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Show By ETHEL HUESTON "prudence tmamar Copyright Bobbs-MerrUl Co. CHAFTER XI I Continued. 13 fun.-'. ryes v.i n' vcrv l-.i.1:'-. Slit' V. hiki-.l h.irl. . f: K fr,.s, i-h.,.ii,:; t,;irl; .e: r..-ll f;f tears. Th II Willi t ii l j j i j.i.;lvi-ni"-s sin- 'Mil iiol nl'ic-a shu-.v, lie H"..'j!l her fath.-r's hand and ki.sci it S'i.i:!r,iuit''ly. "Oh, fill her," she vlii.er-I. "I was fio afraid--you wouldn't quite see." Hhe ki.sscd Ills hand uyain. Carol looked al her slsl it resperl fully. ful-ly. "Connie," slip said, "I f'ci-tainly lii'K your pardon. I just wanli'il to be clever, and didn't know what I was talking alaiut. When you lmve finished fin-ished It, f;ivo it to inc. will yon? I want to read it, too; I think it must he wonderful." won-derful." She held out a slender shapely hand and Connie took It quickly, clumsily, 'ill ijiiiff Mr. Starr Sat for a Long Time Staring Star-ing Straight Before Him Into Space. and the two girls turned toward the door. "The danger In reading things," said Mr. Starr, and they paused to listen, "the danger is that we may find arguments argu-ments we cannot answer; we may feel that we have lieeu in the wrong, that what we read is right. There's the danger. Whenever you find anything like that, Connie, will you bring it to me? I think I can find the answer for you. If I don't know it, I will look until un-til I come upon It. For we have been given an answer to every argument. You'll come to me, won't you?" "Yes, father, I will I know you'll find the answers." After the door had closed behind them, Mr. Starr sat for a long time staring straight before him into space. "The Connie problem," he jsnid at last. And then, "I'll have to be better pals with her. Connie's going to be pretty fine, I believe." CHAPTER XIII. Boosting Connie. Connie was past fifteen w hen she announced an-nounced gravely one day. "I've changed my mind. I'm going to be an author." "An author," scoffed Carol. "You! I thought you were going to get married mar-ried ami have eleven children." "Oil, I've plenty of time for them yet, when I find a father for them. Yes, I'm going to be an author." i "Can you write?" "Of course I can write." "What makes you think you can write, Con?" inquired Lark, with genuine genu-ine interest. "I have already done it." "Was it any good?" "It was fine." Carol and Lark smiled at each other. "Yes." said Carol, "she has the longhaired long-haired instinct. I see it now. They always al-ways say it is fine. YVas it a masterpiece. master-piece. Connie?" "Well, considering my youth and inexperience, in-experience, it was," Connie admitted, her eyes sparkling appreciatively. Carol's wit was no longer lost upon her. at any rate. "Bring it out. Let's see it. I've never met a masterpiece yet except a dead one," said Lark. "No no." Connie backed up quickly. quick-ly. "You can't see It. and don't ask any more about it. Has father gone out?" The twins stared at her again. "What's the matter with you?" "Nothing, but it's my story and you can't see it. That settles it. Was there any mail today?" Afterward the twins talked It over together. "What made her back down like that?" Carol wondered. "Just when we bad her going." "Why. didn't you catch onto that? She has sent it off to a magazine, of nurse, nnd she doesn't want us to kr.ns- about it. I saw through it right iiwny." Carol looked at tef twin with new interest. "Did you ever send 'cm off?" i.a-k t!u-hed a little. "Yes, I did, stirl always got 'em back, too worse l.i-i-. Thai's why I cave it ud." "What did you do with them when they ta me i ark V" "Ihiniod them. They always burn Hem. Cenr.ie'll get hers back, and she'll burn It, too," was Die laconic answT. "'"ii wait until she can't eat a meal, and then you'll know she's got it back. Many's the time Prudence made me take medicine. Just because I got a story back. Prudence thought it was t utnmyache. The symptoms are a good bit the same." So Carol watched, and sure enough, there came a day when the bright light of hope in Connie's eyes gave way to the sober sadness of certainty. Iler light had failed. And she couldn't eat her dinner. Lark kicked i Carol's foot under the table, and the two exchanged amused glances. "Connie's not well," said Lark with a worried air. "She isn't eating a thing. You'd better give her a dose of that tonic, Aunt Grace." "I'm not sick," the crushed young author au-thor protested. "I'm just not hungry." "You 'can see for yourself," insisted Lark. "Look at her. Isn't she sick? Many's the long Illness Prudence staved off for me by a dose of this magic tonic. You'd better make her take it, father. You can see she's sick." "You'd better take a little, Connie," her father decided. "You don't look very well today." And the aspiring young genius was obliged to swallow the bitter dose. After the meal was over, Carol shadowed shad-owed Connie closely. Sure enough, she headed straight for her own room, and Carol, close outside, heard a crumpling crump-ling of paper. She opened the door quickly