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About The Omaha morning bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927 | View Entire Issue (March 29, 1924)
CORDELIA THE MAGNIFICENT By LEROY SCOTT. <copyri*ht. i»2«> L_ J CHAPTER XVlI. •'I knew you'd make a match of this kind'” Mrs. Marlowe exclaimed I proudly, when she had subsided to a level where being articulate was pos sible. "And to think of it—Jerry Plimpton!" "They're not married .vet." was Mr. Franklins comment over the phone to tlladys. A lot may happen before then ' All these exhilarating days Cor delia's sky had been ever of deepest blue. Then she met Mitchell and greeted him pleasantly, lie surprised her by seizing her arm. But Instantly he had turned sharply about and was gripping her arm. "After all I must say it!" he de clared in a fierce whisper. "1 must see you a few minute*—where w* 11 be alone!" An Odd Ride. lie hailed a taxicab, helped her in. called "Up the Avenue" to the driver. and stepped in lieside her. The eyes in which heretofore she had seen onlv smiles, good-humored, cynical or teas ing. now biased on her with withering accusation and disdain. Her dared spirit had begun to re cover Its vigorous confidence. “What's ail this about?" she de manded. * "About several things, all of which are one thing." he said fiercely, slow IV. hi* py M stabbing her with their disdain "In the first place, I told you once | loved you. 1 insulted myself. 1 despise you more than any woman I know. "Vour Mr. Franklin has been black mailing Gladys; I forced everything out of her. She showed me one can celed check for $15,000: she pays him $60,000 a year. The thing is covered — t>y a contract for legal services, but It la plainly blackmail, and Gladys ad mlts It Is blackmail. Your clever Ml. Franklin Is blackmailing, with you as his clever assistant!'' "It's—It's not so!" she declared, but without her former vigor. "Ill tell you where your money came from," Mitchell went on. "From your Mr. Franklin. Part of the black mail he has collected with your help. He laughed haishly. "Your whole game Is now as clear as day! Your whole purpose in com ing out to Rolling Meadows was to carry out yours and Mr. Franklin's plan of blackmailing Gladys!" "It was not!" Cordelia cried hotly I came to Rolling Meadows to stop your blackmailing Gladys! But I'm not going to tell on you. He stopped the cab. got out and left her. She remembered that Gladys bad said she was paying more blackmail than ever; something now whispered insistenly in Cordelia that Gladys had then spoken the truth. She admitted to herself she did not want to know the truth. It would be better not to know. She—she Was afraid. And so long as she did not know the truth, she was innocent. One resolve she did make. It first flashed into her as an inspiration: it came as a great light that clears away all the black dreads of the night: it brought infinite relief. She would pay back all they had from Mr. Franklin! The question came, should she tell Jerry? She decided that it would be wiser and simpler not to tell him. They had settled upon the loth of November for their quiet wedding, and Cordelia began to look feverishly forward to this day as the day of her release. "I’m absolutely fed up on these news hounds, with their smelling and haying, as they trail a fellow's every foolstep to the altar!" Jerry ex claimed. "What do you say, Cordie— !»t s put one over on the w hole bunch. ■t'a be married tomorrow!" "Let’s!" she agreed. At this point the well informed Mr. Franklin stepped in. He called Gladys the next day. “Miss Marlowe and Mr. Plimpton are planning to slip away and be married today. We've-" "What!" gasped Gladys. "And you promised to stop-" "Get Miss Marlowe's apartment and ask her to come out to you at