The midland journal., 1917-08-31
CHAPTER XIV.

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 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 If 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
ized.
| 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
| feat to adjust 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 small bank account
in spite Of himself; so he bought an
automobile, which served to eat up any
monthly profits and guarantee 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 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 tfieir
friendliness; but Bob never questioned
any amount they asked him for, and
he swelled their allowance with char
acteristic prodigality.
Lorelei was proud of him, as she
had reason to be, but she had occasion
for sorrow as WELL His generosity was
really big, his pagan jeyousness ban
ished shadows, but he was intensely
human in his failings, and in spite of
his determination to stop drinking, in
spite Of all his earnest promises, the
old appetite periodically betrayed him.
For month, for two months at a
time, he would manfully fight his de-
SlEGS, lleu WlllOut CACuSS, W1luOuI
cause, just when he was boasting loud
est of his victory, he would fall. And
yet drinking did not brutalize him as
it does most men; he never became dis
gusting; 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
II IL 1VNdf pIHk %ho ySnl hnd
acquired wider charity, a gentler pa
tience; she grieved, she tried to help
him, and his frailty endeared him to
her. Love had been slow to awaken;
in fact, she had not been definitely
aware of it's birth; but suddenly she
had found it Towering in her soul, and
now 1t fiourished 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-
pTdlScu Tic SldUOEdlc couIIOuAuIuSS WIN
hostile eye and stared at his son
impassively.
$50! You're a seamstress now" he
began, and Bob grinned. "Merkle told
me you repaid his loan and had an au-
tomobile."
That's true"
Secondhand carp"
mo"
"How much do you owe"
Nothing, except for stock"
"Stock! What do you mean"
"Kurtz and I are partners in one end
OF this business"
"Pll be damnedw breathed Mr..
Wharton. Then he inquired. curiously,
do you like this work?"
"It's not what I prefer, still there
Is a margin of profit"