wharton. "Scandal, blackmail, graft. It's all here, Bob. The report was made by one of our own men, and it's incomplete, but I can have it elaborated. What do you say, Mrs. Wharton? Is it true?" Lorelei dropped her head. "Most of it, I dare say." "Did you try to blackmail Merkle?" "No." "Your mother and your brother did." She was silent. "They tried to scare him into marry ing you, did they not?" "Hammon said something about that," ejaculated Bob, "but I don't be lieve" Lorelei checked him. "It's quite true." "Merkle said you had nothing to do with it personally," conscientiously ex plained Mr. Wharton, "and I'm willing to take his word. But that's neither here nor there." There was a moment of silence during which he folded and replaced, the report; then he shook his head, exclaiming, "Second-hand goods, my boy!" "That's a lie!" Lorelei's voice was like a whip. Mr. Wharton eyed her grimly. "That's something for Bob to deter mine I have only the indications to go on. I don't blame him for losing his wits you're very good looking but the affair must end. You're not a girl I'd care to have in my family pardon my bluntness." She met his eyes fairly. At no time had -she flinched before him, although inwardly she had cringed and her flesh had quivered at his merciless atttack. "You have told Bob the truth," she began, slowly, "in the worst possible "way; you have put me in the most un favorable light. I dare say I never would have had the courage to tell him myself, although he deserves to know. I've been pretty commercial because I had to be, but I never sold yself, and I sha'n't begin now. Bob isn't a child; he's nearly thirty years Kld old enough to make up his own mind and he must make this decision, ot I." ' Bob opened his lips, but his father orestalled him. "What do you mean by that?" "I have no price. If he's sick of the match we'll end it, and it won't cost you a cent." Bob looked inscrutable; his father smiled for the first time during the in terview. "That's very decent of you," he said, "but of course I sha'n't put the good faith of your offer to the test. I don't want something for nothing. I'll take care of you nicely." Thus far Bob had yielded precedence to his father, but he could no longer restrain himself. "Now let me take the chair," he commanded, easily. "My mind is made up. You see, I didn't marry 'Peter Knight, residence Vale,' nor 'James Knight, reputation bad,' nor even 'Mathilda Knight, wife of Peter.' I married this kid, and the books are closed. You say the Knights are a bad lot. and Lorelei's reputation Is a trifle discolored; maybe you're right, but mine has some inky blots on it, too, and I guess the cleanest part of it would just about match the dark est that hers can show. I seem to have all the best of the deal." "Don't be an ass," growled his fa ther. "I've always been one I may as well be consistent." Bob felt the slen der form at his side begin to tremble, and smiled down into the troubled blue eyes upturned to his. "Maybe we'll both have to do some forgiving and forgetting. I believe that's usual nowa days." "Oh, I'm not whitewashing you," Hannibal snapped. "She probably knows what you are." "I do," agreed Lorelei. "He's a drunkard, and everything that means. But you taught him to drink before he could choose for himself." Mr. Wharton smiled sneeringly. "Ad mirable! I begin to see that' you're more than a pretty woman. Get his sympathy; it's good business. Now he'll think he must act the man. But that will wear oft. And understand this: You can't graft off roe. You and ; pointment. Bob hasn't anything, and I he won't have until I die, but I'm good for thirty years yet. I'm not going to disinherit him. I'm merely going to wait until you both get tired. Take my word for it, poverty is the most tire some thing in the world." "We can manage," said Lorelei. "You speak for yourself, but he can't make a living unless he has something in him that I never discov ered. I fear you'll find him rather a heavy burden." Throughout the interview Mr. Whar ton had kept his temper quite perfect ly, and his coolness at this moment argued a greater fixity of purpose than might have been inferred from a dis- "I Divorce the Demon Rum.'' play of rage. He made a final appeal to his son: "Can't you see that it won't do at all, Bob? I won't stand para sites, unless they're tny own. Either have done with the matter and let me pay the charges or go through to the bitter finish on your own feet. She's supporting three loafers; I dare say she can take care of another, but it isn't quite right to put it upon her she's sure to weary of it some time. You'll notice I've said nothing about your mother so far, but she's with me in this. I'll be in the city for several days, and I'd like to have you return to Pittsburgh with me when I go. Moth er is expecting you. If you decide to stick it out " Wharton's face showed more than a trace of feeling, his deep voice lowered a tone "you may go to hell, with my compliments, and I'll sit on the lid to keep you there." ne