Show 2 Rr J c- c 1 0 Y I I L t l. l 2 T 0 P. P 51 C L' L E A. A I f I 3 I By y EMSLIE EMLE LORING bt by The Perm Penn Publishing Co W u A r J. J J SYNOPSIS Prudence Schuyler comes from New York to Prosperity Farm In Ine e Maine inherited from her uncle to tomaico malco maleo a n new life for Cor herself and her brother D David ld whoso whose health has baa been broken by tragedy The second day on her farm Carm Prue falls Calls from the barn loft Into the arms of Rodney Rodney Rod- Rod ney ncy Gerard rd rich young man There IB Ia at once a n. mutual attraction be between between between be- be tween the tho two but Prudence de decides decides de- de to maintain a cool attitude to toward toward toward to- to ward him She suspects men since her sisters sister's husband ran away wither with Jr ler er brothers brother's wife Len Calloway Galloway a arival arval rival al of ot Gerard tries to buy timber but she dislikes him and contracts with Rod to dispose of the trees On On the tho evening Is expecting David from Crom New York she is visited by Mrs Walter Gerard and her small daughter Jean They are hateful curious persons and Prue rankled A few days later she comes in contact with them again when she sho accompanies Rod to his home to see ace his beautiful garden gar soar den CHAPTER IV Continued IV-Continued Continued G 6 G GNot Not a n chance even een If I had money to Invest In baguette diamonds diamonds dia dia- diamonds monds which I haven't It has been one of ot the dreams of my life to wear that ring Unless Prosperity Prosper Prosper- I ity farm plunges so deep Into the red that we cant can't pull It out Ill I'll hold on to the emerald ir t tir She thoughtfully nibbled the point I of the engraving tool The Thc silver collar for the kitten Is lIkel likely to be rather expensive I 1 cant can't set a price because I 1 have no Idea Mea how much time It will take s I a all right Ill I'll give It to toJean Jean lean for Christmas Think y you'll have une It done by then Christmas I I 1 hope hone so but of course If I ha have hare e many morning interruptions Interruptions In In- I accept your our delicate hint Im I'm off orr It wont won't Interrupt your work I 1 hope if I 1 stop to collect J Jean c cn n and the kitten IWen and speak to your brother broth broth- er err who Is s 1 lying on the grass patch patchIn In the middle of the garden David on the ground 1 I I left him him him- Prudence fairly flew through the house She heard Gerard behind her as ns she raced Into the the garden Da Dave e on the thc ground I rJ 1 She dropped to her bel knees beside him Dave I Dave Did you fall tall With VIlh a n murmur of concern he sat up and put his bis arm about her Prue I Prue Of course I 1 didn't fall dear After a while the chair seemed hard and the thc grass Inviting so 1 I flung the rug on the ground and stretched out on It Ive I've been asleep He lie tightened his hold Lo Look k here my dear If you have me on your Jour mind every minute Ill I'll go off by m myself self somewhere Give me a hand up Gerard Ive I've been lying jIn here so long that Im I'm stiff Rodney Gerard linked an arm In his as he hc stood up Prudence was conscious of the tension about her mouth as she looked at them Ids Davids face was so palo pale In comparison comparison comparison com com- parison to that of ot the man beside him She achieved ed a fair Imitation of ot a laugh Have Dave you on mind every min mn- minute minute ute Dave Davel I You'd be he surprised If It you knew that I haven't thought of ot you ou once since I tucked you ou Into that steamer chair Now who's coming The Thc gate In the white picket fence which enclosed the garden creaked on Its hinges A grotesque figure turning cartwheels with Incredible Incredible In In- credible le rapidity hurtled through the opening came side right up scratched a chalky ear which h protruded protruded pro pro- through ug l his white skull skull cap and made a sweeping bow Jean raced to her uncle A clown I Uncle Rod nod a n clown a.-clown clown I Wheres Where's the circus Had Rodney Gerard gritted an exclamation between his teeth or had she Imagined It Prudence P looked from his narrowed eyes eyes to the smeared blue lue e eyebrows the lips like a blood bloody gash In the whiteness s of the face chalk-face of ot the man who was looking back at him The regulation regulation regulation reg reg- white suit of ot the sawdust ring polka-dotted polka with Ith black showed traces of trav travel l. l David Schuyler Schuler held out his hand and smiled How are you Must be two years since Pro seen you Where did you drop from T r The clown shook Schuyler's hand He lie blinked bUnked and swallowed turning his Ills shaped cone cap In chalk chalky hands Never er expected to see you here sir fir They told me at the Rescue J mission that you ou was sick somewhere some some- where Im I'm with Sassoon's Smashing Smash ing fag show Its It's stuck In a nearby town and when the boss found I IId IId I- I Id I'd once lived In this r region glon he tho l thought ht I might have ha a drug drag with folks and sent me on a motorcycle motorcycle motor motor- c cycle cle to drum up trade Ills His eyes eres shifted to Rodney Gerard Gerard Ger Ger- ard The fhe little girl would like the show Mister Its It's a u swell show f Uncle Hod Rod you will take