Oke
AUCTION
BLOCK<
1 REX BEACH' Ml
SYNOPSIS.
—A—
Pe: er Knight, defeated for political of
fice In his towh, decides to venture New
York In order that the family fortunes
might benefit by the expected rise of his
charming daughter. Lorelei. A well
known critic Interviews Lorelei Knight,
now stage beauty with Bergman's Revu«\
for a special article. Her coin-hur.k’ng
mother outlines Lorelei's amb'tiins, but
Blosson. the press ojent. lifer adds his
Information. Lor*'*: attends Millionaire
Bammon's gorgeous entertainment She
Beets Merkle, a wealthy dyspeptic. Bob
Wharton comes uninvited. Lorelei dis
envers a blackmail plot against Hammon
m which her brother is involved.
i HHWHmwwmwwwww
1A few years ago New York ! >
city—the whole country in fact— ! J
was deeply stirred by a series of ! |
sensational murders and a con- <J
I sequent shaking up In the police
department. For one of these j [
murders four gunmen and a po- j;
lice officer went to the electric <|
chair. Here is related the de- <[
tails of the kind of dirty work j|
some of the gangsters and their <J
political friends accomplish In <;
the metropolis. «|
I WWVWWtWtWWWiWWWW
CHAPTER VI—Continued.
The Judge had enjoyed the scene.
He chuckled; he cricked his loose front
teeth like castanets. Bob turned at
the sound and regarded him with be
nignant interest, his attention riveted
upon the old man’s dental Infirmity.
“You’re quite a comedian,” Regan
wheezed.
“Click ’em again,” said Bob, pleas
antly. “Wonderful! Age has Its com
pensations. Play 'Home, Sweet Home’
when you get iw tuned up. Or per
haps they are Tor sale?”
Lorelei secured her number and was
surprised to recognize her brother’s
voice. She made herself known, to
Jim’s equal amazement, and then In
quired:
“Is Max there?”
“Sure. He's outside in the automo
bile.”
“Call him, please."
“What do you want of him? How'd
you know I was here?”
“Never mind. Call him quickly.”
At iast Melcher’s voice came over
the wire, and Lorelei recited the mes
sage. There was a moment of silence,
then she explained how she came to
be talking Instead of Lilas.
He thanked her, and she heard him
muttering as he hung up. She turned
to find her annoyer nodding with sat
isfaction.
“Splendid! I thank you; my father
thanks you; my family thanks you.
Now where would you like to dine?”
“How can a person get rid of you?”
she inquired stiffly.
“Pm sure I don’t know—It isn’t be
ing done. But I’ll try to think. Wear
your prettiest gown, won't you? for
I intend to enrage all the other fel
lows.”
She turned with a shrug of mingled
annoyance and amusement, and he
called after her:
me Judges teeth yMU entertain'
me till you come. I’ll be waiting.”
| Miss Lynn, as she dressed after the
performance, was still In an evil tem
per; but she thanked her roommate for
aiding her; then, as if some explana
tion were due, she added. “That note
was from Jarvis.”
"You puzzle me. Lilas,” Lorelei told
her. slowly. "I don’t think you care
for him at all.”
Lilas laughed. “Why do you think
that? I adore him, but we had an eu
gagement and he broke It. Men are
all selfish; the bigger they are the
more selfish they become. They never
do anything you don’t make them.”
“He can’t sacrifice his business for
you.”
“Sacrifice! It’s women who sacri
fice themselves. D’you suppose any of
those men we met last night would
sacrifice himself for anything or any
body? Not much. They are the
Btroug and the mighty. They got rich
through robbery, and they’re In the
habit of taking whatever they want
They made their money out of the
blood and sufTcritig of thousands of
poor people. That’s what it Is—blood
money.”
“Is that why you’re planning to
blackmail it out of him?”
Lilas paused In her dressing and
turned slowly, brows lifted. Her
dark eyes met the blue ones unwaver
ingly.
“Blackmail? What are you talking
about?” Mrs. Croft went pale, and
retired swiftly but noiselessly Into the
lavatory, closing the door behind her.
“What did Max tell you over the
’phone?” asked Lilas, sharply.
“Nothing.”
“Then where did you get—that?
From Jim?”
“Jim’s pretty bad, I imagine, but
be keeps his badness to himself. No.
I’ve overheard you and Max talking.”
