Show HILLTOPS CLEAR by y EMILIE NA berolo Berr lo by the th renn co SYNOPSIS trudence Iru dence schuyler huyler Bc comes come a from new vork to prosperity iro farm in main inherited from hot her uncle to make a now life for herself and her brother david whose health harl had been b token broken ly Y tragedy the second d day a y 0 on n il nor a r far farm in prue falls from the it a b barn a rit loft i of into tha Itie arms of nody ney vernm d ric rich it y young 0 ung in man a who ho alvea at I 1 gh ledges there la in at once a mutual attraction between the two i va but 11 radence decides to a cool coo attitude duward him she bho suspects BUBp ecta men man since her els lots af husband ran away with ith liar her brothers wife lon len calloway it rival of gerard tries to buy the timber off land but mile elio dislikes him and contracts with nod hod to of ta the is trees CHAPTER ill III continued 1 41 lie iio returned and bangel tho the door billit tic iio leaned against it dusted ono one land against tile other and ob nerved somewhat breathlessly saw his red car here and caime back Busi business bess to be opening ing with ft a whang part partners nerl for ho file third ehno in ten minutes rearranged tile alio eggshell egg shell cups on tile the butterfly table lifted tile lie silver chittle ball kettle to make ure that tile wick wacl of tile alio spirit lump on oil its brazier ilko alko aland would fl flume aillie nt tile touch of ai n natch site she glanced nt at the annjo clock only ivo give itil since site ahe had h acl looked before lic fore time was creeping on hands and knees the knocker silo glan glanced ceI nt at the clock not time for tier brother who could it be slie she went slowly through the hall site she ought to bo be prancing with ng erness nt at tile prospect of a calle r silo since the family scandal silo dreaded to meet now new people silo opened tho the door silo know nt at once from sl SI puffers description that alint the tall woman tier her was airs walter ger ard tile alie village vl lingo women were right alio sho was a nifty dresser she extended a white gloved glove hand good afternoon miss bliss schuylor schuyler I 1 nin your neighbor mra airs gerard find and tills this Is my darling jean she drow drew forward a thin little in a soft pink frock who had been standing behind liar her the child curtsied demurely site she hud had puck asli dark eyes pale unhealthy skin short hair wont you como come binl 1011 try ns as silo sho would prudence could not infuso infuse warmth into tier her invitation she hated the suave voice tinted hated the way tho the woman licked flicked tier ncr eyelids hated tier her smile hated the lutter flutter with which title alho settled into the ho wing chair tho the child sat primly on the ottoman beside tier tier eyes darting about tho the room alko like a ferrets mrs airs walter gerard babbled so delighted to have a woman of mi my own own kind hind near of course our house la Is full during tile the season but that like having A neighbor wo we hope that you will como come often to high ledges what an a adorable ador ablo skittle lali ball kettle i heirloom prudence wanted to snap no auction room mrs biro walter ferard was so blatantly a person to whom family background would matter enormously onor in her estimate of a person but site bho deny daily her fathers great grandmother yes loignon in action mrs afro gerard tient over the kettle it looks like a paul Lam lamerle erfe 11 it Is but my dear dont you realize that it Is a 0 museum piece that mans fame as a goldsmith lias has readied reached the ends of tho the earth fancy using it she settled back la in her chair As I 1 was saying my brother in law la Is a bachelor in con can it sequence I 1 nm am never at a loss tot for young company her wink fired prudence with an unholy impulse to scratch tier allut hes such a butterfly no ho F tilts from lower flower to lower flower never settles to ono one girl A quite natural attitude for a rich man who tins fins been pursued purs tied fill all tits life dont you think so BO miss bliss schuyler she was intimating what st sl puffer aad h ad said that gerard atas was in terror of being married for his file fortune did the woman think that she needed warning A crash silver rep reputation for co courtesy jean nad been investigating the zug sugar ar bowl the child scowled down upon it gee aee it made me mad to drop that I 1 iler her mother folded complacent hands darling daughter touch things until the she Is bettor better acquainted slie she la Is interested tn in everything etsa schuyler uncle rod calls mg ine K K ills his IC K tillous arlous kid jean interrupted in it fl high voice ila he cornea comes to seo see you every day lie he 1 eyes interrogating her i br apat of color to bace free the rush its as of many waters in 1 hr her eara cars mrs gerard anticipated her answer ilow how amusing that you should haya have imagined that darling your uncle bodney Is 1 an indolent gool good natured hoy boy perhaps lie ho might allow filin himself self to le be monopolized for or it time you havo it a brother dear miss bliss schuyler it if silo calla nia mo dear once more ril ill throw something at her pru iru benco told herself furiously furlo imly aloud silo informed smoothly yes I 1 expect him at any moment 11 