Show J CHRISTMAS t to 00 00 o BY PEGGY EGGY P DERN W. W N. N U. U Release I fe STORY SO FAR Chloe Chloc Sargent Ins ns to ber her home borne town after three i away at school with an Idea that tha tunas Is bunk She Is determined end end nd the holidays on a cruise with I 1 friends the until noW her strikes and badly Injures a young l r named Scott Kelvin ln who a few before belore had called her The Little Littlen n a Princess and told her she was ed d. d Now Chloe sees an opportunity Ip Dr Kelvin by giving I the party ad id planned for lor the children of emes emes emes em em- es es at her fa fathers father's ers er's mill She has hasted ted led the help of Jennie Harwell gell and Jenkins and Is busy with Ith plans for arty larty when Jim Pearsall arrives W CONTINUE WITH WIT T THE E STORY f J. J INSTALL INSTALLMENT ENT III 10 ter dinner dinDer someone rem emId em- em d that a well known New York estra was playing a limited en- en Id ment ement at Oakton's one night club Ion on the W Washington P Pike e and Howell and Jane as s s the party drove out The Pine t F. F Fe e Inn was a rambling log F i i set well back from the high high- oj q 7 in a beautiful pine grove bethe beE bethe be- be E the edge of an artificial lake Im m claimed Chloe for the first firste ce ee e and before they had finished I IB c e had danced her to the door ass oss oss the threshold and out into a enclosed is veranda that looked J t over the lake it if i Look ook here bere Chloe Ive I've had about iff if f this I can cnn stand he be told her 3 inmost roughly Im in love with Frankly I haven't wanted to toIve Iti f I f Ive I've liked being free and when st met you I just thought you ere ste a cute little trick and that was wase e et t. t But when I found that you 4 Cent going south with us I was d. d disappointed that I knew right re eay 1 Y it was more than just liking tI I felt for you I had bad to come comer comeT T r r you I had bad to see you again ought maybe just seeing you pt- pt pled ild d be enough but it wasn't It Iti v tr i f jf p just enough to make everything se Will you marry me Chloe a sd yes II-yes l yes Jim she uttered at last 1 U Jim laughed triumphantly and I ed her again When en shall it be darling On Jj cru crus cruise Rios Rio's a grand place for Bedding q edding he be suggested after an erval Orval had passed and speech was wase e e more possible oe said quickly But Jim Ive I've Ived J d you that I cant can't go on the Id I ise isel I Darling j dont don't be a stubborn lit- lit j goop Of course youre you're going Jim shortly 1 But I promised him him him- t last eyed cold with anger his p face set set Jim walked bee bew bede be- be w 1 de true e her ber back into the club room He Hed td p d good night to her quite coldly en they reached reache home and Chloe nt t off of to bed w worried worried-a a a little ap- ap Yet with her m completely unshaken en Jims Jim's plane finally went i ging aging g its way south Chloe stood I a long moment nt watching it unlit un- un 9 lit it had been swallowed u up in the te e sky 1 Mrs Barwell was getting along 1 VlY vly with her ber task of securing the themes themes mes of all the children and their sires and Callie Johnson had hadn j jen n very wary very il- il not to say downright un un- when Chloe had approached jr ir r and asked her help in g the party Sara Jenkins to whom Chloe con- con sed as much nodded her graying ad and her small shrewd eyes a little I reckon Callie I Int jint nt Int forget that Scott Kelvin I with her a few times at one I JI the monthly dances here she I Callies head over ears with Dr Kelvin not that its it's oIn gin in to do her a mite o 0 good of Curse purse ourse but that wont won't stop her maka maki maki mak- mak i a fool o o 0 herself about him She's s s jealous as all out get Miss Chloe 1 Ld I d i a thought you'd a seen seen that torn tom the first I did said Miss 1 ara firmly t Chloe repeated You nears Clean she's jealous of me Oh but why that's absurd JIs JI Is it asked Miss 1 Sara politely I II aint so sure I reckon I cant can't canti lame me Callie Came much for bein jealous i you and the doc Chloe flung up her head proudly Then if that's the case you might Convey onvey the information to Callie 1 johnson that I haven't the remotest in Dr Kelvin beyond the ct that I caused his accident and ando o p feel responsible for carrying out he t plans he be cant can't carry out But I In Itan to tan o n assure you theres there's no personal terest As a matter of fact I am engaged to be married in the spring 0 o Mr Pearsall As Chloe went along the hospital late that afternoon she sheI lame rame face to face with Callie Johnn John- John I ln n who had just left the doctors doctor's DomI Dom Callie was twenty Plump blonde I pled Heretofore she had greet greet- id rJ 1 Chloe coolly with a blank pre pre- erase ense of not understanding her But rw w her greeting was as almost ive ve- ve veOh Oh Oh hello Miss Sargent Ive I've Ivest t lust st been In telling Scott all about he e c plans for the entertainment I I ought to have bave come to you ou