me wont won't you Jeans Jean's lips quivered quI with eagerness Ive never seen Been many wany horses Ive I've never ne been to n 11 t J Mother thinks they're L 11 r A 0 cheap Oh Miss Prue ask him to take me please please hell hell he'll do It If It you ask him Significance shone through the amusement In n Rodney Gerards Gerard's eyes as they met Only an Instant their glances met before beCore he parle parleyed ed Indulgently Take It easy Jean Youve You've got me all excited Youve You've started something You said the i show was stuck In the thc next nest town What's the trouble Again Prudence had the sense of ot otan an undercurrent a n dramatic undercurrent undercurrent under under- current at that Gerards Gerard's curt question seemed to set atmospheric atmosphere ic Ie hi potency high waves In motion Was he angry Annoyed was was a better word er Whatever his hits mood it tightened her nerves The clown crushed his cap In one vein knotted hand Its this wa way Mister The next town we were billed In was cleaned out by fire That throws us out So the boss says wed we'd lay layout out the show In the thc burg Ive I've come como from Its It's a good honest show for the little lIttle little lit lIt- tle girl to see Mister He lIe pulled at a painted forelock looked at Prudence with haggard eyes stretched the Ule red gash In a n grInAn grinAn grinAn grin An for big girls too Weve We've had to turn away crowds all season and the parade whoops parade whoops you should see seo seethe seethe the parade I All the headliners out and and the calliope Sounds this-a- this a way way way- gave ga an Imitation which set the tho echoes jan jangling It brought Si Puffer from the barn on a run His wife and Miss Mack spilled from the kitchen door You said the show was In a nearby nearby nearby near near- by town How near Prudence caught the swift glance between no Rodney ney Gerard and Mrs Irs Puffer as he asked the question was aware of ot the sound as of gas gilS escaping from a punctured balloon before beCore she closed her lips and re- re re retreated retreated treated pulling Jane Mack Mack- with her into the house lOuse Did the clowns clown's presence mean something to her too Sure Its It's nearby Only fifty miles mItes Mister I 1 wish all nil you folks would come The little girl would get a great kick from It Oh Uncle Rod Rod nod Jeans Jean's voice broke from excitement I Take Tale it easy Jean well we'll go I What time does the parade start Chicot Nine Well be there Prue Jean and andI I are arc counting on you JOU to keep us company Id love lore It It If If Prue's eyes flashed to her brother brothe Of or course you'll go Prue You haven't been away from this town since you ou came have ha you Jane Mack will look after me David Schuyler ler answered her unspoken question The clown twisted his cap I J wish you'd come sir Its It's a good show Cant make male It Glad you have your our Job again Watch your our step this step this time Thank you ou sir I will sir There aint no occasion for me mo not to sir Well folks Ill I'll be see seeing ng you lIe He pulled his cap hard over his ears and departed on his hands his legs in the air ar Jean ran beside him pelting him with questions going Into girlish giggles of laughter As the clown disappeared through the gateway Rodney Gerard and SI Puffer Puffer Puffer fer followed without one backward glance Prudence dropped to the grass besIde beside be be- side her brother Strange that you should have known that clown Dave All sorts of men came to the Rescue lies Res cU cue mission Prue Chicot was In great trouble about a granddaughter ter who had been running wild lIe He teat Leat up one of her followers followers to to hear him hm tell It she had a lot of ot them them and and lost his Job for Cor a while Prudence appeared absorbed In her search for Cor a four leaf clover er Dave e did it occur lr to you ou that dint Mrs Si knew that clown that Rodney Rodney Hod Rod Rod- ne ney Gerard knew him Schuyler swung his feet from the chair and rose The he lines between his eyes eos deepened as be answered gravely gravel Im sorry to say It did did Prue Confoundedly sorry CHAPTER V TEN GERARD regarded reg the desk deskIn JEAN J In the gun n room at High Ledges with pursed lips and angry eyes Gee Gec but hut you ou make me mc mad I She addressed the piece of ot furniture furni furni- furniture ture as If It It were maliciously r responsible re re- for her frustration She wriggled a hairpin in the tile lock of ot the top drawer Then with teeth set she grasped the handles Jerked with all her strength file drawer came out with a suddenness which sent her sprawling and scattered three letters from the desk onto the floor noor Ruefully she sho rubbed the hack back of ot other her head She knelt beside the drawer and eagerly examined Its contents There were several pho pho- photographs photographs of ot a n pretty girl One h r- r r a z o- o showed her In tulle on the back of ot a horse Jeans Jean's e eyes es dIla di dl- la hated ted Circus rider I I she crooned Goody Ill I'll see one like her tomorrow tomor tomor- row She turned the photograph over On the back was scrawled Miraculous l escape From calico and Calloway to liberty and lo ho- ho Fondly l hilly a cute all right I 1 I Jean gulped as a shadow fell across the photograph Wheres