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Show a PRUDENCE SAYS SOj By ETHEL HUESTON x The Story of a Houseful of Loveabk Girls Copyright Bobbi-Merrill C CIRCUMSTANCES INDUCE FAIRY TO REVEAL HER LIFE'S ROMANCE-THE TWINS FOR A SHORT PERIOD ENJOY THEMSELVES HUGELY Synopsis. The story opens in the house of Ilev. .Mr. Starr, where Prudence, his eldest daughter and feminine head of the house. COB Btfltlng Of her father, herself, her sisters, Fairy, the twins Carol and Lark and Connie, the youngest, are awaiting the arrival of their aunt Grace. Liveliness of the smaller members of the family results disastrously dis-astrously for their appearance. Carol and Lark Investigate Christian Science. Prudence postpones her wedding when Carol catches measles. Then Carol tries to convert the town roughnecks. The twins score a triumph at the ehbVCfc eiilel laimncut. I 'I CHAPTER VI. Making Matches. Aunt Grace sat In a low rocker with il hit of embroidery In her hands. And Fairy snt at the table, a formidable nr ray of hooks before her. Aunt Grace was passOf Idly at her sewing basket, a soft smile on her lips. And Fairy was staring thoughtfully Into the twilight, twi-light, a soft glow In her eyes. Aunt Craee. was thlnKIng of the Jolly parsonage parson-age family, and bow pleasant It was to live with them And Fairy was thinking ah. Fairy was twenty, and twenty-year-olds always stare Into the twilight, with dreamy far-seeing eyes. In Upon this peaceful scene burst the twins. Hushed, tempestuous. In spite of their seventeen years. Their hurry to speak had rendered them Incapable of speech, so they stood In the doorway panting breathlessly for a moment, while Fairy and her aunt, withdrawn thus rudely from dreamland, looked nt them Interrogatively. "Yes, I think so, too," began Fairy, and the twins endeavored to crush her with their luty scorn. Hut It Is not easy to exprTss lofty scorn when one is red In the face, persplrey ami short Of breath. So tl." twins decided of necessity to overlook the offense Just I his once. Finally, recovering their vocal powers pow-ers simultaneously, they cried In unison uni-son : "lliii.Hi.t "Dm-k! In the yard! Do you mean a live one? Where did It come from?" ejaculated their aunt. "They mean Professor Puck of their fieafllliail year," explained Fairy complacently. com-placently. "It's nothing. The twins always make a fuss over hltn. They feel grateful to him for showing them through freshman science that's all." "That's all." gasped Carol. "Why. Fairy Starr, do you know he's employed em-ployed by the Society of a II scientific scien-tific research organization or something some-thing in New York city, and gets four thousand dollars a year and has prospects pros-pects all kinds of prospects!" 'Yes, I know It. You haven't seen him, auntie. He's tall, and has wrinkles around his eyes, and a dictatorial nose, and steel gray eyes, lie calls the twins song-birds, and they're so flattered they adore him. Be sends ibem cntid.S for Christmas. You know that Dnckle they rave so much nbout. It's the very man. Is he here?" "He's in town," said Ijirk. "Going to stay it week," added Carol. "And he said he wanted to have lots of good times with us, and so we why. of course it was very sudden, ami W didn't have time to ask" "Hut parsonage doors are ulways open ' "And I don't know how tie ever wormed It out of us, but one of ua " "I can't remember which one!" "Invited him to come for dinner tonight, to-night, and he's coming.' "t loudness," said Aunt Grace. "We are going to have potato soup and toast.'' irii keep, said Carol, "of course we're srry to Inconvenience you at this late hour, but LarUe and I will tell Connie what to do, so you won't have much bother. Let's see, now. we mtivt think up a pretty fair meal. Four thousand a year nnd prospects'." Aunt Grace turned questioning even toward the older si-ter. "All right." Bald Fairy, smiling. "It's evidently settled. Think up your menu. .. ins, and put Connie to work." "Is he nieeV" Aiail Craee (pierled. i . .. i t ii inu in- la, lie used to go with our college bunch seme, l know him pn ttj well. He brought me home l r 'in things a time or two." Carol leaned forward and It okod ac her handsome ter n I h ludden ln-tentness, ln-tentness, "He naked about you." -aid, Uei e . iV-. "lie ; ikl l leularly about you." il hi I Thank Tee, he's not i lie's pretty good in a crowd." be force ot h r magnetic gB ' irol drew I. ark. out ef the room, and the door dost d behind them. A I ates later they ret u rni d. 