“Nonsense. We’ve never mentioned
such a thing. The idea is absurd. I
get mad at Jarvis—he’s enough to
madden anybody—perhaps I’m jealous,
but blackmail! Why, you’re out of
your head.”
Lorelei delayed her toilet purposely,
and finally dismissed Croft When
quiet had finally descended she opened
her door cautiously and peered out.
Robert Wharton sat on the top step
of the stairway near at hand, but his
head rested against the wall, and he
plept Beside him were his high hat.
bis gloves and his stick. As Lorelei.
With skirts carefully gathered, tiptoed
past him she saw suspended upon his
gleaming white shirt bosom what at
first glance resembled a foreign deco
ration of some sort, but proved to be
Mr. Regan’s false teeth. They were
suspended by s ribbon that had once
done duty in the costume of a cory
V
| phee; they rose and fell to !he young
-man's gentle brectb*ag
• **<*•• *
Lorelei honed to Merkle on the
follov-ip- nay, and about the close of
tiJM show that night his card was
Drought up t(p her dressing room. A
moment later Robert Wharton’s fol
lowed, together with a tremendous box
of long-stemmed roses. She went down
a trifle apprehensively, for by this
time the current tales of Bob's drunkeD
freaks had given her cause to think
somewhat seriously, and she feared an :
unpleasant encounter. More than once
she had witnessed quarrels in the al
leyway behind the Circuit, where pes
tiferous youths of Wharton's caliber
were frequent visitors.
But Mr. Merkle relieved her mind by
saying, “I sent Bob away on a pre
text, although he swore you had an
engagement with him.”
“I’m glad you did. I left him asleep
jyutslde my dressing room last Digbt,
and I almost hoped he'd caught pueu
monia.”
Beside the curb a heavy touring car
was purring, and into this Merkle
helped his companion. “I’m not up on
the etiquette of this sort of thing,” he
explained, “but I presume the proper
procedure is supper. Where shall it
be—Sherry's?”
Lorelei laughed. "You are inexpe
rienced. The Johns never eat on Fifth
avenue, the lights are too dim. But
why supper? You can’t eat.”
“A Welsh rabbit would be the death
of me; lobsters are poison,” he con
fessed; “but I’ve read that chorus
girls are omnivorous animals and seek
their prey at midnight.”
“Most of them would prefer bread
and milk: anyhow, t would. But I'm
not hungry, so leYk ride—we can talk
better, and you’re not the sort of man
to be seen In public with one of Berg
man’s show-girls.”
The banker acquiesced with alacrity.
To his driver he raid, “Take the Long
Island road.”
The machine gl'-ded Into noiseless
motion. N
“Why do you choose the Long Island
road?” asked Lorelei.
“It’s pleasant,” responded Merkle.
“I ride nearly eveiY night, and I like
the country. You see, I can't sleep
unless I’m in motion. I get most of
my rest in a car; there’s something
about the movement that soothes me.”
“How funny!”
“Peculiar, parhaps, but scarcely ho
morons. I’d be dead or insane with
// .
"I’m Terribly Sorry, Miss Knight.’'
out nn nutomoblle. I keep four
French cars In my garage, all specially
built ns to spring suspension and up
holstery. and I spend nearly every
night in one or the other of them. So
long as I’m moving fast I manage to
snatch a miserable sort of repose, but
the instant we go slow I wake up. I
used to sleep at twenty miles nn hour;
now I can’t relax under thirty.
Forty is fine—sixty means dreamless
peace.”
“It does, indeed, if one happens to
have a blowout,” laughed the girl.
The car was now darting through
unfrequented side streets, where the
asphalt lay In the shadows like dark
pools. Up the approach to the Queens
borough bridge it swept, and took the
long Incline like a soaring bird. Black
well’s Island slipped under them, an
Inky, bottomless pit of despair. The
breath of the overheated city changed
as by magic, and the thin-faced suf
ferer at Lorelei’s side drank It in ea
gerly. Even In the dim flnsh of the
passing illuminations she noted how
tired and worn he was, and a sudden
pity smote her.
“Won’t you pretend I’m not here,
and drive just as you always do? I
won’t mind,” she said.
“My dear, it’s late. You’ll need to
go home.”
“No, no.”
“Really ?” His eagerness was genu
ine. “Won’t your people worry?”
Her answer was a short, mirthless
laugh that made him glance at her cu
riously. “They know I’m perfectly
safe. It’s the other way round: a man
of your standing takes chances by be
ing alone with a woman of—mine.”
