Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1916-02-10

voice OF SledGe. MY dance, Molly"
"Well, you having Il good time?"
asked Sledge, sitting comfortably in
the seat Mr.. Watt had just vacated.
1.-THE time Of my life" she assured
him, with happy animation.
That's the word,' he heartily ap-
proved. eff there's anybody here you
want just tell Cameron. If he don't
trot EN- right over tell me-"
"The mayor has been very kind" ac-
k~nowledged Molly. beginning to Won
der.
Hes got his ORDERS" returned
Siedge complacently. LET me see
your dance program" and he took it
from her lap. Il thought So" he COM
mented. '"There's a dark horse turned
up. and you didn't get him."
"a dark horse" she faltered.
ga ringer" he explained. Lord
Bunnchase. Andrew Lepton. the big
coffee m~onopolist, sneaked him in here
under an alias, and nobody's on" He
puzzled over the card a moment. "Ex-
cuse me till I fix it." and he stalked
away
Molly sat silently, allowing a cold
wave Of humiliation slowly to chill her
soul. Why, Sledge had carefully pre-
arranged her triumph Of the evening.
He had assumed control of her dance
card and Of her succession of delight
full tete-a-tetes. He had driven the
star performers into her net as if they
had been droves Of sheep. True, men
had sought her a second time of their
own accord because Of that charm
which she knew she possessed
vaguely understood attractiveness.
which was more than beauty.
than %cleverness. more than mere sex
~receptiveness. She had won by her
own power, but Sledge had given her
the glorious opportunities. His omnip-
otence began to annoy her and his
ruthlessness to inflame her already in
famed resentment.
She knew precisely what was hap
pening at this moment. He was Great
ing havoc in not less than half a dozen
dance cards, with no conjunction
about having disconnected or dis
tressed any one. Then there was Bert
downtown battling with a disaster
which had thrown him completely
from his feet. Poor Bert. She had by
no means forgotten him. even amid
the height of her excitement. She
should have been there to comfort him,
and yet-well. he had not seen fit to
come to her for comfort. Men We're
queer creatures. A woman when dis
aster overlook her did not need to
deaden her intelligence. She needed it
then more than ever.
After all, though, Bert was a man.
and that was the way Of men, and
there was no use to dream Of o%verturn-
ing the entire accepted order Of crea-
ton. She was certain, however. that
she could be Of more help to Bert aft
er they were married. He was weak
er than she had thought.
Very well; Sledge had thrown down
the gage of battle. He had laughed
when he was threatened and had ruin
ed Bert in challenging defiance. Let
him now take the consequences. If he
went to the penitentiary. well and
good. He had probably sent other peo-
pie there. with no more Qualms Of
mercy than she would now show to
him She could be as ruthless as he.
What was it Professor Watt had call
ed the quality? Elemental force-that
was it. Well, she possessed it too.
She felt it within her. stirring with
the same physical nascency as the vi
rility of p%arenthood. to which it was
so closely allied.
Just off the governors stuffed leath-
er library was D small room. with Il
hard desk and six hard chairs. and a
hard looking letter file, and a hard, fire
proof safe let into the wall, and here.
while Lord Bunnchase led Molly Mar
ley through the PAGES of a hard two
step. Governor Waiver and Senator AL
lerton and Sledge and Frank Marley
gathered for a few moments of COM
Portable chat such as elderly gentle
men love to indulge in while frivo-
lous younger people dance the flying
hours away. All four being gentle
ment who. by the consent of the pub
lie, bore the grave responsibility of
the public welfare on their shoulders.
it was not strange that their chat
should turn to public affairs.
II am glad to be identified with the
enterprise avowed State Senator Al
lerton, who was q lave. clean faced
gentleman. with a good forehead and
a quite negotiable tongue. cat the
same time. as far as / am privately
concerned, I can only regard it as d
temporary investment"
"Why temporary" demanded Frank
Marley, who was feeling particularly
capable this evening. His $175, 900
worth Of street railway stock had been
increased to $2G2,500. He was to have
$S7,5OO cash out of the undivided sur
plus Of the old company. and his daugh.