Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1916-11-16
CHAPTER XIV.

Rob's work as . salesman continued
offered him salaricd position But
instead of accepting, Bob made IL colln-
ter-proposition that caused the little
man to gasp. Briefly, it was to extend
the scope OF the present business by
laying In stock of eXtrayagant. high
priced shirt and neclStie materials, with
Bob as partner in the new venture
Kurtz protested that he was not ta.
herdasher, but he was constrained to
admit that Bob had the right idea of
smart business. and after some discus
sion accepted his employees nonclia-
liant offer TIC go halves on the new ven
tuTe and share in its profits The
fact that Bob had no money with
which to carry through his part OF the
deal troubled that youth not In the
lcast--Kuriz credit was ample. Bob's
theory of securing the Fifth avenue
trade was to double existing prices.
and il this did not bring tho business,
TO double them a second time; and this
theory was correct, as he demonstrated
when the new department was organ.
izGd
But despite the excellent income he
now began to make there was never
anything left in the Wharton bank ac-
count, for Bob moved his wife to a
more pretentious apartment ON River
side drive and managed to increase
their expenses so as TO balance his
earnings very nicely. 1T was quite a
feat to adjust fixed outlay to Il vary
ing income so that nothing whatever
should remain and he considered it n
strong proof of his capacities that he
succeeded
by Christmas the haberdashcry ven
ture had shown such profit that he
began to pile up a small bank account
in spite of himself: so he bought ar,
automobile, which served to eat up any
monthly profits and guarantee a deficit
under the most favorable circum-
stances Being thus relieved of inan.
cinl uncertainty, he laid plans to wrest
from kurtz full partnership in the
tailoring business itself.
The Whartons' new home was charm.
ing. and Bob provided his wife with
every luxury. Lorelei did not regret
that she was prevented from going out
as much as formerly her experience
ut Fennellcourt had cured her OF any
desire to get into her husbands social
set--and unconsciously she and Bot
began TO develop a real home life
AS time went on and evidences OF
prosperity showed themselves Lorelei's
family forgot some of their dislike of
Bob and became more companionahe
Strangely enough. too their cost of iy.
ing increased in proportion to tleit
friendliness; but Bob never questioned
any amount they asked him for, and
he sweled their allowance with char
acteristic prodigaiity.
Lorelei was proud Of him. as she
had reason to be, but she had occasion
for sorrow as well His generosity was
really big. his pagan joyousness ban
ished shadows, but he was intensely
human in his failings. and in spite of
his determination to stop drinking, in
spite Of all his earnest promises, the
old appetite periodically betrayed him.
For month. for two months at
time he would manfully fight his de-
sires, then without excuse. without
cause, just when he was boasting loud.
est Of his victory. he would fall. And
yet drinking did not brutalize him as
it does most fnen:fie never became dis
gushing; liquor intoxicated him, but
less in body than in spirit His re-
pentance followed promptly, his cha.
grin was intense. and his fear of Lore
lei almost ludicrous. But the girl had
acquired wider charity, a gentler pa
thence; she grieved, she tried to helm
him, and his frailty endeared him to
her. Love had been slow to awaken:
in fact, she had not been definitely
aware Of Its birth: but suddenly she
had found it Towering In her soul, and
now it fourished the more as that other
interest intensified and began to domi-
nate her.
Bob responded to all her efforts save
one: she could not make him serious.
On ths whole, however, they were
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