The Daily Transcript (Norman, Okla.), Vol. 4, No. 130, Ed. 1 Friday, December 1, 1916 Page: 2 of 4
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NORMAN DAILY TRANSCRIPT
AUCTION
BLOCK
REX BEA!
• lay in the shadows Ifke dark self doesnt know who ti behind hfm."
pools. Up the approach to the Queens- "Why don't you warn Mr. Hammon
borough bridge It swept, and took the «| once?"
long Incline like a soaring bird. Black- | Merkle rolled bis head loosely. "You
well's Island slipped under them, an dou't know the man. He would laugh
Inky, bottomless pit of despair. The at the Idea of a plot against him."
breath of the overheated city changed Merkle dozed again, half burled In
Peter Knight, defeated for political of-
fice In his town, decide* to venture New
York In order that the family fortunes
might benetlt by the ex pet ted rise of hie
charming daughter, Lorelei. A woll-
known critic Interviews Lorelei Knight,
now stage beauty with Bergman's Revue,
for a special article. Her coin-hunting
mother outlines Lorelei's ambitions, hut
Hlonson. the press agent, later adds hie
Information. I relel attends Millionaire
Hammon'* gorgeous entertainment. Bhe
meet# Merkle, a wealthy dyspeptic. Bob
Wharton romes uninvited. Lorelei dis-
covers a blackmail plot against Hammon
In which her brother Is Involved.
A few years ago New York
city—the whole country In fact—
was deeply stirred by a series of
sensational murders and a con-
sequent shaking up In the police
department. For one of these
murders four gunmen and a po-
lice officer went to the electric
chair. Here Is related the de-
tails of the kind of dirty work
some of the gangsters and their
political friends accomplish in
the metropolis.
CHAPTER VI—Continued.
The Judge bad enjoyed the scene.
He chuckled; be clicked his loose front
teeth like castanets. Hob 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 >m again," said Rob. pleas-
antly. "Wonderful! Age has Its com-
pensations. Play 'Home, Sweet Home'
when you get 'em tuned up. Or per-
haps they are for sale?"
Lorelei secured her number and was
mirprlsed to recognize her brother's
voice. She made herself known, to
Jim's equal amazemeut, and then In-
quired:
"Is Mar there?"
"Sure. lie's outside In the automo-
bile."
"Call him, please."
"What do you want of him? How'd
jou know I was here?"
"Never mind. Call him quickly."
At iasr Melcber'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 Lllas.
He thanked lier, and she heard him
muttering as he hung up. She turned
to tlnd 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?"
"IIow can a person get rid of you?"
she inquired stiffly.
"I'm 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 Inteud to enrage all the other fel-
lows."
She turned with a shrug of mingled
annoyance and amusement, and he
called after her:
"The Judge's teeth will 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 Jarvls."
"You puzzle me, Lllas," Lorelei told
her, slowly. "I don't think you care
for him at all."
Lllas laughed. "Why do you think
that? I adore him, but we had an en-
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
fOU."
"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
Strong and the mighty. They got rich
through robbery, and they're In the
liaWt of taking whatever they want.
They made their money out of the
blood and suffering 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 Lllas, sharply.
"Nothing."
"Then where did you get—that?
From Jim?"
"Jim's pretty bad, I Imagine, but
he 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
iriadden anybody—perhaps I'm Jealous,
but blackmail I Why, you're out of
your head."
and finally dismissed Croft When
juiet had finally descended she opened
her door cautiously and peered out.
Robert Wharton sat on the top st *p
of the stairway near at hand, but his
head rested against the wall, and he
slept. Reside him were his high bat.
his 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 a ribbon that had once
done duty In the costume of a cory-
phee; they rose and fell to the young
man's gentle breathing.
Lorelei telephoned to Merkle on the
following day, and about the close of
the show that night his card was
brought up to 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 Rob's drunken
freaks had given her cause to think
somewhat seriously, and she feared an
unpleasant encounter. More than once
she bad 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 Rob away on a pre-
text, although he swore you had an
engagement with him."
"I'm glad you did. I left him asleep
outside my dressing room last night,
and I almost hoped he'd caught pneu-
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, I would. But I'm
not hungry, bo let's rkle—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 ncqulesced with alacrity,
j To his driver he said, "Take the Long
Island road."
The machine glided into noiseless
motion.
Why do you choose the Long* Island
road?" asked Lorelei.
"It's pleasant," responded Merkle.
