Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1916-08-10
"why don't you ask Miss Demorests

She came with you'
Wharton sighed hopelessly. Some
I thing queer about that Jane. D'you
know what made us late? She Went
to mass OH the way down"
Mass? At what hour
ut was special midnight service
conducted for actors. sat in the taxi
and waited. 1t did me lot of good"
Some time later Merkle returned to
find Bob still animatedly talking;
catching Lorelei's eye. he signlfied a
desire to speak with her. but she
found 1t difficult to escape from the
intoxicated young man at her side. At
last. however, she succeeded, and
Joined her supper companion at the
farther edge of the fountain. where the
tireless cupids still poured water from
the cornucopias
NIerkle was watching his friends
son with frown
You have Just left the personiiica-
ton of everything detest." he vol,ln-
teered. You heard what his father
said about raising hlm--iow lie taught
in his footsteps. But that isn't what
want to say to you. Help me feed
these foolish goldfish while talk"
DO you think anybody would under
stand III they overheard you? Il fan
cied YOU and l We're the only sober
ones left"
Some of the girls are all right
Merkle eyed his companion closely.
Don't you drink?"
II have nothing but my looks.
Wouldn't | be fool to sacrifice them?"
You seem to be sensible Miss
Knight Something tells me you're
very much the right sort know
you're trying to get ahead. and--I can
help you ii youth help me. need an
agent and IN pay u good price to the
right person"
How mysterious!"
I'M be plain That affair yonder''-
he nodded toward Jarvis Harmon and
l-ilas Lynn-"strilses you as a--well.
as a Irritation. 1t Is something very
different. for he's In earnest He thinks
ha-is ininring no one but himself with
this business. and he Is willing to pay
the price; but the fact is he Is putting
other people in perfl--me among the
rest. Nobody outside of u mans fam
lily has the right to question his private
| sequences. But when his secret CON
duct affects his business affairs, when
1t endangers vast interests In which
others are concerned. then his associ-
ates are entitled to take hand Do
make myself cear:"
Perfectly. But you don't want me;
you want detective"
My dear child, we have them by
the score. We hire them by the year,
and they have told us all they can
We need inside information
The girls answer was made with her
habit,ial possession.
I've heard about such things. I've
heard about men prylng into each 9th
er's private affairs pretending to be
friends when they We're enemies, and
using scandal for business ends. Lilas
Lynn Is my friend at least in way
and MIR. Harmon is my host just as
he is yours Oh know: this isn't a
as conventional guest--inside the
| little coin purse he gave me Is a hum
dred-dollar hill-bnt. just the same, I
don't care to act as your spy"
| Merkle's grave attention arrested
Lorelei's burst of indignation.
1
when | tell you that Jarvis Harmon
and Hannibal Wharton are the two
best friends have in the world? This
is more than a business matter, Miss
4 Knight"
81 can hardly believe that
''It's true. however: mean to serve
| Harmon. At the same time | must
serve myself and those who trust me-.
| feur-in fact. Pm snre--that he is
being used I've learned things about
Miss Lynn that you may not know.
| What you have told me tonight adds
to my anxiety, and | must know
more"
What. for instance?'
Her real feeling for him-her inten-
ttons her relations with man named
| Melcher-"
"MaXey MecherT"
The same DO you know his bust
ness?''
NO"
HE is a gambler. political power;
a crafty. unscrupulous fellow who rep
resents big people. BY helping me
you can serve many innocent persons.
and most of all. perhaps, Harmon
himself
Lorelei was silent for moment.
This is very unusual" she said at
lieve you or not
Suppose. then. you let the matter
rest and keep your eyes open. When
You convince yourself who means best
to Jarvis-Miss Lynn and Melcher and
their crowd. or and mine-make your
decision. You may name your own
| price,
There wouldn't be any price," she
told him. impatlently I'll wait"
Merkle bowed. Il can trust your
discretion. Thank you for listening to
ME. and thank you for being agreeable
to an irascibie old dyspeptic. Will you
permit me to drive you home when
you're ready?'
I'm ready now
But as Lorelei made her way unob-
trusively toward the cloakroom she ell
countered Robert Wharton. who barred
her path.
Fairy Princess. you ran away" he
declared. accusingly
I'm leaving" She saw that his In.