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Show PRELUDE PRELUDEto to CHRISTMAS CHRISTMASBy CHRt5TMAsI av By PEGGY DERN " If D 0 < McClur McCh " . Syndical Synd4c.t Synd4ct . . THE STORY O SO FAR A Chloe Itea Iteaf ear er erseturna 8t 8tO 8te : : : f ; : re seturna u . to bar e home m mA mw mItea town w after t re reyear yeara year . away al at nbool school with " , ltb an Idea tbat tbatChrl.tmlU tht thtCbrlslmas Chrl.tmlU ChrltmlU Cbrlslmas . II 1i bunk She I II . determined determine determineto ' 10 to .nd nd spend . . Ibe the bollday holidays . on a nuise cruise with withIchool wit witschool Ichool school friend friends . the Pr.raall Prraall Prarsalls . . until ber berear he hecar ear car .trlke trlke strikes . . and badly Injures Injnres a younl younldoctor youn youndoctor doctor named SeoU Scott Kelvin wbo who a rew rewlay fe feany lay any . berore before bad had ealled called bel her ' Tbe The IJtU IJtUCrown IJttle IJttleCron Cron Crown " , I rlneesa rincesa and told bel her ' .he he she . wa w . Ipolled spoiled No Now " , Cbloe Chloe .ee ee aeea . . an opportunity opportunit opportunito .0 0 . o help Or Dr Kelvin by Ilvlnl xlvlnr the party partyIe part partto ' Ie to bad had planned for the tiro cblldren children of em are employee areployee ployee . at b her . tatber father a . mill Sbe She bas bastnlhted ha haCollated j tnlhted Collated the belp help of Jennie Jennle Oarwell Darwell and andlara an aniara lara iara Jenkin Jenkins . and I . , bn.y bny busy . with plan plans . tor tor.be fo fobe . .be be . party , wben whee .11m 11m Jim . Pearsall Peareall arrive . NOW CONTINUE WfTfI WITH TilE THE STORY STORYiNSTALLMCNT INSTALLMENT INbTALLMrNT iNSTALLMCNT : HIAfter 111 III HI 111After After Atter dinner someone remem rememered rcmemlered ) ered that a well weU known New Y rl rlirchestra rhirchestra rk rkrchestra rchestra irchestra ) was playing a limited IJmlted en entagement tagement { Cement agement at t Oakton s one nieht night club clul clubJUt clultut clutiut JUt tut on the Washington Pike and andJVlth am amwith ancvlth JVlth with Howell HowelI and nd Jane ai as Chapermes Chaper Chapel Chapernea ' nea mes the party drove out The Pine Pini Pinefree Pintfree PiniCree free Cree Inn was a rambling rambllng log struc strut strucure struttire strucure ure tire set well back from tram the high.vay highvay high highNay highway Nay way . In a beautiful bf'Autltul bfAutltul ' pine pme crave grove belide be belide beride lide ride the edee edge of at an artincial artificial lakeJim lake lakeJinn lakeJim Jinn Jim claimed Chloe f fr ) r the tlrst tlrstlance firs firslance flrsilance lance and before they had flnisi tlnlsl finisi ed edt ec ect edt t he had danced her to the doorIcross doorrcross door cross Icross rcross the threshold and out Into t tglass alass a alass glass { ( lass enclosed enclused veranda that lookedHit looked looker lookedut lookertut tut ) ut over the lakeLook lakeLook lake lakeLook Look here Chloe I ve ye had aboutt1I about .11 11 t1I t1Iof . 11 of at this thl I can stand he told hetilmost her het heralmost herilmost almost ilmost roughly I 1 m In lov love withau wiltou with wilt withou ou au Frankly I haven t wanted to toe Ic to3c , e I 1 ve ye liked being free tree and when wher whennrst whenfirst wherfirst nrst first met you yuu I just thought you yot you'Vere yot'ere youver 'Vere Vere 'ere ere ' ' a cute little trick and that was wasmat wasthat wa watfiat tfiat mat that Hit B it when I found that you youNeren youaeren youweren Neren aeren t going south with us I 1 wasa waso was waso o a dls disippiirtcd disipptlrted IPP > ir ted that I knew nghlaway right"way right nghl "way way away " way it was more U tl an just liking Uklng Uklng.hat likinghat hat .hat . I felt f t r I ' you 1 I had to comeifter come comeIfter comerfter Ifter rfter you I 1 had to see you Pgain Pgainthought again againthought galn galnthought thought maybe just seeing y u uJVould uwould uwould JVould would be b enough but It wasn 11 