"I ride nearly every 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 hu-
morous. I'd be dead or Insane with-
es by magic, and the thin-faced suf-
ferer at Lorelei's side drauk It in ea-
gerly. Even In the dim flash 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 you
had learned something."
"I 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 I wasn't mistaken in you,"
smiled Merkle.
'Oh, don't attribute my actions to
any high moral motives! I'm getting
a little rusty on right and wrong. Per-
sonally, 1 have no sympathy with Mr.
Hammon, and I don't Imagine he ac-
quired all of his tremendous fortune
In a perfectly honorable way. Besides,
he's a married man."
'It Isn't alone Jarvls or his family
or their money that Is concerned."
Merkle said, gravely. "Great financial
institutions sometimes rest 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 tfme 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
fool. Young men are always objects
of suspicion In the financial world, for
their emotions are unruly; but when
old men fall In love they are superbly
heedless of the consequences. I prom-
ised to tell you something about Jar-
vls, and I will, since you spoke of his
married life. From the time he could
walk be never knew anything, never
heard anything except steel. He be-
came a rolling-mill 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. HUP mill held the
tonnage record for years.
When the corporation was formod
the cushions. Th**y had passed Jamai-
ca, but It was not until It had swept
into the Motor parkway that the
chauffeur let 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-
llght. The finger of the speedometer
oscillated gently over the figure "00,"
and 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 hi in 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
bumping, as if the pavement had been
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 MerJkle.
"Is this splendid machine ruined?1
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
"Humph!" grunted Jim.
d'you suppose ma'll say to this— yo«
out all night with a man?"
"What are you doiug? Who are
those people?" she retorted.
"Never mind. But gay—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 as If
you'd been wrecked. Where's your
driver?" Merkle's fist clenched; he
muttered something, at which Jim
laughed 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 into
he played a big part in the deal and po swiftly; but she saw that he was
got a big slice of the profits, ne serious and in a sour temper. "One
went into other things than steel, and risks his life on the whim of some
he prospered. He never failed at any- drunken Idiot the moment he enters
thing. Jarvis had no vices and but a motor car. Now for a telephone." A
one hobby—at least his vices were neu- terse question to his man served to fix
tral, for he had never taken time to '■their location.
acquire the positive kind. His hobby | "We're not far from the Chateau,"
was Napoleon Bonaparte. He read ev-1 Merkle interpreted the answer. "That
M
erythlng there was to read about Na-
poleon; he studied his life and pat-
terned his own on similar lines. #>o
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-
fided to me once that his Idol sur-
passed him in only one respect—
namely, the power to relax. Jarvls
had never taken time for relaxation,
and he was beginning to wear out; and
so—he deliberately set about learning
to play. The emperor of France, so
history tells us, took his greatest pleas-
ure In the company of women; there-
fore Hammon sought women. He
doesa't know the taste of defeat, so
the result was foreordained."
"But surely he thought something
of his family," protested Lorelei.
"Didn't he consider them?"
"I fancy he wasn't well acquainted
with his family. I'm sure he never en
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 his tone changed.
"You're all right Some women
would be hysterical after such a shake-
tip. I swear, I think I feel it more
than you. if you were a man I'd like
to have you for a chum."
The Chateau was a quasl-roadhouse,
unsurpassed by any dty 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 among 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
Joyed any home life, as we understand they espied in the road ahead of them
It. He lived with a rich old woman | first the dull red glow of a tail light,
"I'm Terribly Sorry, Miss Knight."
out an automobile. I keep four
French cars In my garage, all specially
built as 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 an 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
Lorelei delayed her toilet purposely, unfrequented side streets, where the
who bore his name but scarcely knew
him; his daughters were grown women
whom he saw on rare occasions and
whose 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,
he'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 VII.
By the time Lorelei had completed
her recital of those occurrences that
had excited her suspicions the car was
rolling out the roads leading toward
the Long Island 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 he
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. 1 dare say Miss Lynn her-
then a dusty license plate.
"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 placed 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 ami and
led her aside.
"How the deuce did you get here—
and who Is this guy?" He Jerked his
head toward Merkle.
I/jrelei Introduced her companion
and made known the cause of their
present plight ..
"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 trouble."
"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 no harm done, I as
sure you."
They turned In upon the driveway,
walking silently, then as they neared
the Chateau they became 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 with
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 as an outdoor eat-
ing place they saw their mistake. Rec-
ognizing Merkle, Hammon's manner
changed Instantly.
