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Show I TheSILVER The TheI TheSILVER I SILVER SILVERFLUTE FLUTE FLUTEr FLUTEBy r By Lida Larrimoret Larrimore Co t . U&cra Ucra Mturo.e Mturoe thcrfte : & , . * Smith Oompo.nTWNU CompanyWNU Company Oompo.nT OomponT CompanySYNOPSIS . WNU Sen Service ServiceSYNOPSIS Ite SYNOPSIS SYNOPSISOn On her lehtcenth eighteenth birthday , . D B\r- B r Brbara Bir-btra Bir btra ' \ r- r rbara - bara bara , , , motherless diushter d\ughter d ughter daughter ' \ of or Chris Christopher Christopher Christopher topher Thorne artist , . receives a . birth blrth- blrth birth- blrthda.y birthday birthday - day da.y . rinc ring from trom Bruce Druce Macliain tacLatn TracLain 1 > , , . youngartist youngartist youne young younerttst artist rttst friend triend of ot tho the tammly tamil tamll > ) . , , but more morethan morethan morethan than friend to Barbara Barbara and andDruce andBruce andBruco Druce Bruce go picnicking He lIe tells her astory astory a story lory of a gypay gypsy boy 11 a llttit 1tU6 little [ gypsy gypsygirl gypsygirl eypsyeirl girl whom he 10 lo\es lo es loves \ ' es , . and tho the aonff Bong song of asilver asilver n a silver llTer flute She knov knows . B It Is her own ownlove ownlove ownlove love tale Her tier father la Is killed In 1n an anaccident anaccident n nccldent ccldent accident Relatives arrlvo arri.e arrie arrh . e and talce take talcecharge taicacharge takecharge charge of tbines things Barbara Barb'lra Barblra ' fcira tC'lrs tClrs fears ' the thechIldren thecblidren thochildren chIldren cblidren a s eparatlon separation and Its cffect effects ctects effectsDl'sperate ctectsDesperate cffectDesperate ( Desperate Dl'sperate Dlsperate . ' , . she plans to take hor her twobrothers t two twobrothers " 0 0brothers brothers and alster sister and run awny away to her herC'odlnther hergodfather hereodfather C'odlnther Codlnther godfather ' , . "Uncle Uncle " Stephen Drake He lie HeR , . a bachelor , . forty torty ycar years years old . , , still has hasvivid hasvivid hasvivid vivid recollections of ot Barbaras B'lrbar\ B'lrbar Blrbar B'lrbars Birbarts ' ' \ s mother mother moth- moth mothier - ier er . , , whom he had loved elehteen eighteen years yearsbefore yearBbefore before olore He lie had made up his mind to topropose topropose topropose propose that nterht night to : Emily Imlly Trent Trcnt 80 so 80that sothat DOthat that his well-ordered well ordered - household might mighthave mighthave mighthave have a permanent head But the ar- ar arrival ar arrival arrival - - rival of ot the tho children Interrupts tho the pro- pro proposal proposal pro proposal - posal Barbara Barbarq , tolls tells him why they ranaway ranaway ran ranway away > way , . . and a.nd he feels teels his heart warm to tothe tothe toth the brave daughter of ot hia bls his early lov love CHAPTER VI-Continued VI Continued VI - Continued VIContinued11 -11- 11 - 11IIBarbara 11"Barbara 11 - "Barbara Barbara IIBarbara " Babble , , dear-If dear If dear-- dearIf"You're dear"You're dear - - - " "You're Youre " ' like the rest of them , " , " she shesaid shesaid sliesaid said stormlly stormily . 'I I ' I thought you would wouldunderstand wouldunderstand wouldunderstand understand Your letter " was "as as so friend friendly friendly friendly ly and nice I 1- 1 I- I 1She IShe - " She knew l.new lnew . It wasuseless "as as was "asuseless wasuseless " useless to talk Tears caught In tl a tllump alump alump lump In her throat She burled buried her herhead herhead herhead head in to her arms and under the rose rosekImono rosekimono rosekimono kImono her shoul shoulders 1ers < trembled "lth lth with "lthsobs withsobs " withsobs sobs sobs'BabbIeStephen sobs'BabbleStephen 'BabbIe-Stephen 'BabbIe BabbIe Stephen 'Babble-Stephen 'Babble Babble ' Babble " - Stephen sald- sald salddon't said - = 'don't dont ' don't dont ' cry crysoplcase crysoplease cryso so-plcase so plcase so-please please - - please . . . " Barbara's Barbaras Bnrbar'l's