tl ti It ItlIIas Itvas Itwas lIIas was Just enough to make everything everything.vorse everythingworse everythingvorse .vorse vorse worse . Will you marry me Chloe ? I I-yes I yes - yes Jim she uttered at last bast lastnd lastInd bastInd Ind > nd Jim laughed triumphantly andrissed and andlissed andilssed lissed rissed her againWhen againWhen again againWhen When thai shaIl shall ) It be darling ? On.he Onhe On he .he . cruise7 cruise ' Rio s a * a grand place for fort fora forr a r wedding he h suggested after an annterval annterval annterval nterval had passed pass d and speech wasnce was wasmce wastnce mce tnce ? more possible possibleChloe possibleChloe possibleChloe Chloe said quickly But Jim I ve ye veold yeold veold old you that I 1 can t go on the theru theru theru ru set aei ae ( setDarll11g aeiDarling Darling Darll11g don t be a stubb rn litje htJe lit ht Ie je goop Of course c < urse you re gOing goingrotested goingprotested ? rotested Jim shortly shortlyDut shortlyBut shortlyBut hlm- hlm him- him himAt hlmAt him Dut But I promised prumlsed - - At last cold culd eyed with anger his his1andsome histandsome hi hilandsome landsome 1andsome tandsome face set Jim walked be- be beude betide be betide - - tide ude her back Into the club room He lie HelaId liesaid Helaid laId said good night to her quite c Idly IdlyJVhen idlywhen Idlyivhen JVhen when they rciched reached home and Chloeivent Chloe Chloewent Chloewent went on off oft " to twbed ' " bed w rricd rrled-a rrled a rried-a rried - a little 11 ttle apprehensive ap apprehensive ap- ap aplrehenslve - - ; prehensive lrehenslve Yet with her determma deterntrna determmauon deterntrnadon detcrminalion uon don completely unshakenWhen unshakenWhen unshaken unshakenWhen When Jim s a plane finally went wentJVlOg wentwing wentwing JVlOg wing ng ta ts is way south Chloe 8tOd 8tOdor at stodor tod todor ) ) or a long moment watching It unjl un unJl .11 11 Jl . it had been swallowed swalIowed up in to the theDlue theglue Dlue glue lue skyMrs sky skyMrs Mrs Darwell BarwelI Barwell was getting along alongslowly alongtlowly 11 slowly owly with her task of securing secunng the the1ames thetames thelames 1ames tames of all the children and their their1esires theirlesires theiriesires 1esires lesires and CaIIi Callie * Johnson had hadeen hadpeen peen ) : > een very wary very mtcummunlalive uncommunl mtcummunl uncommunlative uncommuniatlve ative alive not to say downright un on unnendly onriendly unnendly nendly riendly when Chloe Chlue had approached approachedier approachedler approachedter ler ter and asked her hetp hel'p help ' In arrang arrang71g arrangrag arrangng 71g rag ; the puty party putySara partySara p < * rty rtySara Sara Jcnkins Jenkins to whom Chloe conessed con conessed conessed essed as much nodded her gray nglead ng nglead ngwad lead wad and her sma small mall 11 shrewd eyes'WInkled eyeswinkled eyes ' winkled 'WInkled a little I reckon Calliean Calliean Callie Calliean an t torgtt forget 'l l 'i i tI-at tI at ' - at Scott I\.elvm I.elvm I .elvm elvm Kelvin I.elvm1anced Kelvinlanced \ . Kelvinlanced 1anced lanced w th her a few t I mcs mes sties at une one unef onef onet ) ! ) f the m nthly nlhly dance dances * here sheadmitted she sheadmitted sheidmitted admitted Clllie Calhe Callie s head over earsn ears n love with DrCelvll Dr Kelvi \Celvll Celvll \ t i lot lUt tot that it s sCUIn stoms som CUIn toms ( to do her a m tc te to o a g od ad ofourse ofourse of ofourae ourae ourse bi bl but . I t that won wun t st p her nak nak.II nakn nakjl .II II n . a fool tool o 0 herself a about bou t him She s sIS sis sis IS jealous Jpalous as all get out uut Miss MIs ' ; Ct 1 I w e > wd eI ed e ed I d a th ught you yuu d a seen tt 11 ti 11dt tiat dt at dtr dtI dtI atr I r I ' m the first I did sj Sd sa d M ssSara ss as asSara I I5ard 5ard Sara firn tlrn urn lyJealou lyJealou'l ly lyJealoun Jealoun Jealou'l Jealoul Jealou ' ' " ' Chloe repeated You Younean Younean Younean nean she shea s jea jealous