The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-10-10
Copyright. 1911, By II. K. Fly Co.
CHAPTER xxVIII.
The Woman-Haters ReIaps..

with SnooZleums in his arms.
He regarded with contemptuous
awe the petty cause of so great an
event as the stopping of the Trans
American. He expected to see Mar
jorie receive the returned prodigai
with wild rapture, but she didn't even
smile when he said:
Here's your powder-puff."
She just took Snoozleums on her
lap, and, looking up with wet eyes
and a sad smile, murmured:
Thank you very much. You're the
incest conductor I ever met. If you
ever want another position, I'll see
that my father gets you one
1t was like offering the kaiser a
new Job, but the conductor swallowed
the insult and sought to repay it with
irony.
Thanks. And If you ever want to
RUN this road for couple of weeks,
just let me know"
Marjorie nodded appreciatively and
said: Il will. You're very kind"
And that completed the rout of that
conductor. He retired in disorder,
leaving Marjorie to fondle Snoozle-
ums with a neglectful indifference that
would have greatly fiattered Mallory,
If he could have seen through the
partition that divided them.
But he was witnessing with the
cynical superiority of an aged and
disillusioned man the, to him, childish
behavior of Ira Lathrop, an eleventh
hour Orlando.
For just as Mallory moped into the
smoking-room at one door, Ira Lath-
rop swept in at the other, his face
rubicund with embarrassment and
ecstasy. He had donned an old frock
coat with creases like ruts from long
exile in his trunk. But he was feel
ing like an heir apparent; and he
startled everybody by his jovial hail:
well, boys-er-gentlemen = the
drinks are on me. Waiter, take the
orders"
Little Jimmie woke with a start,
rose hastily to his feet and saluted,
saying: Present! Who said take the
orders?"
II did" said Lathrop, I'm giving a
party. Waiter, take the orders
"Sarsaparilla," said DR.. Temple, but
they howled him down and ordered
other things. The porter shook his
head sadly: "Nothin' but sof' drinks
in Utah. gemmen."
A groan went up from the club
members, and Lathrop groaned loud
est of all:
well, we've got to drink something.
parilla."
Little Jimmie Wellington came to
the rescue.
Don't do anything desperate, gen.
tlemen," he said, with look of d.
vine philanthropy. 1.-THE bars closed,
but Little Jimmie Wellington is here
with the life preserver." From his
hip-pocket he produced silver flask
that looked to be big enough to carry
a regiment through the Alps. 1t was
greeted with a salvo, and Lathrop
said to Jimmie: 81 apologize for
everything have said-aE1 thought
about you" He turned to the porter:
There amt any law against giving
this way, is there?"
The porter grinned: mot if you-all
bride the exercise-inspector." And he
held out glass for the bride, muir
muring, Don't git tired" as it was
poured He set it inside his sanctum
and then hustled round with ice-filled
glasses and siphon.
When Little Jimmie offered of the
flask to DR.. Temple, the clergyman
put out his hand with politely hor-
rified: No, thank you"
Lathrop frightened him with sud-
den comment: Look at that gesture,
Doc, I'd almost swear you were par
son."
Mallory whirled on him with the
eyes of a hawk about to pounce, and
''The very ideal" was the best dis
claimer DR.. Temple could manage,
suddenly finding himself suspected.
Ashton put in with, THE only way
to disprove it, Doc, is to join u.s.
The poor old clergyman, too deeply
involved in his deception to brave
confession now, decided to do and
dare all. He stammered, "Er-ah-
certainly" and held out his hand for
his share Of the poison. Little jim
mic winked at the others and almost
filled the glass. The innocent doctor
bowed his thanks. When the porter
reached him and prepared to fill the
remainder of the glass from the
siphon, the parson waved him aside
with misguided caution:
mo, thanks. I'll not mix them"
Mallory turned away with a sigh:
He takes his straight. He's no par
son."
Then they forgot the doctor in
curiosity as to Lathrop's sudden
spasm of generosity-with Yelling
tons liquor. Wedgewood voiced the
general curiosity when he said:
What's the old woman-hater up to
now?"
'Woman-hater?" laughed Ira. Its
the old story. I'm going to follow
Mallory's example-marriage."
Il hope you succeed" said Mallory.
Wherever did you pick up the
bride?" said Wedgewood. meIlowing
with the long glass in his hand.
Brides are easy" said Mallory,
with surprising cynicism. Where do
you get the parson?"
Hang the parson,'' Wedgewood re-
peated, Who's the geI?"
I'll bet / know who she is" Ash
ton interposed; its that nectarine OF
a damsel who got on at Green River"
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