Bnrbarls ' ' ' daughter ' It Itwns Itwas Itwas wns was strange that she should be here hereHe hereHe hereHe He wished be he might help her , . for that thatother thatother thatother other Barbara's Barbaras ' ' sake sahe But " what "hat hat in inthe inthe inthe the " world orId could he do ? Barbara llarbara grew quieter Presently Plesently Piesently the thecurly thecurly thecurly curly head lifted again"Are again"Are again again"Are "Are Are " you going to send us bad back back'she backshe . ? ' she asked asked and the e\pre e pre : \ expression & > lon that "as as was "asnot wasnot " wasnot not childish settled Into her e eyes es es . . "I'm Im " ' ' ' afraid I mustto must to " to"res "Yes Yes "res res " " She sighed 'I I * ' I suppose 30U Sou 30Umut Soumust 5 oumust mut must ' : ! . " Then , . after a moment moment"When momentWhen . , "When When " ? ' "Not Not " for a day or two You're Youre You'retired You'retired Youretired ' tired " She looked so readfully dreadfully dreadfullytired dreadfullytired readfullyUred Ured tired , . he thought Ue He " wanted anted to heep keep heepher keepher keepher her there-not there not there - - not permincntly perm'lnently permlnently permanently ' , . of course coursejust , . Just until she had rested 'Iant 'I I ' \\ant ant want wantyou \ wantyou antyou you to stay tor for n a day or two I ll\ve ll ve hive llvewIred hivewired hivewired ' \ wIred to Provincetovvn Provlncetown Pro , lncetown " "Thank Thank "TlJanh TlJanh " you ' She smiled smi1ed sl1'11.Ily sl111.Ily sl111Ily shakily shakily"Will sl1'11.IlyIIW1I1 shikily"Will shikilyWill ' , . IIW1I1 "Will Will " your aunt mind mindcry \cry cry \ ery much If w , weetav- weetav weetav"I \ e esta estay ? ' - ' ' stay sta "I I " tbirk tblroh think not " "She She " didn dldn t seem scem pleased to see us " "It It " was a n surprise , " , " Stephen said saidtactfully saidtactfully saidtactfully tactfully . She was silent for a moment , . her herhead herhead herhead head drooping against the chair , her hereyes hereyes hereyes eyes w'ltchln wltchln witching ' ; the fire . . "Uncle Uncle " Stephen 1 ? ' " Tos uYes "Yes Yes ? " " "You You " ncedn needn t answer If It this tM3 Is an anImpertinent anImpertinent anImpertinent Impertinent question But is the lady lady'Who ladywho ladywho 'Who Who ' had on the lacy dress a particular particularfrIend particularfriend particularfriend frIend of yours7 yours ? ' "Miss Miss " Trent TrenU ? She's Shes ' a very dear dearfrIend dearfriend dearfriend frIend " " "Gay Gay " thought you " were "ere ere engaged to toher toher toher her Are you , . Uncle Stephen9 Stephen ? " ' Stephen smiled smned He lIe wished wLshed someonewould someone someonewould someonewould would answer that question for him It Itwould Itwould Itwould would help him . , , tomorrow , with the theUhcs theplies tlieUlics Uhcs plies . . . "I I " have known hnown her for years , " , , " he hesaid hecatd said ! ld ! [ _ saidBarbara Barbira Barb'lra Barblra Barbara ' did not Insist upon a moredefinite more moredefinite moredefinite definite quietfor qUiettor answer nmwer , Again she vis w " 'lS lS 'is is ' ' qUiet tor for a moment . Then , . again , . her lashes lashesslowly lashesslowly lashesslowly slowly 1lCted"I'm lifted"I'm lifted 1lCted lifted"I'm "I'm Im " ' ' ' sorry sorrv I said what I did " ller Her llerwide Herwide tierwide wide dirk d'lrk dlrk ' ejes eyes e ego egosleepy , sleepy , . mlbted mIoted misted : "lth lth "lthtears vs " withtears-asked withtears asked lttr lttrtearsrisked tears tears-risked tears risked . , , 'fiSked fiSked " ' - - him to forgive her "You You "Youaren't "Youaren't "Youaren't Youarent " aren't arent StephenYou're StephenYoure StephcnYou're ' ' like Uhe others , Uncle Stephen Stephcn drowsily"and drowsilyand You're Youre ' ' comfortable comfort.lble comfortlble . , . " she said dro'vslly drovslly ' , "and and " very , very nice " " Stephen bad had difficulty with , his voice.He voiceHe voice . . . He was obliged to cough once