Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1916-02-22

| which sacred apartment they locked
and bolted and would have barred had
\ there been any means to do so. Bert
quite properly, defeated, came back
| down the stairs and joined Marley.
"a bridegroom doesn't amount to
| much anyhow" he conventionally ad.
mitted.
b"And husband to less" supplement.
ed Marley. you'll discover by and
by, my boy, that the lords of, crea tion
are only lords by proxy"
you're trying to scare me-" protest
ed Bert
mo, only.to encourage you." insisted
Marley. "The> happiest man in the
| world is one who finds a wife capable
of directing him and generous enough
to let him think he is doing it all him.
self"
That's a new idea to me-" pondered
Bert cOnlplacent through condescen-
sion only as he stroked his carefully
curled mustache and reflected upon his
own ability.
N"The worst Of it is you have to grow
old to realize it." Marley gently insin.
uated. IT was smart man until my
wife died. Won't you have drink?'
mo, thanks" refused Bert, walking
disconsola tely to the library. II prom
Used Molly the minister shouldn't smell
it on my breath"
"Afterward, then,' laughed Marley
and, returning to his den, closed the
door just as the bell Of his extension
telephone rang.
Hello, Marley" hailed the voice OF
Willie Walters. "Had your franchises
Cancelled and regranted"
Don't need it," replied Marley, re-
decting instantly that he was out Of
the franchise worry, but curious never.
the less. what do you mean"
"The Allerton bill was put through
its final passage last night" explained
Walters.
"Oh, yes, the Allerton bill,' smiled
Marley. II knew all about that"
"You don't seem to have got in early
ON the advantages" remarked Walters,
seeming story. Its law now, OPP
erative from its passage"
1T won't bart anybody" chuckled
Marley. "There wasn't much Of i'm
portance in it."
MOP" queried Walters. "Just enough
to, make political corpse of Allerton.
They'll embroider that fifty year fran
chise clause on his shroud."
franchise clause? don't under.
stand" ~
II thought you didn't know the pro.
visions of the BILL" went on Walters,
delighted to have unearthed new an
gle to the story. 1.-The thing is so
beautifully juggled that it automatical.
" extends all franchises granted with.
in the last ten years to an extra fifty
years Of lifetime on the same terms as
their original charter"
"Good!' returned Marley. "All my
franchises have been renewed within
the last ten years"
.....Now know you've been asleep" re.
joiced Walters, not that he had any
enmity for Marley, but merely that he
liked good story. ''The bill speciacal-
ly does not apply to renewals, but to
original franchises. Why, yours abso-
lutely expires in three years, if that's
the case; moreover, the franchises at
the end Of that time belong to Sledge's
company"
"Impossibley" gasped Marley.
sect your alarm clock fixed" adyis-
ed Walters. Monday night the coun-
ell in secret session granted franchises
to Sledge's company covering every
street in the city, including-now, listen
including those streets now covered
by franchises when those franchises
expire
For just moment Marley felt the
strength leaving him, spasmodic i'm
pulse due to an entirely automatic men,
tai impression that he still owned the
old company. =.
Its a bald faced stealw he hotly
charged, indignant at Sledge's whole
sale appropriation.
Its a pippin!' agreed Walters.
Fact of the matter is. Marley, that
unless you completed that consolida-
ton with Sledge at the expiration Of
three years he can make you tear up
your rolling stock and other trash.
Did you consolidated"
NO" laughed Marley, and for mo-
ment Walters professionally hoped that
he had been mentally unbalanced by
the news. ''No, Walters" Marley
chuckled when he had succeeded in
controlling his voice; II didn't consoli.
date. sold OUT
'.On the leyel?' queried Walters in.
credulously. ITO whom? How much?
Did you get the cash?"
II got the cash, but that's all I'll
answer" laughed Marley. II might
reveal somebody else's secrets If
told you more" and despite the plead.
ing Of Walters he refused to make an
other statement.
He turned from the telephone, still
chuckling, but suddenly noticed that
his hand was trembling as II it had
been palsied. His body seemed to
have realized before his mind the over
whelming disaster which. he had es-
capped.
Why, IL he had not sold out at the
exact minute he did his stock today
II ~ YVyy~.