Middletown transcript., 1915-08-07
CHAPTER vl.-contlnusd.

Flodie stared at him fascinated. as
a bird by snake. Try as she could,
It was impossible to deny his accusa-
tion.
Hold on q minute, now!" He shook
his finger impressively. I'D give
good deal If was satisfied he wouldn't
be married before midnight"
Flodie could stand 1t no longer. 1t
was useless to attempt to bids her
feelings from this man. Her heart
was bursting. "Oh, so would l. II l
had the money!" she cried, woebe-
gone.
Jonas leaned back, with q smile of
victory on his face. Wall, l guess
got to the woman of it at last" he
gloated. "All women is just alike.
when you come right down to 1t. One
man among a thousand have found;
but woman among all those have
not found-that is, different. But
that's neither here nor there. sus-
pected you was sweet on Hall; your
face give you dead away Wall. then.
miss" he brought it out deliberately,
seems to me our interests ought to
be identical"
What d'you meanf" Something in
Flodie's subconsciousness was awak-
ened.
You, bein' a woman, don't want him
to marry anybody else. Wall, neither
do l." He watched her closely, heart
lessly.
81 see," said Flodie frigidly, ''Re-
cause you'd lose a fortune"
"Oh, it amt the money, miss, don't
you misinterpret my motives. l don't
want cent of it for myself. It's what
can do with It, See here; If Hall
gets that money, he's bound to throw
it away on all sorts of foolishness. If
he marries tonight, some sheep-head-
ed, extraVagant woman will have the
spendin' of It," He watched the shaft
strike FlodIe, and went on. "Whare-
as, If inherit it-why, got my plans
= all laid out Already" He leaned for
ward earnestly. Why, do you know,
miss, they's heathen in the tropics
what don't know what clothes be, let
alone the Bible. They tell me they
amt toothbrush nor pair O. corsets
in all Polynesia. And all of them mis-.
cradle nlggers got to be damned ever
lasting. Then they's hospitals l In
tend to endow, and tracts ought to be
printed" But Flodie's eyes were cast
down. He saw that he had lost his
audience, and came back to his best
argument. Think o. Halls wife
THROWN that cash round on parties
and low-necked dresses-to say nothin
o. balls and concerts and theatersp
WELL" Flodie said with a pathetic
look in her face, 81 don't see what we
can do about 1t. He's made up his
mind to marry tonight, and he's al
ready proposed to three women"
Jonas whistled long and low
Looks like we got to get to work II
a hurry, don't it? See here, MISS" hC
spoke slowly and emphatically. "YOI
can do it. Why, women is born fol
tricks like this. What's that jeremiah
says? "A woman shall compass {
man That's right, too. You'll fnC
a way and depend ON me to help al
can. What dye say?"
Flodies mind had already jumped
to the task. Why not try to save Hall
that was the excuse she gave her
self. To be disloyal to him was un
thinkable, but to prevent a lifeloni
unhappiness due to his marrying an,
one of the three. women he had pre-
posed to-ah, that was another thing
What II she could accomplish it, an
get the best of this scheming hypC
critic into the bargain? There was
magnificent chance for a woman
strategy! Suddenly the thought came
beautiful, complete. She jumped u
excitedly. 81 know!" she cried.
"what? Got an idee a'ready2" il
= mas grinned.
"Yes! I'll tell you. I'm going t
get those three women together in thi
room-and then-Tn Just let natur
take its coursel If something doesn
happen, then l don't know anythin
about women"
Jonas chuckled. delighted. "Wal
that will be q picnic, won't 1t! B
Jimmy, I'd like to see the fun!"
NO" said Flodie, you'll have
leave. I've got lots to do, if I'm
manage this thing, and I've got to d
it alone Now, let's see! Wait mil
ute-Hall's giving q party tonigh
Suppose tell him that invited yo1
and you come round at about eleve
O'Clock. Then I'll tell you how ma
tsrN are going"
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