“Which reminds me of Miss Lynn
and Mr. Hammon. You’ve decided to
accept my offer?”
“No. I can’t be a hired spy.”
“You said over the 'phone that yon
had learned something.”
“1 have. I believe there is an effort
on foot to get some of Mr. Hammon’s
money dishonestly. I have a reason
for wishing to prevent it.”
“I knew 1 wasn't mistaken in you,”
smiled Merkie.
"Oh. don't attribute my actions to
any high moral motives! I’m getting
a little rusty on right and wrong. Per
sonally, I have no sympathy with Mr.
Hammon. and I don't imagine be ac
quired all of bis tremendous fortune
in a perfectly honorable way. Besides,
he’s a married man.”
“I* 'sn’t alone Jarvis or his family
or fuelr money that is concerned.”
Me~kle said, gravely. ‘‘Great financial
institutions sometimes Test on founda
tions us slight as one man's person
ality—one man's reputation for moral
integrity. A breath of suspicion of
any sort at the wrong time may bring
on a crash involving innocent people.
“Hammon at this moment carries a
tremendous top-heavy burden of re
sponsibilities: his death would be no
more disastrous than a scandal that
would tend to destroy public confi
dence in him as a man."
“Doesn’t he know that himself?”
“Perhaps. But his infatuation over
took him at an age when a man is a
foci. Young men are always objects
of suspicion in the financial world, for
their emotions are unruly: hut when
old men fall in love they are superbly
heedless of the consequences. I prom
ised to tell you something about Jar
vis, and I 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 a rolilng-mlll superintendent al
most before he was of age. They say
he never did less than two men's work,
and often more: but he could make
others work, too, and there lay the se
cret of his success. His mill held the
tonnage record for years.
Vi hen the corporation was formed
he played a big part In the deal and
got a big slice of the profits. He
went Into other things than steel, and
he prospered. He never failed at any
thing. Jarvis had no vices and but
on» hobby—at least bis vices were neu
tral, for be had never taken time to
acjuire the positive kind. His bobby
was Napoleon Bonaparte. He read ev
erything there was to read about Nn
paleon; he studied his life and pat
terned his own on similar lines. Do
I bore you. Miss Knight?”
“No: go on. I’m tremendously in
terested.”
“Well, naturally, Hammon began to
consider himself another Napoleon,
and his accomplishments were in a
way quite as wonderful. He even con
fded to me once that his Idol sur
passed him in only one respect—
namely, the power to relax. Jarvis
I’ad never taken time for relaxation,
and he was beginning to wear out; and
S'?—he deliberately set about learning
t<> play. The emperor of France, so
b story tells us, took his greatest pleas
ure In the company of women; there
fore Hammon sought women. He
doesn’t know the taste of defeat, so
the result was foreordained.”
“But surely he thought something
«f his family,” protested Lorelei.
*Didu’t he consider them?”
“I fancy he wasn't well acquainted
with his family. I’m sure he never en
joyed any home life, as we understand
It. He lived with a rich old woman
who bore his name but scarcely knew
him; his daughters were grown women
whom he saw on rare occasions and
wliosp extravagant whims he gratified
without question. But there was little
real intimacy, little sympathy. This
was his first taste of youth. But—he
was not Napoleon. As you’ve noticed.
1 e’s quite mad on the Lynn woman.
He’s no longer himself. He has been
drugged by her charms, and—now he's
paying the price. I wanted you to
know the story before we went any
further. Now tell me what you have
learned.”
CHAPTER Vli.
By the time Lorelei had completed
her recital of those occurrences that
had excited her suspicions the car was
roiling out the roads lending toward
the Long Isiaud plains, and, with head
lights ablaze, was defying all speed
laws. Merkle had drawn the conver
sation shield rearward, and in its shel
ter leaned back with eyes closed. He
seemed asleep, but after a time be
spoke abruptly:
“Melcher is a shrewd man. He
wouldn’t tackle a blackmailing job of
this size without protection; otherwise
I could put him out of the way very
quickly. I dare say Miss Lynn her
self doesn't know who Is behind him.”
‘‘Why don’t you warn Mr. Hammon
at once?”
Merkle rolled his head loosely. “You
don’t know the man. He would laugh
at the Idea of a plot against him.”