rose, took his hat, and stalked out of the apartment without so much as a backward glance. CHAPTER XVIII. "Whew! That was a knockout. But who got licked?" Bob went to the lit tle sideboard and helped himself to a stiff drink. "Did he mean it?" "My dear, time wears away moun tains, and rivers dry up, and the whole solar system is gradually running down, I believe; but dad isn't governed by any natural laws whatsoever. He's built of reinforced concrete, and time hardens him. He's impervious to rust or decay, and gravity exerts no power over him." "Then I think you'd better make your choice tonight." Bob's eyes opened. "I have. Don't you understand? I'm going to stand pat that is, unless" he hesitated, his smile was a bit uncertain "unless you're sick of your bargain. I'm afraid you haven't come out of the deal very well. You thought I was rich and so did I until a moment ago but I'm not. I've run through a good deal. I don't blame you for considering me a fine catch or for marrying me. You see, I never expected to find a girl who'd take me for anything except my money, so I'm not offended or disappointed or surprised. A bank account looms up just as big on Fifth avenue as it doe on Amsterdam, and there aren't any more love matches over there than else where. I'm not blind to my short-comings, either; there are a lot of bad habits waiting to be acquired by a chap with time and money like me. I can't live without booze; I don't know how to earn a living; I'm a corking spendthrift. That's one side. Balanced against that, I possess lot me see I possess a fair sense of humor. Not a very even account, is it?" For once in his life Bob showed un mistakable self-consciousness; this was, so far as Lorelei knew, his maid on effort to be serious. He ran on hur riedly: "What I mean to convey is this: I have no regrets, no questions to ask, no reproaches. I got all I ex ped. and all I was entitled to whn I married you. But it seems that you've been cheated, and I'm ready to do the square thing. I'll step aside and give you another chance, if you say so." During this little declaration Lorelei had watched him keenly; she appeared to be seriously weighing his offer. "I was getting pretty tired of things," he added, "and I s'pose I'd have wound up in the D. T. parlors of some highly exclusive institution or be hind a bathroom door with a gas tube in my teeth. But I met you, and you went to my head. I wanted you worse than I ever wanted anything worse even than I ever wanted liquor. And now I have you. I've had you for one day, and that's something. I suppose it's silly to talk about starting over I don't want to reform If I don't have to; moderation strikes me as an awful cold proposition; but it looks as if re form were indicated if I'm to keep you. I'm just an album of expensive habits, and we're broke. Maybe I could do something with myself if you took a hand. It's a good deal to ak of a girl like you, but" he regarded her timidly, then averted his eyes "if you cared to try it we might make it go for a while. And you might get to care for me a little If I improve." Again he paused hopefully. "I've been as honest as I know how. Now, won't you be the same?" Lorelei roused herself, and spoke with quiet decision. "I'll go through to the end, Bob." Bob started and uttered an inarticu late word or two; in his face was a light of gladness that went to the girl's heart. His name had risen free ly to her lips; he felt as if she had laid her hand in his with a declaration of absolute trust. "You mean that?" She nodded. He took her in his arms and kissed her gently; then, feeling her warm against his breast, he burst the bonds that had restrained him up to this mo ment and covered her face, her neck, her hair with passionate caresses. For the first time since his delirium of the night before he abandoned himself to the hunger her beauty excited, and she offered him no resistance. At last, she freed herself, and, straightening the disorder of her hair, smiled at him mistily. "Wait. Please " "Beautiful!" His eyes were aflame. "You're my wife. Nothing can change that." "Nothing except yourself. Now, you must listen to me." She forced him re luctantly into his chair and seated her self opposite. He leaned forward and kissed her once more, then seized her hand and held it. At intervals he crushed his , lips into its pink palm. We must start honestly," she began. "Do you mind if I hurt you?" "You can't hurt me so long as you don't leave me. Your eyes have haunt ed me every night. I've seen the curve of your neck your lips. No woman was ever so perfect, so maddening." "Always that. You're not a husband at this moment; you're only a man." ne frowned slightly. "That's what makes this whole mat ter so difficult," she went on. "Don't you see?" ne shook his head. "You don't love me, you're drunk with something altogether different to love. . . . It's true," she insist ed. "You show It. You don't even know the real me." "Beauty may be only a skin dis ease," Bob laughed, "but ugliness goes clear to the