The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1917-01-25


| thought. knew he had 1t In him;
you were the one"
"No. no. We both doubted. Perhaps
this girl read him."
"Sure she read himw snorted the
father. "She read his bank book. But
fooled her"
"Do you remember when Bob was
born3 The doctors thought"
"Of course | remember" her hus-
band broke in. Those doctors said
you'd never come through it."
"Yes; wasn't strong"
"But you did. | was with you. l
fought for you. I wouldn't let you die.
Remember it?" The speaker molstened
his lips. "Why, never forgot"
"Bob is experiencing something like
that tonight"
Hannibal started, then he fumbled
uncertainty for cigar. When he had
1t lighted he said. gruffly. well, 1t
made a man of me; I 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 fg-
ure was shaking wretchedly.
"My dearr' he cried, rising.
81 can't keep It up, Hannibal.
can't pretend any longer. It's Bob's
baby and it's ours" DisregardinR
his denial, she ran on, swiftly: you
can't understand, but I'm lonely. Han
nibai, terribly lonely and sad. Bot
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 oul
lives dry and crowded out everything
They even crowded out our son and
spoiled him. They made you into {
stone man; they came between me and
the people and the things / loved: the!
walled me of from the world. My If
is empty-empty. I want to mothe
something"
Hannibal inquired, hoarsely: "No
this baby, surely? Not that woman
child?"
. ITS Bob's baby and ours" -
He looked down at her queerly for
moment "The breed is rotten. II b
had married a decent girl"
"John Merkle says she is splendid.
How do you know?"
81 have talked with him. hav
learned whatever l could about he
wherever I could. and it's all goot
After all, Bob loves her, and isn't tha
enough"
. "But she doesn't love him." storme
the father. "She said she didn't. Sh
wants his money, and she thinks she
, get 1t this way"
"Do you think money can pay her Il
what she is enduring at this minute
!. She's frightened, just as l was frigh
ened when Bob was born. She's sic
= and suffering. But do you think q
!, our dollars could buy that child fro
= her? Money has made us hard. Ham
bal; let's-be different"
"I'm afraid we have put II Off 4
: long" he answered, slowly. ISL
= won't forgive us, and I'm not sure
want her to-"
|, "Bob's in trouble. Won't you go
:, him%
a Hannibal Wharton opened his liI
\ closed them; then. taking his hat al
q coat he left the room.
. But as the old man went uptov
his nerve failed him. He was fixed
his ways, he had a blind faith in
;, own infalllbllity. Twice he rode
~ in the elevator to his sons door, twi
g he rode down again. Hannibal settl
= himself to wait.
During the chill, still hours after {
- city had gone to rest an automob
:, drew up to the apartment house; VIII
:, its expected passenger emerged frc
~ ~ the building a grim-faced stranger
a greatcoat accosted him. One CLAN
" challenged the physicians attentic
" and he answered:
Eyes, it's all over. A boy"
le "And-Mrs. Wharton. the mother
10 youth is a wonderful thing, a
'h she has everything to live for. She
e doing as well as could be expect
T. You're n relative, presume?"
d The old man hesitated, then
Is voice came boldly. "Yes, I'm her
Ell ther."
rs When the doctor had driven aw
as Hannibal strobe into the building a
On telephoned to the Waldorf. but now
IT words were short and oddly brok
u, Nevertheless theJ brought a light
nu gladness to the eyes OF the woman v
NC had waited all these hours.
CHAPTER xxyL.
an Adoree Demorest, still In her gilt