The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1916-11-09

pools. Up the approach TO the Queens
borough bridge IL swept, and took the
long incline Ike soaring bird Black.
wells island slipped under them, an
inky, bouomless pit OF despair. The
breath Of the overheated city changed
as by magic. and the thiu-faced suf-
terer at Lorelei's side drark IL I'm ca
rerly Even In the dim fash OF the
passing illuminatious she noted how
tired aud worn he was, and sudden
pity smote her.
won't you pretend I'm not here.
and drive just as you always do? /
won't mind" she said.
"My dear, it's late. You'll need TO
go home"
mo, no."
"Really?" His eager ness was genu-
inc. Won't your people worry?"
Her answer was short, mirthless
laugh that made him glance at her Gu
riously. "T'hey know I'm perfectly
safe. It's the other way round: a man
OF your standing takes chances by be-
ing alone with a woman of-mine."
(which reminds me of Miss Lynn
and Mr.. Harmon. You've decided TO
accept my offer2"
mo. can't be a hired spy"
"You said over the phone that you
had learned something"
81 have believe there is an effort
on foot to get some OF Mr.. Hammon's
money dishonesty. have a reason
for wishing TO prevent IT,"
81 knew wasn't mistaken in you"
smiled Merkle.
"Oh. don't attribute my actions to
any high moral motivesl I'm getting
little rusty on right and wrong Per.
. sonally. l have no sympathy with Mr.
Harmon. and l don't imagine he ac-
quired all OF his tremendous fortune
in perfectly honorable way. Besides
he's married man"
ut isn't alone Jarvis or his family
or their money that is concerned
Merkle said. gravely. "Great financial
institutions sometimes rest on founda
tions as slight as one mans person
allty-one mans reputa ton for mora
integrity. A breath of suspicion o.
any sort at the wrong time may brinl
on a crash involving innocent people
"Hammon at this moment carries I
d tremendous top-heavy burden OF re
sponsibilities; his death would be n,
more disastrous than a scandal tina
: would tend to destroy public conf
dence in him as a man."
Doesn't he know that himselfT
a perhaps. But his infatuation over
n took him at an age when a man is
q fool. Young men are always object
= OF suspicion In the financial world, 70
\ their emotions are unruly; but whe
old men fall In love they are superb
\ needless OF the consequences. | prom
h ised to tell you something about Jal
n Wis, and will. since you spoke Of hi
married life. From the time he coul
n walk he never knew anything, neve
:. heard anything except steel. He b
"a came a rolling-mill superintendent a
n most before he was Of age. They sa
he never did less than two mems worl
A and often more; but he could mai
m others work, too. and there lay the 3
N cret of his success. His mill held Il
n tonnage record for years.
p "When the corporation was forns
he played a big part in the deal ar
v. got a big slice OF the profits. +
" went into other things than steel, al
he prospered. He never failed at an
a thing. Jarvis had no vices and bl
one hobby--at least his vices were ne
ID tral. for he had never taken time
acquire the positive kind. His hobt
q. was Napoleon Bonaparte. He read e
re erything there was TO read about n
ID poleon; he studied his life and pa
Of termed his own on similar lines. 1
lg l bore you Miss Knlght?"
:" mo; go on. I'm tremendously
terested."
u "Well. naturally, Hammon began
h. consider himself another Napoleo
and his accomplishments were in
way quite as wonderful. He even co
fided to me once that his idol 81
passed him in only one respect
namely. the power to relax. Jary
bad never taken time for relaxatio
and he was beginning to wear out; al
so-he deliberately set about learnil
II | W pay lhc tiuptiOI VI TIdncct
\ history tells us, took his greatest plea
4 ure In the company Of women; thei
Y fore Hammon sought women.
doesn't know the taste OF defeat,
| the result was foreordained."
| "But surely he thought somethi
OF his family" protested Lorel
Didn't he consider themr
4 az fancy he wasn't well acquaint
Al with his family. I'm sure he never G
VI joyed any home life. as we understa
N 1t. He lived with a rich old WON
III who bore his name but scarcely kns
| him; his daughters were grown won
whom he saw on rare occasions a
whose extravagant whims he gratifi
without question. But there was lit
| real intimacy, little sympathy. TT
| was his first taste of youth. But
| wa1 not Napoleon. AS you've motto,
n he's quite mad on the Lynn womi
I'll He's no longer himself. He has be
I drugged by her charms, and-now b
having the price I wantad you