'I'll re , about them an air of subdued I v- Ive ot intrigue, thai i oirj found disturbing. You needn't plan anv nonsense, twins," she Cautioned. "He's no beau Ine." "Of course not," tbey assured her pleasantly. "We're lini old lor inls- eiiut'. Beventeen, and sensible for our rean I Uoj . Fairy, you n be nice to Duckie, won't youl Can'l you try to nakfl .t i'1 a sol for blm lLi wet kv He'll only be hero n few days. Will you do that much for us?" "Why, I would, twins, of course, to oblige you, hut ynu know Gene's In town this week, and I've got to " "oh, you leave Babble Gene, I mean to us," said Carol airily, Fairy being a Junior In college, and Fngene Babler a student of pharmacy In Chicago, Chi-cago, she felt obliged to restore hllil to his Christies name, shortened to Gene. Hut the twins refused to accede to this propriety, except when they particularly particu-larly wished to placate Fairy. "You leave Gene to us," repented Carol. "We'll atause him. Is he coming; com-ing; tonight?" "Yes, at seven-thirty." "Let's call him up and Invite him for dinner, too," suggested Lurk. "And you'll do us a favor nnd be nice to Dnckle, won't you? We'll keep Bobber, Bobb-er, (!ene out of the ron1'. You phone to Dene, Carol, and " "I'll do my own phoning, thnnks," said Fairy, rising quickly. "Yes, we'll have thriii both. And just as u favor to you, twins, I will help amuse your ; ro-feeaor. ro-feeaor. You'll be good, and help, won't you ?" The twins glowed at Fairy with a warmth that seemed almost triumphant. triumph-ant. She stopped and looked at them doubtfully. When ah returned after telephoning, they were gone, and she said to her aunt : "I'm not superstitious, but when the twins act like that, there's usually a cloud In the parsonage BkyUght Prudence Pru-dence sars so." Hut the twins comported themselves most decorously. All during the week they worked like kitchen slaveys, doing chores, running errand1'. And tiny treated Fairy with a gentle consideration considera-tion which almost drew tears to her eyes, though she still remembered Prudence's Pru-dence's cloud In the parsonage skylight sky-light ! They certainly Interfered with her own plans. They engineered her off on to their beloved professor at every COB-Ceteeble COB-Ceteeble turn. And Gene, who nearly haunted the holjse, hnd ll savage gleam iii his eyea Quite out of accord with bis usual chatty good humor. Fairy knew she win being adroitly managed, but she had promised to help the tw Ins with "Ducklc." At first she tried artistically ar-tistically nnd nnobtrestvely to free herself her-self from the complication In which her sisters had Involved her. Hut the twins were both persitent and clover, and Fairy found herself no match for them when It came right down to BUBllieeB. She bad no Idea of their purpose she only knew that she and QeOO were always al-ways on opposite sides of the room, the young man grinning savagely at the twins' merry prattle, nnd she and the professor trying to keep tralet enough to bear every word from the other corner. cor-ner. And If they walked. Gene wis dragged off by the tirtn slender lingers of the friendly twins, and Fairy and tL" professor walked drearily along in Zf rear, talking Inanely about the weather and wondering what the t w Ins were talking about. And tlie week passed. Gene finally fell off in his attendance, ami the tu Ins took a mUch-needed rest. On Friday afternoon they fluttered themselves that all was well. Gene was not coming. com-ing. Fairy was in the hammock waiting for the professor, So the twins bugged . i.li oilier l'Ii efnllv it i nl went to the haymow to discuss the strain and stJiK'le of the wee';. And then "Why, the big mutt:" cried Carol. In her annoyance ignoring the Methodist gran matlcal boundaries, "here comes that bubbling Babler tins minute. And be said he was going to New London for the day. Now we'll have to chase down there and Shoo lm I on" before DUCkle comes." The t . in., grow ' ail grumbling, gathered themselves tip and started. But 'ley started too reluctantly, re-luctantly, too leisurely. They were not In lime. Fairy sal up in the hammock with a cry ot' surprise, but not vexation, wh n i ;. ie ' an: rj countenance appeared fore her. "Look here, Fairy," lie b i "what's th- .i.e. i '! Are your tin tu. to gel bold of thai four thou- I a J ilf the t ins aie etemi bragging about 1 Are you trying to thrown yourself into the old .school ik, or w hat ?" "Don't be silly, Gene," she s:,:,i "come and sit d"W u and " "Sit down, your grandmother I" he ppl, slid angrily, "Old Double D. I will I"' bobbing Up ill a lioiiute, and i he !'. in 'll drag me oft to !n ;ir nbo i ster. or -bmethlug, i la la Ing, Un t "I guess he Is," she said confusedly. "Let's cut und run, will you?" he suggested hopefully. "We can he out of sight hefoip Come on, Fairy, be good to tie. I Haven't had n glimpse or a touch of you the whole week. What do ou reckon I came down here for? Come on. Let's beut it." lie looked around with a worried air. "Hurry, or the twlns'll get us." Fairy hesitated, and was lost. Gene grabbed her hand, and the next Instant, In-stant, laughing, they were eniwllng under un-der the fence nt the south corner of the parsonage lawn Just as the twins appeared at the barn door. They slopped. They gasped. They stared at each Other In dismay. 'nt was a put-up Job," declared Carol. "Now what'll we do? But Babble's got more sense than I thought he had. I must confess. Do you suppose he was kidnaping her?" Carol snorted derisively. "Kidnaping nothing! She was ahead when I saw em. What'll we tell the professor?" Two humbled gentle twins greeted the professor some fifteen minutes later. "We're so sorry," Carol explained f 'ntly. 'Bubble came and he nnd Fairy I guess they bad an errand somewhere. We think they'll be hack very soon. Fairy will he so sorry." The professor smiled and looked quite bright. "Are they gone?" "Y'es, but we're sure they'll be bnck that is, we're almost sure." Carol, romeml Bring the mode of their departure, depar-ture, felt far lets assurance mi that point than she eoaid have wished. "Well, that's to 1 bud," DO said cheerfully. cheer-fully. "But my loss Is Haider's gain. I BOppooe we ought In Christian decency de-cency to give til tu the afternoon. Let's iifSkiglll sassVKgaaf "Come On, Let's Beat It!" go out to the creek for a stroll ourselves, our-selves, shall we? That'll leave him u clear Held when they return. You think they'll be beck soon, do you?" He looked (low u the mad hopefUBy, but whether hopeful t'.ny would return, re-turn, or wouldn't, the tiiM could not neve told. At any rate, bo Beamed unite impatient until they were reedy to start, and then, very gayly, the three wended their way out the pretty country mad toward the creek and Blackbird lane. They hud ti good time; tl... ,,. Ihi ..I,. ,. .li.l l,..lo, !,.. ,.,. iiii i n iii.i ,i . .,,,. -. 1 1 ,, i 1 1 . i . i i , ,,, , ,,. .iii- i mi earth was quite BO entertaining as dear Old DUCkle, but in her heart Carol registered a .solemn vow to have It out with Fairy when s'ae got beck, she' bad no opportunity that night. Fairy and (Iriir telephoned that they would not be home for dinner, and the professor pro-fessor had gone, and the twins wire sh eplng soundly, when Fairy crept softly up the Btalra, Bui Carol did not forget ber vow, Fariy the net morning she stalled grimly into fairy's room, where Fairy .as conscientiously bringing order out Ilf the chaos in Ie. r bun all drawers, B thing Fairy always did alter a , n'eel- Iv huppy day. Carol knew that, and It h . i ne n proui ii in ler "i' e be a at 1 after standing ate t ' mlnuti - w ntcbln i Fairy as she deftly twirled lo about ber tie era and then laid them In tnethodli nl pi lee in separate corm ra of the draw crs. ''a.,,v " she said sadly, "you dOU'l seem very appreciative, ie way. Here Lurkle and I hae tried so hard to give yon a genuli p, rtu i i've worked and schemed and kepl ourselves in the background, and that's the way you serve ual It'a disappointing, disappoint-ing, It'a downright dishearten! Fairy folded a blue veil a"d laid it OB lop of a w bite one. 