Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1916-09-28
.'wnl you declare me in?"

MeleEer eyed his associate cOldly.
"'Fhere's no certainly. about 1t. You'd
throw your owl, mother ii you got u
chance. But you can't throw me. un-
derstand: You try cross and--the
cold-meat wagon for yours. I'll have
you stabbed at the morgue."
.Timmys reply left no doubt of the
gcnuineness Of his fears. ii not of his
intentions. Strange stories We're told
in the Tenderloin--tales of treacllery
punished and ingratitude revenged.
Jimmy knew several young men WIN
appeared out of the East side ut Mel
cher's signal. They were inconspieu-
Gus fellows. who bore fanciful dime
novel nameS-nnd no rustler's strong
hold of the old-time western cattle
country ever boosted more formidable
outlaws than they. Jim knew these
gunner we'll: he had no wish to know
them worse.
II can't promise anything definite
when she's sore on me-" he declared.
He's about ready to ask her--she's
the enc to fix. She hates men. though,
and that Merkle story made her crazy"
Nlelcher pondered for several mo-
ments. II think know Lorelei better
than you do" he stated, deliberately,
land believe we can pull this off, pro-
vided Wharton really wants to marry
her. Anyhow, he's so rich it's worth
the odds. and she's just the sort to
fall for 1t. Meanwhile want it un-
derstood with your mother that L
share in what comes her way
It'll fix that" promised jim. I
He found it. in fact, no very difficult
task to regain al least a part of his
sisters lost esteem, though the process
took time. He went about 1t with the
lazy, catlike patience of his kind. be-
haved himself. kept his mouth shut.
and assumed just enough of an injured
air to be plausible. Ha enlisted the
aid of his mother and of Lilas Lynn,
and meanwhile made himself as agree.
able AS possible to Robert Wharton.
Nfelcher was as good as his word.
and there shortly appeared in the Dis
patch an unpleasant rel,ash Of the for.
mer story. 1t was published in con-
nection with the Harmon divorce pro-
ceedings, news OF which was exciting
comment. and it further smirchcd I.0-
relei's reputation. jim was appropri-
ately indignant but helpless, and Mrs.
Knight unweariedly blamed everything
upon her daughters desertion OF the
family circle. predicting more evil to
follow unless Lorelei came home Mt
once. She also dwelt upon the fact
that Peter was steadily failing and
was in immediate need of both medical
and surgical attention. The doctor had
pronounced sentence. prescribing a to-
tai change of living and "A treatment
by foreign specialists
In some unaccountable way the story
OF Nobel Bergman'S humiliation be-
came public and afforded the basis for
newspaper article that brought him
to Lorelei's dressing room in a fine
fury. Even after She had convinced
him Of her innocence his resentment
was so bitter that she expected her dis
missal at any time.
Other press stories followed: the girl
suddenly found herself notorious:
scarcely a day passed without some
aisagreeable mention of her. .Adoree
Demorest. as indignant as Loreei her
self. declared finally that her friend
must he the object Of a premeditated
attack directed by some strong hand.
and once this suspicion had entered
Lorelei's mind it took root in spite of
its seeming extravaganza. Her good
sense argued that she was Of too little
consequence to warrant such an as
sault, but her relatives seized the sug-
gestlon so avidly AS to more than half
convince her.
Mrs Knight attributed this injustice
first to Bergman. then to Merkle. whom
she hated bitterly since her unfortu-
nate attempt at blackmail: Jim was
inclined to agree with her. Mrs.
Knight as always. ended her sympa-
thetic reassurances by saying, IF you
We're only married. my dear that
would end all cur troubles"
The climax Of these annoyances
cane one night after a party at which
Lorelei had been presented to an old
fiiendsof Miss Lynn's. I.ilas had in
troduced the man as one Of her girl
hood chums and Lorelei had tried to
he nice to him: then in some way he
arranged to take her home The mem
DRY of that ride was horror. She
knew now that she was hunted; the
man had told her 50. She felt like
deer covering In a brake with the
hounds working close This first at
tack left her trembling and wary. Her
cover seemed pitifully insecure.
Thus far Max Melcher's campaign
had worked even better than he had
expected. and meanwhile he had EN-
ploved Jim in assiduously cultivating
meetings as possible between Bob and
Lorelei. A short experience had taught
Jim to avoid his victim in daylight. for
in Bob'S sober hours the two did not
agree: but once mellowed by intoxica-
ton Wharton became imbued with
freely as he welcomed everyone. In
,cdentaliy the latter managed to reap
a considerable harvest from the asso-
citation. for Bob was a habitual gam
bier. and the courteous treatment he
received at Melcher's place seemed to
reconcile him to the loss of his money
When. on the morning after her dis
tressing adventure, LOrelei sent for her
brother and demanded vengeance upon
her assailant he decided that 1t was
time to test the issue. He pretended.
of course. to be ferocioliSly enraged.