Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-04-27
CHAPTER XXXV1II
HE CROSS-ESAAITNATION

The SS-ENAA11NAIlON
Molly's first and perfectly normal action
when the limousine drove away with her
was to indulge in splendid case of hNs-
terra, not one detail of which was omitted.
She laughed she cried, she shrieked, she
pounded her heels on the floor of the
car. she tried to jump out of the machine.
she laughed and she cried again and
Sedge was so scared that he wllted ms
collar
You're all right, Miss Molly he
hoarsely cooed. over and over. but finally
happy thought struck him. and, open
ing forward window, he grufly directed,
Say. Billy, stop at Sheeny Jake's ana
bring out slug of rye
Molly dabbed at her eyes with the hlmy
lace handkerchief which she had intended
TO carry under the cut-glass chandelier.
You are hurting my wrist she COM
planned.
He let go slowly and looked at the deep
white indentations OF his big fingers lie
almost blubbered. ,,,-
Molly, I'd saw my leg off before I'd hurt
YOU Why doEgone 1t, you're ike
flower, or a butterfly, or canary TO me-
Look at that wrist
She drew her hand away with splen-
did assumption of cold dsdain. although,
through some freak Oh lallCN' SilS NSN'N
see the giEgling face of Fern.
"Mr. Sledge where are you taking me?'
Home" he Informed her. Were goana
get married"
In spite of her tearing anger there was
something in this so ridiculous that she
was compelled to laugh, and with the
first peal Sledge paled
Hit 'er up"' he yelled to his driver.
1T want that booze quick. Please don't
Miss Molly; you're all right" And he
made the futile attempt of hopping his
brow with the foolish little handkerchief
which he somehow found in his hand.
Let me out of here!" she demanded.
Mix" he gruffly replied You don't
fool me again. I'm gonna marry you"
you can't" she told him. 1T isn't
legal If 1 don't say Yes,
You got 10 say Yes" ne insisted.
Look here, Molly l couldn't let you
marry that pinhead He's a woman fusser.
He's been mixed up with them since you
were engaged, and he'd never stop"
SIT won't do you any good to belittle
Bert" she flared.
ct can't" he informed her, ,"I kept my
mouth shut, but now got TO spill what l
know These pretty men are always
worse after they're married. Berts bum
He's got streak of yellow the size of a
canal He amt got the brains of a tad
pole. He can't make living unless some
body helps him You'd hate his bones IN
six months. So don't you marry him."
"I am the one TO decide on that" Molly
Indignantly advised him.
Sledge looked at her a moment contem-
platively then he opened the forward
window.
stop he ordered Billy, and closed Che
window again. ".All right; go to It; de-
eide" he unexpectedly told her as the
machine stopped. But be on the level
nov. Do you love Bert?"
That's my affair" she evaded, flush
Nav II amt" he insisted. TITS mine.
Do YOU love him enough to be poor with
him? Now. be square"
Molly was silent.
you don't" he concluded. Put il the
other way How about Bert? Now, don't
kid yourself"
Again Molly was silent, She could an
swer that question If she chose and the
picture of little Jessie Peters sublime
alteration of Dicky Reynolds came before
her eyes, linked with the memory of
Bert's face when he had suggested a
postponement. Being broke was an in
cident with Jessie and Dicky, and en-
tirely aside from their love. With Bert
and herself, it was the love which mad
been incidental.