Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1916-10-20

l ~~~N 60 ASeA0 AAAn
"Sure she read himg' snorted the
father. "She read his bank book. But
L fooled her."
DO you remember when Bob was
born? The doctors thought"
of course rememberY' her hus-
band broke In. '"Those doctors said
you'd never come through it."
Yes; wasn't strong"
| But you did. was with Won. I
fought for you. wouldn't let You die.
Remember it?" The speaker moistened
his lips. "Why, never forgot"
Bob is experiencing something like
that tonight"
Hannibal started, then he fumbIed
uncertainty for cigar. When he had
it lighted he said, grufly, "Well. it
made a man OF me; I hope It'll HELM
Bob"
Still staring out across the glowing
lights and the mysterious, inky blots
that lay below her. Mrs. Wharton went
on: "You are thinking only of Bob. but
I'm thinking of her, too She is offer
ing her life for the life of little child,
l JhoN OnGTeu
There was silence, then Hannibal
looked up to find his wife standing
over him, with face strangely humble.
Her eyes were appealing, her frail fig
ure was shaking wretchedly.
my dearw he cried, rising.
II can't keep it up, Hannibal. /
can't pretend any longer. It's Bob's
baby and it's ours" Disregarding
his denial, she ran OH, swiftly: "You
can't understand, but I'm lonely, Han
nibal, terribly lonely and sad. Bob
grew up and went away, and all we
had left was money. The dollars piled
up; year by year they grew heavier
and heavier until they squeezed our
lives dry and crowded out everything.
| They even crowded out our son and
spoiled him. They made you into a
stone man; they came between me and
the people and the things 1 loved; they
walled me off from the world. My life
is empty-empty. / want to mother
something"
Hannibal inquired, hoarsely: "Not
this baby, surely2 Not that woman's
child?"
ITS Bob's baby and ours"
He looked down at her queerly for a
moment. "The breed is rotten. II he
had married a decent girl"
"John Merkle says she is splendid"
slow do you known
II have talked with him. have
learned whatever 1 could about her,
wherever could, and it's all good.
After all, Bob loves her, and isn't that
enough?"
"But she doesn't love him." stormed
the father. "She said she didn't. She
wants his money, and she thinks she'll
get 1t this way"
do you think money can pay her for
what she is enduring at this minute?
She's frightened, just as l was fright
ened when Bob was born. She's sick
and suffering. But do you think all
our dollars could buy that child from
her? Money has made us hard. HannI-
bal; let's-be different"
I'm afraid we have put it of too
long" he answered, slowly. "She
won't forgive US, and I'm not sure /
want her to-"
"Bob's in trouble. Won't you go to
him?
Hannibal Wharton opened his lips,
closed them; then, taking his hat and
coat he left the room.
But as the old man went uptown
his nerve failed him. He was fixed in
his ways, he had blind faith in his
own infallibility. Twice he rode ND
in the elevator to his sons door, twice
he rode down again. Hannibal settled
himself to wait.
During the chill, still hours after the
city had gone to rest an automobile
drew up to the apartment house; when
its expected passenger emerged from
the building grim-faced stranger in
a greatcoat aceosted him. One glance
challenged the physicians attention,
and he answered:
"Yes, it's all over. A boy"
"And--Mrs. Wharton, the mother?'
youth is a wonderful thing, and
she has everything to live for. She is
doing as well as could be expected.
You're relative, presume?"
The old man hesitated, then his
voice came boldly. eyes, I'm her IA
ther."
When the doctor had driven away
Hannibal strobe into the building and
telephoned to the Waldorf, but now his
words were short and oddly broken.
Nevertheless they brought a light of
gladness to the eyes of the woman who
had waited all these hours.
CHAPTER XVI.