elie bho deliberately looked nt at th tho c clock never in tier lier life had silo olio been no BO rude but never before had she find such occasion silo oz ex aused 1 11 herself coming toddy gurll ril lill run awny you must le be busy you will come to illah ledges when we return in the spring wont you we cl close OSO tile soon so 80 1 I AM afraid uncle tied hot going jean announced noun ced rodney not going I 1 mrs airs oer ger ards suave voice shrilled tier her fuco faco reddened unbecomingly her for blue eyes hardened then sho Inu glied cd and wl lined tills this darling tins has tile tho strangest fAll clos miss bliss schuyler you wont forget tile ine will you slie silo ott extended ended tier her gloved hand showed her long ions teeth in a largo large smile and at tilted along tile tho herring bono brick path with a springiness bordering on juvenility iier daughter finger lingered to whisper hoarsely 1 I know why undo uncle rodney going back to tho the city bica goofy about you site sho stuck tier her in tier lier check and ran eyes smoldered as n silo she watched mother and daughter enter the lie luxurious myroon touring car lion id woman site elie thought passionately siona tely 1 I wager that you tire a scold A hypocrite I 1 feel ns as if my heart and soul had stumbled into a nettle patch they aro are nil pr brickles prickles ickles sho she crossed to tile tho window and tried to concentrate tier her attention on tile the road by which tier her brother would corne come but thoughts of tier her recent callers would intrude it seemed ages before Ger gerardat ardai shining black roadster swept into sight sho she darted between the brick gateposts gate posts as it stopped david I 1 dave you deirl tier her voice choked had tier brother grown gaunter since she had ton left film lilma sho she sprang to the running bearc and laid tier lier glowing cheek st his white one lie held field her close for a moment ills eyes so like hers were warm and tender his voice was humorously unsteady as he no admitted prue irue I 1 have believed that I 1 could have missed being cod died na as I 1 did youve spoiled me may blay I 1 get out tills this Is A veritable hair of a car but I 1 smell a wood lire fire and toast im ravenous for that toast arent you gerard Oc rard prudence blinked valiantly david im ns as temperamental as ever I 1 forgot got everything when I 1 saw you mr mr gerard remember that you promised to have ten tea with up 19 thank you im nil all for IG it hotter detter grab my arm schuyler one Is apt to bo be stiff after a long train ride prudence put tier her arm under tier her brothers while gerard stend steadied led hlin on the other aide they led him to tile tho weng chair in front of the fireplace lie ile sank into it and closed ills eyes tier her breath caught in a strangled sob lie iio looked up tip and smiled prudence dropped to tier her knees beside film david it Is wonderful to have you hero here you you put tile the lionet into the house well have the happiest time find and you will gain in weight and health every minute with the milk and eggs and chickens fresh froni from the garden I 1 aiu in some farmer already am I 1 uoti not sir mr garard why when did lie he go 1 I suspect that he slipped out when you and I 1 forgot there was anyone else in the room prue 11 ill bring him back pronto 11 site she straightened the foot cushion dropped a kiss on the top of his liend picked up the tha silver kettle N no 0 sign ign of gerard in the dining room she opened tile the kitchen door d 0 or lie ile was perched on tile the corner of the pine table able hla his hands handa cla clasped sped all about 0 ut one knee as lie talked to jane anne H mack ck wonder of won deral derst macky was smiling 1 ten tea Is served in the club car earl I 1 prudence announced in a stentorian tone us as slie she reached for the teakettle on oil the range from which to nil the silver one in tier her ennd gerard seized it let me buttle ill feel like an outlander at tills this family reunion unless I 1 enn can help 11 in the living room prudence seated herself on a low atoo stool beside her brot liers chair she answered tits ills questions to the accompaniment of tho purr pl urr of steam from the kettle the ruckle rachle of the ire fire tile the tinkle of silver on china site she concluded the evening I 1 arrived I 1 racked my brain for a nat name tie for these acres we ve lieve inherited Inho which would make our coining seem like ilka it new deal I 1 seized a word which has been hiding in the lie dark recently pulled it out into the light and named the place prosperity farm fana got the psychology I 1 christened christen cit the car success so that it never will fall to got get me ino to my destination but I 1 cant decide what to call tile poultry just got to lay eggs for nio me and I 1 must resort to au 11 the matter with nickels 1101 grand mind I 1 picture Ilc ture me die scattering corn corti calling Nick nickels elst nickels Nickel sl I 1 A little action this morning morn 1 eggs ug nickels 11 after ten tea gerard carried the or arny ly to tho the kitchen prudence could hear tile faint rumble of tits his voice na as ho talked to jane 30 n 0 anck bin ck tile impossible hns fins happened I 1 granite heart tins has been chipped at last david sho she confided gerard certainly