Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-06
CHAPTER XxXVI1,
MoIIv Starts For a Drive,

ers.
! CHAPTER XXXVI1.
| Molly Starts For a Drive.
A loosening of his collar, a dash 0
cold water in his face, sip OF brandy
restored Frank Marley to conscious
ness. but he was an old man. HI
seemed visibly to have shrunk In hi
clothes. and the flesh to have sagget
in his cheeks. He tried to smile
bravely, when they set him in his
chair but the attempt was a pathetic
/ failure.
81 guess I'm out of the game" ne
! confessed. NY hearts bad
Molly took up the telephone.
"rll call Doctor Brand" she anxi
ously decided.
DON'T" he begged. stopping her
with his hand "It isn't physical, it's
mental. I've lost my nerve. Molly
Sledge wins. We're broke"
"How can that be-" she puzzled, un'
able to comprehend it. "You even
showed he the check
"Here it is said Bert, who had
picked 1t from the floor, and was
smoothing it out.
"Worthless!' Marley groaned, at
sight of it. 81 can sue for it, put
they'll beat me-
Bert edged in between Molly and
Fern, so that he could stand directly
in front of Marley, and see his race.
do you mean to tell'me that our
whole plan has fallen to the ground?'
Marley nodded miserably. AS. ....
How did it happen?"
II don't quite understand wavered
Marley 81 haven't the details; put
by some trick Sledge has secured htty
year franchises for every street IN the
city. including mine
How does that affect you?' per-
sisted Bert, his eyes falling again TO
the check. That document looked
so much like real money that he was
inclined to believe it rather than
Marley.
affect me-" protested Marley,
warmed into a trifle more OF life as
he explained. ut renders my street
railway company junk heap. we
lose everything"
But the sale" insisted Bert. a1
invalid Goldman claims ne was
not authorized to act
Il suppose that if the sale had been
a profitable one you never would nave
heard of the invalidity.'
Marley smiled, and shook his head.
Then all our plans are or, ols-
covered Bert. "The Person tract IS
unstable for enough to clear its own
mortgage. Your stock and mine are
worthless. You lose this house.
am stuck for the loan made to give
Won control. We haven't money
enough to 20 into business, and we
can't go back east. Molly, it looks
like a postponement!"
Jessie Peters edged closer, and
slipped her arm around Molly
Not on my account protested
Marley. fumbling at his collar, and
he arose feebly to adjust it before the
mantel mirror.
Molly seeing that he wavered, hur-
ried to his support.
He turned to her, and put his hands
on her shoulders.
I'm sorry, Molly" he said simply,
looking into her eyes with more 1ond-
ness than he was in the habit OF show
ing her.
I'VE can stand it., she com1orteu
him. after all, it's only Just. | feel
so much less wicked If we suffer with
all the poor people we have helped to
ruin.
A short laugh from Bert interrupted
her, and she turned to him with rls-
ing fame in her eyes; but little jessie
Peters had caught her hand, and was
Joolyipo I'm into her face.
The minister. tall chap who mad
won the hammer-throwing medal in
his last year at college, had Withdrawn
discreetly to the parlor when the con-
versation had begun, but now came
back alphabetically.
.r am sorry to urge you," he observ-
I'd looking at his watch II have a
brief appointment: but | can return.
az don't know hesitated Molly,
o,ancine at Bert. "Wait just min
ute
ITO be continued)