OCR Text |
Show "Ob, no, bo Indeed, not bit." chattered chat-tered Miss Jenkins. "Just tbe opposite, oppo-site, jou might say. Miriam la aUll aod dark and " "Miriam la very brainy,", Interposed Ginger quickly. "1 thought then couldn't be two," ha said, In a tone of great relief. ' They talked together In tbe comradely com-radely fashion of, parsonage people the world over, aa a family, ona In spirit - r - 1 "1 wish f could see your father to- 111 ffVWhy Ethel Hucston m " IMualrotlon by - 1 c JrB.u-Mri-m Co, w.n.u- si-R-vice. day," bo said. "J - should feel mora at home in hla pulpit If I knew him personally. Dont jou suppose we could rent a car tonight, and drive out to see him? If a la not too far!" "Eddy .lackaon would coma for us," aald Ginger. "Tub Andrews would take as," suggested sug-gested Marjory.,. , "Mr. Tolllver would bn so pleased such a ulce man," aald alias Jen kins. . ' . ,-. "Cant wa Juat rent a cart I bate to bother your friends and It wouldn't cost much." ' I . "But when von take out ten dollars for board," aald 0 Inter warnlngly. "Or perhaps Miss Jenkins here forgot to tell you about It," Marjory added. "I donl recall that aha mentioned It," he aald pleasantly. "It seems very reasonable Indeed." "But when you consider that you only get fifteen Ginger's voice trailed off to a significant alienee. "But we decided that If you objected, ob-jected, we would keep you for eight," encouraged Marjory. "I shouldn't think of objecting." be said. "Quite the contrary. I am sure TORY FROM THI START Id the usually qulst bom ot :. Mr. Tolllver of Had Thrush, Iowa, ills tnotberlaaa daughters, Halan, Miriam and Elian "din- ' ar Ella" are busy "grooming' their slater Marjorjr for participation partici-pation In the "beauty pageant" that evening. With Eddy Jack, eon, prosperous young farmer, her escort. Marjory leaves for i the anticipated triumph. . Overwork Over-work has aerlouely affected Sir Tolllver's eyes Marjory wlna tbe beauty prise, 160 00. 8be gives the money to her father to con-ault con-ault Chicago eperlallete. Olnger meeta Alexander Murdoch. Mr. ' folllvar relume, the doctore glv. 'Ing him little hope, (linger gets an Idea for a "Paraonaga Home for the Blind'' and eollrlts funds She gets reaults at once. Helen 'Is married and leaves the paraonaga. par-aonaga. Mr. Tolllver goes to Ediy Jackeon's farm for a reat Hiram Burkwortb Is engaged aa eubetllute paator. , CHAPTER VContinued Tea, such a nice man. That's your bathroom you needn't be afraid to use It it goes with this room. We back Into the bathroom "'Ain't she sweet 7" " ' Miss Jenkins had gone straight from ber reception of the new mln later to tbe rescue of Ginger Ella for she had rightly interpreted both the sudden crash and the enaulng alienee as Indicative ot disaster In that direction. Unfortunately for that young person, the apple barrel bad nails In It nails that atuck In ward. Olnger, bleeding on both arm, bruised on both knees, and altogether furious, waa further annoyed hy the fact that she waa pinned Into the bar rel by the Inturning nails. At every alight motion to extricate herself, there ware ominous little sounds of tearing cloth spelling mln for the summer frock. Wltb Miss Jenkins help, however, she managed at last slowly, not without pain, to get ber self out of the barrel with only a few minor rents and atalna of blood upon the precloua garment - Some two hours later, Hiram Buc-worth, Buc-worth, wltb his moat, ingratiating smile, stepped onf onto the rambler-shaded rambler-shaded veranda, where bla eyes fell upon a pleasant picture. Miss Jenkins sat In low rocker, carefully mending putting op wltb me la worth even more." ' 1 "' ' 1 "And 1 will do your laundry with the girls'," added iilss Jenkins "And there really Isn't much to spend : money for In Red Thrush." They told him of their father, ot bla patience, bla faith, bis sense of humor. hu-mor. They told him of Joplln West-bury, West-bury, snd the new church. . They told him of Eddy Jackson, at Pay Dirt, "And whose boy friend Is Eddy Jackson?" be asked, reflective eyes on Marjory, sitting stiffly erect in the hammock. "Nobody's Eddy Jackson Isnt that kind," snld Ginger indignantly. "I may as well explain Ginger. I mean Ellen, right at the start." snld Marjory, laughing. "She Is against hoy-friends. She thinks they are aim-ply aim-ply disgusting. And she tbluks the reat of us even Miss Jenkins are simply man-mad. Olnger thinks a man who 'paws' should be shot at sunrise, if not sooner." He smiled nnderstandlngiy. "And who, then, la Eddy Jackson T 1 . "Eddy Jackson," exclaimed Olnger. with one of her brond aweeplng ges tures, "la father's beat and dearest and moat Intimate friend, a genuine character, and no base pretender." In the early evening, answering their meek request over the telephone, Eddy Jackson, busy with bis experiments, experi-ments, sent one of the college students stu-dents , In his car for them and they drove out to the farm. Eddy was still busy In the laboratory, but Mr. Tolllver Tol-llver waited on the porch for them, with Miriam, and thla to Ginger's speechless fury Alexander Murdock. Without a word to any of them, she have another one at the back. Mar Jory emptied tbe closet for yon, and the bureau drawers are empty. We have supper at six o'clock, and Oh, I forgot to Introduce the girls. But they dldnt come down, did they?" Beneath the bed. Marjory wrlthod In helpless fury at the poor woman's fluttering anxiety. But she went out at last, and closed the door behind her. Marjory lay rigid beneath the bed, hating the young preacher, hating Mlsa Jenkins, despising herself for ber childish curiosity. Her only hope was that quick-witted Ginger, missing her, would