luus cf ( < .f f . f me me7 ' Oh but butwhy butwhy butwhy why tha that t s absurd absurdIs absurdIs Is it if ' asked dsked M sa ss Sara pol put lely tely lelyI telyI I am am t so sure I reckon I can t tldme tflame ldme Idme flame Callie n r i l ch f r I ' bein bem barn jealoust jealous Jealuus t > , you and the doc due dueChloe docChlue docChloe Chlue Chloe flung up her head proudlyThen proudlyThen proudly proudlyThen proudlyI I Then if It that s the ca e a you mIghtorvey might mightorvey mightorvey orvey the int Inf rmalion rmallon to Calle Call e etot elot 101 tot nsor thi thu th . I t I haven t the remotestntercst remotest remotestnterest remotestnterest nterest in m Dr Kelvin bey nd theact the theact theact act that I caused IUs his hi * ace acc dent and ando o feel res respons pons ble for carrying out outhe outhe outhe he plans he can caD t ca carry rry outl out ! But I I.an Ian Iian .an an . assure as ure you there s a no personal personalnterest personalnterest personalnterest nterest As a matter ma tier of fact tact I 1 amengaged amcigaged am amIIIgaged IIIgaged engaged to be married in the springo spring o Mr PearsalLA PearsalLAs PearsalL As A Chloe went along the hospItal hospItalIOrridor hospitalorrrdor hospitallorridor IOrridor orrrdor la late te tha that t afternoon shesine she8me she 8me sine me face tace to face with Callie Cattle C llr John Johnon Johnon Johnon on who had just left lett the doctor s a s'Darn aoom oo 'Darn Darn oom ' m . _ . Calli Callie Callie * was wa twenty Plump Plutnp blondellmpled blonde blondetimpled blondeumpled timpled umpled Heretofore she h had lCTeet greet lCTeetd greetd greetd d Chloe coolly coolIy with a blank pre- pre preense preonce pre-en pre en - - ense once e of not undemanding undentandl.ng undentandlng understanding . her But ButlOW Butlow Butlow lOW her bel ' greeting ereeting was almost eft'u eftu effu eft'utve effulye effuive ' tve lye Oh Ob , , hello Miss Sargent I veut ve ye veust yeust ust * ben been * la In telling telllne Scott all allabout II abouthe about abouthe abouthe he plans for ( or the entertainment eotertalnmenL . I I'l.Jppose Iappose Iuppose 'l.Jppose l.Jppose lJppose appose ' . 1 I oueht.0 ought oueht to \.0 .0 \ . have bave come to you youIbout youibout youibout Ibout the thing things * Instead of to Drtelvin Dr Drtelvio DrCelvin telvio telvin , , sne sae began but Chloe Chlo in inerrupted Inerrupted inerrupted errupted herNot herNot her herNot Not at t all . . It I * Dr Kelvin Kelvm a spar pary par 3 7 ' after all . The only thing Is that thatdon thatdon thatdon don t want to w plun ph.n phn plan . more entertain- entertain entertainnent entertainpent entertaln-nent entertaln nent - - nent pent than w we have time tor for Butm Butm But m n sure cure sur * the things you ve ye arrangedv1ll arrangedrill arranged v1ll rill 111 be very niceChloe niceChloe nice niceChloe Chloe belittled besltated hesitated a moment andlea and and'eD andten 'eD eD ten ' OpjlDed op.n.d opn.d opnd ja . . d Scott i a door and aod went . - in He turned lurned his head as a she sh aIpeared ap aI appeared appeared peared but his face did not light Ught u uas up upas as it usually did didand and hi his * greetlni greeting greetin greetingwas greetinwas ; was quiet and restrained insteadthe Insteadof insteadc instead of ofthe c olthe ' the da daily l1y friendly eager HI Hl Pard Pardner Pardnor Pardner ner nor ! It s II good of you to lo take talte tatte so o muchtrouble much mudl muchtrouble mudltrouble trouble Miss Sargent he thanked thanke thankedher thankeher thankedher her But I m sure thir there is ticlonger no nolonger ni nilonger longer any need of ot your giving II It Ityour I Iyour your personal attention You ve ye already already al already ready done so * o much that I feel sure sureIt susit sur sus it will be all aU at ] right from tram now onChloe onChloe on Chloe turned to stare star * at al him as astonlshed astonlshed atonlshed * tonlshed Do I understand Dr DrKelvin DrKelvin