Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-01-26
The Best of Chester
4 TALE OF RED ROSES
BY George Randolph Chester
A.hor az ese. Rich Quick Wssrassort, tic.
cseriuhesd. Dsehs- MssrM csaeer
fcHApTER xr.-(Continued. J

(CHAPTER XII Continued
"What will you give me for thirty
day option?' he inquired.
give hundred dollars"
"Over and above the purchase
price?" -.
well. yes" consented Bozzam, az
ter a moment Of reflection. Twenty.
ave thousand FIVE hundred in all"
"All right" agreed Bert. and went
out smiling. He was q brilliant chap;
full Of ideas!
Down stairs he went to the tele.
phone again, and called up the Mar,
ley residence.
Miss Molly still busy?" he asked.
Eyes, Mr.. Glider" the maid inform
ed him.
"she won't be going out for an
hour OF, so, will she?"
mo, sir."
"All right" returned Bert, thor.
,oushly satisfied, and he hurried back
to Siedse's once, where he found
Bsndfx. and going over to the court
house. they spent the next hour and
h hail sealing, binding and deciding
tho. Person estate to the shrewd
young real estate Spectator, who, az
tar q. xtsat to the bank with Bendix,
xaye I'M twenty thousand silver dol
Iary nor the privilege.
fhas ceremony concluded, Bert hur-
Md down to the telephone. but did
not sw~it to have Molly called. He
|ouiypdirected the maid to tell her he
vao coming straight out, and then he
jumped on street car, chuckling over
~
E1mk Mar8ey, as he walked into
thfs own residence, was by no means
Echtaafng over hiss coming interview
Win Molly, but he managed. to save
his thce to himself BY persuading
ntmslf that his serious trepidation
Ivse name fstherly concern. He call
I'd 16oaY into his den at the end OF
tha hal and plunged numbly on to his
s.doIiy, / wish to speak with you
seriously,~ he observed, sitting down.
and motfoning her to seat in front
OF him.
instantly concerned.
"Sledge." he replied.
She sat down and her cheeks flush
ed.
"He has been speaking of me-" she
surmised.
"Both last night and this morning"
her father admitted, pleased with her
duiet tone He is extremely anxious
10 marry you, Molly
what did you tell him." she ask
ed curiously.
"That I had nothing to say in the
matter. Of course" he promptly as
sured her. Naturally, I know what
a shock such proposal would be to
YOU. Molly. But l have too much of
fathers care for you not to consider
very gravely anything which might
concern your welfare"
and are you in favor of such a
--riaon?" she asked 50 dispassion-
ateiy that he mentally complimented
uer good sense.
swell yes" he began again. -.
"I'm mott" she blazed. 1T may
seem cruel in me to interfere with any
OF your business plans, but it Is too
late to dispose of me-"
She sailed out Of the room, and
was confronted by the flushed and ex-
cited Bert Glider, who was too full OF
important plans to remember that be
had certain engagement formalities
to observe.
~ say. Molly" he bruted, have you
told any one Of our engagement"
.Why?" she returned, wondering at
his anxiety; 1t was scarcely eager
ness.
"We1l. I'll tell you" he chuckled.
"a great stunt has turned up. You
know. / had q dicker on with Sledge.
I went to him to close it, after tele-
phoned you my heart and hand, and
he had the nerve to tell me that I'd
better stay out of the deal II didn't
keep away from you. Molly, beat
him at his own game. l closed the
deal with him, and Immediately gave
q thirty-day option on the property.
All we have to do, for me to make
a five-thousand-dollar profit, is to
keep our engagement a secret for
thirty days"
Molly opened her eyes in amaze.
ment-
'Why didn't you tell me our en-
was a business DEAL" she
suddenly flared. I'm sorry to be the
bearer of bad news. You're broke"
sBroke!" he exclaimed.
"You and father may console each
other" she cheerfully told him. i've
lost money for both of you"
What have you done?" he demand
ed beginning to fear that something
had gone wrong.
"Only told Willie Walters she
carelessly stated. 1--WE promised him
the scoop since forever. Is that the
Blade you have in your pocket?''
She took it, still folded, from where
he had thrust it, unopened, just be-
fore he stepped on the car. She
opened it and displayed to Bert's
shocked eyes Willie's gleeful. three
column. half-tone-illustrated an
of the engagement
Good lord!" groaned Bert.
The telephone bell rang.
f"Mr. Sledge, Miss Molly said the
maid. :.
'Not here" returned Molly, and
laughed.
..T'11 answer offered Bert and she