Meade County news., 1916-11-23

wells island slipped under them, an
inky, bottomIess pit OF despair. The
breath of the overheated, city changed
as by magic, and the thin-faced suf,
ferer at Lorelers side drank it in ca
gerly. Even in the dim fash Of the
passing illuminations she noted how
tired and 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 eagerness was genu-
ine. Wont your people worry2"
Her answer was a short, mirthless
laugh that made him glance at her Gu
riously. "They know I'm perfectly
safe. It's the other way round man
of your standing takes chances by be-
ing alone with a woman of-mine."
(Which reminds me of Miss Lynn
and Mr.. Hammon. You've decided to
accept my offer?"
"No. l can't be hired spy"
"You said over the phone that you
had learned something"
II 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,"
'T knew I wasn't mistaken in you,"
smiled Merkle.
"Oh, don't attribute my actions to
any high moral motives! I'm getting
a little rusty on right and wrong, Per-
sonally, | have no sympathy with Mr..
Hammon, and l don't imagine he ac-
quired all of his tremendous fortune
in perfectly honorable way. Besides,
he's a 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
ality-one mans reputation for moral
integrity. A breath Of suspicion OF
any sort at the wrong time may bring
on a crash involving innocent people
"Hammon at this moment carries a
tremendous top-heavy burden Of re-
sponsibilities; his death would be nc
more disastrous than scandal that
would tend to destroy public conf
dence in him as a man."
Doesn't he know that himself?"
"Perhaps. But his infatuation over
took him at an age when man is q
fool. Young men are always objects
of suspicion in the financial world, fol
their emotions are unruly; but wher
old men fall in love they are superbly
needless Of the consequences prom
ised to tell you something about Jar
Wis, and WILL since you spoke of his
married life. From the time he could
walk he never knew anything, never
heard anything except steel. He be
came a rolling-mill superintendent al
most before he was Of age. They say
he never did less than two mems work
! and often more; but he could make
others work, too, and there lay the sc
cret Of his success. His mill held thu
tonnage record for years.
"When the corporation was formed
he played big part in the deal ant
got big slice of the profits. HI
, went into other things than steel, ant
he prospered. He never failed at any
: thing. Jarvis had no vices and bu
one hobby-at least his vices were neu
| tral, for he had never taken time t,
acquire the positive kind. His hobb!
/. was Napoleon Bonaparte. He read ev
> erything there was to read about Ma
, poleon; he studied his life and pat
{ termed his own on similar lines. d,
, l bore you, Miss Knight?"
; "No; go on. I'm tremendously in
terested."
: "Well, naturally, Harmon began Il
= consider himself another Napoleon
and his accomplishments were in 1
way quite as wonderful. He even con
fided to me once that his idol sur
passed him in only one respect
namely, the power to relax. Jarvi
had never taken time for relaxation
and he was beginning to wear out; anC
so-he deliberately set about learning
to play. The emperor of France, 81
history tells us, took his greatest pleas
ure in the company Of women; there
fore Harmon sought women. H
doesn't know the taste of defeat, 8
the result was foreordained."
"But surely he thought something
of his family" protested Lorelei
Didn't he consider them"
"I fancy he wasn't well acquainte
with his family. I'm sure he never en-
joyed any home life, as we understand
1t. He lived with rich old womal
who bore his name but scarcely knew
him; his daughters were grown womel
whom he saw on rare occasions ant
whose extravagant whims he gratlfie,
without question. But there was littl
real intimacy, little sympathy. Thi
was his first taste of youth. But-h
was not Napoleon. AS you've noticed
he's quite mad on the Lynn woman
He's no longer himself. He has beel
drugged by her charms, and-now he
paying the price. wanted you t
know the story before we went an,
further. Now tell me what you hav