Show I 1 f 1 Mrss PRUE IMPROVES I Ill be late for tor the office said Brownie Brownl but oh elm Claire Ive I've GOT to I I know what he says flays Ill I'll go out In Inthe inthe the kitchen an anti and t give sho you ou a n chance to I I read It through once and when I get back youve you've got gOl to put me out of oC my I agony agon And Jane Browning ramped I o out t. t I I For the tho longest Ions time not a n sound Round came from the room Claire was Brownie began tt U think she had fainted Softly sue she hc opened the door and pl peeped In Claire sat on the couch where she sho had dropped dropp d her hel eyes staring star star- in Ing out nut the window lindow Heaves Heave's letter JeUel open on her hei hat lap I I Claire Jane Jane- spoke pol o gently but Claire Jumped Oh Brownie I I forgot all nil about you 0 I guess Ive I've for forgotten otten everything everything every every- thing thing- she looked down at the tho letter etter bewilderedly What What say hat docs he say y Brownlo Brownie paused between each word as If It she aha were tere trying to make a small mall child j I I understand something i I Obediently Claire answered He lie says he he is hurt to tho the core that I haven't ha answered hi his letter And AndI I Ive I-I've Ive I've never had nn any letter You know that Browl Brownie e Wh Why I went to the postoffice a hundred times a da day I hoping hoping- she stopped realizing sho silo was making too man many confidences hoping to hear that he had arrived safely over there she finished lamely Brownie Brownlo stood looking down at her friend For once sho she didn't scold or laugh lauch Claires Claire's distress was too evident evi I dent for tor that I J Listen dear she Bho said Bald Hes Ies written written writ writ- ten you and the letter was lost ost Lotof Lot Lots Lotsof of at mall mail from France has hos been lost ost Intel lately Does he ho sa say an anything he wrote in the other letter Yes Yep ho he speaks of ot a question ho he asked lIe He doesn't understand how I could it IL Brownies Brownie's brown eyes smiled A question hc hey Vell Well It doesn't take I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I a ef very wise vise woman to guess what the thc question was as wasI Claire rf turned returned her look quickly no noI smile In hER R e eyes es She knew It was not what Brownie thought She knew it was th the question about herself and andI Lane The Tho ugly question that the involved How she wished now that she he had had courage e to straighten that out when she hf he had the chance Now Nos' It Jl was nil all too too late Too late Core for Cor or e everything The telephone rang sharply Brownie glanced at th the clock and made a frantic dash for or tho time door You answer It Claire Im I'm half nn an hour lato late as it Is Is Ill I'll get fired for tor or orthis this Bye lean dearl and she was gone The telephone call was another message message mes mes- sage age from Miss nS Prue The room chambermaid cham chant was talking this time Wouldn't Miss s Berton come over Just to say a good bye bo before f he town Miss Hs Prudence was wag sa te feeling lIn ver very lonesome lonesome lone lone- some and amid ill Tell Miss Prudence that Claire BerI Berton Berton Ber Ber- ton Is la not leaving town today said sald Claire She could hear r the maLl maid deliver deliver deliver de de- de- de liver tho the message Then she heard heal a t scrambling noise and a sharp clack Inthe in inthe inthe the receiver receiver and and then Miss Prue's own voice hats hat's happened Claire tell Claire tell me Instantly Old Hiram hasn't thrown you ou ov over o r has he ho 7 I I Ive Ive I've just had a letter from Crom John Reaves Miss Prue lies HeN c coming back lIe He says he should be here on next weeks week's boat Theres There's something something- I have to explain to him Ill I'll have to stay over There was a sound at the other end of ot tho tim wire something between a n. gurgle and a shout You come como straight ht over hero to this hotel lintel and have lunch with me and me-and and tell mo me some seine more moro about this John Reaves R person Youve You've on only I barely mentioned him hini I think Ill I'll call him DOCTOR Reaves Hes He's cured curell m my rheumatism To be bc continued |