Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1916-11-23
CHAPTER XIV.

| Bob's work as salesman continued
to be so effective that Kurtz finally
offered him a salaried position. But
instead Of accepting, Bob made coun-
| ter-proposition that caused the little
man to gasp. Briefly, it was to extend
the scope of the present business by
laying in a stock Of extravagant, high
priced shirt and necktie materials, with
Bob as partner in the new venture.
| Kurtz protested that he was not ha-
berdasher, but he was constrained to
admit that Bob had the right idea of
smart business, and after some discus
sion accepted his employees noncha-
liant offer to go halves on the new ven
ture and share in its profits The
fact that Bob had no money with
which to carry through his part of the
deal troubled that youth not in the
| least-Kurtz' credit was ample. Bob's
| theory Of securing the Fifth avenue
| trade was to double existing prices,
and II this did not bring the business,
to double them second time; and this
| theory was correct, as he demonstrated
when the new department was organ
lied.
| But despite the excellent income he
now began to make there was never
anything left In the Wharton bank ac-
count, for Bob moved his wife to a
more pretentious apartment on River
side drive and managed to increase
their expenses so as to balance his
earnings very nicely. 1t was quite a
feat to adjust a fixed outlay to a vary
ing income so that nothing whatever
should remain, and he considered it
strong proof of his capacities that he
succeeded.
BY Christmas the haberdashery ven
ture had shown such a profit that he
began to pile up a small bank account
in spite of himself so he bought an
automobile, which served to eat up any
monthly profits and guarantee a deficit
under the most favorable circum-
stances. Being thus relieved of finan-
cial uncertainty, he laid plans to wrest
from Kurtz full partnership in the
tailoring business itself.
The Whartons' new home was charm
ing, and Bob provided his wife with
every luxury. Lorelei did not regret
that she was prevented from going out
as much as formerly-her experience
at Fennellcourt had cured her of any
desire to get into her husbands social
set-and unconsciously she and Bob
began to develop a real home life.
AS time went on and evidences of
prosperity showed themselves Lorelei's
family forgot some of their dislike Of
Bob and became more companionable
Strangely enough, too, their cost of liv-
Ing increased in proportion to their
friendliness; but Bob never questioned
any amount they asked him for, and
he swelled their allowance with char
acteristic prodigaltty.
Lorelei was proud of him. as she
had reason to be, but she had occasion
for sorrow as we'll His generosity was
really big, his pagan joyousness ban
ished shadows, but he was intensely
human in his fatlings, and in spite of
his determination to stop drinking, in
spite of all his earnest promises. the
old appetite periodically betrayed him.
For month, Sor two months at
time, he would manfully fight his de-
sires, then without excuse, without
cause, just wheD he was boastng loud
est of his victory, he would fall And
vet drinking did not brutalize him as
it does most men; he never became dis
gushing; liquor intoxicated him, but
less in body than in spirit. His re-
pentance followed promptly. his cha
grin was intense, and his fear of Lore
lei almost ludiTous. But the girl had
acquired wider charity, gentler pa
thence; she grieved, she tried to help
him, and his srailty endeared him to
her. Love had been slow to awaken:
in fact. she had not been definitely
aware Of its birth; but suddenly she
had found it Towering in her soul, and
now 1t fourished the more as that other
interest intensified and began to domi-
nate her.
Bob responded to all her efforts save
one: she could not make him serious.
On the whole. however. they were
more happy than they had ever BEEN
One day, during the slack holiday
season, Hannibal Wharton appeared at
the Kurtz establishment. He ap-
praised the elaborate surroundings with
a hostile eye and stared at his son
impassively.
$50! You're seamstress now" he
began, and Bob grinned. "Merkle told
me you repaid his loan and had an au-
tomobile."
That's true"
Secondhand carr" 4tsfSg
mo"
How much do You owa?r
Nothing, except for stock"
"Stock! What do you mean?'
"Kurtz and are partners in one end
of this business"
"I'll be damnedr' breathed Mr.
Wharton. Then he inquired, curiously,
"Do you like this work."