Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1916-02-17
CHAPTER vi.

Frank Marley Discovers a Great Team.
ar OILY stopped singing as her
I'VE father called her into his den.
H She hardly recognized his
voice, and his face was so
drawn and pale that she was startled.
whats the matter, father? Are you
.l!| she asked, deeply concerned.
"Not at ALL" he assured her. "a
slight headache. Molly. I've been
thinking about your future all night.
and 1 am very much worried about
you. Bert has proved himself thor
oughly incapable. His fine old family
blood does not seem to support him in
a crisis"
"Did you expect anything else Of old
family blood?" she demanded. smiling.
~ didn't"
"As your father. I cannot help being
concerned" replied Mr.. Marley. ebert
has done nothing but whine and make
weak threats and stay half intoxicated
ever since Sledge shook him away
from the ccmplacent safety of his few
thousands"
"I'ye given him two weeks to get
over the shock" she lightly answered,
He'll come up all waxed and curled."
His times almost up" her father
pointed out. "Molly, 1 think Sledge
proved Il very good case against Bert.
He called him a pinhead."
Molly wanted to smoker, but she was
indignant instead.
That's better than being a fathead,'
she retorted. 'That's what Bert calls
Sledge. 1t seems to me that they're
about even"
That's where they stop being even,'
declared Marley. "Sledge threatened
to break Bert and did it. Bert threat
ened to expose Sledge, and Sledge beat
him to it."
Chats my fault,"' she half angrily
acknowledged. 81 Dragged"
Bert led you to think you might
he countercharged. "He even had me
believing that l could defy Sledge, and
it can't be done, Molly. That mans
too big, too decisive and too fearless
The minute he found that Bert, and
through him, you and I, knew that
Feeder would prove Sledge's guilt in
the public funds case he sent for Feed.
er, knocked him down, had him beaten
half insensible and arrested for at
tempted blackmail."
"He isn't just instantaneous-he's i'm.
mediate" laughed Molly. 1T was &
fool thing to do, though. Feeder has
exposed him and saved us the trouble
and Sledge probably will go to the
penitentiary, as I told him he would"
"You have innocent IDEAS" kindly
observed her father. Bert probably
encourages you in them, but it is my
duty to warn and protect you. Here
is exactly what will happen: Feeder
will go to the penitentiary for the
crime Of not having kept his mouth
shut. Sledge will be indicted by the
grand jury, but the case will never
come to trial. He has appointed hall
the judges on the bench, and the Other
half are afraid of him. His lawyers
will fight from court to court on one
technicality after another until cleo.
ton is over, and then the public will
forget all about it. You can't fight q
man like that"
81 can be the one human being in
the world he can't order around" she
smilingly insisted. What do you want
me to do-marry him?"
eyes," was the unexpected reply.
"Great goodness" laughed Molly,
"are you hluffed too?"
"Worse!" he said, rising and walking
up and down in the few short PAGES
the length Of the room allowed him
He had a crumpled newspaper in his
hand. and now he threw it on tho
table. do you want to be turned
homeless into the street,"