once. . lake it important. As soon as you've talked to Miss Marlowe, get that Mrs. Ja.7i<.,e Thorr,dike over—and at once'” "I'll be there not many minutes behind Miss Marlowe and Mr. Plimp ton. And I’ll probably bring Mrs. Marlowe with me." “One moment—don't hang up!” cried Gladys. "There's something you d perhaps better know. Mitchell will be here. This Is Hallowe en, or his birthday, or something: and he promised to spend the day with rrancois." The next minute Franklin was ar ranging matters with Mrs. Marlowe: and Cordelia, In answer to Gladys' earnest appeal, had persuaded Jerry to stop at Rolling Meadows. "M!rs Norworth wishes to see Miss Marlowe In the study." the butler said: on her arrival and opened the heavy door to the study, and after she had passed in he closed it behind her. "Mr. Franklin!"' she exclaimed. "Good morning. Miss Marlowe.” he said pleasantly. “ I happened to be out her* seeing my client. Miss Nor worth. on a matter of busines and I thought I would have a little chat with you." "Please make It brief." she said curtly. “My real business is this: to tell you again that I love you,, and to ask you again to marry me.” • “You get me here with you by a trick—to tell me that—on my wed ding day'” "Cordelia, you're going to marry me —not that man waiting In the library!” he cried, his voice shaking v th his passion. "He hasn't love to g.ve you. Cordelia. He lias only money! I have love and I’ll get you all the money you'll ever want! I love you, Cordelia—I love you—don't you see how I love you? God. how I love you! And I always will love you—always'" “Stand out of my way!" she cried Imperiously. "I’ve had enough of this!" He made no move to obey. "I love you.” he said, hla voice now quiet. "But If you will not marry me for love, there is still an other reason why you will marry me. Tou're a blackmailer. You're an adventuress. You and your family have been making a social show en tirely on blackmail money.” “So! All this while you’ve been lying to me—leading me Into a trap'" "Exactly; if you wish to put it In unpleasant language.” •To think"—she breathed slowly— “to think that any man In all the world could do such a thing!" “Jerry." she cried. "Jerry”—> She broke off. somewhat taken aback. For Instead of the solitary Jerry that she expected, waiting in the library were Jerry. Gladys, Esther and Mitchell. Jerry crossed the room In three j strides, his face black, his hands clenched. "Damn you. Franklin. I'm going—" "Don't strike me just yet." Frank tin spoke tip quickly, in Hie composed lone. "Go on. Cordelia!" v * id Jerty. "I ll tell you everything about Ihv man! Yei, and I'll tell all the world wlmn—” *One moment. Miss Marlowe— please"' Franklin broke in. "I be lieve I noticed some reporters follow ed you to get the news of your mar riage. If you wish to tell all the world. I know? of no better way than to ask those reporters in." "Yes, ask them In!" cried Cordelia. Gladys at thia hint invited the re porters Into the room. Whereupon Franklin detailed his dealings with Cordelia making out a case of blackmail against her that seemed Impossible to refute. "What—what Infernal lies! gasped Cordelia. "Of course v ou would say so, M;«* Marlowe. Miss Norworth, you have personal knowledge of some of these statements. Have I lied In any state ment that concerns you?" "You have told only the truth." Gladys <-aid emphatically. And I know that she was all the time scheming to get Jerry Plimpton to marry her." "Gladys—you—you"— Hut Cordelia'! words could not come out. "Go on!” Jerry commanded Frank lin in a harsh voice. As Franklin had piled swift lie upor swift He. fardelia's growing rage her been appalled into sheer inability tr speak by the unbelievable audacity <1 it all. The Heal Truth. "At last the world is going