Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-04-09
CHAPTER wv.


well. you having good time?" asked
sledge. sitting comfortably in the seat
Mr. Watt had just vacated
THE time of my life" she assured him
with happy animation.
That's the word" he heartily approved
IF there's anybody here you want lust
tell Cameron. If he don't trot EN- right
over, tell me-"
"The mayor has been very kind
acknowledged Molly, beginning to won
der.
Hes got his ORDERS" returned sIedre
| compacently. Let me see your dance
program" and he took It from her Ian. ~
| thought So" he commented "There's n
dark horse turned up, and you didn't get
Kim"
"a dark horse ?"' she faltered
"A ringer" he explained. Lord Bum
chase. Andrew Lepton. the big coffee
monopoltst. sneaked him in here under
an alias, and nobody's on" He puzzled
over the card a moment. Excuse me TN
| fix it, and he stalked away
Molly sat silently, allowing a cold wave
of humiliation slowly to chill her soul.
Why. Sledge had carefully prearranged
her triumph Of the evening He had as
sumed control of her dance card and
H.
tetes. He had driven the star performers
into her net, as IL they had been droves
OF sheep. True, men had sought her ,
second time of their own accord. no
cause of that charm which she knew
she possessed; a vaguely understood at
tractiVeness, which was more tnan
beauty. more than Cleverncss, more than
mere sex receptiveness. She had won
by her own power, but Sledge had given
her the glorious opportunities His ON
Impotence began to annoy her, and his
ruthlessness to inhame her already in
famed resentment
She knew precisely what was happen-
ing at this moment. He was creating
havoc in not less than half a dozen
dance cards. with no compunction about
having disCommoded or distressed anv-
one. Then there was Bert, downtown
battling with a disaster which had
thrown him completely Prom his feet
POOR Bert! She had by no means for
gotten him, even amid the height of her
excitement. She should have been there
to comfort him; and yet, well he had not
seen hit TO come to her for comfort Men
were queer creatures. a woman. when
disaster overlook her, did not need TO
deaden her intelligence. She needed it
than more than ever.
After all, though, Bert was a man
and that was the way Of men, and there
was no use to dream of overturning the
entire accepted order of creation, She
was certain. however, that she could
be of more help to Bert after they were
married, He was weaker than she had
thought,
Very well, Sedge had thrown down
the gage of battle. He had laughed
when he was threatened, and had ruined
Bert in challenging defiance. Let him
now take the cons ssquenCes. If he went
to The penitentiary, well and good lie
had probably sent other people there,
with no more qualms of mercy tnan
she would now show to him. She
could be as ruthless as he. What was
1t Professor Watt had called the quail
ity? Elemental force, that was it, Well.
she possessed it. too. She felt 1t within
her stirring with the same physical
nascency as the virility of parenthood.
TO which II was so closely allied
Sledge came back with her card
Next dance" he said. showing her
the name of Lord Bunnchase opposite
the 10th number. "Took it away from
Mrs. Allerton"
cred.
Does Mrs. Allerton know that her
number 10 dance was to have been with
tltle?" she asked with a sudden in
tense desire to giggle 1t over with Fern.
mot yet, He's only Edgar Chase on
her card. She thought she was winning
when Cameron gave her the Iead-ore
millionaire instead.
ITS like politics." Molly commented,
feeling vague distant thrill for the
intriCaCies of the game.
"Everything's politics." he rumbIed.
You like this house, don't you?"
~ think it's the most wonderful place
in the world" she declared,
CONTINUED TOMORROW