Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-04-19
a TALE OF RED ROSES

to the club dance with me7" he indig-
nantly went on, feeling like shaking her.
This time Molly shook her head, her
eyes cleaning with devilment, and from
Fern stu on the stairway, there arose
wild peal.
Bert closed the library doors.
'I forbid i'll" he commanded.
The change in Molly was so abrupt that
It startled him into barking his other
shin First OF all she threw open the
library doors, knowing, however. that
Fern by this time was back In the bou-
doir.
You may do your forbidding to Mr..
Sledge," she told him with blazing eyes.
You were thoughtful enouEh-to consider
seriously sending me to him. and now
whatever follows is up to me. I am
going TO the theatre tonight with Mr..
Sledge."
Molly! Molly! Mollyw shrieked Fern.
halt running and half humping down the
stairs run to the window, quick ana
see the parade! o-o-o-oh! It's coming
| here!"
Molly laid aside her just indignation for
moment, feeling intuItlvely that
Sledge miracle was some place in the
neiEhborhood, and glanced out of the
| WINDOW as Fern, gurging lncoherently
flashed by on her way to the door.
| Up the winding driveway, one following
the other. were two of the most beautiful
| cars as would make any girl go stark
| bowling mad with ecstasy. They were
| exactly alike, except that the one in front
| was hung with lace and ilmy red silk
| curtains and the other had blue with it's
| fluffy white. Both the cars werc empty,
except for the hard-featured men who
| were driving them, looking as much out
OF place ms a coal HEAVIER in a lingerie
bonnet
THE blue ones mine" claimed Fern.
| dancing UP and down In a delirium OF
| Joy as Molly Joined her at the door,
through the hangngs of which the girls
| now peered out in frantic impatience.
81 wonder what brings them here?"
| speculated Molly, dreading the worst.
"I don't carew returned Fern. "That
| blue cars mine. and / know it, Molly,
do YOU really suppose 1t could be pres
| ent?"
Certainly not" decided Molly prompt
| ". "Oh, but aren't they exquisite!"
Exquisite? They're the dearest sweet
est. darlngest little things I ever saw"
! cried Fern. "The only thing that's miss
ing is that there should be band lead
ing them. Say, Molly" and here she
| sank her voice to a giggllng whisper,
'I'll bet you that Sledge-''
Certainly not!" interrupted Molly, al
most tiercely, and then she, too, gIggled.
and the two girls scattered away from
lHt uOOT as lne CnHulleur OF the red car,
who was the gentlemanly salesman in
| disguise, dsmounted and came slowly up
| to the door
They waited in the library with the
frowning and bewildered Bert, while the
thin butler with the tall brow answered
| the bell, and they distinctly heard the
chauffeur ask for Miss Marley and Miss
Burbank. They waited in half-frightened
decorum while the thin butler solemnly
| brought that message, and then. with no
more trace of excitement than If they
had been dragged away from n tiresome
French lesson, they walked sedately into
| the hall.
Miss Marley?" observed that person.
nodding to the right girl. IT have the
pleasure of bringing out very beautiful
little gift to yourself and Miss Burbank, "
and here he nodded to the other young
lady, who was holding her toes to the
floor by gripping them. THE red-lined
one is for Miss Marley, and the blue one
for Miss Burbank"
81 said the blue one was mine! half
shriekod Fern, unable to contain herself
any longer. II want to ride in it--nowr
Molly looked longingly past the per-
| sons shoulder out at the red-curtained
car, and she felt that sick, sick sensation
| of self-abnegation clamoring within.
"Who sent them?" she asked family.
CONTINUED TOMORROW)