Merkle dozed again, half burled in
the cushions. They had passed Jamai
ca, but it was not until it had swept
Into the Motor parkway that the
chauffeur Jet the machine out. Over
the deserted plains it tore, cometlike,
a meteor preceded by a streamer of
light. The causeway leaped into view
and vanished beneath the wheels, like
a tremendous ribbon whirling upon
spools. Merkle lay back inertly, lolling
and swaying to the side-thrust of the
cushions, but Lorelei found her fists
clinched and her muscles hard with
the nervous strain. Finally she pushed
the shield forward, and. leaning over
the front seat, stared at the tiny dash
light. The finger of the speedometer
oscillated gently over the figure “60,”
aud she dropped back with a gasp.
They had been running thus for a long
time.
Merkle roused to say, “Is this too
fast for you. Miss Knight?”
She laughed nervously. “N-no. I’m
sorry I woke you.”
Merkle inquired the time of his
chauffeur, then directed him to turn
homeward along the North shore.
“I shan't be selfish and keep you
out any longer. Miss Knight.” he said.
“If you don’t mind. I’ll doze on the
way in. and try to figure out the next
move in this Hammon affair.”
The return trip was another hurtling
rush through the night, in a silence
broken only by Merkle’s demand for
more speed whenever the machine
slackened its labor. The miles wheeled
past: the Sound lay to the right
They were sweeping over a rolling
North shore road when suddenly out of
blackness ahead blazed two blinding
headlights. With startling abruptness
they appeared over the crest of a rise:
Merkle’s driver swung to the right.
The strange car held to its course:
there was a blast of horns, a dazzling
instant of intense illumination, then
a crash as the inside mud-guards met.
Merkle’s car seemed to leap into the
air; there was a report of an exploding
tire; the automobile was bucking and
uuuipmg. as ir me pavement nail ueen
turned into a corduroy road: then it
came to a pause, half in the ditch.
The other car held to its course, and
whizzed onward, leaving in its wake
a drunken shout of mockery and defi
ance.
“Narrow shave, that. I wonder we
weren't all killed.” Merkle eyed the
car’s crumpled mud-guard and running
board, then directed his driver to as
certain the extent of the damage. The
motor was still throbbing, but a brief
examination disclosed a broken steer
ing knuckle and a bent axle in addi
tion to an Injured wheel.
“I’m terribly sorry. Miss Knight; but
I’ll have to send for another car,” apol
ogized Merkle.
'“Is this splendid machine ruined?”
He shrugged. “That's the curse of
these roads. Somebody is always driv
ing recklessly. Lorelei smiled at
memory of the miles they had covered
so swiftly; but she saw that he was
serious and in a sour temper. "One
risks his life on the whim of some
drunken idiot the moment he enters
a motor car. Now for a telephone.” A
terse question to his man served to fix
their location.
“We're not far from the Chateau,”
Merkle interpreted the answer. “That
place is always open, so if you don't
mind the walk we’ll go ahead. It will
take an hour to get one of my other
machines, but meanwhile we can have
a bite to eat.” At her cheerful accept
ance ids tone changed.
“You’re all right. Some women
would lie hysterical after such a shake
up. I swear. I think I feel it more
than you. If you were a man I’d like
to hitve you for a ebum."
The Chateau was a quasi-roadhouse,
unsurpassed by any city restaurant,
and. being within an hour’s run by mo
tor, it received a liberal patronage.
Tips were large at the Chateau; its
hospitality was famous ainoug those
who could afford the extravagance of
midnight entertainment: and yet it
was a quiet place. No echo of what
occurred within its walls ever reached
the outside world. Sea-food, waffles,
and discretion were its recognized spe
cialties, and people came for miles—
mainly In pairs—to enjoy them.
As the pedestrians neared the ave
nue of maples leading up to the house
they espied in the road ahead of them
first the dull red glow of a tail light.
I then a dusty license plate.
MUSHROOM GARDEN IN MINE
Proved Exceedingly Profitable to Man
Who First Thought of the
Possibilities.
The queerer the place selected for
a mushroom garden, the finer, it
seems, is the growth of this popular
table delicacy. Damp, smelly places
under tumble-down back porches,
earth cellars, discarded mossy cis
terns and other dark, humid spots
have been found ideal. The fungus
apparently thrives upon an atmos
phere of decadence and decay.