oncc or twice tvv tn Ice before icebefore twicebefore he , was . as able to sa say sap V : "That's Thats " ' a nice compliment Thank Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou you . , Babble dear " CHAPTER VIIlilt VII VIIKit Kit lilt \ was as 111"DxhaustIon ill"Exhaustion 111 ill 111"Exhaustion "Exhaustion Exhaustion "DxhaustIon DxhaustIon " , , " the doctor saId "What What 9Vbat said"What saidWhat said9Vbat " hive h'lve hlve have ' you been doing doing ? ' " ' ' ' he hc asked , askedtiming timing Kit Klt lilt s a pulso pulse . . Stephen btephen an an&wered anwered answered & wered for Kit hit lie ne He told toldthe the friendsor story briefly They 'lhey lhey 11iey ' were wcre friends friendsof friendsof s or of his , . he said Thev They hid h'ld hld ' come to tomake t tmake tomake o make ProvIncetown vfncetown 1'rovIncetown him a \ visit Isit 1 1 ' The lie he trip from Pro 1'rov 1rov ' v fncetown Incetown In the nin r'lln rlln rain ' had been becn , . per hapq hap perhaps perhapq perhap . , , a little too much mudl for Kit Cit Kit . , . e"Is Chace"Is Chase"Is ' , IImm- IImm limm IImm11 IImm-'said IImm 'said said - - - " ' < ; sild 11 ' 1 < Doctor Chace Chase Cha : ; e "Is Is " he ill m ? ' ' very Birbara Ihrbara Ilarhara asked aclced aslred ; any an - herself lously an-clously an clously anylously She would ne\ ne never neeto \ eto etoforgI forgIher forgi forglvo forgI\ forgI \ { + t ' ' her self It if running away had nude m'1de m1de made ' Kit Ki f \ Kitvery Kiery ery 111The IllThe 111 Ill 111The leru The doctor reassured her ler , "A A u\ u utouch her"A " . \ touch of bronchitis " he Bald said Bald"Some BaldSome said"Some "Some Some " fever fe\er fe er \ Nothing to be ahrmed ahrme d alirmedabout ahrmedabout ahrmeabout about . . He fie needs need quiet quietnd ind \nd nd and ' \ rest " " "How How " ' ) " ' " ' long Kit croal croaked ed from th the e thehuge thhuge huge bed bed'Oh - ' 'Oh Oh ' Ob Oh , , a n week or two I 1 " headded hadded hope hOIH , , . he h added haven'tany haventany , . twinkling twlnltHng at KIt Kit . . , "you you " haven't havent haven ' t any Important Import:1Dl Import1Dl : cnginCments eng'1emcnts eng1emcnts engiements ' , . ? " A week or two r I ! Barbara B.lrlJara BlrlJara . looked at a f atXJncJo atDnc.te aUncle Dnc.te Dncte Uncle . Stephen Ele He lie " VMS wis 'lS lS ' frowning frownmg a . frowningldtt'e lilt'e lilte ldtt'e ldtte nlltt'e nlltte ' ' , , . his brows drawn down don do\\ do hhplcas'mt \ n over o\"cr o "cr cr \ " hh hipleasant hl hi hlpleasint s pleasint plcas'mt plcasmt pleasant ' gray eyes e C : } es 'j j 'they they ' hey " were "ere ere gOlDg goin " to shoulduhave goin"to gointo be a 11 bother to him They sliouldn shoull1n shouldu l t ha\e ha e have btmIn bUnIn btlin \ run away She sit S'1t S1t S'1tery ' very \ery ery \ ery btl bUn 11 In the tbe stuffed sluffed d'll dll diq dininsk ' nsl ask chair , . feelln feelin feeling-xti feeling xti g utH cxtifinely feelincxtifinely ( - finely mely unlnpp unh'1pp unh1pp unhappy ' , . "Bliill Bliill "nhzll nhzll " s11\U s11 U : ' \ I get a nunc nurse nurbe1 ) ? ' ' ' ' Stcphen Stephe Stcpherasked Stcphennsked Stepheasked nsked asked nsked"Well asked"Well Stcpherasked"WeU "WeUDoctor "WellDoctor "WeU-- "WeU WeU "Well- "Well Well " - - - " Doctor Chase shook some som son 0 < bright colored pills pIUs Into an envelope envelopeVelt envclop"Well envclopWell & . "Well- "Well Well \Velt-- Velt "Wellhe Veltbe " \ - " be he repeated rellcnted , consl considering erIng ; the thequestion thequestion thequestion question * ' Oil Oh , no , , Uncle ' - Stephen Nurses arevery Me are Mevery arevery very e expensive ecpensive enslve . I can take tale care ofKit ot of otKit ofKit Kit . I always alwl1\s alwl1 s \ have ha.e hae . , , " ' . . Barbara enld aald ealdeirnestly aaldearnestly e1rnest1y earnestly "when when " Kit hit I lt has hns been sick llko like likethis llkothIs likothis thIs I know Just exactly cactly ecactly " ( what to doVeIl do " " "WelK WelK "Well Well " \VeIl VeIl \ I " Doctor Ch Chise Ch'tse Chtse ' 1se < ' seemed eemed 'seemed sur lur- lur sno- sno surprised lurprlsed snoprlse ! - prised prlsed prlse . & . ' 'Stind Stind 'St\nd 'St St nd Stand ' ' \ up , . " he ; ' said eald 'aid aid "Let Let "Letmo "Letmo "Letmo Letmo " mo see If It you look like 111.0 1110 . a reliablenurse relIable relIablenurse reliablenurse ' " . nurse Barbari Barbar'l Barbarl Barbar't Barbart ' ' uncurled herself herseIt from thechaIr thechair the jchair chaIr She tried to look grown upand up upand upand and taU"Will tall"Will tall taU tall"Will "Will Will " I 1 do ? ' she askedDoctor askedDoctor asked askedDoctor Doctor Chase considered that qucs ques questi qucsbon qucation qucation"JJow bon ti on "JJow JJow 11ow 110w " old arc are you1 you ? ' he lie asked . " " " "Past Past eighteen The doctor raised a quizzical eye eyebrow eyebrow eyebrow eyebrow"I brow brow"I "I I " sbouldn shouldn't shouldnt ' ' t have bave thought It ; ; , " he hes'1ld heslid hesild s'1ld s1ld slid ' He lool looked ed at Stephen He lie lielooked Heloohed Helooked loohed looked at Barbara His eyebrow lIfted lIftedagain liftedagain liftedagain again againliVer "Very Very "Verb Verb liVer " , well wen , , . " he sild s'lld slld s'tld stld ' ' , snapping snappingthe snappingthe snappingthe the catch on his leatlier Jeather leather bag * ' I 111 11 stopin stop stopIn slopIn In again this evening " Doctor Chase took tool himself htmself off'I'm off off'I'm ' 'I'm Im ' ' I'm Im ' sorr sorry , " , " Kit said sald " when "hen hen he had hadgone hadgone hadgone hadgone"That's gone gone"That's "That's Thats " ' ' all right , . " Stephen said smd gent gent- gently gently . - ly The frown frownanlshed vanished \anlshed anlshed \ He lie found ithard It Ithard ithard hard to be severe with Kit The boy boyJwd boyhad boyhad Jwd had charming minners m'tnners mtnners ' ' and he looL-ed looL ed looked looLedso lookedso lookedso - so completely done InStephen inStephen In InSteplien Steplien Stephen smiled smtIed at nt Barbara "Don't Dont " ' ' l 6 1 1r 1l 1y r l y r raZ aZ _ t N Nr r r i 111111 111111"Are "Are Are " You Going to Send Us Back " worry , ' he be said sald to Kit 'Get Get ' Get well wen RS as RSfast asfast ( isfast fast as you can ' ' "I I " will , , " Kit promised and then , . re re- rememberlOg remembering remembering - - membering memberlOg his manners , 'it.s it.s its * ' lt's lts it's its ' ' . very veryJ.md veryind verykind i veryi J.md Jmd k . ind of , you you , , . sir " I I"Very "Very Very " kind ' echoed Barbara nnrbara "Isn't Isnt "Isn'the "Isn'tbe "Isn'the Isnthe " ' he be 10 lovely . ely , , KIt Kit ? ? ' Stephen left them thcm together . Dt Ex I3s-traordlnaiy I3s traordlnaiy : . - traordinalY traordinaty children , , he thought . . Too Toorcasonable Tooreasonable Tooreasonable rcasonable reasonable ind 'lnd lnd and ' gro\\ gro grow grown gron \ n up for theirjem theIr theIrJ theiryears years J e'lr elr ' : . ' ind 'lnd lnd and ' it 'lt lt the same ame came < ; Unie time , so del1ght delight del1ghtfully delightfully delightfully fully chlldi&h chlldih childish ch1tdl & h The boi boy bo was a charmng charm charmIng charming Ing ( ng lad He " wondered ondered if anytlung anything anytlungcould anythingcould anythingcould could be done about the ] limp hmp imp lIe IIe lIemigI IIemigl Hernlgl migI migl t as well speik spe"lk spelk speck " to Doctor Dlctor ( Chasenow Chasenow Chase Chaseno no\\ no now noht1e \ \ while ht1e the children chiidren " were "ere ere hereA hereA here hereA A clock clocl struck strucJ ten ' is 'lS lS he w'll1"ed wll1ed wilted wilteddownstalra wilkeddownstairs ' " downstalra on nstalr ; : , Stephen fron frowned ncd HeIris He HeW'lS Hewis W'lS WlS Iris ' , alread already ) , an hour late at the theoffice theoffice theoffice office . . His dally darIy daily routine would beupset be beupset beupset upset Well WeIl , , . It " wouldnt "ouldn ouldn wouldn t be for long- long longAunt longAunt long-Aunt long Aunt - Aunt |