The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1916-03-30
NUMBER Is.
CHAPTER II.
Molly invites an Additional Guest.

ception parlor of Marley's
| pretentious big house that night.
Il don't know replied Molly. much
concerned. Did you send some?"
No. but thought some were to be
sent to YOU" laughed Bert. It's too
good to keep Fern. BY the way. that
| Fern just slipped. and you'll have to
pardon HE for It. It's Molly's fault.
She never called you anything else"
Who is it?" demanded Molly. more
| eager to hear the news than he liked to
see. The information is highly i'm
| pOrtant. if true, and | must not be
kept i'll suspense"
Hold on to something. then" he
warned her. One. two, three-Sledger'
"Sledge,' she repeated What?
That great big She paused for lack
OF words. and her face famed suddenly
scarlet with Indignation.
'Sledge," he joyously insisted, and
then, to the puzzled Fern, You re-
member the big fellow whose car stop
ped just abreast us last night"
Mr.. Glider. who as Il boy had been
an expert i'll pulling the wings from
flies, went straight on with the slaugh.
ter. seizing Immediately the glorious
opportunity which presented itself
when Mr Marley. brave in smoking
jacket and pumps, sauntered into the .
parlor
Great news, Marley" hailed Bert,
bcaminG with delight upon the joyous
laughter Of Fern. Molly has captured
a new honor for the family. Whose
do you suppose is the latest scalp at
her bclt?'
1T might be almost anybody" re-
turned Marley, who felt that his moth.
eriess daughters popularity reflected
somehow on himself who is the
particular victim you have in mind?"
and he laughed III advance.
"SlCdGe. exploded Bert. by tho
way. Marley, he gave you hint of it
too. Didn't he ask You today while |
was there for an invitation to Molly's
party tomorrow night or something
like that?"
"Well, not exactly, but he did throw
out some pretty strong hints" ac-
EnoWlejGed Marley with grin. en-
tering into the joyous spirit of the oc-
casion. He asked permission to call
on Molly. told him that was up to
her"
How unusually consderate!" OBJ
served Molly, biting her lips to sup
press the rising fury which had driven
the bushes from her cheeks and left
them almost waxen.
The Marley butler, thin faced and
thin legged young man with pain
fully intellectual countenance, stalked
past the hallway portieres in answer
to below stairs ring and returned
from the front door with:
"Mr SledTe, sir. to see Mr. Marley"
SHOW him into the library hastily
directed Marley, suddenly contrite and
feeling a sinking horror. as did all the
others in the room, OF having this man
face to face with Molly. especially
after the crimes against her. of which
they had themselves been guilty
The instructions were too late, how
ever
Good evening"" rumbIed the deep
voice of Sledge, who just then appear.
cd directly in the center of the opening
in the portieres. He wore an Inverness
tOpcoat. the open front of which dis
closed a marvellous expanse of white
, shirt front, spaced with diamond
studs, the glitter of which paled. how
ever. by contrast with the enormous
solitaire which Illuminated the solid
gold watch fob presented to him by
the Young Mems Marching club Of
! Ward G. His hair was pressed as
smoothly to his skull as an earnest
italian barber could plaster it. and
! various angry specks on his cheeks told
how micToscOpically he had been shay
: ed. The erowning triumnhs of his toi-
; let. however, he carried. In his right
hand he bore. held by wide velvet
t ribbon. in the same huge fingers which
clutched the gold headed cane pre-
, sented by the Capital City Sledge club.
a thirty dollar box of candy. two feet
/ across. wrapped with six beribboned
r layers of fancy paper ard provided
with an absolute maze of drawers and
partitions. In his left hand he carried
5 Il sDeckess silk hat of the latest
] French shape. and that arm encircled
= conical parcel. so big that it would
} | have staggered n small man. while
from the upper end of the cone pro-
truded square yard of screaming red
l. roses.
Good evening Miss Molly" he add
' ed. becoming more specific. Il brought
I these for you myself" and he beamed
his cordial good will upon the entire
assemblagc
1t was in this bFeathless crisis that
. Molly Marley. aggravated beyond en-
duranoe. took her merciless revenge.
How perfectly deliGhtfuIt' she cried,
: and she swept toward him with more
eager cOrdialty than she had ever be-
4 slowed upon Bert Glider himself.
. we've just been talking about you.'
and then, to the intense CONSERVATION
4 Of her father and her foremost suitor.
@ she ndded: 81 want yOu at my party
tomorrow night Won't you come.
i please?" - ..a.
$ Continued in neyt aeeek's Banner.
= identifying Her. ..r....
Brown. do you know the lady across
# the street," asked Smith
let me see" replied Rrown; "she
d certainly looks familiar, That's my