The last word in the mushroom
farm, however, is such a garden
placed in the depths of a deserted
coal mine, hundreds of feet below the
ground, the Illustrated World states.
Not far from Morgantown. W. Va.,
there is located this old coal mine,
known as the Pittsburgh Coal Seam
in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
The mine was worked for a number
of years, but its fuel production was
used for domestic purposes only, be
ing dug and hauled by wagon to con
sumers in the neighborhood. With the
introduction of natural gas, however,
the locality had no further use for the
old mine and some exceedingly inter
esting experiments have been conduct
ed in Its depths by Theodore F. Im
bach. an assistant in the state agricul
tural experiment station at Morgan
town.
Securing a permit from the owners
of the property he encamped on the
first level and made chemical analysis
of the rocky soil. He found that it
was rich in moisture and its constitu
ents exactly those needed by edible
fungi for their quickest and most lux
uriant growth. He therefore started
a mushroom farm and found that the
spot was ideal for his purpose.
Mushrooms now are "mined” in
stead of coal and prove almost as
profitable. The rooms of the mine, or
the open spaces from which the coal
was dug, have been found especially
adapted to this kind of farming. Such
locations have a steady temperature
throughout the year and often they
are so located as to have natural
drainage. This "mushroom mipe” now
makes large shipments weekly to the
city markets.
The Usual Way.
"Say, Grimshaw! Would you rec
ommend young Sam Skook as being
of good moral character and entireiv
worthy of confidence? i have a no
sition of trust for which ho ts an an
plicant." p
show. Jlnglefritz." Then af er h .
quirer had passed onward,’satisfied'
Grimshaw turned to Trotter, “fo
the deuce is young Sam Skook’" he
asked.—Kansas City Star. he
**''ce *or Business Men.
Get down oft your high homo <#
<° »e Leard SP*™™
common, everyday people.
yourea?ven,s“menhtTe8tT;Sen,,0n8 ^
tr,int 10
“There’s luck,” Merkle ejaculated.
“I’ll rent this car.”
In the gloom several figures were
standing, facing in the direction of the
Chateau, and when Merkle spoke they
wheeled as if startled.
“No. you can’t hire this machine.
What do you think this Is, a cab
stand?" answered a gruff voice.
“Jim!” cried Lorelei, and ran for
ward.
Her breathless amazement at the
meeting was no greater than her
brother’s. “Sis! What the devil are
you doing here?” he managed to say.
One of the men who had been kneeling
over a case of some sort, dimly out
lined in the radiance of a side light,
rose and placet! his burden in the ton
neau.
"I’m ready,” he announced.
Young Knight showed some nerv
ousness and apprehension—emotions
which his companions, judging by
their alert watchfulness, fully shared.
Jim seized his sister by the arm and
led her aside.
“How the deuce did you get here—
and who is this guy?” He Jerked his
head toward Merkle.
Lorelei introduced her companion
and made known the cause of their
present plight.
“Humph!” grunted Jim. “What
d’you suppose ma’ll say to this—you
out all night with a man?”
“What are you doing? Who are
those people?” she retorted.
“Never mind. But say—I don’t like
the looks of this affair.”
For a second time Merkle appealed
to Jim. “If you can’t take your sister
home I'll have to telephone for another
car.”
Jim’s tone was disagreeable as he
replied. “You two don’t look us if
you’d been wrecked. Where’s your
driver?” Merkle’s fist clenched; he
muttered something, at which Jim
laugher] harshly.
“Now don't get sore," said the lat
ter; “I’m not going to make trouble,
only I want to know where you’ve
been.”
A bareheaded man came running
across the lawn and flung himself iuto
f ■—i . .—- ■— rt JJ=ry
—« — . \
“They Got Us Into a Private Room,
Then Took a Flashlight.”
the waiting automobile. One of Jim’s
companions called his name sharply.
"Will you take me home?” his sis
ter implored.
“Can’t do it. I'll see you later, and
you, too, Merkle.” His last words, de
livered as he swung himself upon the
running board of the car, sounded like
a threat; a moment later, and the ma
chine had disappeared into the night.
“Hm-m! Your brother has a sus
picious mind." Merkle said. "I hope
he won’t make you any tronble.”
“He can't make trouble for me.”
Lorelei's emphasis on the last word
made her meaning clear; her compan
ion shrugged.
“Then there's uo harm done, I as
sure you.”
They turned in upon the driveway,
walking silently, then as they neared
the Chateau they beenme aware of an
unusual commotion in progress there.
