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Show PRELUDE 10 CHRISTMAS vy7-tHH PEGGY DERN Tilt' M'UHT SO fAK: tht.i. Salient rdmn u her homo town. fler Ihrre !. v Hi ih..l. wild n Mr. Ihm liilliim Ii "rmiik." Sh. U nVtrrmlnmt i-m1 Ihe hIMy " ernlse wlUi li hel (ileiuW, In trio iUAi.ilntmi'l ( her father, her Aunt J"1" ner riil-m.ilhnr. riil-m.ilhnr. Mill Sursenl. At party In her hiuior he meets a .vouiir doctor. Siott Hrlttn. "tin "'I' '''' 1 ll'lo 1'runn iTImrsii" ! t'H her ho think, he Ii mhiIIhI. A lew ily Ulir he oe out In her car In ml telesrmn ml in her haste turns ft corner too quickly. Slip trtk.i anil bmlly Injures man. To her horror the learn, that the Injured mn U Sroll Kelvin. NOW rONTlM'K WITH TlltC STOUT "Pi-lva down M ii In Street In tlir) village, nnd tint nenlest, clenneNt Inumo Willi ttip hest Balden nnd the most nolso will I'd hers," aalil Scolt promptly. "Now. to (;'' II1" I'o-operutlon of (tie vounu men nnd unmarried (jlrls, you'd belter contact C'allle Johnson," John-son," ho went on without waltlni" for lier comment, "faille's sort of the i-lii(;lender of the .vounK crowd. If she takes to you, sho can swInK the whole crowd your way nnd the party will bo a success. If slio doesn't well, then It will bo a party without with-out the youiiK people." "Thank you," said Scott politely, nnd she left, barely restraining her Impulse to slum tlio door behind her as she went out. Outside in the bright, sharp afternoon after-noon Uulit, Chloe stepped Into her roadster nnd drove slowly down Main Street and suddenly brought her car to a halt. In front of her was a white house of perhaps six or seven rooms, larger than those surrounding sur-rounding it. From the back of the house there came the high treble voices of playing children. A baby cried brlelly and was silent. The gate in the picket fence swung open with a well-oiled smoothness and the lock clicked smartly behind her. There wns no door bell nnd so she rapped at the screen door. Through the hall Chloe saw a comfortably com-fortably middle-aged, comfortably stout woman in a neat percale dress and a spotless gingham apron. As she saw Chloe she said swiftly, "No, no, I don't know what it is you are selling, but I don't want any of It. I'm busy now. Run along." "But I'm not selling anything. Are you Mrs. Barwell? Dr. Kelvin asked me to see you." Mrs. Harwell's face lit with swift and eager interest "Dr. Kelvin, Is it? Then, for pity's sake, why didn't lli;htl.v. "May I e.lve you n lift t the oMre this mornlne,'.'" Howell grinned at her. nnd answered an-swered lightly, "till, and no you'ro going to the olllee IIiIh morning?" Aunt Jane came Into Ihti room nnd said, seeing Chloe's Htreet nl-tlre, nl-tlre, "Unod heavens, child, where lire you nlV to at this hour of the dawn'.'" "Down to the mills, to llnd nut what makes them lick!" answered Chloe promptly. "A shame n girl who is ns bored by Christmas as you lire has to hike such an active hand in It!" coni-i:iented coni-i:iented Aunt Jano leasingly. Chloe's roadsler was waiting in the drive nnd Howell, with a little smile, stepped In beside her ns she backed the car competently to the tree-shaded street Unit would lead them down Uie hill to the mill village. vil-lage. The big outer ollice was already al-ready humming with activity when Chloe nnd her father entered. Fifteen Fif-teen or twenty people, busy nt various vari-ous tasks about the olUce, looked up and said good morning, eyeing Chloe curiously as she walked beside her father into his private ollice. "Who is It you want to sec this morning?" Howell nsked Chloe wi'h an nlmost boyish eagerness. "Miss Sara Jenkins, I think. Mind if I see her during working hours, Dad?" "Of course not, I'll have her conic here to the ollice, I have to spend an hour or so in the spinning room. We're trying out some new machinery machin-ery there nnd I'm curious to see how it works," answered Howell, and went swiftly out of the ollice. Chloe waited, her heart beating a little faster, and in a few minutes the door opened and a thin, fueled little woman in sleazy dark serge, clumsily made, hesitated in Uie doorway. "I'm Sara Jenkins," she INSTAI.I.MKNT 11 Chloe came to herself In the reception re-ception room of the hospital. Aunt Jane, white and horrified, was on one side of her, chafing her cold hands, and her faUier sat beside her. Her father asked, "Can you tell us how It happened. Chloe?" "It was my fault," she whispered desolately, and shivered again at the memory of that Impact when the car struck Uie man; Uiat sickening sicken-ing Jolt as it passed over his body. "Oh, Dad, it was