Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1916-04-13

case of hysteria. not one detail OF
which was omitted. She laughed. she
cried, she shrieked, she pounded her
heels on the floor of the car. she tried
to jump out Of the machine. she laugh
ed and she cried again. and Slcdgc
was 50 scared that he wiltcd his col.
lar.
You're all right. Miss Molly" he
hoarsely cooed e and over. but final
ly a happy thought struck him, and.
opening Il forward window, he yrutlly
directed, Say, Billy. stop at Shccny
Jakc's and bring out a slug of rye
Molly dabbcd at her eyes with the
filmy lace handkerchief which she had
intended to carry under the cut glass
chandelier.
You arc hurting my wrist" she com
planned.
He let go slowly and looked at the
deep white indentations of his big fin
gers. He almost blubbered.
I'm a slob!" he confessed. why,
Miss Molly, I'd saw my leg off before
I'd hurt you. Why, doggone it, you're
like a flower or a butterfly or Il canary
to me! Look at that wrist"
She drew her hand away. with a
splendid assumption Of cold disdain,
although, through some freak or fancy,
She could see the giggling face of Fern.
Mr.. Slcdge, where are you taking
me-
Home he informed her. Were
| goaua get married.
In spite of her tearing anger. there
was something in this so ridiculous
that she was compelled to laugh, and
With the first peal Sledge paled.
Hit 'er up" he yelled to his driver.
II want that booze quick! Please
don't, Miss Molly: you're all right"
Aud he made the futile attempt of
moppin@ his brow with the foolish lit
tie handkerchief which he somehow
found in his hand.
Let me out of here she demanded.
Nix" he gruffly replied. You don't
fool me again. I'm goana marry you"
You can't" she told him. ut isn't
legal if l don't say Yes"
You got to say Yes" he insisted.
Look here, Molly. 1 couldn't let you
marry that pinhead. He's a woman
fusser. He's been mixed up with them
since you were engaged, and he'd new
er stop"
ut won't do you any good to belittle
Bert" she fared.
II can't" he informed her. Il kept
my mouth shut, but now l got to spill
what | know. These pretty men are
always worse after they're married.
Berts a bum! He's got a streak of
yellow the size Of a canal. He amt
got the brains of a tadpole. He can't
make Il living unless somebody helps
him. You'd hate his bones in six
months. So don't you marry him.
II am the one to decide on that"
Molly Indignantly advised him.
Sledge looked at her a moment con-
templatively, then he opened the for
ward window.
Stop" he ordered Billy, and closed
the window again. "All right: go to
it; decide" he unexpectedly told her
as the machine stopped. But be on
the level now. Do you love Bert?'
That's my affair."" she cvaded, flush
ing.
Nav, it amt" he insisted. Its
mine. Do you love him enough to be
poor with him? Now, be square,"
Molly was silent.
You DON'T" he concluded. Put 1t
the other way. How about Bert:
Now, don't kid yourself"
Again Molly was silent. She could
answer that question if she chose, and
the picture Of little Jessie Peters sub.
lime alteration Of Dicky Reynolds came
before her eyes, linked with the mem.
Dry Of Bert's face when he had sug
gested a ~postponement. Being broke
was an incident with Jessie and Dicky
and entirely aside from their love
With Bert and herself it was the love
which had been incidental.
Sledge waited q reasonable time 70,
her to allege Bert's enthusiasm.
"Home!" he commanded Billy. "You
see, I'm wise, Miss Molly. That pin.
head couldn't love anybody enough tc
go the distance. | can. I'll murder
anybody you lame Want anybody
killed?"
Your she savagcly retorted anG
then, to her own surprise, laughed
She had put her hand on the catch OF
the door; but, since he made no at
tempt to stop her, she left 1t there.
You don't hate me that much" he
calmly Informed her. you like me-
Again she laughed, this time at his
naivete. You see, it's like this" he
explained: I'm a big slob, and In
rough. 1 amt pretty, and l know it
but [ can start something any minute
and when l do l can finish it. Yor
don't know it, but you're strong fol
that"
With a thrill Molly realized that ht
was right in this. She did admire
force. She admired Sledge, and, now
that she had time to think it over
something within her responded to hi
direct and simple method of breaking