Men were running from stable to gar
age, others were scouring the grounds;
from the open door came a voice
pitched high in anger. The speaker
was evidently beside himself witli
wrath. He was shouting orders to
scurrying attendants, and abusing the
manager, who hovered near him In a
frantic but futile effort at pacifica
tion.
The enraged person proved to be
Jarvis Hammon. He was hatless,
purple-faced, shaken with combative
fury. At first the two newcomers
thought he was dangerously drunk,
but. as they mounted to the tiled ter
race which served ns an outdoor eat
ing place they saw their mistake. Rep
oguizing Merkle. Hummon’s manner
changed instantly.
“John!” he cried. “By God! you’re
just in time.”
“What’s happened?”
Blackmail, or worse, I hardly know,
mjself. These ruffians put up some
thing on me—they’re all tn It, even the
manager.”
The latter, a sleek Frenchman with
ferocious mustaches aud frightened
e.ves, wrung his hands in supplication.
"M’sieu ’Ammon,” he bleated, "you
ruin me. Such accusation is terrible.
But wait. Calmuess. The man will
be caught.”
’•Caught!" roared the steel magnate.
‘‘You know who he Is. Give him to
me.” A uniformed doorman appeared
with a smoking lantern in his ban .
and Hamtnon wheeled upon 1U1'
“Well? Did you find him?”
“We can’t find nobody. Th<?re
a car outside the grounds, bu s
now’ i “Will you tel* >
Merkle interposed. * .
me what has happene • M’sieu,” 1
“It is terrible, incredible, Msleu, 1
wailed the manager.
“Same old rtMJ. ***■**£ w
here for a quiet *UPP „ They
I’ve been conllng w"ml then took <
rtast'-SSr:--1
rssirft?*- bot he’d
skipped. Everybody's skipped, pa*
tographer and all. Nobody knows any
thing. Blamedest hunch of idiots I
ever saw.” He ground his teeth.
Lorelei, who had remained in the
background, turned suddenly sick at
memory of that mysterious party at
the gate: she understood now the sig
nificance of tile man with the l>os and
of tile fleeing figure tiiat had come
through the darkness.
The terrified manager continued Ids
heartbroken lament, and Hatnmon
seemed about to destroy him when
Merkle drew the latter aside, speaking
in an undertone.
Hammon listened briefly, then broke
out:
“Nonsense. I’d stake my life on bet.
Why, she’s prostrated. It’s either pur*
blackmail, or it’s my wife’s work.
She’s had detectives on me for some
time.” Merkle murmured something
more. “Oh, come uow! I know what
I’m talking about, and I won’t stand
for that,” cried Hammon.
Merkle shrugged; his next words
were audible, and they were both
sharp and incisive.
"The harm's done. They got away
clean. Now we’ve got to kill the story
and kill it quick in case they intend
it for the papers.”
"My God! Newspapers—at this
time,” groaned the other. “It couldn't
he worse.”
“Right. We must move fast. Is
your car here?”
“Yes.”
“Get it. We’ll go in with you. I
had an accident to mine.”
“You'll see for yourself you’re
wrong—about the other.” Hammon
jerked his head meaningly toward the
house, then strode away to order his
motor.
Merkle favored his young companion
with a wintry smile.
“It seems we’re too late.”
Lorelei nodded silently. ‘‘Don’t tell
him who—spoke to us out there. Not
yet, at least. I—can’t see him go to
jail.” . ’
“Jail? There won’t be any jail to
this—there never is. Jarvis will have
to settle for the sake of the rest of
us.”
Hammon's limousine rolled in under
the porte-cochere, and a moment later
the owner appeared with Lilas.
Lorelei stared at her friend in genu
ine surprise, for It was obvious that
Lilas was deeply agitated. Her face
was swollen with weeping; she verged
upon hysteria. No sooner were the
four in the car aud under way than
she broke down, sobbing wretchedly.
“It’s all my fault. I might have
known he was up to something: but I
didn't think he’d dare—” she managed
to say.
"He? Who? Merkle asked her.
"Max Melcher. He as much as told
me. If I hadn’t been a fool I’d have
guessed, but lie— Oh, I could kill
myself!" She burst into strangling
sobs and hysteric laughter.
“Why did you let him come to the
dressing room?” Lorelei inquired.