fins tin an engaging mil wanner tiner what do you know ab about ollit him nothing except that even in tho the late into ern era of frozen assets the bulk of ills his fortune remained fluid mra biro sl 81 la Is rny my authority that woman la Is a wio who for village linge the fact that lie he la Is rich tells me ino nil all I 1 want to know all rich men are not alike prue you and I 1 have been unfortunate in some boino we have known III david avld do you think that I 1 will evor ever forget the result of julias alir ringe to a playboy she was tho the Bw sivo cotest otest big sister bister a girl ever had and geraldl Gerar dl calloway shrugged his scorn you make mo me laught laugh I 1 and she alio died of it a broken heart for give me dave forgive me she pleaded as his head dropped back bach against the chair and tits his eyes closed silo caught ills his hands tight in hers why why did I 1 bring that api upi up I 1 yell forget it its ita behind us youve yoiiro had a long tiresome day david why not go to your room then ill tuck you into bed and ton tomorrow lorrow be rested and refreshed and I 1 will show you everything that thai program sounds good to me lie ile laid in id hla hand on her shoulder and rose lie ile was tall and pathetically thin but he held field ills head with its ita thick dark linar with royal dignity Every things going to bo be all right now rrue prue already I 1 feel stronger I 1 will go up as you suggest say good to here he Is now david Sv huyler added as gerard entered 1 I havo have been ordered to bed by my tyrant so BO ill say thank you for bringing me from tile the train and obey ila ho offered his bis hand with cordial friendliness lot let roa me give you my arm ami those steep stairs took look tricky if slie site will promise to be good well let your sister trail along from the hall prudence watched tho the two men as they slowly mounted the stairs tears blinded her david looked so BO frail so weary na as if too strong a wind might blow him away she shut her teeth hard in her lips it was he her job to see that a strong wind touch him one stop to question when the most precious person in ones life was in danger ono one did things silo she much good if silo bho stand bpi bp tween him and trouble someone knock knocking 1 another caller why hail had the neighbors started to be friendly today of all days when silo aho wanted to devote herself to tier her brother she blie opened tile the door ter her breath caught in a little gasp as site she confronted lon len calloway good afternoon bliss schuyler iyler slay blay I 1 come in fit lie he entered thel the living room without walting waiting for an answer prudence resented relented his assurance 1 I cant talk business now sir mr galloway calloway sly my brother lins has just arrived and I 1 want to be with him 11 1 I wont detain you but a moment I 1 came to ask you once more if a will mill give ghe the contract for cutting your timber to MO me 1 41 I liao have already told you that I 1 liao have arranged with mr air gerard to t a to do it gerard geram I 1 calloway callow ay shrugged ills scorn you make me laugh I 1 in tile the fit fant it place suppose gerard should stick to tho the proposition long enough to begin work ho wont but well lot it gu go for tile sako sake of argument chero would lie ho got a crew to log for him film there a roan man in tills swa awn who would dare work for gerard if I 1 said toil not Whitt lis that tile the question rung rang like a pistol shot hot calloway shifted tits hla eyes from t the lie girls face to s taro insultingly at tho the man in tho the door doorway why 1 I cant seem to take it step without run running nini into you can 1 I gerard try to put me out of this house just tryl try you wont catch me oft off my guard again perhaps youve appointed yourself miss bliss lors lers guardian though tho the sneering tone rodney face ills eyes frightened prudence silo she took a quick step toward him film lie ile shook I 1 his he hend ad ills smile ans strained as an ho reassured okay I 1 shant anko a row when your brother la Is directly over tills room what do you want callo what business Is tant of yours it la is ills his busi business prudence turned to gerard ile ho came to warn varn mo me that it if lie did not cut my timber no one else should boyl boy I 1 so racketeering has struck tills this small village I 1 Callo ways eyes retreated into their caverna caver nU coll call it racketeering its all right with mo contract with nia me to handle your timber and ill treat you fair if you dont ile he turned away with suggestive laugh youve had our answer ill cut that timber try to stop me inie just try 1 I oh ill try calloway Cal lowny set tits ills hat nt at a rakish angle think it overt think it overl lie ho advised before lie ho winged banged the door behind film eyes were bright with in n 1 I felt of as little im port nince in that contest no na a cheer choca loader leader without a megaphone and I 1 am supposed gup posed to be your partner can he do itt it can tie ho prevent you yon pan can bet he I 1 just watch me girl watch me down with tile tho racketeer I 1 will be my battle cry I 1 have made up my mind to set got out that timber and when I 1 decide to do a thing I 1 do it it will take 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