Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1916-01-20
knowledged Molly, beginning

from her lap. l luouSut So' NC WIZ
mented. There's dark horse turned
up, and you didn't get him.
"a dark horse?" she faltered
"a ringer" he explained. Lord
Bunnchase. Andrew Lepton. the big
coffee monopolist. sneaked him In here
under an alias. and nobody's on He
puzzled over the card moment "E1-
cuse me till fix It" and he stalked
away.
Molly sat silently, allowing a cold
wave of humiliation slowly to chill her
soul. Why, Sledge had carefully pre-
arranged her triumph Of the evening.
He had assumed control Of her dAce
card and Of her succession OF delight
full tete-a-tetes. He had driven the
star performers into her net as II they
had been droves Of sheep. True. men
had sought her second time OF tnelr
own accord because Of that charm
which she knew she possessed-a
vaguely understood attractveness'
which was more than beauty. more
than cleverness. more than mere sex
receptiveness. She had won by her
own mower. but Sledge had given her
the glorious opportunities. His omnip-
otence began to annoy her and his
rutblcssness to inflame her already In
famed resentment
She knew precisely what was hap
pening at this moment. He was Great
ing havoc in not less than half dozen
dance cards. with no compnnctlon
about having disconnected or dis
tressed any one. Then there was Bert
downtown battling with disaster
which had thrown him completely
from his feet. Poor Bert! She had by
no means forgotten him. even amid
the height Of her excitement. She
should have been there to comfort him.
and yet-well. he had not seen ut to
come to her for comfort. Men were
queer creatures. A woman when dis.
aster overlook her did not peed to
deaden her intelligence. She needed 1t
then more than ever.
After all. though, Bert wasla man.
and that was the way Of Den. and
there was no use to dream ofloXerturn-
ing the entire accepted order f crea-
ton. She was certain. however. that
she could be of more help to Bert AFT
er they were married. he was weak
er than she had thought
Very well; Sledge had thrown down
the gage Of battle. He had laughed
when he was threatened and bad ruin
ed Bert in challenging defiance. Let
him now take the consequences II he
went to the penitentiary, well and
good He had probably sent other peo-
pie there. with no more qualms OF
mercy than she would now show to
him. She could be as ruthless as he.
What was 1t Professor Watt had call
ed the quality? Elemental force-that
was it. Well, she possessed It too.
She felt 1t within her. stirring with
the same physical nascency az the VI
rility Of parenthood. to which It was
so closely allied
Just off the governors stuffed leath.
er library was a small room, with a
hard desk and six hard chairs. and q
hard looking letter file, and hard, fire.
proof safe let into the wall, and here.
while Lord Bunnchase led Molly Mar
Icy through the PAGES Of hard two
step. Governor Waver and Senator Al
lerton and Sledge and Frank Marley
gathered for a few moments OF COM
Portable chat such as elderly gentle
men love to indulge in while frvo-
Ious younger people dance the flying
hours away. All four being gentle
ment who. by the consent Of the pub
lie. bore the grave responsibility Of
the public welfare on their shoulders.
1t was not strange that their chat
should turn to public affairs.
81 am glad to be identified with the
enterprise" avowed State Senator AL.
lerton. who was suaye, clean faced
gentleman. with good forehead. and
quite negotiable tongue. AT tho
same time. as far as I am privately
concerned, l can only regard It as q
temporary investment
"Why temporary demanded Frank
Marley, who was feeling particularly
capable this evening. His $175,OOO
worth Of street railway stock had been
increased to $2G2.J00. He was to have
$S1, 800 cash ont Of the undivided sur
plus Of the old company, and his daugh-
ter. Molly. was the most popular girl
ut the governors ball. The street rail-
way company has always made money,
and the city needs additional trans
p0rIatiOn facilities. We have reached
the normal period of extension. and l
do not see what is to prevent us from
limitlcsS prosperity"
The franchises" Senator Allerton re-
minded him. Your present permits
have less than five years to run"
Il have never had any trouble In hav-
ing them renewed" objected Marley.
priding himself on his management.
Times are changing sighed Aller-
ton. There is growing disposition
on the part Of the public to charge pub
lie service corporations for the use Of
public property"
THE people are ungrateful," mourn
ed Governor Waiver. who had enriched
himself through furnishing electric
light at his own price to public
which i known nothing better than
gas. The moment they see a profit
on their luxuries they want part OF it.
An undivided surplus such as the street
car company has had IS q constant
menace"
That was sinking fund for e1ten.
sions and improvements" Marley re-
minded him. The stockholders had