bout the things instead of to Dr Celvin telvin began but Chloe In In- her 1 Not Hot at alL Its It's kNot Dr Kelvin's par par- U after alter alL The only thing is that ont want to plan more entertain entertain- Jent ant ent than we have bave time for But m sure the things youve you've arranged ill III be very nice Chloe hesitated ted a moment I and ten tea opened Scotts Scott's door and went v I in He turned his head as she appeared ap ap- a appeared pea red but his face did not light up as it usually did and his greeting was quiet and restrained instead of the daily friendly eager Hi Pardner Pard- Pard ner nerl I Its good of you to take so much trouble Miss Sargent It he thanked her But Im I'm sure there is no longer any need of your giving it your personal attention Youve You've al already already al al- ready done so much that I feel sure it will be all right from now on Chloe turned to stare at him as as- Do I understand Dr Kelvin that you are trying to discharge discharge discharge dis dis- charge me she demanded haughtily haugh haugh- tily I Scotts Scott's stern stem manner did not re re- re- re lax Not at all Miss Sargent but butI I think it is a shame you should have to stay here instead of with your fiance during Christmas Christmas- he began Who told you about my fiance demanded Chloe Im sure its it's not a secret Callie happened to mention it when she was in And did she happen to mention that the reason she has until today today today to to- day refused to have anything to do with the Christmas plans is that she has had some idiotic idea that you and I might be romantically int interested interested inter inter- r- r ested in each other The moment the words had left lefther lefther lefther her lips she wished them unsaid But it was too late Dr Kelvin lay quite still his bandaged body outlined outlined outlined out out- lined by the covers his eyes upon I her face E Eyes es that were bitter and hurt and angry You think it such an idiotic idea that I should be in inlove inlove inlove love with you he asked quietly after a moment Chloe said after alter a startled moment moment moment mo mo- ment But you But you cant can't possibly be saying that that that-that- that That Im I'm in love with you BeLleve Believe Believe Be- Be lieve me I realize as well as you how utterly ridiculous it seems seems but but there it is Im Im I'm Im I'm sorry I never dreamed that you you that that you you felt felt this way she said unhappily There was a telephone call for Chloe the next morning shortly after Breakfast Is that you Miss Chloe This is Jennie Barwell said the flustered r r nr r I i it t a i Mr 4 But I promised him him- him voice on the other end of the wire I I got bad news for you this morn morn- ing ng My old mans man's real sick and I Im I'm gonna have my hands full taking taking tak- tak ing ng care o 0 him bim and Im I'm gonna have bave to fall down on what I promised to todo todo todo do for the Christmas party Oh Mrs Barwell Im I'm terribly sorry sorry about about your husband said Chloe quickly And dont don't you ou worry worry worry wor wor- ry about the Christmas plans Well We'll manage You run along and look ook after your husband Mrs Barwell Barwell Barwell Bar- Bar well and dont don't you worry about the babies Ill I'll think of something Chloe promised rashly She hung up the receiver and sat staring straight ahead of her for a along along along long while a little appalled at what she had so recklessly promised Jane came down the stairs and said eagerly Now Chloe before you rush oil off to the village I was to remind remind remind re re- re- re I mind you that Margaret Grahame is having a bridge luncheon today for Ellen Stephens and you promised promIsed promIsed prom prom- to go Co You mustn't disappoint Margaret No I wont won't darling Of course not not She reached Margarets Margaret's home among the last of the sixteen guests She looked about the table ble as she settled herself and noted the girls All AU somewhere near her own age Daughters of parents sufficiently prosperous for the girls to need no noaim noaim noaim aim in life rue beyond marriage and a n home Not one of ot them had bad any thought of a career save Rosalie Rosalle Hastings who had had a year at dramatic school in New York and was home borne now for tor the Christmas holidays before returning to school On a sudden impulse Chloe leaned i forward and spoke to her ber Rosalie Rosa lie now that youre you're home for Christmas Christ Christ- Christmas mas hows how's for coming down to the village and staging a few tableaux for me Rosalie looked a trifle startled but after a moment she said Id loveto love loveto to Chloe although I dont don't know how bow good Ill I'll be at staging things Chloe leaned forward suddenly hei het hands clasped on the table and said little spots of color in her cheeks Look here bere were we're all bored stiff because because be be- cause ClUse we haven't bavent enough to do and too much time to tu do it in Howd How'd you like to have something to keep you occupied mentally and physically