Show THE G aim tAIK taiko 1 11 ll L I 1 I 1 BY copyright by oy the me bobba merrul company mr STARRS HEART SINKS WHEN HE DISCOVERS JERROLD HARMER AND PRUDENCE exchanging TENDER GLANCES AND SOFT WORDS mr starr widower methodist minister at mount mark la has five charming daughters prudence the eldest keeps house or him fairy Is a college freshman carol and lark twins are in high school constance Is the baby the activities of the girls Pru dences work faires school affairs the youngsters pranks and the family perplexities make the story it Is simply a rectal of homely incidents glorified by affection the preceding installment described an accident which prudence suffered during an early morning bicycle ride and her rescue by a strange and fascinating young man CHAPTER IX continued lane went upstairs to obey with despair in his heart but to the girls there was nothing strange in this exactness on the part of prudence jerrold biarmer was the hero of the romance and they must unite to do him honor he was probably a prince in disguise jerrold harmer was a per thrilling name etwas really a bhame that america allows no titles lord jerrold did sound so noble and lady prudence was very effective too he and prudence were married and bad a family of four children named for the various stairs before one hour had passed TU begin my book right away lark was saying she and carol were in the dining room madly polishing their sunday shoes what time they were not performing the marriage ceremony of their sister and the hero yes do but for goodness sake dont run her into a mule I 1 seems to me even prudence could have done better than that all have his automobile break down in the middle of the road and prudence can run into it the carburetor came off and of course the car run an inch without it yes good said carol approvingly it must be a eltty colln der eight horse power cr or something real big and costly twins I 1 you wont be ready warned prudence and this ability sent them flying upstairs in a panic while the girls bubbling over with excitement were dressing for the great event mr starr went downstairs to bit with prudence carol called to him on his way down and he paused on the staircase looking up at her lark and I 1 are going to use some of faires powder father she said we feel that we simply must on an occasion itle this and for goodness sake dont mention it before him 1 it iloe sn happen very often you know amt today we simply must now don t you say anything about falling in the I 1 flour barrel or turning pale all of a y budden whatever else you do we d be so mortified father mr starr was concerned with weightier matters and went on down si to prudence with never so much as a A reproving shake of the bead for the worldly minded young twins g father began prudence her eyes en the lace coverlet do you think it would bd all right for me to wear that bilk dressing gown of mothers I 1 need something over my nightgown g and my old flannel kimono Is so ugly mother said I 1 was to have f it and I 1 ra twenty now do you think it would be all right but it you do i not want me to wear it 1 I do want you to was the prompt reply yes it la quite time you were wearing it get it out of the trunk iny gelt and send fairy down to help you then as be turned toward the door he asked carelessly Is he very M good looking prudence and prudence with a crimson face answered quickly oh I 1 really notice father ue went on upstairs then adf presently fairy came down with the dainty silk gown trimmed with fine soft lace 1 I brought my lavender ribbon for your hair prudence it will match the town so nicely oh you do look sweet dearest I 1 pity jerrold barmer I 1 can wl you that now I 1 must bur berryand finish my awn dressing but with her foot on the bottom calr she paused her sister was call tag after her send father down here fairy father ran down quickly and pro sr ee e bold of bis hands edwed wretchedly oh father he v T 9 te looking I 1 I 1 did notice t there now prudence he said kissing her tenderly you get excited again im afraid you are too nervous to have callers yon must lie very quietly until he comes that was no lie child you are so upset you do not know what you are saying today be quiet now prudence its nearly time for him to come you are a dear good father she cried kissing his hands passionately but it was a lie I 1 did know what I 1 was saying I 1 did it on purpose and mr stairs heart was heavy for he knew that bis fears were realized CHAPTER X roused from her slumber at twenty minutes to four the parsonage family clustered excitedly in the sitting room which the sunshine flooded cheerily they were waiting for the hero of Pru dences romance oh barkle will you run upstairs and bring my lace handkerchief would you keep these pearls on fairy or would you take them off 1 I would keep them on prue you do look so sweet but your face Is very flushed I 1 am afraid you are feverish maybe we had better not let him see prue today father fairy I 1 exclaimed prudence listen listen girls 1 look fairy and see if that Is be I 1 yes it Is I 1 know 1 can tell by bis walk warm rich color dyed her face and throat and she clasped her bands over her heart wondering it connie beside her could bear its tumult til go to the door said father starr and prudence looked at him beseechingly 1 I I 1 am sure he Is all right father I 1 you will be nice to him won t you without answering mr starr left the room he could not trust his voice listen girls I 1 want to hear whispered prudence and she smiled as she heard her fathers cordial voice you are mr harmer arent you I 1 am Pru dences father come right aft the whole family Is assembled to do you honor the girls have already made you a prince in disguise come back this way prudence Is resting very nicely when the two men stepped into the sitting room prudence for once quite overlooked her father she lifted her eyes to jerrold harmer s face and waited breathless nor was he long in finding her among