"John!" he cried. "By God! you're
just in time."
"What's happened?"
"Blackmail, or worse, I hardly know,
myself. These ruffians put up some-
thing on me—they're all In It even the
manager."
The latter, a sleek Frenchman with
ferocious mustaches and frightened
eyes, wrung his hands In supplication.
"M'sleu 'Ammon," he bleated, "you
ruin me. Such accusation Is terrible.
But wait. Calmness. 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 hand,
and Hammon wheeled upon him.
"Well? Did you find him?"
"We can't find nobody. There was
a car outside the grounds, but it's gone
now."
Merkle Interposed. "Will you tell
me what has happened?"
"It is terrible, Incredible, M'sleu,"
wailed the manager.
"Same old story, John. I came out
here for a quiet supper with—a lady.
I've been coming here regularly. They
got us into a private room, then took
a flashlight, and—there you are. I
made a rush for the waiter as soon as
I realized what had occurred, but he'd
skipped. Everybody's skipped, pho-
tographer and all. Nobody knows any
thing. Blamedcst bunch of Idiots I
ever saw." He ground his teeth.
Hammon Hste®ed briefly, tljen broke
amt:
"Nonsense. I'd stake my life on her.
Why, she's prostrated. It's either pure
blackmail, or it's my wife's work.
She's had detectives on me for some
time." Merkle murmured something
more. "Oh, come now! 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
be 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. Jarvls 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 Lllas.
Lorelei stared at her friend In genu
lne surprise, for It was obvious that
Lllas was deeply agitated. Her face
was swollen with weeping; she verged
upon hysteria. No sooner were the
four In the car and under way than
she broke down, sobblug wretchedly.
"It's all ray 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 he— Oh, I could kill
myself!" She burst Into strangling
sobs and hysteric laughter.
"Why did you let hlra 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 I 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'fe 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 hefs
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 ipslnua-
tion8, 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
lxi8 ceased to concern me. I want a
few years of happlnesB and compan-
ionship before I die. I'm selfish—I'D
pay the price."
They rode on in silence.
D\DDY'S EVENING
fdFAlRY TALE M
WMMft (Mm BONNER
TURKEY AND PIG TALK.
"The Turkeys in the Barnyard," said
Daddy, "had been talking one day of
how lucky they
were.
" 'We do get
such good things
to eat,* said Mr.
Turkey.
" 'Yes,' agreed
Mrs. T u rk e y .
'That's because
they know what
line Animals we
lire. Everyone of
them can't help
seeing that Tur-
keys are about
the finest things
that ever hap-
pened.'
" *1 don't agree
with you,' suld lit-
tle Pink Pig, who
liked to urgue and
There Is Nothing
Quite Like a
Pig.
CHAPTER VIII.
When Lorelei awoke on the follow-
ing afternoon her first inquiry was for
Jim; but he had not come home, and
her mother knew nothing of his where-
abouts. Lorelei ate her breakfast In
silence; then, in reply to a question,
accounted for the lateness of her ar-
rival by saying that she had dined with
Mr. Merkle.
At the name Mrs. Knight pricked up
her ears; she undertook to pick out of
her daughter all that had occurred,
down to the most Insignificant detail.
Lorelei had always made a confidante
of her mother In such cases; but this
time the letter's inquisltiveness grat-
ed on her, and she answered the ques-
tions put to her grudgingly. She could
not help likening her mother to a mag-
pie, although the thought shocked her.
There was the same sly angle of coun-
tenance, a similar furtiveness of pur-
pose; the very expression of Mrs.
Knight's keen, hard eyes was like
nothing so much as that of the pry-
ing hird's. Displeased at her own irri-
tation, Lorelei made the excuse of a
shopping trip to escape from the house.
At the nearest news stand she
bought the afternoon papers, and was
relieved to find no mention of the In-
cidents of the night before. It ap-
Lorelel, who had remained in the j j)enre(i that Hammon and Merkle had
background, turned suddenly sick at aueceeded in their attempt to suppress
memory of that mysterious party at story—if, indeed, there had ever
the gate; she understood now the sig-1 ^een aDy intention of making it public,
nlflcance of the man with the box and
of the fleeing figure that had come
through the darkness.
The terrified manager continued his
heartbroken lament and Hammon
seemed about to destroy him when
Merkle drew the latter aside, speaking
in an undertone 1
1
Do you think that Merkle has !
fallen In love with Lorelei and !
really wants to marry nerf
(TO BK COKTUIUaXX)
to disagree with everyone.
