Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1916-02-15

1NOL lollS ruSO Our Irleuu oIeuSe, ueTe,
had me stampeded. but I checkmat ted
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, I fancy. !
have the thing SO well tied up that
can't be hurt. l beatJyou at your own
game. eh, Sledge?" and he chuckled
down at his defeated oppressor with
forgiving triumph.
Sledge looked up at him and smiled.
His thick lips parted, displaying his
teeth. The under side Of his Upper lip
showed sharp roll Of vivid scarlet,
and his cold gray eyes combined to
give that facial distortion an express
sion of malignity startling even to Al
lerton, who knew the man even better
than Tom Bendix.
Marley was conscious Of that strange
sensation which those who had run
foul of Sledge 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 awkwardness In re.
storing his features to their normal ex.
preston. which a man does who has
committed some atrocious social blun-
der. ~
The horror and the menace and the
malignity of that smile increased upon
him us he drove Onto 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. a necessary adjunct to
the Sunday dinner. came Just in time
to sit down at the table with the fam
lily, and he was so preoccupied that
Molly was half vexed with him. t5
Now, who has won part of your
marbles?'' she chided him, attempting
to conceal her annoyance with him un-
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 BILL" de-
clared Molly II intend to begin With
alimony"
II hope I can pay It," responded Bert,
catching the all too jovial spirit Of the
assemblage and pretending to gayety
himself. II think my first step toward
making a living, however, VIII 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 ~
{. Il think We'll all CO." suggested Mar
ley, who had been looking studiously
into his soup. what has happened to
worry you, Bert?'
"Since Sledge smiled?'' queried that
neatly mustached young man in order
to head him off from that reproach. II
think have good cause this time.
took drive out Lincoln road this
morning, and they're going ahead with
their amusement park project" Il
Impossible" 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.
you remind me of that good old
standard story Of the man who was
arrested for some tritiing offense. He
sent for his friend and explained the
circumstances. why, It's confounded
nonsense! exclaimed the friend, hold
ing the bars and looking through the
grating of the cell door. No policeman
on earth can throw you into Jail for
that"
minute" protested Fern.
II think that's supposed to be the
point Of the story" guessed Molly. "Of
what is it apropos, Bert?"
"Of the impossibility Of building an
amusement park on Lincoln road" he
answered. They're digging lake out
there. They've erected the scaffolding
OF roller coaster. They've built big
workshed, which is later to be turned
into a Tannenbaum hall, which just
now is stacked with gaudy parts of Il
three story merry go, round. 1t may be
utterly impossible for them to build an
amusement park out there. but they're
doing it."
Molly glanced quickly at her father.
He motioned that his untouched soup
might be taken away and toyed in ner
vous embarrassment with an almond.
'I've already done it, he half shame
facedly explained.
'Sold your stock?" she eagerly In
quired.
Not quite" he hesitated. II did,
however. stop at the telegraph Office on
my way back from Allerton's this
morning. and l wired the people who
have been after my stock to name their
best offer"
"Good!' she responded. "Will you
take it. whatever 1t is 2"
II can't bind myself to that" he re-
piled. II must confess, however. that,
whatever the offer is. shall be
"Allerton must have given you very
little satisfaction about that BILL" sur.