guess her predicament and devise a scheme to get tne new boarder out of the room for a while. Unfortunately. Ginger was In a predicament pre-dicament of ber own. But Hiram Buckworth knew nothing noth-ing of these unpleasant complications Be put bla bag on a chair, and opened It leisurely. Then be went to the closet, and looked In. Crossed to the windows, snd looked out Stood before the bookshelves examining the titlea of books, now and then taking out S volume for a brief Inspection. "Oh, dear heaven," prayed Marjory, "don't let him get Inspired to write a sermon." Hiram Buckworth left, the bookshelves, book-shelves, and bad a look at the bathroom. bath-room. He was whistling softly be tween bis teeth. No hymn the tune that he whistled, something light aomething catchy, with rolling ca dencea Presently be broke Into song, low song, barely more than a bum, in a pleasant low voice. "'Now I ask you very con-fiden-tintly Alnt ahe sweet r" Slowly, he removed hla coat shook It out and bung It over the back of the chair, and took off his collar and tie.' From bis bag, he drew out a Hiram Buckworth Looked Hard at Marjory. , a torn new aummer frock, while Gin ger. in a plain flame-colored smock, sat on a stool shelling peas. And In the hammock, one a'im foot crossed over the other, both white arms over ber head, lay Marjory, ao still and lovely that Hiram Buckworth caught his breath at sight of ber. . , "I beg pardon," he said pleasantly, "may I come out? t don't have to stay In my room until supper, do It" Marjory sat stiffly upright In the hammock. Ginger shook tbe dust of marched Into the laboratory, completely com-pletely spoiling a delicate experiment "Eddy Jackson, you double-crossed me." ' "1 did not" be denied, quickly following fol-lowing her line of thought "I didn't invite blra. He came out by himself this afternoon, and be looked at Miriam, Mi-riam, and stayed. I don't think he'll ever go home again. And besides, you didn't tell me to keep him sway from anybody but Marjory." This Ginger could not deny, ao, wltb ber U8iml snng frold. she dismissed the hammock, uinger shook tbe dust of tbe garden from her bands, and set the pan of peas on tbe floor at ber side. Miss Jenkins flushed and fluttered flut-tered anxiously. ' "Of course not" she stammered. "1 mean, by all means. Come right over. I was going to introduce you to the girls, anyhow." Hiram Buckworth Joined the small group in the shadowy corner. , , "This Is Marjory, Marjory Tolllver," fluttered Miss Jenkins. "Not the oldestHelen old-estHelen is the oldest but she's married Marjory Is one of tbe twins And this Is Ginger Ells. , Ellen, j mean. We Just rail ber Ginger. She's tbe baby." ,.,, ,.,. ,, , Marjory Indicated the other rocket wltb s graceful gesture of a white hand. - "Do sit down." she said. Hiram Buckworth looked bard at Marjory. ' ' ' ' "Twins," be said.' "It doesnt seem possible." "'' - Marjory's lovely eyes questioned him mutely. ' : ' "Does she, the other twin, look like your ' ; -- entire subject and led Eddy put to meet the new minister. , , Hiram Buckworth shook hands with hltn cordially. "1 am glad to meet you," he said, "and I am looking forward for-ward most keenly to knowing your father. I have heard nothing but the recital of bla rare virtues since I reached Red Thrush." "My father?" Eddy was nonplused. "Ton must be mistaken. I have no father, my father Is dead" "Oh, I heg pardon. I see I am mis token. 1 Inferred tt.at It was your father they merely spoke of him as Eddy Jackson, Mr. Tolllver's particular particu-lar friend and crony." Eddy looked unutterable things. "Ob you mean me. I am Eddy Jackson. The only one." "You? But gracious they said-Well, said-Well, 1 understand My mistake, I see, excuse me." "1 know." Eddy Jackson laughed. "Too mean Ginger Ella, 8ure. She puts me, snd her father, and Moses in the same class. We're all archangels arch-angels together." .... (TO BE CONTINUED) - fresh lot of ties, and selected one with nice discrimination, hla eyea flashing aulck comparisons In color tones from sol to tie,1 " - - "Oh, I hope be Isnt going to change bis clothes," thought Marjory, and shut her eyes very tightly indeed. Hiram Buckworth went to the bathroom, bath-room, and turned both . faucets Into tbe tub. Marjory could hear the trickle of the water over hla fingers as he tested th warmth of It " 'Very con-fldentlally Marjory, beneath the bed, . waa bathed In cold perspiration. He came deliberately tack Into the room, took shoes from the bag, removed the shoetrees noisily, shook nut fresh shirts snd placed them In the drawer. Finally, from the rack, be chose s thick bath towel. Marjory watching through the sheltering lace fringe saw blm return to the bathroom. Tbe door would he close It? .His band was on. the knob. Yes, he pulled It slowly. It was ajar a little Just a very little The door slammed shut . Not one moment did Marjory' Tolllver Tol-llver linger beneath that bed. She gathered together all her lithe young muscles, snd with one vigorous Jerk, propelled her slim body from beneath be-neath the bed In the direction of the door, the- hall' door. She leaped tq her feet and flashed Into tbe hallway. Hiram Buckworth bearing tbe slight sound, the click of the latch, opened tbe bathroom door. ' "Year be called. "What Is Itr The door to the ball stood open. He crossed tbe room, and looked down the corridor. At tbe farther end. he saw. or thought he saw,, the flying Trench beel of a white slipper. "Hsunted," be said to himself. "That's nice." But when be went back Into the room, he not only dosed the door, carefully, but turned the key In the lock as well., - "i ask you very con flden-Mally " bs whistled softly t as be turned |