The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-02-11

| red car who was the gentleman1y sales man in disguise, dismounted and came slowly up to the door. They waited in the library with the frowning and bewildered Bert while the thin butler with the tall brow an 4 swered the bell. and they distinctly heard the chauffeur ask for Miss Mar l ley and Miss Burbank. They waited in ! half frightened decorum while the thin butler solemnIy brought that message, | and then, with no more trace of excite ment than if they had been dragged away from tiresome French lesson, they walked sedately into the hall.
 Miss Marley?" observed that person, holding to the, right girl. q have the pleasure of bringing out very beauti | full little gift to yourself and Miss Bur bank" assd here he'nodded to the other young lady, who was holding her toes to the floor by gripping them. ''The red lined one is for Miss Marley and the blue one for Miss Burbank "I said the blue one was mine!'' half shrieked Fern, unable to contain her self any longer. f'I want to ride in it. 1 nowr
 Molly looked longingly past the per sons shoulder out at the red curtained car, and she felt that sick, sick sensa- ton of self abnegation \ cIamoring within
 "Who sent themY' she asked faintly.
 Your father replied the conscience less salesman, looking her more clearly l in the eye than any honest man could have done. "If you have the time we shall be pleased to give you a lesson in running then.''
 | Fern was halfway upstairs. .sDo you want your gray coat or your furs, Mol1y?" she called as she went.
 Something light" replied Molly, equally excited, running out to inspect the car, with the gentlemanly salesman | right at her elbow and highly pleased with his job. The chauffeur in the 1 blue car waited with bright-eyes.
 Fern, followed by Nina and another maid, both of them too slow to be of any service, came clattering on the porch with two afternoon coats and l two bonnets selected with less discrim- ination than she had ever used and tossed any of them to Molly. ''I'n bet it was Sledge,'' she whispered as she ran and popped into the blue car. Her coupe was the first to whirl down the driveway. but the red one followed in close order. Bert stood on the edge of the porch, with his hands
 
 the end of the world Being a young man of keen thought, however, after ! fifteen minutes of numbness he curled his mustache, took up the telephone and called Frank Marley. Did you make a present of two au- 1 tomobiles to the girls ?' he inquired.
 Ibid I what?'' gasped Marley out of | the midst of his plans for making the l proposed street car consolidation worth l twenty points advance on his stock to i the up state syndicate. "I thought not" returned Bert, with a very near approach to profanity. ''I i didn't think you'd weaken our capital 1 by $5,00O extravaganza of that sort
 'I don't understand you," puzzled Marley.
 "Two small incIosed cars came out hers about fifteen minutes ago, and the man in charge of them said that you sent them. Personally I think Sledge has been getting fresh.''
 "It's barely possibleI' agreed Marley, feeling a dangerous indignation rising within him. t'Leave that to me, Bert. As MoI1y's father it is my affair. I'll | investigate it at once" Palpitating with all a righteous fa- ther's Jealous care, Frank Marley kept | the telephone busy until he located Sledge.
 ''I say, Sledge,'' he blurted '.Did you send out couple of automobiles to | my house?''
 Nav. Marley chuck1ed sledge. They're toys. You sent 'em Do they like 'em2's "I haven't inquired.'' returned Mar ley, still standing by his fathers dig nifty. Really, MT. Sledge, you. know can't allow my daughter to receive extravagant presents of that sort from any one other than myself
 "AvV, cut it, advised Sledge. q get i you. If they don't like 'em, Ira the goat. If they do, close your trap. You sent 'en.''
 Well, but
 S.I say you sent 'em,'' insisted Sledge, with a gruf loss of his cordiality, which had been apparent in his former tones, and Marley heard the click of l disconnection.
 Nearly an hour later two shining lit tie colonial coupes, the red curtained one in front, drove up to the Marley I porch, ,> where Bert Glider gloomed in the doorway. They were driven by happy girl each and had no other oc- cupants.
 Come and take a ride with me, l DCAS' A--AACsA @AAOAAS' oO AIAAA VI N-OA1SA$ that she had absolutely forgotten her quarrel with him, which was a blow indeed. You can't drive, though"
 Fern had emerged from her car.
 f'I'm going to have my dinner here," she laughingly announced. II think I shall go to the theater tonight in mine. Jump in Afolly's car, Bert, and try it. It rides like a rocking chair.''
 .'No, thank youT returned Bert cold 1y. Those cars are going back to the salesroona. I felt sure that your fla ther had not given them to you, after our business arrangement of this morn- ing. They are present from Sledge." i "Oh, please, no!' pleaded Molly, with heartsick glance at her red curtain