The Arvada enterprise., 1917-04-12

More than we thought?" Hannl
bal shook his head. Not more than
| thought. l knew he had 1t in him;
you were the one"
mo. no! We both doubted. Perhaps
this girl read him"
Sure she read him. snorted the
father. "She read his bank book. But
| fooled her"
do you remember when Bob was
born! The doctors thought"
"Of course | remember" her hus-
band broke in. Those doctors said
you'd never come through it,"
"fes; | wasn't strong"
But you did. was with you, I
fought for you. wouldn't let you die.
Remember it," The speaker moistened
his lips. 'Why, never forgot"
Bob Is experiencing something like
that tonight"
Hannibal started, then he rumbled
uncertainty for cigar. When he had
/ it lighted he said, gruHly. well, it
made man Of me; hope itll 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 little child.
just as offered mine"
There was silence, then Hannibal
looked up to find his wife standing
over him, with face strangely humble.
| lier eyes were appealing, her frail tig-
ure was shaking wretchedy.
MY DEAR he cried, rising.
II can't keep It up, Hannibal I
| cant pretend any longer. It's Bobs
baby and It's ours" Disregarding
his denial, she ran on, swiftly: "You
cant understand but I'm lonely. Han
nibal. terribly lonely and sad. Bob
grew up and went away, and all we
mad left was money. The dollars piled
up; year by year they grew heavier
and heavier until they squeezed our
lives dry and crowded out everything.
They even crowded out our son and
spoiled him. They made you into n
stone man; they came between me and
the people and the things loved: they
walled me of from the world. My life
Is empty-empty. l want to mother
something"
Hannibal inquired. hoarsely: mot
this baby. surely? Not that womans
child?"
ITS Bob's baby and ours"
He looked down at her queerly for a
moment. 1.-The breed is rotten. II he
had married n decent girl"
John Merkle says she is splendid"
How do you know"
II have talked with him. have
learned whatever | could about her.
wherever l could. and It's all good.
After all. Bob loves her. and isn't that
enough?"
"But she doesn't love him." stormed
the father. "Shc said she didn't. She
wants his money, and she thinks she'll
get II this way"
"Do you think money can pay her for
what she IL enduring ut this minute?
She's frightened just ms was fright
encd when Bob was born. She's sick
and suffering. But do you think all
our dollars could buy that child from
her? Money has made US hard, Hanni-
bal; lct's-be different"
I'm afraid we have put 1t OF too
long" he answered. slowly. she
won't forgive us. and I'm not sure l
want her to-
"Bob's In trouble. Won't you 20 to
him?"
Hannibal Wharton opened his lips,
closed them: then. taking his hat and
coat, he left the room.
But rs the old man went uptown
his nerve failed him. He was fixed in
his ways, he had n blind faith In his
own infalllhIllty. Twice he rode up
In the elevator TO his sons door. twice
he rode down again. Hannibal settled
himself to walt.
During the chill. stlll hours after the
city had gone TO rest an automobile
drew up To the apartment house; when
its expected passenger emerged from
the building n grlm.fnccd stranger IN
n grcatcoat accostcd him. one glance
challenged the physicians attention,
and he answered:
Yes. it's all over. 4 boy"
"Aud-Mrs. Wharton. the mothcr?"
youth Is wonderful thing. AMI
she has everything TO live for. She IL
doing ~ well ms could b" expected
You're n relative, | prcsumcf"
The old man hcsltatci then his
voice came boldly. yes. I'm her n.
Their"
when the doctor had driven away
Hannibal strobe into the building and
tclcphouci TO the Waldorf. but now hs
words were short ana oddly broken
Nevertheless they brought Light Of
rladncss 10 the eyes of the woman who
had waited all these hours.
CHAPTER XVI.