awful awful. I'U never forget it never!" The doctor came at last. A lifelong life-long friend of Howell's, he gripped his hand and said swiftly, "Buck up, old man. he has a good chance. He'll make it, I feel sure!" It was late Uie following afternoon before Uiey let her see him. He lay in bed, his bandaged body held sUtf by Uie cast in which it had been placed, his stormy eyes upon her as she came hesitantly into Uie room. He said nothing and Chloe struggled miserably for words. "I know it sounds silly to say I'm sorry but oh, I am, I am and if only there was something I could do" said shortly. "You wanted to see me?" "Yes," said Chloe and smiled her prettiest smile. "Won't you come in and sit down? Dr. Kelvin suggested sug-gested that I see you. He Uiought you would help me to carry out his plans for Uie Christmas party he wanted to give." Sara came into the room nnd pushed Uie door shut. She stood behind the chair Uiat faced Uie desk where Chloe sat and she said grimly: grim-ly: "It was bad luck for Uie village when poor Dr. Kelvin got hurl. There ain't a man, woman or child in this village Uiat don't worship him." Chloe flushed, for the woman's tone and manner were faintly accusing. accus-ing. "I know. Miss Jenkins. It was I who ran Dr. Kelvin down and I'm terribly sorry and very anxious to do anything Uiat I cbn to make amends," she said evenly. "Everything "Every-thing possible is being done for him at Uie hospital, and the only thing that seems to worry him is Uie fear Uiat Uie village won't have its Christmas Christ-mas party the way he' planned it, I've offered to do everything I can When she reached Uie hospital Uie next morning, her arms weighted with flowers, the chauffeur following her with a great basket of hothouse fruit, Uie nurse met her outside his . door and said worriedly, "If only you could persuade him not to take it so hard. He's going to live, but the doctor says it will be two months at least before he can leave the hospital, and he's in a frothing rage about it and his temperature is going go-ing up by leaps and bounds." Chloe's heart sank as she went into the room and Scott turned his dark face and wTathful eyes upon her. "Oh, it's you," he said grimly. "Yes, I'm sorry." Chloe motioned to the chauffeur to put Uie basket of fruit on Uie table and handed the flowers over to a nurse. "Have 'em put in one of Uie wards, nurse, and feed this fruit to the kids. You don't mind?" he added add-ed in an aside to Chloe. "No, of course not. Whatever you want done with them," she answered politely. She looked down at his taut face, his rebellious eyes, his thin mouth and said unsteadily, "I'm terribly sorry you are in such 1 "It was awful. I'll never forget It." pai " "But I'm not physically, that is. It's my mind that's all upset Oh, I suppose it will sound very childish and very silly to you, but I had planned a Christmas party to be held at the Community House in Uie village." Chloe looked down at him, her blue eyes clouded but steady, her face a little pale. "I'U carry out your plans for the Christmas party, Scott Kelvin," she told him gravely. "You tell me what you want done, when and where and I'U do it" Scott, startled, stared up at Chloe, wide-eyed. "You mean Uiat? You'll go into the village and get to know the people and make Uie party a success? It's a lot of hard work, you know, and no reward," he pointed out, afraid to believe that she really meant it. "I don't mind," she answered gravely. "I'll bring a pad and a pencil when I come tomorrow afternoon after-noon and you can give me your instructions." you say so?" she demanded, unlatching un-latching Uie screen door and ushering usher-ing a slightly bewildered Chloe into a spotlessly neat house. She led the way back to a screened porch where half a dozen babies at Uie crawling stage were amusing themselves; several clothes baskets had been turned into bassinets to hold Uie smaller babies, Uie back yard held a sand pile Uiat occupied the attention of a dozen or more children chil-dren from two to five years of age. "And now what was it you wanted to see me about?" suggested Mrs. Barwell, pleasantly enough. "Dr. Kelvin had planned a Christmas Christ-mas party for the village and now Uiat he is hurt he will be unable to carry it through. So I have agreed to undertake it and do the best I" can with it He suggested that if I asked you to help me I'd have a much better chance of success." "Did he, now? And what was you planning for the party, Miss Sargent?" I can't do it alone. If you'll help. I believe we can make a good job of it" Miss Sara Jenkins flushed a