Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1916-02-25

WIFI Tue uTSL pcdi OieuSC PoiCu'
"Hit 'er upv he yelled to his driver.
II want that booze quick! Please
don't. Miss Molly: you're all right!'
And he made the futile attempt Of
hopping his brow with the foolish lit
tie handkerchief which he somehow
found in his hand.
"Let me out Of here!" she demanded
"Nixw he gruffly replied. you don't
fool me again. I'm goana marry you"
''You can't" she told him. 1T isn't
legal If don't say Yes"
you got to say Yes" he insisted.
Look here, Molly. 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"
1T won't do you any good to belittle
Bert" she fared.
II can't" he informed her. II kept
my mouth shut, but now l got to spill
what know. These pretty men are
always worse after they're married.
Bert's a bum! He's got a streak Of
yellow the size Of canal. He amt
got the brains of a tadpole. He can't
make living unless somebody helps
him. You'd hate his bones in six
months. So don't you marry himv'
Il 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?"
'"rhat's my affair."" she evaded. 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 reasonable time for
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 to
60 the distance. can. I'll murder
anybody you name. Want anybody
killed?'
"You!" she savagely retorted and
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 it 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: "Im big slob, and I'm
rough. l amt pretty, and l know 1t.
but can start something any minute.
and when l do can finish it. You
don't know it, but you're strong for
that"
With a thrill Molly realized that he
was right in this. She did admire
force. She admired Sledge, and. now
hot hn ho RI +
something within her responded to his
direct and simple method Of breaking
up her wedding.
But love is different" she replied.
arguing more to herself than to him.
mix" he denied Its the strongest
thing there is"
Love cries." Molly unused. remem-
bering Jessie.
ut hurts" he agreed. ut used to
sound like joke to me-till got 1t.
Now l want to break chains with my
chest. Molly. when think Of you
could holler don't dare touch you
1t makes me weak. You don't want
to go back and marry Bert. do your
His voice had in it trembling plea.
so un-Sledge-like that she would have
pitied him had she not been so alb
sorbed in her startling attitude toward
the question he had asked her. Moth
ing seemed more remote and absurd
than that she should 60 back and
marry Bert.
Nor she bluntly confessed.
Sledge opened the front window.
Hurry up!' he admonished Billy.
and Molly laughed.