The midland journal., 1917-08-10

She's The Chewing Gum Girl and The
Petticoat Girl and The Bathtub
Girl"
'@There's nothing dishonest in that"
"Just a minute. 1 won't have my
daughters face grinning at me every
time l get into a street car. I'd be
the laughing-stock of the country. It's
legitimate, perhaps, but it's altogether
too damned colorful for me-"
"Is that all you have against herr"
"Not by any means. She's notori-
GUS"
Newspaper talk!'
''Is it? She's made her living by
bleeding men, by taking gifts and
renting herself out the way she did at
Hammon's supper. Men don't support
show girls from chivalrous motives. 1
had her family looked up, and it didn't
take two hours. Listen to this report"
"Now Lorelei gulped.
"'No police record as yet'-'Broker
living at the Charlevoix apartments
injured by a taxicab while intoxi-
cated,'" quoted Wharton. Scandal,
blackmail, graft. It's all here, Bob.
The report was made by one of our
own men, and it's incomplete, but I
can have it elaborated. What do you
say, Mrs. Wharton? Is it true?"
Lorelei dropped her head. 'Most of
it, dare say"
did you try to blackmail Merkle?"
"No."
"Your mother and your brother did"
She was silent.
"They tried to scare him into marry
ing you, did they not?"
Harmon said something about
that" calculated Bob, "but 1 don't be-
lieve-"
Lorelei checked him. Its quite
true"
'Merkle said you had nothing to do
with it personally" conscientiously ex
planned Mr.. Wharton, "and I'm willing
to take his word. But that's neither
here nor there" There was moment
of silence during which he folded and
replaced the report; then he shook his
head, exclaiming, Secondhand goods,
my boy!'
'That's liew Lorelei's voice was
like whip.
Mr.. Wharton eyed her grimly.
''That's something for Bob to deter
mine-I have only the indications to
go on. don't blame him for losing his
wits-you're very good looking-but
the affair must end. You're not a girl
I'd care to have in my family-pardon
my bluntness."
She met his eyes fairly. At no time
had she finched before him, although
inwardly she had cringed and her flesh
had quivered at his merciless attack.
"You have told Bob the TRUTH" she
began, slowly, ''in the worst possible
way; you have put me in the most un-
favorable light. 1 dare say 1 never
would have had the courage to tell
him myself, although he deserves to
know. I've been pretty-commercial-
because had to be, but never sold
myself, and sha'n't begin now. Bob
isn't a child; he's nearly thirty years
old-Old enough to make up his own
mind-and he must make this decision,
not l."
Bob opened his lips, but his father
forestalled him.
what do you mean by that?"
81 have no price. If he's sick Of the
match We'll end it, and it won't cost
you a cent"
Bob looked inscrutable; his father
smiled for the first time during the in
terview.
"That's very decent Of you," he said,
"but of course 1 sha'n't put the good
faith of your offer to the test. 1 don't
want something for nothing. I'll take
care of you nicely"
Thus far Bob had yielded precedence
to his father, but he could no longer
restrain himself. Now let me take
the chair" he commanded, easily my
mind is made up. You see, 1 didn't
marry Peter Knight, residence Vale
nor James knight, reputation bad,'
nor even 'Mathilda knight, wife Of
Peter 1 married this kid, and the
books are closed. You say the Knights
are a bad lot, and Loreleis reputation
Is trifie discolored; maybe you're
right, but mine has some inky blots on
1t, too, and guess the cleanest part
of it would just about match the dark
est that hers can show. seem to have
all the best of the deal"
Don't be an ass" growled his IA
ther.
"Ive always been one-I may as
we'll be consistent" Bob felt the slen-
der form at his side begin to tremble,
and smiled down into the troubled blue
eyes upturned to his. Maybe we'll
both have to do some forgiving and
forgetting. believe that's usual nova
days"
"Oh, I'm not whitewashing you,"
Hannibal snapped. "She probably
knows what you are"
II do" agreed Lorelei. "He's a
drunkard, and everything that means.
But YOU taught him to drink before he