to know the exact secret you have been paying blackmail to have hushed up!" Cor delia's voice rang out. "And here it is. Because Francois is yuur child! Your illegimate child!” And then suddenly Gladys came out of her paralysis as If flung by a spring. "It's a lie!" she gasped hysterically, "fthe's lying. I tell you! I tell you it s a lie—it's a lier-it's a lie!" And then Ksther Stevens, for one who had no gifts as an actress, per formed a most excellent bit of acting. She caught Gladys in her arms, as if to shield her, and eyed them all *■-. defiantly. "Gladys Is right it Is all a 11*!" • she cried. "Gladys has tried to pro tect me, but I can't let her suffer or pay for my fault any longer. Francois is iny child! And since you make a point of the word—my Illegitimate child!" It was Franklin who ended tie silence. "That's my case. Mr. Plimpton'" he cried. "And I’ve proved it all.1 “It's not true, Jerry!” cried Cor delia. “Not a word of it, except the things I told you! The rest of it a lies—all lies!" THE NEBBS MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS. Directed for The Omaha Bee by Sol HeM uonwio ntsuck -"tue t>oor iiUT uonEST /VTTORnLV IS ON Yue <ao$ REPRESENTING euov NETJ.3 IN U\S> ABSENCE 3-27 7T?X GET OFF TH PRESSES • yCV)ST(X}»AN» > m CUSTODIAN HERE \ HOU A\NT EVEN AND OO'TVAOUT A WQ.VTTEN A LAvNVER — ORDER FROM MRNEBB / 'YOU'RE A -I WOULDN'T GWE A A WATCHMAN y VJAY &tQD A DRiNVC / N__S tL UCkWt >UNT OF EVE.G.V INCH OF W \_UM\GEfc GOES || JWlS ^O\L0tNG _ UlUEN M LKFVO NrtSUCK OOES / nQS me OOES ~TM£Kt 'OO PERCENT ! y_ I vjoora—vit ciu&r\ MEtJE »N MV OFFICIAL OO^CHY | \ fcePORtWHG to MV CUE-Kt twt wou^s or tftUE consoekt»oo& EFFORT tMOT GOES INtO tv^S I ouvlOVNG — 'F YOUttE MOT \OOiMG YOU® OLSt OOKt / ^ r_ V BLfrME ME • ,-<4| l _ >«. - _' , j~a (Copyright. 1W4, by The Bell Syndicate, Inc.) /'ONCX AND VoR ALL , STOOL PKsEOn'TN i toor th\s contract c>y the \ ciOB — NOT THE MOOR - MVNUTE OR \ SECOND — AnO W MR. NEBQ CAN j ATTORD TO HVRE VOU TO SET &R.OUNO UERE MARinG ME NERVOUS TnWi L»S BUSINESS ! I USED TO BE A GOOD nail DRWER DOT Tn/EMVT MV TVNGER TujENTT TIMES - AnOI AvNT &AvsJEOJ l A BOARD STRAXGHT 6VNCE TOUR UGLT/ came on -,wLS^r/^^r Barney Google and Spark Plug It’s a No-Stop Schedule for Barney Now. Drawn for The Omaha Bee by Billy DeBeck BUU-ETlN SPARK PiuG’ Special Train deeAYto at W00SE3AW. CANADA RUMOR AFlOAT Thai CARNEY Goods was (VIET Some QEAyTiBtu. WEENIE i N Touin Amo PIAmS Te SPEND Tut WEEK END sax • is \ BftRUC'f GocCCE \ 0N Tins Mfe«e Train • ? I COTTA COURT J SUMMONS / -i For him- / * _ C«»ywt>H. *W. W >Cit Plw SymSmU. It. | f t TOtO him. Mt ^ I *AlO Tb V>IA«T 3«OVT / \ yjneot vou / V AM ’ t_2>=vgS?i^' j 3J9 BRINGING UP FATHER u. 5XrJn,c. * page of colors in the sunday be* Drawn for The by McManus | CM PROr JEE WIZ • TOOK COOD Wirt “bENT ME r~J '--—' I HERE TO TEA.CH TOO ' ——1 M*H jOnc.! I ?2SL—Y—\ NOW THft \t> ^ f——Til THE EA*t>T WIND XOU S here »t> the *->w,N 0lJT W^T WIISD • ■ J Ll^SS?^ (-. MOW TOMORROW • I'LL <i»V£ TOO 1 MOTHER LC'b'bOM • TOO CAM POT THE JOMC4 'fag-T AWA.X - l I _J-H-i. I DON'T V/ORRV ■ —) > W»L U' f-f -----—&—•* V, I 61924 «v Int l FtATuwt s«»vtct. Inc. 3’29 JERRY ON THE JOB TOO MANY QUESTIONS Dr»wn for “** by Hob“ tfl/Moo "irn. m* - j f \nhat NJiGtuAvfr Ow rc MCAMSiK \/AtAliS. \*T AASAaS-UMjK L r ■ 'T&AfS WV 8 iyr \mt/rr OOES | , MIA* ? Me and Mine - By Briggs _ _ __ ___ ~ - - - ———————— I f. JK HtRc BlLU- NOUm> 1 watch Thi5 CAReFVLl_Y-/ { v5C* IP Vou CAM t—^ Fiji.LOW it with J Ybu R EYg ^_ I now watch- rme-STo \ DISAPPCARO - - Tnefte \5U« Go**. - now's That ( HOUJ - Pa* «5TO. COM« I BACKS - TH*R€ "T«a ( PfttTTV <300D gU.? »T \ Took m« Tav* Ya/v*» .