Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-05-26

why do you choose the Long Island
road" asked Lorelei
Its pleasant" responded Merkle
~ ride nearly every night. and | like
the country You see, can't sleep
unless I'm IN motion. | get most of
my rest in car: there's something
about The movement that soothes me-"
How funny
peculiar parhaps. but scarcely hui
morous. I'd be dead or insane with
out an automobile. | keep four
French cars in my garage all specially
built as to spring suspension and up
bostery. and | spend nearly every
night In one or the other of them. So
long as I'm moving fast | manage 10
snatch 4 miserable sort Of repose, but
the instant we 20 slow | wake up. |
used to sleep ut Twenty miles an hour;
now can't relax under thirty.
Forty Is fne-sixty means dreamless
peace"
1T does, indeed, If one happens to
have blowout" laughed the girl.
The car was now darling through
unfreQucnted side streets, where the
asphalt lay in the shadows like dark
pools Up the approach to the Queens
i,oroussh tridgc 1t swept, and took the
long incline like a soaring bird. Black
wells island slipped under them. an
inky. bottomless pit Of despair. The
breath of the ovcrheated city changed
as by magic, and the thin-faced suf-
ferer at Iorelei's side drank it in ca.
gcrly. Even in the dim fash Of the
passing Examinations she noted how
tired and worn he was, and sudden
pity smote her
won't you pretend I'm not here,
and drive just as you always do? |
won't mind" she said.
"My dear, it's late. You'll need to
20 home"
"No, no."
Really" His eagerness was genu'
inc. Won't your people worry
Her answer was a short mirthless
laugh that made him glance at her GU
rlusly.e They know Fin perfectly
safe. It's the other way round: man
of your standing takes chances by be
ing alone with Il woman of-mlnc.'
(Which reminds me Of Miss Lynn
and Mr.. Harmon. You've decided to
accept my oirer?'
mo. | can't be n hired spy"
"You said over the phone that you
had learned something
81 have believe there is an effort
on foot to yet some of Mr.. Hammons
money dishonesty. | have reason
for wishing to prevent it."
81 knew | wasn't mistaken in you,'
smiled Mcr!ile.
"Oh, don't attribute my actions to
any high moral motives! I'm getting
q little rusty on right and wrong. Per.
sonally. have no sympathy with Mr.
Harmon, and | don't imagine he &c.
ouircd all Of his tremendous fortune
in a perfectly honorable way. Besides
he's q married man.
ut isn't alone Jarvis or his family
or their money that is concerned
Mcrklc said. gravely. "Groat financial
institutions sometimes rest on founda-
tons as slight as one mans person.
ality--one mans reputation Tor moral
integrity. A breath Of suspicion of
any sort ut the wrong time may bring
on crash involving innocent people
shannon at this moment carries q
tremendous top-heavy burden of re
sponsibilities. his death would be nc
more disastrous than scandal that
would tend to destroy public conf
dence in him ms man,
Doesn't he know that HIMSELF"
perhaps. But his lnfatuatlon over
took him at an age when a man Is q
fool. Young men arc always objects
OF suspicion In the financial world, fol
their emotions are unruly; but wher
old men fall in love they are supcrbly
Needless Of the consequences. | prom
ised to tell you something about Jar
Wis, and | will, since you spoke of his
married life. From the time he could
walk he never knew anything, never
heard anything except steel. He be
came rolling-mill superintendent al
most before he was of age. They say
he never did less than two mems work
and often more but he could make
others work, too. and there lay the Sc
crct or his success His mill held The
tonnage record for years.
when the corporation was formed
ne played big part In the deal ant
.avis.---~~ 4' te--s@-4.--s~~~S.