Show r l L CLEAR CLEARa I rJ a Ill I'll Emilie tie L r p 0 pI J r I II r- r I hl I j r. r j. j I t SYNOPSIS IS Prudenco Schuyler Schuylor comes from New York to Prosperity Farm In Maine inherited from her uncle to tomake tomake tomako make mako a new life Ufe for tor herself and her brother David whoso health haa has been broken by tragedy The Tho second day on her farm Prue falls from the tarn ham arn loft Into the tho arms of Ro Rodney Rodney Rod Rod- ney nay Gerard rich young man who lives U at High Ledges There Is at once a mutual attraction between the tho two but Prudence decides to maintain a cool attitude toward him Sho She suspects men since her sisters sisters sis sis- husband ran away with her brothers brother's wife CHAPTER II Con II-Con Continued II-Continued Continued 3 3 Prudence joined the woman at nt the door Im hun hungry that's r why Im I'm low In n my mind Macky Didn't Mother Puffer say that life could could be awful dark and dreary on an nn I empty stomach She linked her i arm In that of the woman a adear adear dear to bring us things and a wonderful wonderful won won- cook cool I Jane Mack sniffed She may be bea ben a n wonderful cook but sh she's s 's a terrible terrible ter ter- talker She said to me What makes Miss Prue so bitter about men men men-a a pretty child like e her Did her city ty beau turn her down because she lost her mone money 1 Prudence bit her lips to stead steady them blinked hard Since the warning warning warn warn- ing tap on her brothers brother's sh shoulder lder little hot salty springs seemed In Inconstant Inconstant Inconstant constant commotion behind her eyes Mrs Puffers Puffer's question about the city beau returned to Prue's mind as ns sev several ral hours bours later she site unclasped the string of ot pearls before the mirror mirror mirror mir mir- on the chintz dressing table She looked at the lovely gleaming things which dipped from her pink palm Her sisters sister's pearls Lovely Julies Julie's who had married the son of a multimillionaire multimillionaire multimillionaire multi multi- millionaire adoring him believing I In him When after two years of marriage she had discovered his unfaithfulness un un- un- un faithfulness the faithfulness the treachery of ot her brothers brother's wife wife she she had crumpled her life had gone out like mee a candle and with It the life of ot her baby The tragedy had seemed to run back Into the very roots of Prue's heart henrt- If It ones one's heart had roots roots roots-or or the spring of her heart which threatened threatened threat threat- ened so often to bubble up In tears It had killed the lovely shining belief belief be be- lief she had had In people taken the sunshine out of living Time had eased the ache but It had not restored her faith She had had men friends but she had steeled herself against their protestations There were plenty of ot safe sane Interests interests In in- without staking her happiness happiness happi happl ness on a man Men The e eyes es of the girl In the glass narrowed a trifle She had met two today Mrs Puffer ha had declared de de- de- de dared Theres one or two smart Alecks In n the village who'll do you ou If they get the chance Prudence laid the pearls In their satin beds and snapped the case shut Sh She tapped the velv velvet t lightly with a finger as she reflected aloud One or two smart Alecks I wonder won der I der-I I wonder if Mrs Irs Puffer was warning me against one or both both of of my new acquaintances CHAPTER III nibbled a straw as P CE she thoughtfully regarded SI Puffer Puffer fer ter who lio seated on a milking stool opposite gazed back at her with fatuous admiration What sort o of a man Is Len Calloway Cal Oal- loway Mr SI lie He has hus called on one pretext or another every day since I took toole possession of ot this prop prop- erty You dont don't have ha to tell me that he Is a compelling person and good- good looking I know v that His e eyes es are too dark and flashing too set near-set his chin a bit too assertive his hair Is In getting perilously thin on top Isn't It Is he the whoop- whoop doo dC lad of ot tho the village Mother Iother Puffer said that he lie was horn born In the red brick house lias Has he always l lived In this town Puffer rubbed an unshaven cheek check Grew up here Went ent west bout two years ears ago ado after hed he'd met with a disappointment In love loye Then his father died and he came back burstIng burst burst- I Ing lag with witch know-how know an and b began gan contracting contracting con con- to cut timber What's he be been sa saying to you ou lie He wants to bu buy the trees tree on the upper tipper wood lot the lot the one Undo Uncle Austin Austin Aus Aus- tin bought of his father He lie didn't make n a definite offer He asked me meto meto meto to sign a contract giving him the right to cut all trees over o ten hart cn Inches and all wood necessary to get it out Of course I dont don't know anything about the business but buthen when hen he lie hen n added ed that last clause the Trap who regulates traffic In m my mind t fished shed on a red rell light Puffer chortled You rou sure have e your own wa way of sa saying things Miss Prue I guess that Imp lOlL was r ron on his Job Mind I dont don't say Len would set out to cheat you but he be Isn't In