Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1916-09-08
w III you declare me I'M"
az. -

throw your own mother if you got {
chance. But you can't throw me, un
derstand? You try cross and-th,
cold-meat wagon for yours. I'll hav,
you stabbed at the morgue"
Jimmy's reply left no doubt of thu
genuineness Of his fears, If not of hi,
Intentions, Strange stories were tol(
In the Tenderloin-tales of treachery
punished and ingratitude revcnged
Jimmy knew several young men wht
appeared out of the East side at Mel
cher's signal. They were inconsplcu
GUS fellows, who bore fanciful dime
novel names-and no rustler's strong
hold of the old-time western cattle
country ever boosted more formidable
outlaws than they. Jim knew these
gunner well; he had no wish to know
them worse.
II can't promise anything definite
when she's sore on me- he declared
Hes about ready to ask her-she $
the one to fix. She hates men, though
and that Merkle story made her crazy
Melcher pondered for several mo-
ments. II think know Lorclci better
than you do" he stated, deliberately,
land believe we can pull this off, pro-
vided Wharton really wants to marry
her. Anyhow. he's so rich it's worth
the odds, and she's just the sort to
fall for It, Meanwhile | want 1t I'M
derstood with your mother that
share in what comes her way"
"I'll fix that" promised Jim.
He found 1t, In fact. no very difficult
task to regain at least q part of his
sisters lost esteem, though the process
took time. He went about it with the
lazy, catlike patience of his kind, be-
haved himself, kept his mouth shut,
and assumed just enough of an injured
air to be plausible. He enlisted the
aid of his mother and of Lilas Lynn
and meanwhile made himself as agree
able as possible to Robert Wharton.
Melcher was as good as his word
and there shortly appeared in the Dis
patch an unpleasant rehaSh of the for
mer story. 1t was published In con
nectlon with the Harmon divorce pro-
ceedings, news Of which was exciting
comment, and 1t further smirched Lo-
relefs reputation. Jim was appropri-
ately indignant. but helpless, and Mrs.
knight unweariedly blamed everything
upon her daughters desertiOn of the
family circle predicting more evil to
follow unless LOrelei came home Mt
once. She also dwelt upon the fact
that Peter was steadily failing and
was In immediate need of both medical
and surgical attention. The doctor had
sentence, prescribing a to-
tai change Of living and a treatment
by foreign specialists.
In some unaccountable way the story
Df Nobel Bergmans humiliation be-
came public and afforded the basis for
4 newspaper article that brought him
to Iorclei's dressing room in fine
fury. Even after she had convinced
um Of her innocence his resentment
was so bitter that she expected her dis
nissal at any time.
Other press stories followed; the girl
found herself notorious;
scarcely day passed without some
1isagreeable mention of her. Adoree
Demorest, as indignant as Lorelei her
self, declared finally that her friend
must be the object Of a premcditated
attack directed by some strong hand,
Ind once this suspicion had entered
Lorelei's mind 1t took root in spite OF
to seeming extravaganza. Her good
tense argued that she was of too little
to warrant such an as
Iault, but her relatives seized the sug-
yestion so avidly as to more than half
convince her.
Mrs. Knight attributed this injustice
hist to Bergman, then to Merkle, whom
he hated bitterly since her unfortu.
late attempt at hlackmail; Jim was
Inclined to agree with her. Mrs.
Knight, as always. ended her sympa.
hetic reassurances by saying, If you
np1u Tnnppiol 1nOp thot
would end all our troubles"
The climax of these annoyances
anne one night after party at which
4orelei had been presented to an old
riendsof Miss Lynn's. Lilns had in
reduced the man as one of her girl
ood chums, and Lorelei had triedNto
Re nice to him; then in some way he
ranged TO take her home. The men,
ry of that ride was horror. She
new now that she was hunted; the
nan had told her so. She felt like a
eer covering In a brake with the
ounds working close. This first at
ack left her trembling and wary. Her
over seemed pitifully insecure
Thus far Max Melchers campaign
ad worked even better than he had
xpected; and meanwhile he had EN-
loyed Jim in assiduously cutyating
lob Wharton and arranging as many
MEETINGS as possible between Bob and
,0relei. A short experience had taught
i'm to avoid his victim in daylight, for
1 Bob's sober hours the two did not
gree; but once mellowed by intoxica-
on, Wharton became imbued with
arrival spirit and welcomed jim as
RELY as he welcomed everyone. In
dentally the latter managed to reap
considerable harvest from the asso-
|ation, for Bob was n habltual gam
Ter, and the courteous treatment he
,ceived at Melcher's place seemed to
sconeile him to the loss Of his money.
When, on the morning after her dis
'essing adventure, Lorelei sent for her
rother and demanded vengeance upon
er assailant he decided that 1t was
me to test the issue He pretended,
course, to be ferociously enrapad |