Show 7 II J. Ck k 0 i Ir cv r. t I 2 i V P. P S J A- A f 1 So J r. r By y LOG LORING by Th nt Pens Penn Publishing Co Oo 8 l j L. L W SYNOPSIS Prudence chuyler comos from New York to 10 Prosperity Farm In Ini Iny y i 1 Maine Inherited from Cram her uncle to tomake tomake tomake make a n new life for herself and her brother David whose health has been broken by tragedy The Tho second day on her farm Carm Prue falls Calls from the barn loft lort Into the arms of ot Rodney Rodney Rod Rod- nc ney Gerard rich young oung man who lives lives' at High Ledges There Is at nt once a n. mutual attraction between the tho two but Prudence decides to maintain a cool attitude toward him She suspects men mon since her sistar's sis sis- J. J tore tars husband ran away with her brothers brother's wife Len Calloway Galloway a rival of Gerard tries to buy the tho timber oft off Prue's land but she eho dislikes him and contracts with Rod nod to dispose of or tho the trees CHAPTER III III-Continued III Continued 4 He returned and banged the door shut shut- He ne leaned against It dusted one hand against the other and observed observed ob ob- ob served somewhat breathlessly l ly Saw his red car here and md came back Business seems to be opening openIng openIng open- open Ing with a whang partner I For the third time In n ten minutes Prudence ce rearranged the shell egg-shell cups on the butterfly table lifted the silver s skittle ball kettle to make malte sure ure that the tho wick of ot the spirit lamp on Its like brazier-like stand would flame at the touch of or a match She glanced at the banjo clock Only live lie minutes since she had looked before Unbelievable Time was creeping on hands bands and knees The I knocker She glanced at the clock Not time for or her brother Who could It It be She Sure went slowly through the hall ball She ou ought ht to be prancing with eagerness at the prospect of ot a call call- er ere She Since the tho family scandal she dreaded to meet new people She opened the door She knew at once from SI Puffers Puffer's Puffers Puffer's pur- pur I fers fer's description that the tall woman woman wom worn an nn facing her was Mrs l Walter Ger Ger- ard anI The village women were right she was a n nifty dresser She e ex extended extended ex- ex tended a white gloved hand Good afternoon Miss Schuyler I Iam Iam Iam am your OUr neighbor Mrs Gerard and this Is s my darling daughter Jean She drew forward a thin little girl In a soft pink frock rock who had been standing behind her The child curtsied demurely She had puckish puck ish Isla dark eyes eres pale unhealthy skin short hair Wont you come In try uy as sae Prudence could not Infuse warmth Into her bel tion She hated the suave voice 7 hated the way the woman flicked licked her eyelids hated her smile hated the flutter with which she settled Into Inlo the wing chair The child sat primly on the ottoman beside her her eyes darting about the room like a ferrets Mrs Walter Gerard babbled So delighted to ba have bae e a woman of at m myown my myown own kind near Of or course our house Is full during the season but that Isn't like having a neighbor We hope that you will como come often to High Ledges What an nn adorable ball skittle kettle I Heirloom Prudence wanted to snap No Auction room Mrs Walter Gerard was so blatantly a n person to whom family background would matter enormously In n her estimate of or a person person person per per- son but she site couldn't deny her fathers fathers father's fa fa- ther's tigers great grandmother Yes In n action Mrs Gerard bent over o the kettle It lt looks like a Paul Lamerle It Is But nut my dear dont don't you realize that It 13 Is a museum piece That mans man's fame as a n goldsmith has reached the ends of the earth Fancy using It She settled back In n her ller chair As 1 I was sl saying my law brother is a bachelor In consequence consequence con can sequence I am never neer at a loss for young oung com company IIer Her wink tired fired Prudence with an unholy Impulse to scratch herBut herBut her But Dut hes he's such a butterfly He ne flits tUta from flower lower to flower never ne settles to one girl A quite natural attitude for a n rich man who has been pursued all his life Ufe dont don't you think so M so Miss Schuyler She Site was intimating what SI Puffer Puffer Put Put- fer had said that Rodney Gerard was In terror of being married for his fortune Did the woman think that she needed warning A crash saved ayed Prue's reputation for courtesy Jean had hind been investigating In the i sugar bowl The child scowled down upon It Gee It made me mad to dro drop p that t 1 P V Her lIer mother folded complacent t I hands Darling Durling daughter laughter shouldn't t touch things until she Is better acquainted Sho She Is Interested In everything e Miss Schuyler Schuler Uncle Rod RotI calls me K K IC K K hisK his K K urious Kid Jean Interrupted 1 In Ina n a high voice lie comes to see yo you OU u every day doesn't he The fhe elfish eyes ees Interrogating he her r brought a ah h he rc e o of color to Prue's Prue s face the rush as ns of at many waters isher In is her cars Mrs Irs Gerard anticipated anticipate n ted d her answer How now amusing that you should have Imagined that darling Your You r Uncle Rodney is an as Indolent good good- r c natured boy perhaps