Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1916-03-30

alOOf. IT anybody liked his sort Of
thing far be it from him to interfere
with their pleasure. Between the acts,
however. he came right back on the
job. He arranged for Tommy and
himself to take the girls out to see the
new waterworks plant on the follow
ing day and to witness as balcony pa
irons on the following night a barn
dance Of the West End club. He plan
ned 4 Country club dinner for the day
after, and then reaching nonchalantly
into his Waistcoat pocket he dropped
into Molly's lap a glittering bauble,
which looked like a glass hickory nut.
"Take that down to Duvay's and
have it fitted to your finger" he di-
rected.
She picked it up incredulously. 1t
couldn't be real!
"Why, it's a diamond..' she gasped
as it lay flashing and cleaning in her
hand, and she saw the perfect cutting
and wonderful fire Of it. The r%ealiza-
ton startled her so that she almost
dropped it.
ct had better be OF somebody goes
to JAIL" he informed her. THAT rock
set me back the price of a house and
lot"
"But, Mr.. Sledge, 1 can't accept this"
she earnestly assured him.
"Why not?" he demanded, studying
her heavily. You're to be my wife"
She was panic stricken more by his
look than his words.
Its too large for a ring, for one
thing" she evaded.
"Why": he again rumbled.
She decided to leave out the question
of good taste.
You couldn't put a glove over it,"
she explained.
He looked at it responsibility.
"Hunh.H' n" commented. Its
peach, thou: int it,"
Here was Il proposition on which she
could heartily agree.
Its a beauty-a MARVEL" she enthu-
siastically told him, ashamed, in some
degree, that she SO much admired the
live thing as it lay in her palm.
She handed it over to him, and as his
palm touched hers she felt the Jingle
Of him for the first time. 1t was as if
she had inadvertently touched an cleo
trio battery, and she jerked back her
hand.
Between them they dropped the dia-
mond, and it rolled under Ferns chair.
Tommy Reeler picked it up.
"Swell pebble, Ben" he approved
and poured it into Ferns hand, where
it lay glittering and glittering and gilt
tering and would not be still.
ooh, you darling! Fern murmured
to it. Where did this drop from?"
present for Molly" explained Sledge
modestly. TOO big for a ring. Can't
pull a glove over it. I'm goana have it
set in a necklace"
Three days later the necklace came
out, but by that time Molly had given
up all hope of heading Sledge off. The
only thing she could do, she resolved,
in a hilarious conference with Fern,
would be to accept temporarily any
crafty c~Xtravagant gift he showered
upon her. After the need for fooling
him was over she could send them
back. and this resolution, nee having
been formed, the girls spent much
time in eager expectation of what the
next surprise might be. Sledge was at
least making the game exciting, and
his perfectly mad, but equally earnest,
antics gave both Molly and Fern more
fun than they had ever known.
In the meantime, while Sledge and
his cheerful co-worker, Tommy Reeler,
were keeping the girls busy day and
night, the preparations for the secret
wedding went steadily on, as did the
business preparations Of Bert and
Frank Marley. Thanksgiving day ap-
preached. and things began to focus
themselves in the Marley home. The
representative of the up state syndi-
cate anne to town on schedule. He
spent three days in going owe the
books Of the company and examining
into Marley's loans. Also, he looked
up the matter Of the franchises. The
company had been given originally a
twenty year city charter, which had
been twice renewed for ten year Pc
RODS, it's present renewal having three
years to run.
at looks like the regular thing" he
said to Marley. "I'm satisfied to give
you thirty-six straight through for
your stock, take up your loans and al
low you the difference in value; but,
before I do business, I'll have to see
Sledge about this franchise"
"It was part of our understanding
that you We're to stay away from him."
insisted Marley. "If your presence
and your errand here are known,
Sledge will do something destructive.
He has it in for me and will wipe me
right off the map"
"He might have it in for me. and I
have to see what he can do"