The midland journal., 1915-08-06
cAAPTER vI.-centInued.

CHAPTER Vl.-centInued.
Flodie stared at him fascinated. as
q bird by a snake. Try as she could.
# was impossible to deny hts accusa-
ton.
Hold on minute, now!" He shook
his finger impresslvely. I'D give q
good deal II was satisfied he wouldn't
be married before midnight"
Flodie could stand 1t no longer. 1t
was useless to attempt to hide her
feelings from this man. Her heart
was bursting. "Oh, SO would /, IL 1
had the money!" she cried, woebe-
gone.
Jonas leaned back. with smile of
victory on his face. wall, guess
4 got to the woman Of 1t at last" he
gloated. 'All women is just alike.
when you come right down to 1t. One
man among thousand have found;
but woman among all those have l
mot found'-that is, different. But
that's neither here nor there. sus-
pected you was sweet on Hall; your
face give you dead away. Wall. then,
miss" he brought it out deliberately,
seems to me our interests ought to
be Identical"
What d'you meanr Something in
Flodie's subconsciousness was awak-
ened.
You bein' woman, don't want him
to marry anybody else. Wall, neither
do l." He watched her closely, heart
aessly.
"I see" said Flodie frigidly. 'Hs-
cause you'd lose fortune"
"Oh. it amt the money, miss, don't
you misinterpret my motives. / don't
want cent of it for myself. It's what
4 can do with it. See here; If Hall
gets that money, he's bound to throw
At away on all sorts of foolishness. IL
he marries tonight, some sheep-head-
ed, extravagant woman will have the
spendin' of it," He watched the shaft
strike Flodie, and went on. WHARF
as. If inherit it-why got my plans
all laid out Already" He leaned for
ward earnestly. Why. do you know,
miss, theys heather in the tropics
what don't know what clothes be, let
alone the Bible They tell me they
ain't a toothbrush nor pair o. corsets
in all Polynesia. And all of them mis-
cradle niggers got to be damned ever
lasting. Then they's hospitals l in
tend to endow, and tracts ought to be
printed" But Flodie's eyes were cast
down. He saw that he had lost his
audience, and came back to his best
argument. Think o. Halls wife
THROWN that cash round on parties.
and low-necked dresses---to say nothin'
O. balls and concerts and theaters!"
Well" Flodie said, with pathetic
look in her face. 81 don't see what we
can do about it. He's made up his
mind to marry tonight, and he's al
ready proposed to three women"
Jonas whistled long and low.
Looks like we got to get to work In
hurry, don't it? See here, miss" he
spoke slowly and emphatically. you
can do it. Why. women is born for
tricks like this. What's that Jeremiah
says? A woman shall compass a
man. That's right, too. You'll find
a way and depend on me to help all
can. What dye say?"
Flodie's mind had already jumped
to the task. Why not try to save Hall?
that was the excuse she gave her
self. To be disloyal to him was un-
thinkable, but to prevent a lifelong
unhappiness due to his marrying any
one of the three women he had pro-
posed to-ah. that was another thing.
What If she could accomplish it, and
get the best of this scheming hypo-
crite into the bargain? There was q
magnificent chance for woman's
strategy! Suddenly the thought came.
beautiful, complete. She jumped up
excitedly. 81 know!" she cried.
What? Got an idee a'readyr" Jo-
mas grinned.
YES! I'll tell you. I'm going to
get those three women together In this
room-and then-I'n just let nature
take its coursel II something doesn't
happen, then don't know anything
about women"
Jonas chuekled. delighted. "wall,
that will be picnic. won't it, BY
Jimmy, I'd like to see the funl"
y No" said Flodie, you'll have to
leave I've got lots to do. II I'm to
manage this thing. and I've got to do
IL alone Now. let's seel Wait min
ute Halls giving party tonight
Suppose tell him that invited you,
and you come round at about eleven
O'Clock. Then I'll tell you how mat
ters are going"