he might allow al ale low v himself to be monopolized for for fora a n time You ha have yc a brother dear Miss Schuyler If lt she sho calls me dear once more Ill I'll throw something at her Prudence Prudence Prudence Pru Pru- dence told herself furiously Aloud she Informed smoothly Yes I expect him at any any moment mo mo- ment She Sho deliberately looked atthe at nt atthe the clock Never Nc In her life Ufe had she been so rude but never ne before had she had such occasion she excused excused excused ex ex- ex- ex herself Coming today I Happy girl I Ill I'll run away you must be busy You will come to High Ledges when we return In the spring wont won't you We close the house soon so I am afraid afraid afraid- Uncle Rod Isn't going Jean announced an nn- Rodney not going I Mrs Gerards Gerard's Gerards Gerard's Gerard's Gerards Ger Ger- ards ard's sua suave e voice olce shrilled Her ITer face reddened unbecomingly Her blue bluee blueeyes blueeyes e eyes es hardened then she laughed and winked This darling has the strangest fancies Miss Schuyler You wont won't forget me will you ou 1 She extended her ier white-gloved white hand showed her herlong herlong herlong long teeth In a large smile and started along alons the herring bone brick path lath with a springiness bordering on juvenility ju Her daughter lingered to whisper hoarsely I know why Uncle Rodney Isn't going back to the city Hes He's goofy goof about you you She stuck her ler tongue In her cheek and ran Prue's eyes smoldered as ns she watched mother and daughter enter the tho luxurious maroon touring car Horrid woman she thought pas I wager that you are a scold a hypocrite I feel as ns If It my heart and soul had stumbled Into a n nettle patch They are all ail prickles She crossed to the window and tried to concentrate her attention on the road by which her brother would come but thoughts of her ber recent callers would Intrude It seemed ages before Gerards Gerard's shining black roadster swept into sight She darted between bet the brick gateposts as It t stopped David Dald Dave Daye you you u dear Her TIer voice olce choked Had Had her brother grown gaunter since she had left him Mm She sprang to the running board and laid her glowing cheek against his white one He Ie held her ber close for a moment His eyes so like ike hers were warm and t tender his voice was humorously unsteady y as he admitted Prue I wouldn't have bae believed that I could have hae missed being coddled coddled cod cod- died as ns I did Youve You've spoiled me May I get out This Is a veritable armchair of ot a car but I smell awood a awood awood wood fire Ore and toast Im I'm ravenous for that toast arent aren't you Gerard Prudence blinked valiantly David Im I'm as ns temperamental as ever e I forgot ever everything when I saw you Mr Gerard remember that you promised to have tea with us us Thank you Im I'm all for It Better Better Bet net ter grab my arm Schuyler One Is apt to be stiff sUfI alter after a long train ride Prudence put her arm under her brothers brother's while Gerard steadied himon him himon hImon on the other side They led him to the wing chair In front of ot the Ore fire place He sank Into It and closed his Ills eyes Her breath caught In a astran stran strangled led sob He lie looked up and smiled Prudence dropped to her knees beside beside beside be be- side him David it is wonderful to have you here You You You-you you put the heart Into the house Well We'll have the happiest time and you will gain In weight and health hearth every minute with the milk mille and eggs and chickens fresh from the garden Im I'm some farmer already am nm I 1 not Mr Ir Gerard Wh Why when did he go I suspect that he slipped out when you and I forgot there was anyone anone else In the room Prue Ill bring him back pronto She straightened the foot-cushion foot dropped n a kiss on the top of his head picked up the silver sll kettle No sign f of or Gerard In the dining room She opened the kitchen door He lie was perched on the corner of the pine table his hands clasped about one knee as he talked to Jane Mack Inck Wonder of or wonders 1 Macky was wass s smiling tolling ITea 1 I Tea Is served In the club car carl I 1 Prudence announced In a stentorian tone as she reached for the teakettle teakettle tea tea- kettle on the range from which to nil fill the silver sll one In her hand Gerard seized It H. Let me buttle Ill I'll feel like an outlander at nt this family reunion unless I can help In the living room Prudence seated seat sent ed herself on a low stool beside her brothers brother's chair She answered his s questions to the accompaniment of or orthe o othe f the purr of or steam from the kettle the lie crackle of the tire lire the tinkle o of f silver on china She concluded The evening enIng I arrived I racked d m my brain for a name for these acres acre s we wo have Inherited which would d make our coming comins seem lIh like u a new I deal I seized a n word which ha has hns s been hiding biding In the dark recently I pulled lulled it out Lido Into the light and d named the place Prosperity farm I r I C r Get the psychology I christened the car Success Success Success-so so that It never will fall fail to get me to my destination destination- but hut I cant can't decide what to call can the poultry They've Just