Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-01-21
CHAPTER VIII.

A yelp on the front porch announc
ed the arrival of Ben Sledge, and he
appeared in the brilliantly lighted
" hall. holding tightly stretched chain
i to the other end of which was attach
ed a one-eyed stub-eared, battle-scar
4 red bull terrier which took such
violent dislike to the intellectual-fac
ed Marley butler that Sledge was com
nelled to hold him clear OF the fool
Z with one brawny hand and spank MIN
loudly in the ribs with the other;
whereupon Bob gave single yelpine
promise to be good, and Sledge lei
4 him down again.
"This is Bob, Miss Molly" intro
duced Sledge. I'm sending him righ,
back with Mike, but you said you
like to see him"
.Delighted to meet you, Bob" laugh
ed Molly stopping down and pattlne
him on the sea1ny head.
Bob deliberately batted his good eye
with all the effect of wink, and wag
red his absurd stump Of tail by way
OF friendly greeting, then ne suddenly
made a lunge of about four feet. ana
strsined, choking, at the end OF ms
chain on his hind feet, with his
tongue hanging out. From the rear
Of the lot he had heard the bark OF
the suspicious Smash.
"Where's Mixer" demanded Molly
hastily. u,+
Bert Glider and five Of the eight
couples whom Molly had invited, mao
d already arrived. and were now. OF
course. thronged eagerly in the door
ways. ,
erede se-joined Dicky Reynolds;
aHold your caller till run out ana
get smash. He knows me.
"Don't you dare!' shrieked Molly
distrusting him with good reason
Rob loosened his throat enough 10
answer the challenge from the Kennel
and there wasn't girl left In the
doorways. except Jessie Peters, VINO
chung to Dickys sleeve.
"I'll go with you, Dicky," offered
circular little Willie Walters, with an
echo of Dicky's smoker.
"If YOU do, he'll bark at you,
hotly retorted Molly, knowing Wee
willie's cautious propensities.
The rest of the boys were for keep
ing M the good work, but Sledge
cut short the incipient hysteria by
picking up Bob by the neck, return
mo to the door, and booming into the
1 night the silent potent syllable:
"Mike!"
A souatty man, who looked so much
/ like Bob, even to a patched eye. that
thew could have been taken for twins,
emerged from the darkness. Rugged
Il Roh to his bosom like brother ana
hurried away.
Fern and Molly looked at each other
q with dismay. II this was the start OF
the evening, what else might they ex-
pect!
"Why didn't Mike take them both
I away?" whispered Fern. "You poor
4 girl!'' IS,
s AI'm not" denied Molly fiercely. 81
/. said this morning that I'd like to see
Bob. and, of course. Mr.. Sledge
y brought him. The only trouble is
He's instantaneous, corrected
Fern.
"You have to admire it, laughed
Molly. 'Well, the only thing I can do
x "a to be as game as he is and upon
Sledge's return from some careful al.
rectfons to an unseen companion or
D Mixes, she introduced him to her
4 friends will all the sprightliness or
which she was capable.
In that process, she firmly intended
to make him the center of things, ana
to see that he had a good time. He
relieved her of that tremendous bur-
den, however; for, after moving
\ through the introductions with cor
dial ease which not only delighted
I but surprised her, until she was re-
u minded that he had been introduced
/ to more notables than she would prob
ably ever see. he quietly disappeared
\ into Marley's den and smoked fat
cigars in calm comfort, with stein
Il of cool beer at his elbow, leaving the
young people to enjoy their hilarity
Il without the damper Of his presence.
Molly, mindful of her duties as hos
tess. dropped in occasionally to see
that he was satisfied, and each time
she faund him in exactly the same
position, as placidly contented as he
!, could possibly have been in the little
back room of the Occident saloon. On
one of her visits, after answering in
the Affirmative her inquiry if he was
all right. he rose from his comfort
able nest in the big leather chair.
II suppose we eat" he guessed.
II think you'd call it bluff" she
laughingly returned.
81 get you,'' he replied. Mostly
\ decorations Souvenirs?"
'sThe usual"
"Hand 'em these" and he thrust in
I to her hands two bundles of small en-.
4 yclopes: red ones and white ones.
She looked at them blankly mo-
ment.
'I-get you" she smiled flushing
slightly as she wondered whether her
adoption of his phrase was fattery or
\ ridicule. RED ones, in honor of the
roses, are for girls; and the white
ones for the boys. What are they?'
Jaw, nothing much,' he diffidently
replied, as he resumed his seat. "Sea'
\ son tickets for grand opera week in
the red ones, and for the Athletic
club fights in the white ones. Admit
y two. Is it all right?"