Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-04
-, The Best of Chester
A TALE OF RED ROSES
BY George Randolph Chester
Author Of Get Rich. Quick Wstinsferd. Ete.
Copyrighted The BoabsherNN Cempsay

ne ldSC TWO WeekS Hdu Hldue hlHi
more slavishly in love with Molly than
ever, and he missed her as morphine
fiend does his dope"
Goldman dropped in to see him at
two o'clock.
Il want to talk consolidation with
you, Mr. Sledge," he offered, sitting
smilingly in the visitors chair.
What consolidation? asked Sledge.
THE street railway companies. We
have just purchased the controlling
interest in the company now opera
tive
Sledge turned on him slow glance.
From Frank Marley" he demand
ed.
From Frank Marley" repeated
Goldman pleasantly, looking as if he
expected to be applauded for his en-
terprise.
You're up against it." Sledge warn
ed him. did you pay?"
Gave Marley my check yesterday
afternoon"
"Today's holiday" advised
Sledge. Better stop payment"
Il don't understand faltered Cold
man.
You will when you're stung," ad
vised Sledge.
"Tm not stung," announced Cold
man emphatically. Our people don't
take a chance on getting in wrong.
That check can be stopped
60 to it, ordered Sledge, and
punched the bell. where's Ben
dix" he demanded of Adolph. &S.ea
Don't know Want him." !
Quick ordered Sledge "Why
didn't you tell me you was after con-
troll? Now you don't get anything" -
81 get out-that's one cinch!" stat
ed Goldman. rising and looking at his
watch
How" asked Sledge.
That's my affair. I'd lbe sucker
to lay myself liable by an admission
of the knowledge"
Il want to know persisted Sledge.
81 want to be sure Of it,
You're cunning for Marley sur
missed Goldman.
Sure l ami agreed Sledge. Il
don't want you stung. How do you
crawl?"
do I get back in after it's all
Strengthened out?"
you can have a chunk of it,
Goldman surveyed him thoughtfully.
They do say you stick to prom
Use like that" he unused. well, two
weeks ago l had a written authority
to make contracts, conclude business
and write checks, in the name of my
corporation. Day before yesterday
that authority was revoked. We al
ways do that
Bendix came in.
Marley got out from UNDER Sledge
told him. WHY"
so the wedding could come off,
returned Bendix. with an involuntary
glance at the red-rose boutonniere.
The wedding.'' repeated Sledge.
Look here, Bendix. don't you kid
mel"
II wish was" replied Bendix,
showing for the first time his knowl.
edge Of how important all this was to
the big boy Molly and Bert Glider
are to be married right off the bat"
No man had ever seen Sledge pale
before.
"When?" he wheezed.
Right away. This afternoon!
They're being married now"
CHAPTER XXXV
The Day Of Thanksgiving.
Although there were to be no guests
at the Marley wedding. the house was
naturally in state of much tensity
as the time approached. Molly, for
two hours before the minister was to
arrive, was engaged in the finishing
touches of her toilet which was fully
as elaborate, though not SO conven-
tional, as if the function was to be
the most formal one possible: and her
boudoir, from one end to the other,
was cluttered with fluffy finery, with
toilet accessories, with two maids and
Fern Burbank, the three latter articles
being in state closely bordering on
hysteria.
Downstairs, Bert Glider wandered
from room to room, feeling more IN
the way than if he were an unb1dden
guest at somebody elses wedding, his
only human companion being an occa-
sional contact with the thin-legged
butler. who, under the excitement Of
the occasion, had opened surreptious
bottle Of champagne in the pantry,
and, there being plenty Of room in his
intellect. had succumbed to the in
evitable gloom of the occasion.
The most busily occupied one of ALL
however, was Frank Marley, who,
from Immediately after breakfast, had
ensconced himself in his den, where
he somewhat sadly finished his con-
nection with many odds and ends of
local business and social institutions,
writing checks and friendly notes all
the morning.
He even had his lunch brought in
to him, for. truth to tell, he preferred
rather to be alone than to be with
Bert on this particular day. He felt,
somehow, as If he could never be
quite in accord with the man who was
to take from him his motherless Molly,
and he tried to quell the fear for her
which arose in him; moreover, Bert
represented the new life which
stretched before him, and he was not
quite ready for it, now that the time
had come He was an old man, he
realized, and it is dangerous mat
ter to uproot old trees. He had lived
the best years of his life in this city,