got to lay eggs for tor me and I must resort to au au- the matter with Nickels Grand I Picture me scattering corn calling Nickels I Nickels I A little action this morning I l Eggs Nickels eggs I I After tea ten Gerard carried the tray to the kitchen Prudence could hear henr the faint rumble of at his voice as ho he talked to Jane Mack The Impossible has happened 1 I Mackys Macky's granite heart has hns been chipped at last David she confided Gerard certainly has hasan an engaging manner What do you know about him 7 Nothing except that even een In the late era of frozen assets the tho bulk of or hIs bis fortune remained fluid Mrs SI S1 Is m my authority That woman Is a regular Who's Who for or this village The fact that he is rich tells me all allI I want to know I All flAIl rich men are not alike Prue You and I have been unfortunate In n some we have hae known David ld do you think that I will willever willever ever er forget the result of Julies Julie's marriage marriage mar mar- to a playboy She was w was s the sweetest big sister a girl ever eer had a s u t 1 1 I Iny Ir J r ny il p i ry 1 i u uI I I y Ii Gerard GerardI Calloway Galloway Shrugged His Sc Scorn rn You Make Me Laugh Laughl and she died of a broken heart beart Forgive Forgive For give ghe me Dave forgive e me she sh e pleaded as his head bend dropped back bas k against the chair and his eyes closed She Sho caught his hands tight In i n hers Why why did I bring that tha t up I Well We'll forget It Its It's behind us Youve You've had a n long tiresome e day David why not go to you your r room then Ill I'll tuck you Into bed and tomorrow you'll be rested an and d refreshed and I will show you every thing That Thai program sounds good t to o me He ne laid his hand on he her r shoulder and rose He was tall roll an and d pathetically thin but he held his head with Its thick dark hair with WWI royal dignity going to be all right now Prue Already I feel stronger I will go up as ns as you suggest Sa Say y good afternoon to here to-here here he lie Is now Da David id Schuyler added as ns Gerard en I have been ordered to be beby bed d by my tyrant so Ill I'll say thank you you OU for bringing me from the train an and d dh obey He offered his hand wit with h cordial friendliness Let me are give Ive you my arm Those Thos e steep stairs look tricky If she slie will promise to bo be good well we'll let your you r sister trail along From the hall ball Prudence watched the two men as they slowly mounted the stairs Tears blinded her David looked so frail so weary as ns If to too c o a wind might blow him away awny She shut her teeth hard In her lipsIt lips It It was her Job to see that a strop strong g w wind nd didn't t touch uch him One didn't didn t stop to to question when the most precious pre pre- clogs claus person In ones one's life Ufe was I In danger one did things She wasn't t much good If she couldn't stand between between between be be- tween him and trouble Someone knocking I Another caller call caller er Why had bad the neighbors started d to be friendly today of at all aU days day s when she wanted to devote herself herself her I self to her brother She opened th the door Her breath caught In a little gasp gasp gaspas as she confronted Len Gallo Call way vay Good Good at afternoon Miss Schuyler May Iny I come In He entered the living living liv Ih ing room without waiting waltin for Cor a an nn n answer Prudence resented his assurance I cant can't talk business now Mr Calloway Galloway My brother has just arrived arrived ar rived and I want to be with him I wont won't detain you but a moment I 1 came to ask you once more If you yo oU u will give the contract for tor cutting F your timber to me mo I have already told you that I Ihn hn have e arranged with Mr Gerard t to todo o do cia It It Gerard I Calloway d his scorn You make me laugh I I Ii In laior I 31 the flat place suppose Gerard should stick to tho the proposition long enough to begin work work work-he ho wont won't but well we'll let It go for the sake of ot argument where argument where would he ho get a crew to log for tor him There Isn't aman a aman aman man In this town who would daro dare work for tor Gerard If It I said No l' l ts t's that t The Tho question rang liko 1110 a pistol shot Calloway shifted his eyes from the girls girl's face to stare Insultingly at the man In the doorway I cant can't seem to take a step without without without with with- out running Into you can I Gerard Try to put me mo out of at this house Just try tryl I You wont won't catch me mo off orr my guard again Perhaps youve you've appoInted appointed appointed ap ap- pointed yourself Miss Schuyler's guardian though 1 The sneering tone whitened Rodney Rodney Rod nod ney Gerards Gerard's face His ey eyes s frIghtened frightened frightened fright frIght- ened Prudence She to tools took ole a quickstep quickstep quick quickstep step toward him He shook his head Ills His smile was strained as ns he reassured Okay I shant shan't make moke e a r row w when your brother Is directly over this thus room What lIat do you rou want C Chile Callo Calloway way What business Is that of ot yours It Is his business I I 1 Prudence Prudenco turned to Gerard lIe Ho came to warn me e that If It he be did not cut my timber Umber no one else should Boy noy |