Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1909-01-07

"ao thsat oht Wouiu bihC htt sf1aCs esh4
then-she never finished, but 1 knew
that there was fire In those bright
eyes. and-well, II she got q chance
she would take her revenge think
Shylock would be a back number with
Molly Anthony when Il came to get
ting the pound of flesh. I'll take no
chances" Dudley concluded, with
laugh, in which Mrs. Gerton Joined.
But, Dudley. you can be nice to her
for my sake"
I'll treat her as she treats me. !
do not intend to forget what she did
to Rollin Cole but II you want me
to come up and see her, I'll do 1t. But
remember. this is not to be one
sided affair She will get as good as
she sends, from me- have my doubts
about two years In Chicago improving
| any girls disposition"
When Molly had reached her room
and was unpacking her trunk, Mrs.
Gerton preached the subject. "You
remember Dudley Gray" suggested
Mrs. Gerton, ingenuously.
| Molly scowled. II think I ought
to-" she replied, don't you, Gertrude?"
| Eyes, indeed; he iS-one of the men
a woman could not well forget" Mrs
| Gerton answered, with an effort at
| diplomacy. "He is such fine, hand
some, well-groomed fellow. Don't you
| Think"
Molly smoothed the wrinkles out Of
a skirt. Yes, he is, / suppose. But
do not remember him as such. His
brutal speech to me the day left was
very ungentlemanly and without rea-
son."
Cant you forget that?" asked Mrs.
Gertol. You see, he is Rob's best
friend, and, as l wrote you, really
the only available man In town, and
you can treat him nicely and let the
past be forgotten, am sure"
Gertrude, you know do not forget
easily" Molly replied, with a sinister
smile, "but in common courtesies /
do not think | am lacking. l will be
as agreeable and nice to him as he Is
10 me, no more, no less. He could
not expect more, and / know you
would not ask any further concession
from me-"
When Dudley called, the greeting
was all Mrs Gerton could have asked,
and far more than she had expected
or even hoped for. When they were
left alone Dudley stared at her criti-
cally, while Molly gracefully posed in
big chair with her hand upon her
a.. xx,;th N
quiet, analytical survey. Then as If by
common consent they brushed aside
formalities, Dudley calling Miss An
thony Molly, as of yore, and she In
turn calling him Dudley. OF course
Mrs. Gerton had not offered either In.
formation of her diplomacy, and. nat
urally, they did not presume that the
friendiness evinced was feigned for
the qualification of an unknown medi
ator.
For time Mrs Gerton smiled In Sc
cret and congratulated herself on her
wonderful tact. She considered her
self exceedingly clever as she watched
the disarmament process that was
fast promising an approach to the re
Stunning of friendly relations. AS time
passed the fippancy increased, little
things were said and done that gave
the affair a touch of the serious, and
Mrs Gerton became nervous at the
thought that they were OVERRIDING mat
tiers.
Miss Anthony showed no inclination
to desist and go home, although she
had remained much longer than she
; told Mrs Gerton on her arrival that
it was possible for her to stay. bud
ley's visits became more frequent He
and Molly were together almost con
stantly, and Mrs. Gerton actually lost
flesh worrying over the denouement
which she knew must come sooner OF
later.
After some painful deliberation, In
which she mentally chastised herself
for entering into such project, which
as she thought, had now developed in
to a base deception, Mrs Gerton con
suited her husband, and together they
agreed that it was best to inform
them of the truth. Her husband agreed
to inform Dudley, while she promised
after flood of tears, to tell Molly all
everything, on the following morning
even If 1t cost her Molly's friendship.
After wrestling with her conscience
during a sleepless night, she passed
through the ordeal of being natural
during the morning repast, and ex
I perienced a sense of relief, such as
one has when nearing a long-impend
ing danger, as she slipped her arm
about Molly's waist and led her into
the library to a couch and seated her
self by her side. She felt that Molly
would be perfectly justified in being
indignant If nothing more, and in q
moment of silence she prefaced hel
spoken remarks by inwardly praying
that II would all turn out right Then
with eyes upon the floor, and control
ling her emotion as best she could
she made a straightforward, honest
confession, Withholding nothing, and
admitting the scheme was an unwor
thy one.
WAS II very wrong?" she pleaded
when she had finished the confession
| Che had NOT dared look MoIlv In th<