Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1916-11-30


you were the one"
mo, no! We both doubted. Perhaps
this girl read him."
"Sure she read himw snorted the
father. "She read his bank book. But
l fooled her"
do you remember when Bob was
born? The doctors thought"
"Of course I remember her hus
band broke in. "Those doctors said
you'd never come through it."
Eyes; l wasn't strong"
But you did. l was with you. ]
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 fumbled
uncertainty for cigar When he had
it lighted he said, gruf1y, "Well, il
made a man of me; hope it'll help
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 a little child
just as / offered mine.''
There was a 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.
81 can't keep it up, Hannibal.
can't pretend any longer. It's Bob's
baby and it's ours" Designating
his denial, she ran on, 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 loved; they
walled me off from the world. My life
is empty-empty. I want to mother
something"
Hannibal inquired, hoarsely: "Not
this baby, surely? Not that woman's
child?"
Its Bob's baby and ours"
He looked down at her queerly for 8
moment. 1.-THE breed is rotten. If he
had married a decent girl"
"John Merkle says she is splendid
"How do you known"
81 have talked with him. I have
learned whatever I could about her
wherever l 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 shell
get it this way"
do you think money can pay her fol
what she is enduring at this minute
She's frightened, just as / was fright
ened when Bob was born. She's sicE
and suffering. But do you think al
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 off too
long" he answered, slowly. "Sht
won't forgive us, and I'm not sure
want her to-"
"Bob's in trouble. Won't you go tt
him?'
Hannibal Wharton opened his lips
closed them; then, taking his hat anC
coat, he left the room.
But as the old man went uptown
his nerve failed rim. He was fixed il
his ways, he had blind faith in hi!
own infallibility. Twice he rode III
in the elevator to his sons door, twic,
he rode down again. Hannibal settled
himself to wait.
During the chill, still hours after tn,
city had gone to rest an automobil,
drew up to the apartment house; whel
its expected passenger emerged from
the building a grim-faced stranger il
a greatcoat accosted him. One glanc
challenged the physicians attention
| and he answered:
Eyes, it's all over. A boy"
"And-Mrs. Wharton, the mother?
youth is wonderful thing, an,
she has everything to live for. She i
doing as well as could be expected
You're relative, presume?'
The old man hesitated, thec hi
voice came boldly. "Yes, I'm her ia
ther."
When the doctor had driven ava.
Hannibal strobe into the building an,
telephoned to the Waldorf, but now hi
words were short and oddly broker
Nevertheless they brought light O
gladness to the eyes of the woman VIII
had waited all these hours.
CHAPTER XVI.