bone." "I married you for your money, and you married me because I seemed physically perfect because my face and my body roused fires In you. I think we are both pretty rotten at heart, don't you?" "No. Anyhow, I don't care to think about it. I never won anything by thinking. Kiss me again." She ignored his demand, with her shadowy smile. "I deliberately traded on my looks; I put myself up for a price, and you paid that price regard less of everything except your desires. We muddled things dreadfully and got our deserts. I didn't love you, I don't love you now any mora than you love me; but I think we're coming to re spect each other, and that is a begin ning. You have longings to be some thing different and better; so have I. Let's try together. I have it in me to succeed, but I'm not sure about you." "Thanks for the gooQ cheer." "You're afraid you can't make a liv ing for us I know you can. I'm mere ly afraid you won't." "What do you mean?" he asked. "I don't believe the liquor will let you." "Nonsense. Any man can cut down." " 'Cutting down' won't do for us. Bob." He thrilled anew at her inti mate use of his name. "The chemistry of your body demands the stuff you couldn't be teruperate in anything. You'll have to quit." "U; right. I'll quit. I divorce the demon rum; lovers once, but strangers now. I'll quit gambling, too." Lorelei laughed. "That won't s.rain your will-power in the least, for half my salary goes up Amsterdam avenue, and the rest will about run this flat" BLOCK Author of "The Iron Trail " The Spoilers" " The Silver Horde" Etc. Cityrigfit, By Hmrptr V Brtlirrl Her listener frowned. "Forget that salary talk," he said, shortly. "D'you think I'd let you support me? D'you think I'm that kind of a nosegay? When I get so I can't pay the bills I'll "walk out. Tomorrow you quit work, and we move to the Ritz they know me there, and this delightful, home like grotto of yours gives me the colly wabbles." "Who will pay the hotel?" Lorelei 6miled. "Mr. George W. Bridegroom, of course. I'll get the money, never fear. I know everybody, and I've borrowed thousands of dollars w7hen I didn't ned It. My rooms at the Charlevoix are full of expensive Junk; I'll sell it, and that will help. As soon as we're decently settled I'll look for a salaried job. Then watch my smoke. To quote from the press of a few months hence: The meteoric rise of Robert Wharton has startled the financial world, surpassing as It does the sensa tional success of his father. Young Mr. Wharton was seen yesterday at his Wall street office and took time from his many duties to modestly assure our representative that his ability was in herited, and merely illustrates anew the maxim that "a chip of the old block will return after many days." ' That will please dad. He'll relent when I attribute my success to him." "You must quit drinking before you begin work," said Lorelei. "I have quit." With a person of such resilient tem perament, one who gamboled through life like a fawn, argument was diffi cult. Bob Wharton was pagan in his joyous inconsequence; his romping spirits could not be damped; he bub bled . with the optimism of a Robin Goodfellow. Ahead of him he saw nothing but dancing sunshine, beard nothing but the Pandean pipes. The girl-wife watched him curiously. "I wonder if you can," she mused. "Before we begin our new life we're going to make a bargain, binding on both of us. You'll have to stop drink ing. I won't live with a drunkard. I'll work until you've mastered the crav ing." "No!" Bob declared, firmly. "I'll take the river before I'll let you keep me. Why, If I" Lorelei rose -and laid her hand over his lips, saying quietly: "I'm planning our happiness, don't you understand? and it's a big stake. You must pocket your pride for a while. Nobody will know. We've made a botch of things so far, and there is only one way for us to win out." "A man who'd let his wife " "A man who wouldn't let his wife have her way at first is a brute." "You shouldn't ask it," he cried, sul lenly. ' "I don't ask it: I insist upon it. If you refuse we can't go on." "Surely you don't mean that?" He looked up at her with grave, troubled eyes. "I do. I'm entirely In earnest. You haven't strength to go out among your friends and restrain yourself. No man as far gone as you could do it." "I've a simpler way than that," he told her, after a moment's thought. "There are institutions where they straighten fellows up. I'll go to one of those." "No." She rejected this suggestion positively. "They only relieve; they don't cure.' The appetite comes back. This Is something you 'must do your self, once and for all. You must fight this out in secret; this city is no place tor men with appetites they can't con trol. Do this for me, Bob, and and I'll let you do anything after that. I'll let you beat me." Getting no re sponse from him, she added gravely, "It is that or nothing." "I can't let you go," Bob said finally. "Good! We'll keep this apartment and I'll go on working " He hid his face in his hands and groaned. "Gee! I'm