Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-04-07


proposal would be to you, Molly. But
have too much Of a fathers care fol
you not to consider very gravelN an5
thing which might concern your welfare
And are YOU in favor of such mar.
riage?" she asked so dispassonately that
he mentally complimented her on her
good sense.
We'll yes" he said again
I'm notr' she blazed. 1T may seem
cruel In me 10 interfere with any of your
business plans, but 1t is too late to dis
pose OF me"
She sailed out of the room and was
| confronted by the flushed and excited
| Bert Glider, who was too fun OF i'm
! portant plans to remember that he had
! certain engagement formalties to OBJ
serve
~ say, Molly" he blurtcd, "have you
! told any one Of our engagemrut?'
"Why?" she returned, wondering at his
| anxiety; II was scarcely cagerness
well, I'll tell you" he chucklnd. "A
grent stunt has turned up. You know,
I had a dlcker on with Sledge. | went to
him to close II, after I tclephoned YOU
! my heart and hand and he had the nerve
to tell me that I'd better stay out of he
deal If | didn't keep away from you.
Molly | beat him at his own game l
closed the deal with him, and immed-
atcly gave n 30-day option on the prop
crtN All we have TO do, for me to make
a fve-ehousand-dollar profit Is TO keep
our engagement secret for 30 days"
Molly opened her eyes i'm amazement
"Why didn't you tell me our engage
mcnt was a business dcall' she suddenly
1ared. I'm sorry to he the bearer Of
sad news. You're brokc,"
"Brokel' 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 demanded,
beginning to fear that something had
gone wrong.
"Onlv told Willie Walters" she care.
lesslv stated I've 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 before he
stepped on the car. She opened II, and
displayed to Berts shocked eyes Willie's
GleefuL three-column, half-tone-illus,
trated announcement of the engagement
Good lord!' groaned Bert
The telephone bell rang.
Mr. Sledge, Miss Molly" said the
maid.
Not here" retur,ed Molly. and
"G'll answer" offered Bert and she
followed him i'm wonder to the telenhone.
Who is ths?" rasped the voice OF
Sledge.
Bert Glider"
oh it's you, is it? What's this l see
in the Blade about YOU and Molly?"
IT'S a mistake" said Bert
You're not engaged?"
NO"
When he returned from the telephone
Molly dropped six diamond rings into his |
hand and started upstairs,
Don't any of them MT" he asked re-
grettuly.
"Go home ebe bougb.i1,, ,d,.;.,l i,i,, |
But you don't uhderstandu he called, |
running up the stairs after her. Let me |
explain"
The telephone rang again and the maid |
came TO Molly.
Mr. Walters on the telephone" an
nounced Nina
How apropos! reIolced Molly, and |
hurried eagerly to answer.
you're quick worker Molly" COM
olimented Willie Walters 81 hear you've
broken your engagement with Bert. Is
that right"
"Yesm Molly enthusiastica1Iv informed
him.
Us Sledge authorized to deny it?"
Yes, anybody is." she cxulted, and
carried her eNultation back to Bert.
He tried for a solid hour to slip the
argest Of the diamonds on her finger,
lut was giving up in despair when Fern
'ame running up the stairs with the reg.
The picture of Molly was in the same
ornate frame which it hal embelllshed in
he noon issue of the Blade but, from
he panel formerly occupied by Bert,
'locmed the funereal features of Sledge,
ma the three-column announcement had
pFead until 1t now covered the front
'aSe, at the top of which ran an in
ensely black line declaring that Sledge
lenicd Molly'S engagement to Bert.
Molly grabbed all SIX rings and put
hem on her fingers.
I'm part of the deal, Bert"' she ex-
latmed. NO. you can't kiss me-"
CHAPTER XII.
Bert Glider left Molly at the gate n,
l;SO in high state of elation because
iolly was now heart and soul with him
a the project of foolng Sledge
Don't worry about me- Bert" she
ssured him. I'm enact my part of the
arce, and In the meantime see If you
ant. hsure out some additional way to
et the better of him"
IN bring you his goat at the end
pink ribbon confidently promised
'ert. II know some secret passages in
he big thugs political history which
will pass over to the Blade and Willie
Walters will attend to the rest"
Bert. planning big things in the way
revenge upon Sledge for bringing him
~ PN''tN ''Ni4''AioSiois hlluF ny lHe WAY, ]
Or humiliating Molly and also gloat-
IS i'm his triumph, rode downtown and
into the Commercial Club.
here Dicky Reynolds and Wee Willie
Walters were just finishing a three-hour
'am fight against Paul Herschey and
ilbert stokes at billiards, with Phillip
ossy as referee.
At o'clock Bert was clrcumspect
lough to acknowledge, albeit with a
right eye, that this was the saddest
light of his life. At 23O he was led to
1nfess that he still had hopes. At 3
clock, the world now being his oyster
nd he possessing knife, he was private
7 advising each of his friends i'm turn
, watch and wait; and at $3.50 he was
invitations TO the great event