" 'And why not, pruy tell?' asked
Mrs. Turkey.
" 'Because I think' that nfter nil Is
said and done, there is nothing quite
like a Pig.'
" 'Gobble, gobble, gobble,' said Mrs.
Turkey, and all the other Turkeys said
just the same.
" 'Grunt, grunt, grunt,' said little
Pink Pig. 'Don't you ull agree with
me?'
" 'Well,' said Mrs. Turkey, 'when
you suy that there is nothing qulto
'like a Pig I am sure you are right, and
that everyone and everything would
agree with you. There Is certainly
nothing like a Pig—but many Folks
and Animals are glad of that. And
they're very, very glud that they're
not Pigs.'
" 'I'm not so sure about that,' said
little Pink I'lg. 'They'veenever been
Pigs und so they don't know how nice
It Is. Just imagine how blissful It
would be for Grown-Ups if they didn't
htfve to wear those silly long Dresses
and Hats, but could Just stay In a
good old Pen all day.'
«♦They'd be pretty Insulted If they
heard you say thut,' said Mrs. Tur-
key.
" 'Do you for one moment suppose,'
and Pink Pig's squeul was very shrill,
'that little Girls like those silly Rib-
bons and Sashes they wear as much
as they would taking off their Shoes
nnd Stockings aud Wading in the
Mud?'
" 'They like to \YTude in clean Wa-
ter on hot days, or in the cool Grass—
but not in the Mud, Pink Pig. Your
ideas are all wrong!'
" 'I can't understand it,' said Pink
Pig. 'I don't think there's unythlng
in the world like a Pig!'
"'It's lucky for you, you think and
feel that way about It,' said Mrs. Tur-
key. 'What a pity it would be If you
longed ull the time to be a Blue Bird,
a little Girl or a Turkey for instance.'
" 4I certainly wouldn't want to be a
Turkey,' said little Pink I'lg.
" 'And what's the matter with being
a Turkey?' gobbled Mr. Turkey, who
had been listening to this conversa-
tion.
" 'I wouldn't want to be Fed up and
Futtened just to be Eaten for a Holi-
day Dinner party. No, I wouldn't.'
And little Pink Pig grunted crossly.
'They Feed you so well because they're
going to Eat you, und they want you
to taste so fine!'
" 'Well,* said Mr. Turkey. 'And
what do you suppose they Feed you
for? Beauty?' And Mr. Turkey
Laughed and walked around gobble-
gobbling for all he was worth.
" 'Did anyone ever hear of a beauti-
ful Pig? Oh, ha, ha, that Is u good
Joke.'
" 'No one sees the Joke but yourself,'
said little Pink Pig. 'And as far as
that goes no one
sees any Beauty
In a Turkey.
That's a good
Joke, too,' and lit-
tle Pink Pig be-
gan grunting nnd
luughing ulso.
" P r e t ty soon
ulong came Mr.
Peacock.
" 'What are you
two A n1m u1s
Laughing ubout?'
he asked.
" 'Well, said Mr.
Turkey, 'little
Pink Pig thinks
he Is Fed to make him Beautiful and
that's such a Joke I had to laugh.'
" 'And,' said little Pink Pig, 'Mr. Tur-
key thinks the same of his Family,
and as I couldn't see anything Funny
ubout his Joke, I had one all of my
own. Don't you think It's a good Joke
to think of Mr. Turkey being Fattened
for Beauty? Everyone knows what
he Is being Futtened for!'
"'Now,' said Mr. Peacock, 'You are
both Foolish! I am really Beautiful.'
And Mr. Peacock spread his Tail so
all the colors of his Feathers showed.
" True, true, he Is Beautiful,' agreed
little Pink Pig and Mr. Turkey.
" 'But, anyway,' said the Turkey
Children, It's nice to be Fed well and
to be Happy before we are Eaten!'
'"You dear, wise Children,' said
their Mother proudly.
"And little Pink Pig as he walked
off snld: 'Well, I agree with the Tur-
key Children. It's Happiness enough
to be Fed well before we are Eaten 1'"
And Mr. Turkey
Laughed.
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Burke, J. J. The Daily Transcript (Norman, Okla.), Vol. 4, No. 130, Ed. 1 Friday, December 1, 1916, newspaper, December 1, 1916; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc113353/m1/2/: accessed April 19, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.