and went in. Connie turned, startled, a guilty red staining her pale face. Carol sat down sociably on the side of the bed, politely ignoring Connie's Con-nie's feeble attempt to keep the crumpled crum-pled manuscript from her sight. She engaged her sister in a broad-minded and sweeping conversation, adroitly leading it up to the subject of literature. litera-ture. But Connie would not be in veigled into a confession. Then Carol took a wide leap. "Did you get the story back?" Connie gazed at her with an awe that was almost superstitious. "I sure did," she said. "Hard luck," said Carol, in a matter-of-fact voice. "Let's see it." Connie hesitated, but finally passed it over. "I'll take it to my own room and read it, if you don't mind." More eagerly than she would have liked Connie to know, Carol curled herself her-self upon the bed to read Connie's masterpiece. mas-terpiece. It was a simple story, but Connie did have a way of saying things, and Carol laid it down in her lap and stared at it thoughtfully. Then she called Lark. "Look here," she said abruptly. "Itead this. It's the masterpiece." She maintained a perfect silence while Lark perused the crumpled manuscript. "Is it any good?" pursued Carol. "Why, yes, I think it is. It's just like folks you know. They talk as we do, and I'm surprised they didn't keep it. I've read 'cm a whole lot worse !" "Connie's disappointed," Carol said. "I think she needs a little boost. I believe be-lieve she'll really get there if we kind of crowd her along for a while. We'll just copy it over, and send it out again." "And if it comes back?" "We'll send it again. We'll get the name of every magazine in the library, ,nnd give 'em all a chance (o start the newest author on the rosy way." "It'll lake a lot of stamps."' "That's so. Well, I have half a dollar," dol-lar," admilteil Carol reluctantly. After that the weeks passed by. The twins saw finally the shadow of disappointment disap-pointment leaving Connie's face, and another expression of absorption take its place. "She's started another one," Lark said, wise in her personal experience. And when there came the starry rapt gaze once more, thev knew that this one, too, had gone to meet its fate But before the second blow fell, the twins gained their victory. They embraced each other feverishly, and kissed the precious check a hundred times, and insisted that Connie was the cleverest little darling that ever lived on earth. Then, when Connie, with their father nnd aunt, was -sitting in unsuspecting quiet, they tripped in upon her. "We have something to read to you," said Carol beaming pafernaily at Connie. Con-nie. "Listen attentively. Put down your paper, father. It's important. Co on Larkie." "My dear Miss Starr," read Lark. "We are very much pleased with your story," Connie sprang suddenly from her chair "your story, 'When the Rule Worked Backwards.' We are placing it in one of our early numbers, and shall be glad at any time to have the pleasure of examining more of your work. We inclose our check for forty-five forty-five dollars. Thanking you, and assuring assur-ing you of the satisfaction with which we have read your story, I am, "Very cordially yours," "Tra, lalalalala!" sang the twins, dancing around the room, waving, one the letter, the other the check. Connie's face was pale, and she rang! t h.-r head with both hands, la!:;rh:u!y nervously. "I'm going round," she Lr:'.sped. "Sfop me." Carol promptly pushed her down in a chair and sat upon her lap. 'Trolly good. eh. what?" "oh. Carol, don't say that, It sounds awful," cautioned Lark. "What do you think about it, Connie? Con-nie? Pretty fair boost for a struggling strug-gling young author, don't you think? Family, arise! The Chautauqua salute sa-lute ! We have arrived. Connie is an author. Forty-five dollars !" "Put however did you do It?" wondered won-dered Connie breathlessly. "Why, we sent it out, and " ".lust once?" "Alas, no we sent it seven times." Connie laughed excitedly. "Oh, oh ! forty-five dollars ! Think of It. Oh, father !" "Where's the story," he asked, a little lit-tle jealously. "Why didn't you let me look it over, Connie?" "Oh, father, I couldn't. I I I felt shy about it. You don't know how it is father, but we want to keep them hidden. hid-den. We don't get proud of them until they've been accepted." "Forty-five dollars." Aunt Grace kissed her warmly. "And the letter is worth a hundred times more to us than that. And when we see the story " "We'll go thirds on the money twins," said Connie. The twins looked eager, but conscientious. consci-entious. "No," they said, "it's just a boost, you know. We can't take the money." - "Oh, you've got to go thirds. You ought to have it all. I would have burned it." "No, Connie," said Carol, "we know you aren't worth devotion like ours, but we donate it just the same it's gratis." "All right," said Connie. "I know what you want, anyhow. Come on, auntie, let's go down town. I'm afraid that silver silk mull will behold before we get there." The twins fell upon her ecstatically. "Oh, