Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1916-08-10

The girl shrugged daintily. He was
drunk and fresh can't bear a man
In such 4 condition.
You shouldn't antagonize man
like him, my dear. He's single. at
least: and naturally he's impulsive, ike
all those young millionaires.'
Bob is an alcoholic. He's no good,
SO Mr.. Merkle said"
jim. who was immersed in the morn.
ing, paper, spoke from his chair near
the window
why don't you go after Merkle him
self. sis? Easy picking. these bank.
ers.'
Jim also had come home in the still
hours OF the night before and was now
resting preparatory to his daily battle
with the world. Just how the struggle
knew not at all.
His mother shook her head "Those
old men are all alike. Mr.. Harmon
will never marry Lias."
rs that 500" James abandoned his
reading. "The older they are. the
softer they get. Take 1t from me. on
the word of volunteer fireman, Lilas
will cash in on him quicker than you
think. know"
''How do you know?" inquired his
sister.
Maybe got the dogeared dope"
Knocked the brother. Maybe Max Mel
cher told me. Anyhow, you could land
Merkle just as easy If you'd declare
Max in
Now. jim" protested Mrs. Knight,
II won't let you lut such ideas into
her head You and-that gang Of
yorrs-are full OF tricks, but Lorelei's
decent. and she's going to stay decent.
You'd get everybody in Jail or in the
Newspapers
HAS MaXey ever been in Jail? Has
Tony the Barber? No. you bet they
haven't and they never will be This
jail talk is funny. Just wait and see
how easy I.ilas gets hers OF course,
IT Lorelei could marry Wharton, that
would be different, but he's no sucker
How is Iilas going to get hers?'
insisted Lorelei
Wait and see.' James returned to
his paper.
Shell never marry him. She hates
him.
Jim laughed and his sister broke out
lrritably:
why be so mysterious? Anybody
would think you'd robbed a bank
Jim looked up again. and this time
with q scowl. We'll. every time
come through with Il suggestion ma
crabs it, What's the use of talking
to pair of haymakers like you, any
how? could grab IL lot Of coin for US
if you'd let me. Why. Maxey has been
after me q dozen times about you, but
knew you wouldn't stand for it,
"Rlackmail. eh?'
Jim was highly Disguised. Whats
the difference how you pronounce IT?
1T spells k-a-l-e. and it takes a good
looking girl to pull off deal in this
town. All right-play for Bob Whar-
ton. I'd like to meet him, though he
can do me lot of good
How
Well. he dropped eight-four hundred
I'm Hebing's Sixth avenue Joint the
other night Maxey owns place on
Forty sixth street where the sky is the
limit
His sister was staring at him curl
ou>ly. She had voiced misgivings con-
corning his activities of late, but Jim
had never satisfied her inquiries. Now
she asked. What is your share?"
The young man laughed little I'm.
comfortably. "Forty per cent That's
usual. If he's going to gamble some
where might us we'll he in on it,
The girls next words. however, left
no doubt as to her feelings.
YOU'RE n fine specimen. aren't you?
Fer lip cnrled: mother and son started
at the bitterness of the tone. Ugh!
What mess you've made of things.
Two years ago we We're decent, and
now" Lorelei's voice broke; her
eyes filmed over with tears. I'D give
anything in the world If we were all
back in Vale. 1t took only two years
of the city TO spoil u.s.
"Ha! Better try Vale again. You'd
end in straightjacket If you did. You
think you could go back, but you
couldn't nobody can after they've
had taste OF the city,
Its all wrong. The whole thing
is-rotten Sometimes | hate myself"
Lorelei choked.
Mrs. Knight spoke reprovingly. {
"Don't be silly. dear You know we
n oil 70, I1,%
planning" Mrs. Knight put added feel
ing into her words. 1--WE don't want
you to live the way we've had to live;
we want you to be rich and to have
things. After all we've done; after all
poor Peter has suffered"
"Don't!." cried the girl. falteringly.
II think of him every hour
He isn't the sort that complains. /
consider it very thoughtless of you to
behave as you do and make it harder
for u.s.. Mrs Knight shifted and
wiped her eyes. whereupon Lorelei
Went to her and hid her face upon her
mothers shoulder.
II don't want to be unkind." she
murmured. but sometimes I'm sick
with disgust. and then again Pin
frightened All the men meet are
beasts. That whole party was sordid
and mean-old men drinking with girls
and paving them over. Mr. Merkle
was the only nice one there" The
mother was dismayed to feel her
daughter shiver.
Good Lord! You people make me
sick" cried Jim, rising and making fer
his room. "Anybody'd think you'd
been insulted."