Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1916-10-26

"Have you ruined yourself?" she
interrupted, quickly.
"Not quite, perhaps; but what I've
lost, what I've sacrificed. would have
ruined most men. My home is gone,
and my family-as you know-yes.
and a good many other things you
don't know about. Financially I'm not
| done for
"That's too bad.''
/ "Eh? l don't understand What
| are you getting at?"
''I'll tell you. ! never intended to
marry you, Jarvis"
He started as If she had struck him.
That's what said" she reaffirmed,
land I'll tell you why. Look at me
close"
He did as she directed, but saw
nothing, his mind being in chaos. 1t
| had been her intention to call Lorelei
| to witness this dramatic disclosure
| and thus enhance its effect, but in the
excitement of the moment she forgot.
| Look at me-" she repeated I'm Lily
| Levinski"
"I4evinski. A Jew?" he exclaimed,
in naive surprise.
Eyes. I'm Joe Levinski's girl. Do
you remember?'
"a Jeww 1t was plain that the
name meant nothing.
She slid down from her perch and
approached him, crying roughly,
Don't you remember Joe Levinski?"
Harmon shook his head. "He worked
for you in the Bessemer plant of the
old Kingman mill. Don't you remem-
ber?"
''There were four thousand men"
He was killed when the converter
dumped. You were rushing the work
DO you remember now?" Her words
came swift and shrill.
Harmon started; frown drew his
brows together. His mind CROPPED back
through the years, and memory family
stirred. but she gave him no leisure
to speak.
81 was waiting outside with his din
ner bucket, along with the other wom-
en-. l saw him go. l saw you kill
him.
"Lilas! Good God. are you crazy?"
he burst forth
at was murder"
"Murder?'
at was. You did it. You killed
him." She had dropped her cigarette,
| and it burned black scar into the
| rug at their feet. Harmon retreated
a step, the girl followed with blazing
eyes and words that were hot with
hate. "You spilled that melted steel
on him, and l saw it all. When I grew
up / prayed for a chance to get even.
for his sake and for the sake of the
other hunkies you killed. You killed
my mother, too, jarvis Hampton, and
made me a-a-"
"Be quiet" he commanded, roughly
''The things ncredible-absurd YOU
the daughter Of one of my workmen-
and a Jew!"
eyes. Leyinski-Lily Levinski. And
you wanted to marry me-" she gibed
But 1 fooled you"
81 guess must be--out of my
head. l never knew the man-there
We're thousands of them; accidents
were common. But-you say" He
gathered his whirling thoughts, and,
strangely enough, grew calm. 'You
say you prayed for chance to get
even So, then, you've been humbug-
ging- By God / don't believe itw
ITS true It's true. It's true"
shrilled the girl so Historically that her
voice reused Lorelei, sitting vacant
eyed in the room down the hall, and
brought her to her feet with ears sud
denly strained Lorelei could hear
only part of the words that~followed,
her from her retreat and toward the
front of the apartment.
II knew you" Lilas was saying. T
figured it all out, and-you were easy.
You We're a bigger fool than
dreamed"
"You took my money-you let me
support your cried Harmon, in bitter
accusation.
YOh, did more than that, planned
everything that has happened to you,
even that blackmail."
"Blackmail"' he shouted. Did you
was that your He grew suddenly
| apoplectic; his eyes distended and red
dened with rage.
His dismay delighted her.
Certainly" she smiled. Half the
money is in my bank at this minute
! besides all the rest you've given me.
oh, I've got enough to i've on with
out marrying you. Who do you think
put your wife wise and gave her the
evidence for her divorce, Ell? Think
1t over. DO you remember those let
| ters? You were very indiscreet-and.-