business for his Jils health henIth alone and I If you crossed him well him well dont don't have nothing to do with him bim Then youre you're sure If you like him that's your business All Ill I'll say Is 15 handsome handsome hand hand- some I Is as ns handsome does heres here's Rod Hod 1 Wonder If It he wants to buy timber He wa waved ed his hand to Rodney Gerard who with a spectacular flourish and fanfare of French Frencl horn stopped his car In front of the barn Greetings Prue of Prosperity farm I Morning SI I l Come for tor a n aride aride ride will you Its It's a 11 whale of ot a adny day His eyes were on the girl Terrible sorry I cant can't go Roddy but Ive I've ye got to work on them poultry houses My boss Is fired all fussy Puffer Puller chuckled and vanished round rounda a corner Pru Prudence ence took possession of or the stool her work man had vacated va va- She shook her head as she answered the question In Gerards Gerard's eyes If that Invitation was as meant for tor forme forme torme me I cant can't go Im I'm bus busy The hens are arc approaching the season of or diminishing diminishing dimin dimin- returns returns to to put It conservatively conservatively conserva conserva- High yields and large profits' profits must be my battle Ever heard of an economic graph Mr r. r SI and andI I h have ve been tracing one You seem to forget that I am a woman oman of af ar- fairs I cant can't waste time playing with i Idle le little boys like you All right Im I'm an Idle little boy Why should I work worIe I dont don't need mone money I put the best Ive I've got Into any sport I make a stab at I like a good time and there and there you are arc happened to your ambition ambItion ambition ambi ambI- tion Arrested development Dont Don't you care to accomplish things she asked gravely Some things Do you OU 1 Adore It I love trying t to do what I have haye to do superlatively well I made good as a craftsman What sort of craftsman I Silver and gold When people began to sneak cautiously from their financial proof crash-proof dugouts began began began be be- gan gan to unheard I earned a fairly good Income making Jewelry and silver cr boxes Then hen the the back land urge cau caught ht us turned me Into a Ii farmer farmer- rind farmer and nd here I am am Giving up your craft Not if It I can possibly squeeze In time for It I a adore ore It From now on I shall shan be an extremely busy person person per per- son Mother Puffer Is about to Instruct In me In the thrifty art of can can- ning You doubtless will soon return return return re re- re- re turn to that gay circle of society In which you must be a bright and shining light She hadn't known that blue eyes could be black nor that a fair skin could turn so darkly red Youve got that wrong Im I'm an extremely busy person too You Busy About what Taking a u medical correspondence course What kind of or medicine Dont look so skeptical Perhaps It Isn't medical perhaps Its It's sur sur- Tr Trying to learn the remedy ri t r i 1 t I Cant Can't Waste Time Playing With idle Boys Like You for hardening of or the heart There was a hint of seriousness und underlying ing the light words He regarded her steadily IL May Iny be able to arrest arrest ar nr ar- ar rest the tho ossifying of yours Is It true as Mrs rs Puffer Intimates that theres there's a white haired boy in your our New York rork stag line Une who's yearning to smash this farm obsession and carry curry you Jou to the cit city l Surprise hobbled Prue's voice what W Y You u know what I said Dont Don't sidestep Indignation clarified her mind and loosened her tongue step Side I Why should I 17 There Is there was a n man for whom I might have cared but but but- you but you ou have ha brought this on yourself by your question question question-he he Is h of ot your type wealth Is an acid test few v of the men I have known could stand so stand so Im I'm a perfectly safe person so 50 far as you are concerned Mr SI told me that you were In terror for fear some girl would marry you for your Jour mone money I wouldn't marry a rich playboy y if It I loved him to tion I had to stand by helpless while m my sister broke her heart over r one of ot them Rodney Rodne Gerard caught her hands and pulled her to her feet SI talks too much I In terror about an anything That's his Joke Your heart woul wouldn't nt break bleak for Cor a aman aman aman man would It Prudence twisted free Not ot unless unless un un- less It t split from fury because I had been so BO dumb as to believe In him one In the eye for me Ill I'll take It t Boy but youre you're bitter Ill I'll make you take back what you said about my being beins of that hat type Ill I'll make you It will be a quarter no-quarter battle Get me She clasped her hands behind her herback herback herback back leaned toward him smiling Smashing climax This Is where a movie director who knew his business business busi busl ness would shout Cut CutI l' l His ills e eyes es held her mocking eyes with steady inflexibility SI Puffer says that you yon are smart as a steel trap You may be but apparently not smart enough to distinguish between between be be- tween the real and melodrama I Imay Imay Imay may be a lazy Inzy devil ll wasting opportunity opportunity I but I still believe belle In n character character char char- acter