The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-06-27

Sledge cut short the incipient
hysteria by picking up Bob by the
neck. returning to the door, and
booming into the night:
Mike"
A squatty man, who looked so
much like Bob, even to a patched
eve, that they could have been
taken for twins, emerged from
the darkness, Rugged Bob to his
bosom like a brother, and hurried
away.
why didn't Mike take them
both away" whispered Fern.
You poor girl"
I'm not" denied Molly, fierce
ly. II said this morning that I'd
like to see Bob, and, of course.
Mr., Sledge brought him. The
only trouble is, he's so quick"
Hes instantaneous" correct
ed Fern.
"You have to admire it," laugh
ed Molly, and turned to intro
duce him to her friends.
In that process, she firmly in
tended to make him the center of
things, and to see that he had
good time. He relieved her of that
burden, however, for after NOV
ing through the introductions
with a cordial ease which not only
delighted but surprised her. un-
til she was reminded that he had
been introduced to more notables
than she would probably ever see,
he quietly disappeared into Mar
ley's den, and smoked black cigars
In calm comfort, leaving the
young people to enjoy their hilar-
ity without the damper of his
presence.
Molly, mindful of her duties as
hostess. dropped in occasionally
to see that he was satisfied. On
one of her visits, after answering
in the affirmative her inquiry if
he was all right, he rose from
/ his comfortable nest in the big
leather chair.
Il suppose we eat" he guessed.
) II think you'd call it bluff"
! she laughingly returned.
Il get you" he replied. Mostly
decorations. Souvenirs"
THE usual"
Hand 'em these" and he
: thrust into her hands two bundles
! of small envelopes; red ones and
white ones.
"I-get you" she smiled, flush
ing as she wondered whether her
adoption of his phrase was flat
terry or ridicule. Red ones In
honor of the roses, are for girls;
and the white ones for the boys.
/ What are they?"
Jaw, nothing much" he diff
IDENTITY replied. Season tickets
for grand opera week in the red
ones, and for the Athletic club
fights in the white ones. Admit
two. Is it all right"
us it all right? It's glorious."
she assured him, with shining
I eyes.
Delighted with this unmatch-
able novelty, Molly was herself
placing the red and white envol-
opes at the covers in the dining
room, when Bert Glider found her
there.
Molly, you're carrying this
Sledge joke too far" he holly
! charged. Molly" and he ad-
vanced toward her.
The symptoms were unmistak-
able. Molly, having rounded the
end Of the table, slipped out
through the pantry door, and
LANDED her remaining envelopes
to the intellectual-looking butler.
At ten-thirty. coincident with
the finishing of the Ice cream. the
tinkle OF guitars brought the hap
py company to it's feet and before
! 1t had gained the front porch mel
] low Ethiopian voices were softly
intoning annie Laurie" In
stinctively the young people
grouped themselves to their best
liked friends, while, from the
moonlit sward, there rolled up the
J liquid harmony.
"Oh, Molly, you're dear."
whispered Jessie Peters, in an
ecstasy of delight.
mOlly pTeSSeu the arm winch
had slipped under hers, and
] glanced in the direction of Sledge.
She felt him to be guilty of this
surprise, and she wondered vague
ly IL he could have dictated the
program.
She dismissed that idea as i'm
possible when the singers swung
into my Old Kentucky Home"
and followed with THE Soldiers
Farewell" but she puzzled again
when the leader, after looking
up at Sledge, consulted list, and
began on a swift succession of
way-down-South melodies. A
short program of this, and then
the voices stopped, and the seduc-
tive instrumental strains of THE
Blue Danube" waltz set the balmy
air aquiver.
In two seconds, the wide Mar
ley porch was a tangle of laugh
ing, whirling figures. Molly
danced with Bert, and forgot her
annoyance. He was the best dane
er in the city; her natural part
neri