physical physical- ly Oh Im I'm saying it very badly but theres there's a woman in the village who's been running a sort of unofficIal unofficial un un- official day nursery where mothers of small children who work in the I mills can le leave ve their offspring in safety while they work Mrs Barwell Bar- Bar Barwell Barwell I well the nursery lady has a sick I husband and she cant can't keep the children children children chil chil- dren any more There is an empty house not far from Mrs BarwelL Dad would give it to us rent free There are sixteen of us That would mean that there'd be two each day and with a matron to supervise diets and all that we could help to keep the children amused What t do you think Margaret said instantly I think its it's a swell ideal I vote for it heavily ly Ill I'll take the first day I Before luncheon was over the sixteen had enrolled and were planning so busily busily busily busi busi- ly that the bridge tables were neglected neglected neglected neg neg- and the packs of cards unsealed unsealed un un- sealed when the party was over Chloe drove straight to the mill mm found her father in his office and broached the subject of the day nursery Just as she had expected he gave the house freely and before before be be- fore she left his office he had bad ordered carpenters and painters to toGO togo too GO go o to work that same afternoon putting the place in order So Chloe had good cause to be pleased with the report she had to take to Scott when she stopped at the hospital on her way home The nurse smiled at her as she came along the corridor and said cheerfully You can go right in in Miss Sargent Dr Kelvin Kelv n is expecting expecting expecting expect expect- ing yO you Scott turned his bis head as Chloe came into the room and smiled at ather ather ather her faintly I heard what the nurse said that I was expecting you he be said frankly She was wrong I 1 wasn't expecting you I Iwas Iwas Iwas was afraid to expect you after what I 1 said last night Is that you Chloe Come here bere Ive I've a surprise for you Jane called to Chloe as she entered the halL ball Chloe went into the long living room and there to her amazement sat Melissa Why Gran how Gran-how how nice to see you cried Chloe She bent and kissed the old old the old ladys lady's cheek and Melissa sniffed daintily Is it she demanded with frank suspicion A pity then you dont don't give yourself the pleasure of seeing me more often and not allowing me to learn of your engagement through the newspaper Chloe said swiftly contritely Oh Gran Ive I've b been en so busy busy busy- a Melissa sniffed again and cut in brusquely And that's something else I 1 was curious about about- I thought you were hiking off to the south somewhere for Christmas I was surprised I must admit when I found that your young man came here and that you refused to leave Some nonsense about carrying out the Christmas plans of a young scallywag who got in the way of ot your car Chloe said quickly Dr Kelvin is il not a scallywag Gran and the accident accident accident ac ac- ac- ac was altogether my fault And now what's this nonsense about a day nursery for the village women's children demanded Me Me- lissa Ill be glad to answer you Gran but Im I'm sorry you think it is nonsense Some of the women who work in the mills have small children children children chil chil- dren and babies They are under school age too young even for kindergarten kindergarten kin kin- so sq of course they cant can't be left alone while their mothers work Mrs Barwell has been takIng taking taking tak tak- ing care of them in her ber home simply simply sim ply because she is fond of children and because she is a very kind woman But now her husband is dangerously ill and she can no longer long long- er keep the children So some friends of mine and I have arranged to take an empty house In the village vil vU lage furnish it with offs cast from our various attics put a matron in n charge and help her see that the babies are cared for all day Why offs cast to furnish it Melissa Melissa Melissa Me Me- lissa wanted to know mildly Because well Because well because we are spending rather a lot for the Christmas Christ mas party and we didn't like to call callon on our parents for money money- she began be be- gan Melissa cut in dryly You needn't Ill I'll consider It a n privilege to furnish furnish fur fur- nish the house from cellar to attic and with the things very small children children chil dren will need Cradles and trundle beds and small scaled furniture Stop in at Cunninghams Cunningham's tomorrow and have the bills sent to me Ill I'll underwrite the matrons matron's salary too Chloe stared at her wide-eyed wide for forthe forthe forthe the moment speechless Hor Her color rose and after a moment she gasped in a tone of utter amazement amazement amaze amaze- ment Why Gran Well why are arc you so surprised Am I a dragon or an old witch that you should be so surprised that I make a n small gift gilt to the people of Sargent Mills Melissa demanded sharply TO BE HE CONTINUED |