* V wCAAN THAT *m.tCK* l(T PuZZktl \bo . “Vlfcesu'T itV. 1 / well HeBCS * ) I ] C'OOD Trick FReD-7 I This is Re/scur / ^ I <3ooD ,—' ytf IF rve seen / 6o<S« . HB mu^t ThiMK I Min\ PO that oMce- I'Vt ( THAT COIM T^ICK li / 6*Cn IT A THOUiAMO I A HARO 5TUN4T--* H« I "Om* s V Taking UP MV / CAM M/AAT* MOfic ©F / VAU/ABL« Tlrvic - X \ MV 0OOD TIMt JWIMfc / —-^ \ MrrujtJS— | «•»Ml'to «t»4 N T ' ABIE THE AGENT Drawn for The Omaha Bee by Herahfield j , Hoeing I* Not Believing. —■■ ■ --A- ^ ' " .T* t'f SO MEVGR BLCCHO Y !AiU Y NO MORE « ) R l W S A FuNNBK ft || V^FuNWBH wORUb^^ L RLtCHO- riuHo twe 1 TW^'tS NOO?? Q,MK 'm^Y SAW OV - 'YOU UAS %o \REPOPTED D€At> r%r THE MAN WHO TOV.D ME AIN’T NO UAR ID TAKt HIS WORD AS QOOD AS TOURS". | Burgess Bedtime [ Stories ^ By THORNTON \V. Bl RGE5S. Tlie Greed of Mr. and Mrs. Quark. Tou i>« er can truly measure greed Until you know bow area? the ree-1 —Old Mother Nature. Patiently Farmer Browns Boy waited and waited in the blind he had built near the mouth of the Laughing Brook where it enters the Big River. Little by little Mr. and Mrs. Quack, the Mallard Ducks, drew nearer to the shore. ‘‘My:'’ thought Farrr.ei Brown * Boy, "they are suspicious. Never have I seen any one more suspicious. They must have had s hard time of it this past winter to make them so suspicious." At last Mr. and Mrs. Quack reached the edge of the wild rice, and still alert, and watchful, swam in between the brown clumps. Suddenly Mrs Quack discovered on the bottom in the shallow water a few grains of ths yellow corn Farmer Brown's Boy had throwm out there. Almost at the same instant Mr. Quack discovered some. As soon as they had eaten the UTSt of the com In that particular place they began to swim about hastily, looking for more. They soon found more, and then It looked for all the world as if each were trying to see which could get the most. They wers a perfect picture of greed, were Mr. and Mrs. Quack. Presently Mrs. Quack was so close to shore that she discov ered the com which had been scat tered on shore. Without even a look this way or that way, she came out and hurriedly began picking up that corn. Mr. Quack joined her, *ar,d the way they waddled about with their necks stretched out picking up that corn as fast as they could was funny. Yes. sir. It was funny. Mrs. Quack seemed to be thinking only of her self. It was the same way with Mr. Quack. Sometimes they would both run for the same grain of corn. Far a few minute* Farmer Brown** Bo.v heard them talking Now, Farmer Brown's Boy had seen Ducks feed before, but never In hla life had he seen sny feed as greedily »s Mr. and Mrs. Quack were feeding. It was a question which was greed iest. "They are half starved. Tes. sir I hey are half starved. They act as if they hadn't had a full meal for a long time.” mtittered Farmer Brown s Hoy. 'Tve seen hungry Ducks before, hut never any as hungry as these I wo. if they have been as hungry as ih s for very long It Is no wonder they are so thin. 1 must see to It they get plenty while they are here. My goodness. I though 1 put out corn mough for hslt a down Ducks. F t It begins to look ss If these two wiil find end eat every grain of it.” But there Is a limit to what very hungry folks can eat At last ths tops of Mr. snd Mrs. Quack were Muffed that they swelled right out. Them wasn't room for another grain Mrs. Quack tried to swallow one and i-outdn t. Then elds by side Mr ar.d Mrs. Quack swam away among the broken down rushes and rice tint they found a place where they would he well hidden. For a few minutes Farmer Brown's Boy heanl them talk Ing Of course, he couldn't understand what they were saying, but there was happiness and cen|entment In evny sound. Quietly and carefully so .is no; t ' Irlghten Mr. and Mrs Quark. hr -c Brown'a ltoy stole away fieri , < blind and started for home. tv'ojo light 1S1IV The ne\t st»< > ■ l h U* gam Faith. '