little. "Well, o' course, I dunno's I could be of such a lot of help." she protested. pro-tested. With Chloe's encouragement and genuine interest, Sara offered suggestions sug-gestions that secreUy surprised Chloe with their genuine value and when, an hour later, Chloe left the mill, it was with several pages of her notebook filled with ideas. She left her car in Uie drive for the chauffeur to put away and went swiftly up Uie steps and into the house. But as she reached Uie door of the living room she heard voices. Her aunt's and the deeper tones of a man's voice. She stopped abruptly abrupt-ly as if a hand had been laid on her shoulder as Uie man's voice reached her ears. It was a voice she knew quite well she could never forget A voice that had the power to make little ripples of sheer excitement slip over her body. That stirred her heart to a strange, rather delicious unrest. In short, the voice of Jim Pearsall. "I think that must be Chloe now," "Dr. Kelvin thought a tree with presents for all the children, and some sort of entertainment would be nice," she answered, and Mrs. Bar-well Bar-well nodded. "That ought to be simple enough. I'll give you a list of the children and how many of 'em is boys and how many of 'em is girls and you can order so many dolls and so many drums, all ready to be hung on the tree," she suggested dryly. "But wouldn't it be nicer, Mrs. BarweU, if each child received not just a doll or a drum, but the thing Uiat child wanted most?" suggested Chloe. Mrs. Barwell looked at her with the first hint of warmth she had displayed. "It would that, but it would be a sight of trouble," she warned. She looked at Chloe and the two smiled at each other in sincere and sudden liking. Chloe said eagerly, "Mrs. BarweU, you will help me, won't you?" "O' course I will." I meant to all along," answered Mrs. BarweU promptly. "You just teU me what you want done and I'll do it." The following morning, anxious to have as much as possible to report to Dr. Kelvin when she made her afternoon call at the hospital, Chloe determined to see Sara Jenkins and enlist her aid. When she faced her father across the breakfast table his eyes widened a little. "Hello, Dadl" she greeted him The following afternoon, armed with a freshly sharpened pencil and a notebook, Chloe presented herself at the hospital and was shown into Scott's room. "Oh, then you didn't go away after aft-er aU?" he blurted out eagerly. Chloe sniffed. Scott was silent for a moment while she opened the notebook, poised her freshly sharpened pencil pen-cil and waited, watching him. "The recreation director is not much good, he's wrapped up heart and soul in his Boys' Club and men's baseball club," he said after a moment. mo-ment. "But he'll do whatever you ask him to do. I expect your best assistant and most dependable worker work-er will be Sara Jenkins. She works in the office. Been an employee of Sargent Mills for thirty years. Knows every man, woman and child in or about the village. Then, to plan gifts for the children and to get Uie women to help, you'd better bet-ter see Mrs. Barwell. She doesn't work in the miU, though her husband hus-band and four sons do. She runs a sort of unofficial day nursery where Uie mill women can leave their small children while they are working. work-ing. She makes no charge for her services, and keeps the children because be-cause she is f;nd of them. A grand woman! You may not like her, but you'll surely have to admire her," said Scott firmly. f!hloe asked, "How do I find her?" saia Aunt jane, ana inioe pulled herself free from Uie momentary paralysis Uiat had sped over her at Uie sound of Jim's voice. She forced herself to walk into the living room and face him. During luncheon Howell and Jim talked courteously, but Chloe, watching them and listening, knew Uiat each was quietly, mentally taking tak-ing Uie other's measure. That Jim was trying to conciliate her father. That her father was studying Jim intently, though with perfect courtesy. cour-tesy. By Uie time lunch was over, the sky, already overcast, had grown even darker and a sharp wind was rising. "Not very promising flying weather, Mr. Pearsall. I hope you will be persuaded to stay over as our guest for Uie night," suggested HoweU as he made ready to return to Uie mill. Jim hesitated, looking swiftly at Chloe, before he accepted gracefully. grace-fully. Chloe knew, without his saying say-ing a word, Uiat he felt quite sure that if he stayed over he could persuade her to leave with him. "Let's not quarrel now, Jim," Chloe urged. "Come, let me show you the beauties of Oakton." (TO BE CONTINUED) |