a rotter." "You can sell your belongings at the Charlevoix, and we'll use the money. We'll need everything, for I can't piece out my salary the way I've been doing. There can't be any more supper parties and gifts" "I should hope not," he growled. "I'll murder the first man who speaks to you." "Then it is a real, binding bargain?" "It is if you'll bind it with another kiss," he agreed, with a miserable at tempt at cheerfulness. "But I sha'n't look myself in the face." For the first time she came to him willingly. "Doesn't it seem nice to be honest with yourself and the world?" she sighM, after a time. "Yes," he laughed. "I'm sorry to cut the governor adrift, but he'll have to get along without our help." Despite his jocularity he was deeply moved. As the situation grew clearer to him he saw that this girl was about to change the whole current of his care less life; her unexpected firmness, her gentle, womanly determination at this crisis was very grateful he desperate ly longed to retain its support and yet the arrangement to which she had forced his consent went sorely against his grain. His struggle had not been easy. Her surrender to him was as complete and as unselfish as his own acquiescence seemed unmanly anut weak. He rose and paced the little room to relieve his feelings. Days and weeks of almost constant dissipation! had affected his mental poise quite as. disastrously as the strain of the past twenty-four hours had told upon his physical control, and he was "shaking nervously. He paused at the sideboard finally and poured himself a steadying; drink. Lorelei watched his trembling finger fill the glass before she spoke. "You mustn't touch that," she said,, positively. "Eh?" ne turned, still frowning ab-sent-mlndely. "Ob, this?" He held the glass to the light. "You mean yon want me to begin now? A fellow has-, to sober up gradually, my dear. I really need a .jolt I'm all unstrung." , "I sealed the bargain." "But, Lorelei" He set the glas down with a mirthless laugh. "Of course, I won't, If you Insist. I intend ed to taper off a chap can't turn tee totaler the way he turns a handspring. He eyed the glass with a sudden In tensity of longing. "Let's begin tomor row. Nobody starts a new life at 2 a. m. And It's all poured out." She answered by taking the glass and flinging its contents from the open window. This done, she gathered the bottles from the sideboard there were not many and, opening th folding doors that masked the kitchenette, she upended them over the siuK. Whe the last gurgle had died away she went to her husband and put her arm around his neck. "You must," she said, gently. "If you'll only let me have my way we'll win. But, Bob, dear, it's going to be a bitter fight." Lorelei's family spent most of the night in discussing their great good fortune. Even Jim. worn out as he was by his part in the events connected with the marriage, sat until a late hour planning his sister's future, and Inci dentally his own. After he had gone to bed mother and father remained la a glow of exhilaration that made sleep impossible, and it was nearly dawn when they retired to dreams of hope achieved and ambitions realized. About nine-thirty on the following morning, Just when ' the rival Wall street forces were gathering, Hannibal Wharton called up the Knight establishment. CHAPTER XIX. On the way to the Elegancia Mm.. Knight recounted to Jim In great detail and with numerous digressions and comments what Hannibal Wharton had said to her. Mrs. Knight herself he had called a blood-sucker, it seemed) the good woman shook with rag at the memory and he had threatened her with the direst retribution if she persisted in attempting to fasten her self upon him. Bob, he had explained, was a loafer whom he had supported out of a sense of duty; If the idiot wa ungrateful he would simply have to suffer the consequences. But Bob's mother felt the disgrace keenly, and on her account Hannibal had expressed himself as willing to ransom the young fool for, say, ten thousand dollars. "I never was so insulted in my life, stormed Mrs. Knight. "You should have heard him!" With a show of confidence not entire ly real Jim rejoined: "Now, ma, don't heat up. Everybody forgets me, but I'm going to draw cards in this game." The Interview that followed their ar rival at Lorelei's home was far from. "You Mustn't Touch That," She Said, Positively. pleasant. At his first opportunity Bob explained rather briefly: "I offered Lorelei her freedom las night when my Income was amp tated." "You've had time to think it over," his wife interposed. "Do you stilf want me?" "Why, of course. And you?" She shrugged. "I don't change la one night Now I wish you and Ji would leave mother and me " Do you believe that Lorelei J . now can shake her bloodsuck- ing relatives for good, and can " prove to Old Man Wharton that she is well worth a place in his family circle? ..... ... (TO BE CONTmt'EIO
The Roanoke Beacon and Washington County News (Plymouth, N.C.)
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