Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-04-10
CHAPTER xvI-tcontinued).

''I doped that out tonight" he stated.
''Its got all the fancy lugs you spoke
about yesterday. Waiver don't want to
sell 1t. just asked him."
She laughed again, even in the midst
of her rising anger.
'.You won't need a house." she In
formed him, really gloating over mis- COM
ing downfall. You've run the world
long enough. We're going to stop you
Bert and l."
He favored her with a sample of the
laugh which his political enemies never
heard without a shiver, and he turned
upon her eyes which were freezing In
their insolent contempt, not OF her par
ticularly, but of everything.
'"Quit bluffing," he protested II
don't"
"Nor am Il" she hotly retorted. You
have broken Bert, as you promised. Now
he will break you
I'm waiting" he chuckled, "Where
pretty Bert? Soused?"
She Jumped from her seat. She searched
wildly for some retort, but could not
fnd Il.
Don't get sore Molly" he kindly ad-
vfsed her. II don't want to lead you up
to any more trouble, but l will II 1 have
to- You can't marry Bert. You're too
smart a woman. Ten years from now
he'll rattle around al your side ike a
dried pea"
That's one thing you can't dictate!"
she furiously told him. standing tall and
straight with cenched fists. in the moon
light He again commended his choice as
he looked at her. "Ill be Berts wife IN
less than month"
She left him in ponderous contempla-
ton of her on the settee and hurried into
---tfre house, with a half-formed plan OF
going home and sending Dicky Reynolds
or some one in search of Bert, but the
Mayor met her, and had introduced her
to Lord Bunnchase, and sent her in the
direction of the ballroom on that titled
gentleman's arm, before she quite knew
what was happening to her.
Lord Bunnchase was a yellow-mus-
tached man, with a particularly surly
face, who spraddled stiffly through two
step with her and made three remarks,
consisting of three separate apologies for
humping her into other dancers, but in
spite of the fact that he was the least
distinguished looking of any of the gem
tlemen on the floor, Molly noticed. with
distinctly uncomfortable feeling. that not
only were the eyes of all the dancers
focused on them. but that the non-dancers
suddenly thronged the doorways and the
balconies ard never stopped staring
With a sinking heart she realized once
more the impertnent organization meth
DDS Of Sledge. who had stage-managed
this whole affair so that the identity of
Lord Bunnchase should not be known
until she was on the floor with him. thus
givinu her the acute centre OF the stage.
EledEs was bound to give her the time
or hsr life. confound him!
CHAPTER XVII.
nllsL of the Governors stuffed leather
library was a small room, with a hard
desk and six hard chairs, and a hard
looking letter file, and a hard, hre-proof
SAFE let into the wall, and here. while
Lard Bunnchase led Molly Marley
throDgh the PAGES of a hard two-step,
Governor Waiver and Senator Allerton.
and Sledge and Frank Marley gathered
for a few moments of comfortable chat,
such as elderly gentlemen love to in
dulgs IN while frivolous younger people
dance the flying hours away All four
AeinE gentlemen who, by the consent of
Sne public, bore the grave responsibility
of the public welfare on their shoulders,
II was not strange that their chat should
turn TO public affairs.
II am glad to be identified with the en-
terprise," avowed State Senator Allerton.
who was a suaVe clean-faced gentleman.
WITH a good forehead and a quite nego-
table tongue. AT the same time, as
far as l am privately concerned, 1 can
only regard 1t as a temporary invest
ment."
ssWhy temporary demanded Frank
Marley, VINO was feeling particularly ca
pable this evening.
His Si75OOO worth OF street railway