Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1916-01-06

running the tOWu lnio ioEen old line
won't have any competiutn."
"Mr. Sledge Is a good customer of
mine," observed the rat Dqtcher.
"There's one thing abouf Ben Sledge
he always keeps some fbig city i'm.
provement going on announced the
Irishman who had ext1nauished little
Henry Peters.
Little Henry pulled hi5 derby audi.
bly, off his head and rubbed the red
circle 1t had left.
"Mr. Sledge Is the Forkingman's
friend" he declared.
"Aw, shut up" orderSd the gaunt
Celtic laborer and klckeq his ankle by
way Of accidental emphasis.
1t was strange that. W lie everybody
on the car kept the na me of Frank
Marley sacred to their haired, the name
Of Sledge, who was notof ofious through
out the United States lor his utterly
constituencies methods ef public theft.
was received with equa4lmity.
Meanwhile Sledge' ttrning to see
who his neighbors might be, met the
eye of Frank Marley aid nodded per-
functorily and then pent his entire at
tention on Molly, gazing at her in stol.
Id concentration with 10 more change
Of expression on Ills heavy features
than If he had been reading a time.
table. Bert Glider nQiced his rude.
ness and tried In q food Of intense
aggravation to catch Sedge's eye and
reprove him with sa}age frown, but
he might as we'll hayf tried to catch
the eye Of an oyster sledge. perfect
ly contented with the lleasing picture
which sat before hin. continued to
stare calmly urt" Nblly, discerning
from Bert's counte1ace that some.
thing was wrong. tuted to meet the
small gray eyes OF sic ge fixed thought
fully upon her. She Fheeled abruptly
to her father.
isn't that the scd Edalous SledgeT
she asked, annoyed aid still amused.
Her father noddq his head and
smiled, his nose be3ming still more
pointed In the 1nocea
.eWell iptrl taslnaaisa-
him stop staring f. s">she ordered
"He can't drive on"
"I say, Sledge," called Marley. lean
ing forward. "This my daughter
Molly"
Sledge tugged at his hat and smiled
his acknowledgment Of the 1ntroduc'
ton.
"Glad to meet you" >" he told Molly.
II didn't know you hid such fine
looking girl, Mcrley. She's a corker,'
and once more he viewed Miss Molly
with quiet appreciation, n which there
was q dawning glimmer OF quite un'
Sledge-like enthusiasm.
'I think so myself" laughed Marley.
First thing l know shall be getting
married"
"Surew agreed Sledge contemplat-
Ing her earnestly in this new light.
"I'd marry her myself"
The street car ahead gave forward
lurch, and the hamingy indignant
Molly darted into the Opening.
"The ugly brute" she gssped.
-
There arrived on the mSrning train'
escorted to the platform bs a distinct
ly worshipful porter, tall big boned
gentleman in light gray suit OF fine
texture, a plump, careless man TO
whom one would instlnctively turn FOR
tediously funny story, and hard
jawed man Of q most forpidding ex-
preston, who looked about as commu-
nicative as u cabbage. Tpis gentle
man loafed about the hotel with bis
mouth shut, while the other two
secuted" Promptly at II o'clock they
returned from their various directions
and gathered In the room of the smil'
ing tall one in the gray suit.
"Well, Timbers, is it as cheerful as
we thoughtT asked the host settling
himself in the most comfortable chair
Looks gay and merry to tne. Boz
zam," replied Mr.. Tfnbers, folding his
hands on his fat knee and browning
intentlv at q LITTLE slim NJ nane3 he held
between his thumb and foFefnger.
"Sledpe IA. of course. the wholetworks."
"What's the approach to SledgeT
TON Bendix," returned climbers
promptly, consulting his slip of paper.
"He sits everything before it gets to
the big boy, and you don't need any
introductions. The best plan Isl to go
right to his office and give him the
straight story"
How about Marley:"
"a hufl," returned Timbers con-