'I lien -1 e I ton. d. A i s What?" She in., tin ! coolly, "There are so few real chanci for 0 woman In Mount Me.rl,. and we fell that this v. us once in a Iii tit ie, AnU you know bow bard wa worked. And then, when wo relaxed our our vig ilance Jnet for a moment, you spoiled I tt all by" "Yes talk English, Carrie. What wns It you tried to do for me?" "Well, If you want plain EnglWh you can have It," said On rot, "Yon know whnt professor is, n swe'.l position Ilka his, and such prospects, nnd New York city, and four thousand a year with a raise for next year, nnd we tried to give you a good fair chance to land him squarely, and " "To land him" "To get him, then I He hasn't any girl. You could have been engager! to him this moment Prof. David Arnold Duke If you had wanted to." "Oh. Is that it?" "Yes, that's It." Fairy smiled. "Thank you, dear. It was sweet of you, but you're too late. I am engaged." Carol's lips parted, closed, parted again. "You you?" "Fxnctly so." Hope (lashed Into Carol's eyes. Fairy saw It, and answered swiftly. "Certainly not. I'm not crnzy about your Uttle professor. I am engaged to Kugene Babler." She said It with pride, not unmixed with deflnnce, knowing as she did that the twins considered con-sidered Gene too undignified for a parsonage par-sonage son-in-lnw. The twins were strong for parsonage dignity I "You are?" "I nm." A long Instant Carol stared at ber. Then she turned toward the door. "Where are you going?" "I'm going to tell papa." Fnlry laughed. "Papa knows it. Carol came slowly bnck nnd stood by the dresser again. After n short silence she moved away once more. "Where now?" "To tell Aunt Grace, then." "Aunt Grace knows It, too." "Doe Prudence know It?" "Yes." Carol swallowed this bitter pill In silence. "Hew long?" she inquired nt last. "About n year. Look here, Curol, I'll show you something. Ilenlly I'm glad you know nbout it. We're pretty young, and papa thought we ought to keep It dnrk a while, to make sure. That's why we didn't tell you. Look nt this." From her cedar chest a Christmas gift from Gene she drew ont a small velvet Jeweler's box, nnd displayed before the admiring eyes of ('and u plnln gold ring with n modest diamond. Carol kissed it. Then she kissed Fairy twice. "I know you'll be awfully happy, Fairy," she said soberly. "And I'm glad of it. But I cim't honestly believe be-lieve there's any man good enough for our girls. Babble's nice, and dear, and nil that, and he's so crazy uhotit you, and do you love him?" Her eyes were wile, rather wondering, as she put this question softly. Fairy put her arm about her sister's Shoulders, and her fine steady eyes met Carol's clearly. "Y'es," she said frankly, "I love him with all my heart." "Is that what makes you so so shiny, und smiley, nnd starry ull the time?" "i .-iiess It Is. It Is the most wonderful won-derful thing in the world, Carol. You can't imagine it befi rehund. It is tuaglcal ; it Is heavenly." "Y'es, I Bssppoae It is. Prudence says so, too. I can't Imagine It, I kind of wish I could. Can't I go ami tell Connie Con-nie and Lturk? I want to tell somebody!' some-body!' "Yes, tell them. We decided not t' let you know just yet, but since yes tell them, :md bring tbctn up to see It. " Carol kissed iier again, nnd weal out, gently closiiiL' the door behind her. In the hallway she stepped ami ster i nt the wall for an unseeing moment. Then she clenched ami shook u stern white flat at the dOOT. "I don't care," she muttered, "they're not good enough for Prudence an Fairy I They're not. ! I Just believe despise men, all of 'em, unless it daddy and Iniek!" She smiled B Uttli and then looked grim OUCe more. "F.u gene Babler, und n little queen llki Fairy! I think thut must le heaven's notion of n Joke." She sighed again. "Oh, well, It's something to havesiano-thlng havesiano-thlng to tell! I'm glad I found It out ahead of I ark !" Lark for a time takes up a "literary career," the dream of her life. She finds newspaper work too arduous and abandons it. j I l ,'!'( i OK CONTINt ED.) |