Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1916-12-15

4 dren"
Adoree shrugged; the beads at her
throat clicked barbarously, Neither
did |, but suppose every woman does
If she only knew 1t. Tonight began
to understand what this ache inside or
me means" Her gaze came back ana
ccntered upon his face, but II was
frightened and panic-strlcken. "Ive
sacrificed my right to children
How can you say"
"Oh. you know 1t as well as do''
A flush wavered In the speakers
cheeks. then fled, leaving her white ana
weary. you, of all men, must under
stand. I'm notorious. I'm painted
woman, a wicked woman-the wicked
est woman in the land--and that repn-
tation viii live in spite Of anything |
can do" She began to cry now In
way strange to Popes experience.
Popes habitual restraint all at once
gave way. "Nonscnsel he exploded.
The thing that counts Is what yon
are, not what you seem to be. | know
the truth
Now there was nothing sufficiently
significant about these words to bring
n light of wonderment and giadness 10
the girls face, but her tears ceased as
abruptly as they had commenced, and
noting the slowly growing radiance OF
her expression. Campbell was stricken
dumb with fright at the possible conse-
quences Of tementy. The knowledge
Of his shortcomings robbed him OF con
tidence and helped to confuse him.
Adoree rose. For moment she
stood looking at him with a peculiar,
tender smile, then took him by the
apels Of his shapeless coat and drew
his thin face down to hers.
I'm not going TO let you back out"
she declared, firmly. You asked me.
didn't your
"Adoree! No, no! Think what you
are doing" he cried. sharply.
But she continued to smile up into
/ his eyes with sladness that intoxi-
Gated him.
She Struggled closer to him, mur,nur-
4 ing, cozily: II don't want to think
Wen have plenty Of time to think
when we're too old to talk. Now just
want to love you as hard as You have
been loving me for the last siA
months
To all young fathers there comes a
certain reimbursement Of values. TO
Rob. who had always led selfish,
thoughtless existence, 1t was at first
bewilderng TO discover that his place
at the head Of his household had been
usurped by ANOTHER. Heretofore he had
always been Of supreme domestic I'm
portance, but now the order of things
was completely reversed, If not hope
lessIy IumbIed First In consequence
came this new person, tiny and vastly
tyrannlral because Of Its helplessness.
then the nurse, an aWesome personal
sort Of oracle and regent combined
who ruled In the name and stead OF TIE
new heir. Lorelei herself occupied no
mean station In the new scheme, for at
least she shared the confidence of the
nurse and the doctor, and ranked
above the cook and the housemald, but
not so Bob. Somewhere at the foot of
the list he found his own true place.
Now, strange to say. this novel ar.
ranGemcnt was extremely agreeable to
the deposed ruler. Bob took a shame
less delight in doing mental service;
to fetch and to carry for all hands filed
him with Joy. But once outside of the
premises lie reasserted himself, and his
importance grew os gas expands. BE
fore long his intimate friends began to
avoid him like plague. 1t was his
mariner. Kurtz, who finally dubbed
him 1.-THE pestilence that talketh In
darkness aud the destruction that
WastetI our mondays
One day, after Dob had acquired suf-
ficleilt confidence n himself and in the
baby to handle it without anxiety to
the nurse. he begged permission to
show it to the mailman downstairs. He
returned greatly elated, explaining
that the attendant. who had some I'M
possible number OF babies Of his own
and might therefore be conside ed an
authority declared this one to be the
finest he had ever beheld. Oddly
enough, this praise delighted Bob out
of all reason. lie remained In state
of suppressed excitement all that day,
nud on the following afternoon he
again kidnapped the child for second
( exhibition. 1t seemed that the infants
fame sprend rapidly, for soon the ten.
ants Of nelghboring apartments began
TO cnmor for Il sight Of 1t, and Rol
I was only too eager to crafty them
Every afternoon he took his son down
stairs with him. until finally Lorele
checked him as he was going out.
Bob. dear" she said. with the faint
cst shadow of smile, 81 don't thinA
/ It's good for him to go out 80 often
Why don't you ask your father and
mother to come up"
Wharton flushed, then he STAN
mered, T-what makes you-er--
think"
"Why. guessed 1t the very frat
day." Lorelei's smile saddened. '"rhe.
needn't see me, you know"
Bob laid the child back In its bed
"But that's just what they want They
want TO see YOU only wouldn't lie,
YOU be bothered They're perfectly
foolish over the kid; mother cries, and
fathpr-but lust wait" He rushed out
of the room, and in Il few moments re
turned with his parents.
Hannibal Wharton was deeply EN-
tarrassed, but his vie went stralgh'
10 I4orelei and bending over her chair
placed kiss upon her lips. There,
said sho. when you are stronger In
going to apologize for the way we'"
treated you. We're old people. wer