believe that there are levels below which which well well In the century In n which you belong they called It noblesse oblige His face was colorless as he turned away to his car Prue's conscience conscience con con- science smarted lla Had she been unjust unjust un un- un just She couldn't help liking him She was beside him as ns he stepped Into the roadster She smiled apology Dont go away angry You asked a question I answered It It Just Jus because because be be- cause we wo live Uye on different planets of Ideals and Ideas Is no reason for our quarreling Is tt It I would love loveto loveto loveto to motor with you really I would woul but hut David is coming on the afternoon afternoon after after- noon train and I have he heaps ps to do before then Yo You dont don't know how you tempt me me There was a reckless light In Gerard's Gerards Gerards Gerard's Ger Ger- ar ards ard's s 's eyes Quote Fly Fy pleasure and it H will wUl follow you Then I wont won't fly Will you yon take me to the Puffers Puffers' He swung the roadster door wide Grinned engagingly Taxi lady 1 As the car shot forward he Inquired inquired In in- Who will bring your our brother from the station station- Mr SI I have hae been too busy buss about the place to try tryout out the car Uncle Austin left me The roae road Is still torn up He would bb to p pulp lp In that old machine of oC rI I you oJ a arich arich rich playboy may be trusted I will meet him I will accept your kindness only If you'll promise to come In and have tea when you bring David home There was a n small boy ra radiance lance In his face and voice which contracted contracted con con- Prue's throat thront Mean rean It Then of ot course Ill I'll come Ill I'll drive this car as If 11 It were a bubble with a a. a grain of ot radium radium radium ra ra- ra- ra for passenger Those are the most breakable and precious commodities commodities commodities com com- I know How v are you OU Cn Calloway 1 The darle eyed dark ed skinned dark man passing brought his re red car to a a. a sudden stop and swept off his broad broad- brimmed hat Good morning Miss Is Schuyler Ive I've Just been to your place Gerard They told me I w was s lIk likely ly to find you somewhere round here here sere There was n nothing thing In the words which could be challenged It was the Implication Rodney Gerard reddened Come to nigh High Ledges tonight Calloway and Ill I'll let you know what I have deci decided ed about the timber Umber Cant you tell me now No I cant Perhaps Miss Schuyler will say whether she has decided to let me have hers or hers or do o you ou decide e for her Youre mighty impertinent Gerard Gerard Ger Ger- ard flared and shot the tile car for for- ward Oh dear ear I ITa Have ye you made an enemy because of me His laugh was curt The rhe enmity between Len Calloway and yours yours truly Is nothing new He always gets my goat Do you OU Intend to sell seli your timber Umber to him 1 u Mr Ir SI advises against It Give me the contract to han handle le leit It will you 1 Y You Yon ou Even I. I Dont Don't let surprise that I am Interested In something besides besides besides be be- sides sports shock you QU Into In in- sensibility I have about a thousand thousand thou thou- sand acres of or timber which have been on my mind for some time Ive I've decided to cut It this winter and the more I have to cut the hotter better and more profitable Job I can make of ot It It But But you'll ut- ut you'll have to live here All AlI right Ill I'll have ha to live 11 here What a Ii profound observation I 1 Coming Coming Com Com- ing from a woman of or affairs like yourself Its It's a smash She stole a glance at his grave face Her thou thoughts raced as swiftly as the fleecy clouds against the glarIng glaring glaring glar glar- ing blue 81 sky lIa Had he ha had this In mind while she had been accusing him of Indolence and In Indifference Contrition warmed her voice I I I should love hero to havo Nava you you cut our timber but I warn you Im I'm likely to be a pest I shall ask so many questions Fire away What say to forming a partnership 1 Sounds grand grand but but that would take tako capital wouldn't It Why not sign a contract to the effect that the tiie Interest on your investment Is to be paid before the profit Is divided 1 Hooey 1 I I I- I Unless that Is done Im I'm off oft the tho partnership Mr Rodney Gerard Oh all right Im I'm a lawyer lawyer- though I haven't done much at It Ill I'll draw a n contract which will put skids under your fortune If It you break It Here we are aro at the Puffers Puffers' Puffers Puffers' fers' fers Come on a n little way We Ve have so much to decide we are In business now v remember Well We'll trace that economic graph youre you're so keen about Prudence swung open the door of ot the car Dont wheedle Ill I'll expect tiff n 1 I I It I a r I 4 i By Sheer Force of Arms and Kne Knect Rushed Him Outside you for tor tea ten this afternoon MornIng Morn More Ing p partner She turned to wave h her r hand before before be be- before fore she ent entered red the path to th back door opened It In response to te toa tea a soft cushiony Come Came C me In I 1 IThe IThe The kitchen was gay with blue and white checked gingham curtains at the plant filled windows a blue and white linoleum on the floor blue pots and pa pans s |