The midland journal., 1917-07-27

When asked you to marry me never
dreamed"
She eyed him silently with an ex-
preston he could not fathom, then
asked, 'Tell me, do you really care
for meY
Jarvis Harmon was a virile, head
strong man; his world had come sud-
denly, inexplicably to an end. His
voice was hoarse, as he answered:
"Do you think I'd have made fool
Of myself if l hadn't? Do you think
I'd have ruined myself"
"Have you ruined yourself" she
interrupted, quickly.
''Not quite, perhaps; but what I've
lost, what I've sacrificed, would have
ruined most men. My home is gone,
and my family-as you know-yes,
and good many other things you
don't know about. Financially I'm not
done for"
"That's too bad"
"Eh? 1 don't understand. What
are you getting at?"
"I'll tell you. 1 never intended to
marry YOU, JdEflS.
He started as If she had struck him.
"That's what said," she reaff1rmed,
''and I'll tell you why. Look at me
close"
He did as she directed, but saw
nothing, his mind being in chaos. 1t
had been her intention to call Lorelei
to witness this dramatic disclosure
and thus enhance its effect, but in the
excitement Of the moment she forgot.
Look at me-" she repeated. "I'm Lily
Levinski."
"I.evfnski. A Jew?" he exclaimed,
in naive surprise.
Eyes. I'm Joe Levinski's girl. Do
you remember?"
"a Jeww 1t was plain that the
name meant nothing.
She slid down from her perch and
approached him, crying roughly,
Don't you remember Joe Levinski?"
Harmon shook his head. "He worked
for you in the Bessemer plant of the
old Kingman mill. Don't you remem-
ber?"
''There were four thousand men"
"He was killed when the converter
dumped. You were rushing the work.
Do you remember now?" Her words
came swift and shrill.
Harmon started; frown drew his
brows together. His mind groped back
through the years, and memory family
stirred, but she gave him no leisure
to speak.
81 was waiting outside with his din
ner bucket, along with the other wom-
en-. 1 saw him go. 1 saw you kill
him"
'Lilas! Good God, are you crazy?"
he burst forth.
"It was murder"
"Murder?"
"It was. You did it. You killed
him" She had dropped her cigarette,
and it burned a black scar into the
rug at their feet. Harmon retreated
step, the girl followed with blazing
eyes and words that were hot with
hate. "You spilled that melted steel
ON him, and saw it all. When grew
up 1 prayed for chance to get even,
for his sake and for the sake of the
other hunkies you killed. You killed
my mother, too, Jarvis Harmon, and
made me a-a-"
"Be quietr he commanded, roughly.
''The things ncredible-absurd. YOU
the daughter of one Of my workmen-
and a Jew!'
eyes. Levinski-Lily Levinski. And
you wanted to marry me-" she gibed.
"But fooled you"
'I guess I-must be-out Of my
head. 1 never knew the man-there
were thousands of them; accidents
were common. But-you say" He
gathered his whirling thoughts, and,
strangely enough, grew calm. "You
say you prayed for chance to get
even So, then, you've been humbug
ging- By God, don't believe itN%
''Its true. It's true. It's frue,"
shrilled the girl so Historically that her
voice reused Lorelei, sitting vacant
eyed in the room down the hall, and
brought her to her feet with ears sud
denly strained. Lorelei could hear
only a part of the words that followed,
but the tones of the two voices drew
her from her retreat and toward the
front Of the apartment.
81 knew you," Lilas was saying. 81
figured it all out, and-you were easy.
You were' a bigger fool than 1
dreamed"
'You, took my money-you let me
support your cried Harmon, in bitter
accusation.
''Oh, did more than that, planned
everything that has happened to you,
even that blackmail."
| "Blackmailv' he shouted. Did you
was that your-?" He grew suddenly
apoplectic; his eyes distended and red
dened with rage.
His dismay delighted her.,
Certainly" she smiled Half the
money is in my bank at this minute
besides all the rest you've given me.