The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-02-09

Again the senator looked at him with
a puzzled air, then he turned to Sledge.
Doesn't he know anything?'' he
queried
'sNaw!" rumbled Sledge.
81 see.'' answered AIlerton coolly. ST
supposed you all knew that before the
bill was passed it would be amended
to conserve the important financial in
terests.''
Marley pondered that statement
awhile, and then he laughed.
"Of course" he said. ''It's only po1it-
ical claptrap, intended to make the
voter think you are eternaIly on the
job In his interests
81 wouldn't put it in exactly that
way" soberly reproved Allerton, justly
offended by this coarse method of i'm
pugning his motives.
Il apologize said Marley. 81 should
have said the bill displays that you
constantly have the interests of your
constituents at heart We were rather
exercised about it, but we should not
have been, for in your long service for
the public do not think you have ever
promoted or fostered any legislation
which would be destructive of capital .
Certainly not" agreed AIlerton, who
never let down his pose in the presence
of man who had not proved his right
TO sit within the sacred circle. with
out the proper and legitimate fostering
of enterprises requiring extensive fnan-
ciaI support there can be no national
prosperity
That's sound enough doctrine
commended Marley. what are the
amendments which are to soften the
blown
With kindly patience the senator ex-
planned to him the amendments, one
by one, being careless enough, how
ever, not to mention the fifty year
franchise clause.
At the end of an hour Marley, much
relieved In his mind, took his depar-
ture, regretting that Sledge was not
ready to accompany him.
Its strange how easily a man in
control of important Investments takes
fright" he acknowledged, as he arose
to go. 1--WE can be put on the run
with a penny's worth of firecrackers
Not long ago our friend Sledge, here.
had me stampeded, but I eheckmated
the old villain. As a matter of fact.
the only result OF his campaign against
me was to put me in control of my
own company, and now, fancy, /
have the thing SO well tied up that /
can't be hurt. I beat you at your own
game, EN- Sledge2' and he chuckled
Gown at his defeated oppressor with
forgiving triumph.
SIedge looked up at him and smiled
His thick lips parted, displaying his
teeth. The under side of his upper lip
showed a sharp roll Of vivid scarlet,
and his cold gray eyes combined to-
give that facial distortion an expires
sion OF malignfty startling even to Al
kIa
than Tom Bendix.
Marley was conscious of that strange
sensation which those who had run
foul of SIedge had described as an
actual physical chill, like the sudden
opening of a window to the cold rain,
and the smile upon his own face froze
He was conscious that his lips were
still in the contour which his Dragging
chuckle had given them, and he felt
the embarrassed awkwardnesSni In re-
sroring his features to their normal ex-
preston, which a man does who has
committed some atrocious social blum
der.
The horror and the menace and the
nalignity of that smile increased upon
him as he drove into the city. In front
of the telegraph Office he abruptly
stopped, and hurrying in sent this mes
sage to his up state syndicate:
Wire best offer controlling interest.
Bert Glider, necessary. adjunct to
the Sunday dinner, came just in time
to sit down at the table with the fam
ny, and he was SO preoccupied that
Molly was half Yexed with him.
Now, who has won part of your
marb1es?'' she chided him, attempting
to conceal her annoyance with him I'm
der the guise of gay raillery.
Bert already looks like a married
man." laughed Fern. I'D be fright
ened half to death, Molly. Think what
he'll look like at a breakfast on the
first of each month"
He'll never see the meat bin, - de
clared Molly II intend to begin with
aIimony." -
II hope can pay it, responded Bert,
catching the all too jovial spirit of the
assemblage and pretending to gayety
himself. ''I think my first step toward
making living, however, will be to
move out Of this state where can buy
and sell a piece of property without
asking permission of some alderman or
ward thug
''I think wen all CO." suggested Mar
ley, who had been looking studiousIy
into his soup What has happened to
worry you. Bertg
.'Since Sledge smiled?" queried that
neatly mustached young man in order
to head him of from that reproach. 81
think I have good cause this time. I
took drive out Lincoln road this
morning, and they're going ahead with
their amusement park project
Impossible, y asserted Marley,
strengthening in outraged dignity,
while the Ring City Street Railway
company has Lincoln road franchise.
which would prevent our competitors
from obtaining one. 1t has not an
nounced any intention of building In
that direction and will not do So
Bert laughed quite without mirth
sYou remind me OF that good old