The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1916-12-14
6RoMJCTION BLOCK
Aufhor of
""7He Iron TnI''
"Me Spoilers"
"7He Siver Horde" Etc.
c.s,,rs. ~ H-,p~ q sr'fis.

perb. something terrible about his un-
changing grlmness
"Is your car outside, Johnp" he
asked.
Mcrkle shook his head. He was
thinking swiftly. 81 wouldn't dare risk |
that, anyhow. The driver is new
man"
Get cab" Jim offered, In panic.
"The cab driver would be sure to-"
"I'll drive" Bob volunteered. "1'm
drunk. but I've done 1t before when
| was drunken. It's an old trick OF
mlne--sort OF Joke. seer Give me
some money--a cabby'll do anything
for money at this time O. night"
Merkle eyed the speaker In momen-
tary doubt. then handed him n roll of
bank-notes. "It's serious business.
Bob, but jarvis can't stay here. There's
somebody else TO consider besides US
and-Miss Lynn. I'm thinking about
Mrs. Harmon and the girls" He fol-
lowed Bob to the door and let him out,
stepped swiftly down the hall, then,
without knocking. opened the door to
Lllas Lynn's bedroom and entered.
Lilas was busted at her dressing. At
his entrance she uttered n frightened
cry and a silver spoon slipped from her
nerveless fingers. Merkle saw little
open box, u glass OF water. the cap of
pearl-and-gold fountain pen. but took
scant notice Of them, being too deeply
stirred and too much surprised at her
appearance. She was no longer the vi,
tai, dashing girl he had known, but
pallid, crlnging wreck of a woman.
She shrnnk back at sight of him, bab-
bling unintelligible words and COVER
ing as II expecting a blow.
"Dld you shoot him7" he asked,
grimly.
Shlverlng, choking, speechless, Liias
stared at him. A repetition Of his ques-
tlon brought no reply.
Selling her roughly, he shook her,
muttering sayagely:
"If were sure. by God. I'd strangle
your
She remained limp; her expression
less stare did not change.
Merkle heard a stir behind him and
found Jimmy knights blanched face
peering In at him. Even fright could
not entirely rob the younger mans fea.
lures of their sly inquisitiveness.
"Mr. Hammon's calling you," said
Jim, then blinked at the wretchedly
dlsheveled woman.
"HereW Merkle beckoned him with
Jerk OF his head. This girl must gel
away from here. She'll ruin everything
in her condition. Try TO put her in som,
kind Of shape while Lorelei packs hei
bag. We had better get her out of tn,
country II we can"
Jim's quick eyes took In the articles
on the dressing table. "Hal Dope,
he exclaimed. "She's a coker--she'i
filed herself up. But, say-you dom
really think she-dld 1t, do your
II don't know what to think. IT.
just as bad, either way. Hammon'
wife and daughters must never know
Now, quick. See what you can do will
her"
: Merkle returned to the library, sen
Lorelel in to her brothers assistance
! then scanned his friends face anx
; iously. But Hammon had not moved
the sweat still stood upon his lips an
forehead, his jaws were still set llk
stone.
Several months before, Bob Whai
ton. during one OF his hilarious me
| manta bad ooncaiyaH tho hriiiiapt NJ
ton of hiring four-wheeler and driy
ing convivlal party Of friends fror
place to place. The success of his e1
; plot had been so gratifying that b
I had repeated the performance, but h
was III a far different mood now a
!, he left the Elegancia. The shock Q
!. Loreleis announcement, the sight @
t his stricken friend, had sobered hir
considerably, yet he was not hlmsel
- by any means. At one moment he say
and reasoned clearly, at the next hl
!. intolicatlon benumbed his senses an
n distorted his mental vision. For ono
| in his life he wished himself sober.
Broadway, that pulsatlng artery c
New York life, was still flowing a thi
: stream of traffic despite the latenes
r of the hour, and Bob's mind had b,
come clearer by the time he reached |
a Several taxicabs whirled past, bot
4 north and south bound, but he kne'
n berter than to hire them, so he waite
g as patiently as he could while thos
n billows of intoxication continued to eb
and flow through bis brain. robbin
r him OF that careful judgment whiC
I he fought to retain.
a At last the clop-clop-cloD OF horse
i hoofs sounded close by, and an III
y shaven man in an ancient high hi
!" steered a four-wheeler to the cur
1t barking, "Keb. kebw
u Bob lurched forward and laid han
e, upon the drivers knee. every ma
1t I'm lookin' for" The hiccup that 4,
p, lowed was by no means intentional.
&c Eyes, sir. Where to, slr?"
r. But Bob shook his head vigorous
re and waved a comprehensive gestul