Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1916-04-20
CHAPTER XIX.
Molly Feels Sense of Relief.

hilaration in her release from
Bert. 1t would have been wick
ed to have entered into Il lifelong mar
riage with him, md now she seemed
always to have had an undercurrpnt
of that feeling which she had hidden
from herself. \. little trace Of resent
ment rose in her that girls We're taught
to look so lightly upon the marriage re
lation that it might be entered into SO
thoughtlessly; that Il girl might select
her life partner because he was q good
dancer.
II don't mind confessing that l would
In all likelihood have broken the en-
gagement, even had you not come" she
told Sledge, deciding suddenly to have
it all out, to be perfectly frank, and
for the first time to look her wv self
squarely in the face. II had realized
just at the last moment" she went on,
that Bert's attitude toward III mar
rage was not what it should be. That
does not necessarily mean, however,
that l am willing to marry you. That's
one thing you can't make me do, Mr..
Sledge," and she looked him quietly in
the eye.
He studied her a long time and felt
foolish.
81 guess not" he humbly confessed.
II thought 1 could. but l got to let
you be the boss"
She could not know how much that
admission hurt him, but she vaguely
guessed at it, and something like pity
stirred within her.
'In that l must be-" she asserted. ~
thought we were going to your home"
she added, puzzling ove the out of the
way route.
NAV, yours.
"Mine?" she returned.
'It was to be-" he corrected. the
governors house. I bought it, furni-
ture and all. l sent Waiver to Paris"
you're a continuous shock she
laughed. You do such big things"
That's nothing he sheepishly de-
MED. Waivers tickled stiff. 1 got
him a big job. He didn't want to sell,
though"
Molly longed for Fern.
Il thought the governor was going
to Switzerland" she observed, won
dering how things fell SO conveniently
10 Sledge's hand.
NAV; Judge Lansdale's going
there" he told her. looking moodily
ahead at the road. You'll take me
out to the house before you go back,
won't you, Molly:"
"Who's there she inquired.
mike and the servants. They went
with the fnrniture."
Sledge seemed to feel no need Of a
Mother Crundy, and she realized. with
a trace OF appreciation, that there was
Il finenesS in him which made decency
Il matter OF principle rather than OF
circumstances.
II don't mind the ride" she laughed,
feeling suddenly triumphant. After
all, she had won her battle with
Sledge and had reduced him to the
pulpy consistency all men should be
in their loves. The conquest was Il
tremendous one. she smilingly thought
as she looked at him and remembered
his reputation for high handed ruth
ACSouCSo. SOlilClUN, 1lO"cNcl, sic iltlu
not quite the slee in her victory to
which she was entitled.
He was so obviously downcust thnt
she wanted to cheer him up but she
could think of nothing to say which
would tighten the heavy gloom now
settling upon him.. That failure In it.
self made her feel rather mean, and
Shn wac mot cf oil cptiSfa1 with Inr
self when they finally drew up to the
porch of the magnificent WaYer man.
sion.
Sledge alighted Immediately and held
out his hand.
"You fooled me BEFORE" he charged,
"but that's Off"
tits Off" she assured him III his own
language. His big hand was warm
and a solid, substantial thing to hold
so well. 1t was safe and comfortable
to know that.
Good Words" he approved. Mol
ly, you're a lady" He still held her
hand. He looked at it foolishly. He
squared his shoulders with sudden de-
1iance. He kissed it. Back to Mar
ley's, Billy" he directed and closed the
dOor Of the limousine.
Billy pulled away from the porch.
She waved her hand at Sledge as they
made the turn. There was a new
droop to his shoulders as he stood
there on the stately big porch all alone
in his black Prince Albert, with a red
rose in his buttonhole. and his silk hat
in his hand. He seemed so forlorn, so
lonely, that Molly felt as if she were
leaving him on q desert island.
Around the corne Of the house there
painfully limped q once white bull ter
rier, with one eye gone and both ears
cheYed to ribbons ana scars crisscross-