“He’s been doing it for years. I've
always—known him. We were—en
gaged.”
Hammon verified this. “That's right.
They were engaged when I met her.
She didn't know the sort of ruffian he
Is till 1 proved It. She’s afraid of
him, and he knows it.”
“I tried to break with him, but he
wouldn't let me, and I’ve had to be
nice to him. He’d have murdered me
If I—”
“Rot!” Merkle exclaimed, testily.
“Rot, eh?” Jarvis answered. “He’s
done as much, more than once; but he’s
so powerful that nobody can get him.
He’s the king of his ward; he keeps
a gang of gunmen on the East side,
and he’s the worst thug in the city.”
Hammon soothed his charmer in his
clumsy, elephantine way, showing
that, despite Merkle’s recent Insinua
tions, he still trusted her. "This Is the
only woman who ever cared for me,
John,” he explained, after some hesi
tation. "and we’re going to stick to
gether. We have no secrets.”
“Your little Fifth avenue establish
ment rather complicates matters,
doesn’t it? What are you going to do
about that?” Merkle Inquired.
“This thing—tonight—is likely to
settle the matter for me. You know
the kind of home life I’ve led for twen
ty years, and you know I wouldn't re
gret any change. When a man goes
ahead and his wife stands still the
right and wrong of what either chooses
to do Is hard to settle. At any rate. It
has ceased to concern me. I want a
few years of happiness and compan
ionship before I die. I'm selfish—I’ll
pay the price.”
They rode on In silence.
-
When Lorelei awoke on the follow
ing afternoon her first inquiry was for
Jim; but he had not come home, and
hor mnthpr knew nothing of hi3 ^ ioi e
Mr. Merkle. . . ,
berm.' "“mW* >» 0,,t »'
l,0'!'|l t(| n! always made a confidante
of’her mother in such cases: but this
° ' the latter’s inquisitiveness grat
n"“ h r „nd she answered the qnes
f? "."put to her grudgingly. She could
not help likening her mother to a mag
11 though the thought shocked her.
L';.,',. was the same sly angle of eoun
tenance, a similar furtiveness of pur
‘ the very expression of Sirs. •
Knight's keen, hard eyes was like
nothing so much as that of the pry
jn- bird’s. Displeased at her own irri
tation. Lorelei made the excuse or a
shopping trip to escape from tiie house.
At the nearest news stand she
bought the afternoon papers, and was
relieved to find no mention of the in
dents of the night before. It ap
peared that Harnmon and Merkle had
succeeded in their attempt to suppress ,
•be story—If, indeed, there had ever
jeen any intention of making it public.
E Do you think that Merkle has !!
» fallen in love with Lorelei and |!
► really wants to marry her? J!
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
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Hid the View.
“Do I understand you to say," >: I
the lawyer, looking hard at the prin- 1
pal witness, “that upon hearing a noise
in the hall you rose quickly, lit a can
dle, and went to the hpad of the
stairs, that a burglar was at the foot
of the stairs, and you did not see him ?
Are you blind?"
“Must I tell the truth?’ stammered
the witness, blushing to the roots of
his hair.
“The whole truth,” was the stern
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“Then," replied the witness, brii'h
ing aside his damp, clinging locks and
wiping the perspiration from his
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SOME FORMS OF HYPNOTISM
Many May Be Known to the Readers,
While Others Have A Flavor
That Is New. ,
Hypnotizing a hen is a trick known
to most country boys. It is an old
experiment, first described by (be Je
suit Eather Athanasius Kircber. who
laid a hen on the table, held it firmly
for a little while, and drew a chalk
line In front of its eyes, with the re
sult that it remained as if in catalepsy.
In India it is known that a cobra
caught by the neck and gently pressed
will soon become stiff and remain so
for a considerable time, either coiled
up or out straight.
A frog fastened to a board and
turned suddenly upside down goes into
a trance. Other animals are suscep
tible to this treatment, some more
quickly than others.
If you pick up a crab and wave it
in the air it becomes immobile, a fe
male bending her legs over her abdo
men, a male sticking them out almost
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fresh-water crayfish, only this resists
for a much longer time than the crab.
Among the insects catalepsy—com
monly known as “death feigning"—is
common, and, according to Prof. Er
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is often a means of saving the life
of the insect.
.Immediate Problem.
“Where are the snows of yester
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“Where is the ice that was due to ar
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Most men have a pet grievance that
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The Fine
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