your uncle The photograph fell from her hand and In lay with piquant smiling face upward as Jean stared at the scowling man who loomed over over her I dont 1 I don't dont know Shall I t try y to find him Mr Calloway Len Galloway removed his glance from the pictures and letters on the floor long enough to glare at herTell herTell her Tell him I 1 want to talk with him Scram I Frightened at the grayness of ot his face tac Jean Jenn fled fied She scurried through the different rooms Called No an saver She had better go back and tell Mr Calloway As site she entered the gun room one of ot the long French windows banged Hes ulles gone goue I 1 guess that's that thal She dropped to her knees beside the drawer Better put It back before before before be be- fore an anyone one saw It She scrambled up the contents Th Where re was the the pIcture picture pic plc- ture of oC the circus rider Gone Had Mr Calloway taken It Why should he want It Would her uncle be mad with her for haYing having ing touched the desk I I Id better get a move mo on on She hurriedly replaced the drawer draw draw- er picked up the letters Only two There had been three when they fell Cell Had llad Mr l Calloway snitched one What would he do with It Gee have I 1 started something she thought In the library act after dinner Rodney Rodney Rod nod ne ney Gerard glanced about the room as he refilled his pipe Good room Big yet not too full of ot things mellow mellow mel low dignified Not too bad a place In which to spend part of ot a n wIntel win win- ter tel He glanced at his sister-in- sister law knitting rapidly in the light of ot otone one of ot the softly shaded lamps Not so restful He was In for or battle Hed He'd better go to It It Mrs Walt Walter r Gerard looked up She laid down her knitting I ha have e planned to close the house bouse on Thursday It if that suits stilts you ou Rodney The da days s 's are arc getting so short You needn't bother to do that Annie I shall remain here for part of the winter I have decided to I thin about a thousand acres of woodland and It will require my personal oversight You and Jean Jenn toddle along to New ew York as as' you ou planned The he Ideal Idea I Of course I shant shan't desert you no Rodney ne Gerard buckled on his armor of determination He hated bated to hurt hurther hurther hurther her but he lie couldn't he wouldn't have her under his feet and that's where she site would beI beI beI be I appreciate your kindness Annie Annie An An- nie but Jim Armstrong one of ot my roommates at college who Is a n forester will arrive soon to look over the timber and advise me as asto asto asto to what should come out I hate like the dickens to say It It you have been boen so kind to keep house for me methis methIs methis this summer but I would prefer not notto notto notto to have you here Jean flung herself at Gerard Hey there Kur ous Kid hid go so slow Want to push me Into the fire The girls girl's grip tightened Uncle Rod nod please let me stay with you ou please I Im I'm not going to school this winter anyway ay I hate New York cork and Mother and Father are always fighting and I love tobe tobe to tobe be with you ou and Ill I'll be a perfect lad lady honest I 1 will Please let me stay Im I'm Im I'm Im I'm alwn always s sort of or peaceful with you Gerards Gerard's s 's e eyes es were tender as he looked down at the pleading face Peaceful Poor lonely kid She did have a tough time Not much fun living with her parents Walter rarely came to High Ledges now Was It too dull duil for him hIm or were there other reasons Should he let J Jean n stay What say Annie Will you ou let Jean stay with me until after acter Christmas No he e anticipated as his sister law w started to speak It will upset my plans to have you here besides you ou should be In New York with Walter Walter alter doesn't want me either For the first time since he lie had ad known her Rodney Hodney heard Annie Gerard acknowledge defeat Mighty hard on n her Walter was a bad egg of course but she had a cruel tongue and amI was so affected That didn't excuse Walt a n man should be true to his wife no matter how she developed but the but the gods be praised the problem of ot being true to Annie wasn't his Look here beret K K 1 If I let you ou stay will you ou solemnly promise not notto notto notto to pr pry Into my affairs or the affairs of the the thc the neighbors Joy glowed lowed beneath the tears I promise Ill I'll be the lie finest girl ever er Uncle Rod nod Ill give you a tr try May she stay Annie Annle If It you want her Rodney The doctor said she should live e out of or doors this winter so perhaps shell she'll be bo better oft off here in In the country Then hustle to New York YorI send down warm clothes for tor her and the bill to me Take the servants with you Ill I'll pay them for lost time Jean and I will be oft off early perhaps perhaps perhaps per per- haps before you start Off ocr I 1 Where Theres a circus in the next nett town and we we-we we wo are going in a party A party I I see sec I think I know w who o the party will be I wasn't born yesterday Rodney How he detested her bel wink Rodney Rod nod ney fey thought as he lie watched her leave the room Jean slipped sUpped her arm through her uncles mad I she observed In a strident whisper Cut that out out K K Never |