the bevy of girls ho walked at once to the bed and took her band my little comrade of the road he said gayly but with tenderness I 1 m afraid you are not feeling well enough tor callers today oh yes I 1 am protested prudence with strange shyness lie turned to the other girls and greeted them easily he was entirely self possessed miss starr told me so much about you that I 1 know you all to begin with he smiled at fairy as he added in fact she predicted that I 1 am to tall in love with you and so very likely I 1 should if I 1 met your sister first they all laughed at that and then he walked back and stood by prudence once more was it a bad sprain does it pain you very badly you look tired I 1 am afraid it was an imposition for me to come this afternoon oh dont worry about that put in connie anxiously she wanted you to come ashes been getting us ready for you ever since the doctor left I 1 think it was kind of silly for me to wear my blue just tor one caller the twins glared at her realizing that ehe was discrediting the parsonage but jerrold barmer laughed and prudence joined him it Is quite true she admitted frankly the mule and I 1 disgraced the parsonage this morning and I 1 wanted the rest of you to redeem it this afternoon she looked at him inquiringly then you had another coat no I 1 I 1 saw this one in a window this morning and resist it was the ride very hard on your ankle mr starr was puzzled evidently it was not lack of funds which brought this man on toot from des to mount mark half way across the state I 1 he did not look like a man fleeing from justice what then was the explanation you must have found it rather a long walk he began tentatively his eyes on the young mans face Us I 1 think my feet are a little blistered I 1 have walked farther than that many times but I 1 am out of practice now sometimes however walking Is a painful necessity biow long did it take you coming from des to mount mark inquired carol in a subdued and respectful voice and curious withal from des be gasped good heavens I 1 I 1 did not walk from des did you he turned to prudence did you think I 1 walked clear from des 1 yoe and added hastily but I 1 did not care it you did it did not make any difference bow you came i for a moment he was then be out laughing 1 I am norald we and too much to talk abom this 1 I 1 had explained my situation but evidently I 1 did not I 1 drove from des in the car and the automobile gasped carol with a triumphant look at lark yes just so I 1 stopped at several places on business as I 1 came through I 1 drove from burlington athla morning but I 1 got off the road the car broke down on me and I 1 fix it broke an axle so I 1 had to walk la that Is what I 1 was seeing about today sending a man oat tor the car and arranging about thu repairs ue smiled again what in the world did you think I 1 would walk from des for he asked prudence more inquisitive than grammatical 1 I did not think anything about it until they asked and I 1 did not know about the car you did not mention it no I 1 remember now we were talking of other things all the time he turned frankly to mr starr perhaps you have heard of the harmer automobile company of des malnee my father was harvey harmer two years ago when I 1 was running around in europe he died it was his desire that I 1 should personally take charge of the business so I 1 hurried home and have bad charge of the company since then we are establishing sales agencies here and in burlington and several other towns I 1 came out for a little trip and took advantage of the opportunity to discuss the business with our new men what brought me to mount mark for the first time in her life prudence distinctly triumphed over her father she flashed him the glance of a conqueror and he nodded understandingly stan he liked jerrold barmer as much as he could like any man who stepped seriously into the life of prudence lie was glad that things were well but they would excuse him he must look after his sundays sermons A little later the twins and connie grew restless and finally connie blurted out say prue dont you think weve upheld the parsonage long enough I 1 want to get some fresh air the twins would never have been guilty of such social indiscretion my little comrade of the road as this but they gladly availed themselves of connies break and followed her out of doors then fairy got up laughing 1 I have done my share too I 1 think well leave the parsonage in your bands now prue I 1 want to write to aunt grace be just at the head of the stairs and if prudence wants me you will call wont you mr harmer and wont you stay for dinner with us im sure to disgrace the parsonage again for I 1 am no cook but you can get along tor once surely we spend more time laughing when the food Is bad and laughter is very healthful tou will stay wont you jerrold harmer looked very eager and yet he looked somewhat doubtfully at prudence her eyes were eloquent with entreaties finally ho laughed and eald 1 I should certainly like to stay but yon see I 1 want to come back tomorrow now will I 1 dare to come back tomorrow it I 1 stay for dinner tonight connie say that was disgracing the parsonage fairy laughed delightedly that Is very good she said then you will stay all try to fix it up with connie to save the of the bouse no they did not quote poetry they did not discuss the psychological intricacies trica cies of spontaneous attraction they did not say anything deep or wise or learned but they smiled at each other walh pleased investigating eyes he put his hand on the coverlet just near enough to touch the lace on the sleeve of her silk dressing gown and together they paradise in the shabby sitting room of the old methodist parsonage that afternoon do you believe in long engagements between lovera arant engaged couples able to become well enough acquainted after alx lx months to marry and make as much of a success of the partner chip as if they had waited two or three years TO BE CONTINUED |