Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1916-09-07

beasts. That whole party was sordid
and mean-old men drinking with girls
and paving them over. Mr.. Merkle
was the only nice one there" The
mother was dismayed to feel her
daughter shiver.
Good Lord! You people make me
SICK" cried Jim, rising and making for
his room. "Anybody'd think you'd
been insulted."
When he had gone Mrs. knight
asked, accusingly:
"Lorelei, are you in love"
"No, why"
you've said some queer things late
ly. You've worried me. I hope you'll
never be tempted to do anything So
to be foolish. l don't intend to let you
make a mess of things by marrying
some chorus man. When the right per-
son comes along you'll accept him, then
you'll never have to worry again. But
you must be careful"
"Do you think I'd be happy with a
man like Mr.. Wharton?"
why not? You'd at least be rich,
and IL rich people can't be happy, who
can? If you accepted some poor boy
he'd probably turn out to be a drunk
ard and loafer, just like Wharton is
now" She sighed. I'D like to see
you settled; we could take Peter to a
specialist, and maybe he could be
the help of those German surgeons
I've always wanted to travel"
When Lorelei reached the theater
that evening she found Lilas Lynn en-
tertaining a caller who had been more
than once in her thoughts during the
day. Miss Lynn's visitor was a we'll
tailored man who gave a first impress
sion of extreme physical neatness. He
was immaculate in attire, bis skin was
fine, his color fresh; pair of small,
imperturbable eyes were set in smil.
Ing face beneath a prematurely gray
head. Max Melcher was a figure on
Broadway; he had the entree to all the
stage doors; he frequented the popular
cafes, where he surrounded himself
with men. Always affable, usually at
leisure, invariably obliging, he had
many friends.
At Lorelei's entrance he smiled and
nodded without rising, then continued
his earnest conversation with Miss
Lynn. None of their words were au-
dible to the last conner until Melcher
rose to leave; then Lilas halted him
with nervous laugh, saying:
Remember, IL it doesn't go, it's a
joke, and l run to cover"
"It will CO." he told her, quietly, as
he strolled out.
what are you two planning" in
quired Lorelei
Nothing. Max drops in regularly;
he used to be sweet on me-" Lilas
completed her makeup, then fidgeted
nervously. "Geew she presently ex-
claimed, "I'm tired of this business.
We're fools to stay in 1t. Think of
Atlantic City on night like this, or
the mountains. This heat has COM
pletely unstrung me-" She rummaged
through the confusion ON her table,
then inquired Of the dresser, "Croft,
where are my white gloves"
"They haven't come back from the
cleaners" Mrs. Croft answered.
mot back? Then you didn't send
them when told you. You're getting
altogether shiftless, Croft. When l
tell you to do thing want it done"
II hope drop dead If"
II hope you do snapped the indig-
nant girl. ~ told you to attend to
them; now I've nothing but soiled
ones"
The dresser began to weep silently.
She was a small, timid old woman,
upon whose manifest need Of employ
ment Lorelei had taken pity some time
before, Her forgetfulness had long
been trial to both her employers.
'That's right; turn on the flood
gates" Knocked Lilas. you stop that
sniveling or I'll give you something to
cry for. I'm nervous enough tonight
without having you in Mysteries. Re
member If it ever happens again you'll
go-and you'll take something with
you to think about" Selling the clean
est pair of gloves at hand, she flung
out Of the room in fine fury.
''You won't let her-fre me-? 1 need
work, l do" quavered Mrs. Croft.
"Now, now. Don't mind her temper.
You know Lilas is excitable."
"Excitable?" Croft wiped red eyes
with corner of her apron. as that
what you call it? I'll be glad If her
millionaire takes her out of the bust
ness, like she thinks he will. Poor
man! He's laying up trouble for him
self, that he is. She'll land him in the
divorce court-with her fash-light pho
tographs."
Lorelei swung around from her mir
ror. What do you meanT
ooh, heard her and that Jew-that
Maxey Melcher. They've got a pho
tographer and witnesses. Your brother
Is one of EN-
"Jim? What"
"It's true. It's bad crowd Mister
Jlm's in with. And there's something
big in the air. Millions it is. And her