DrKelvin Kelvin that you yu { ) are trying to dl dlcharge dls dis dlscharge discharge charge me me7 ' she demanded haugh baugh haughtiIy baughlily haughtlly haughtllyScott tiIy lily lilyScott Scott cott a s stern manner did not re- re relax retax re relax - lax tax Not at all Mils Miss Sargent but butI bu buI butI I think tt it Is a shame you ahoukhave should ahouk shouldhave shouldhave have to stay here instead of at wit withyour with withyour your fiance nance during Christmas Christmas-- Christmas- Christmashe Christmashi - - h hbegan he hebegan hi hibegan began beganWho Who told you abr ab < ut my fiance Hance fiancedemanded ? demanded Chloe ChloeI I m sure urc it s not a secret Callie Callii Calliehappened Calliihappened Calllhappened * happened to mention It when she ehi shewas ehiwas sh shwas was in inAnd InAnd InAnd And did she sh happen to mention mentior mentionthat mentionthat mentiorthat that the reason she has until to today today today day refused relused to have anything to do dowith do dowith dowith with the Christinas Christmas Christmaa plans Is I * that she shehas shehas h hhas has had some som Idiotic idea that youand you youand youand and I might be romantically interested intereted inter interesled esled ested * in each other other7 other7The ' The moment the words had left lefther lefther lefther her 1 1 I ps the she wished wI'Ihed wIIhed ' them unsaid unsaidBut unsaidBut unsaidBut But It was too late Dr Kelvin lay layquite layquite layquite quite still stl1I his bandaged body out outHned outlined outlined Hned lined by the covers his eyes uponher upon uponher uponher her face EyeAfhat Eyethat -hat hat , - were bitter andhurt and andhurt andhurt hurt facely and afl aM a ly ; lyhat w You think It such suchan suchan suchan an idiotic i idea a that I should be in inlove inlove inlove love with you " " * ' he h asked quietly quietlyafter quietlyalter quietlyafter after alter a momentChloe momentChloe moment momentChloe Chloe said after u startled mo mo- moment moment moment - ment , , , But But-you But you - you can t possibly b bsaying be besaying besaying saying that-that- that that-that-- thatthatThat thatthatThat that - that - - - That I m In love with you ? Be BelIeve Beleeve Belleve lIeve leeve n-ie n ie me - I realize as well as youhow you youhow youhow how utterly ridiculous It seems-but seems but seemsbutthere seemsbutthere seems - butthere there it IsI isI Is IsI I m m-I m I - I m sorry I 1 never dreamedthat dreamed dreamedthat dreamedthat that you you-that you that - that you you-felt you felt - felt thia this . wayshe way wayshe wayshe she said unhappilyThere unhappilyThere unhappily unhappilyThere There was a telephone call for forChloe forChloe torChloe Chloe the next morning mornmg shortly 10rtly bortly $ after afterbreakfast afterbreakfast afterbreakfast afterbreakfastIs breakfast breakfastIs Is that you Miss Chloe ? This Is IsJennie isJennie isJennie Jennie Barweli Barwell said the Ure flustered ustered flusteredBut . f fI I fI I 1 1r r 1 I IZJ ZJ But I premised promlsf'd promlsfd promised ' blrn- blrn him- him blrnvOice himvoice him- him himvoice - - . ' voice 01 UI or the other uther ei el cr d of the wire wireI I 1 got badnews bad news for you yuu this murn morn murnmg morntog morning mg tog My old uld man s real redl sick andI and I m g t 1 r na have my hands full tak takIng taklog taking Ing log care o 0 him ar al at dim d I I m gonna have haveto haveto haveto to tall fall dowi on n what wh it I promised to todo todo todo do tor fur the Chn Christmas tnIas partyOi party 01 Oi Mrs Mra Barweli Barwell 1m 1 I m ternbly terribly terriblys ternblys s rry ab ut your husband sa dChloe d dChloe dChloe Chloe q ckly Ad A d don t you yuu worry war wor warry worry ry about abuut U tI e a Lhr Chr stmas plrfn pldns plans pldnsyve planswe plrfnWe yve We 1) 1 11 ) manage mandge You run alonfc alonb along and andlook andlook andlook look after your hu hubband husband balld Mrs Bdr Bar Bdrwell Barwell Barwell well |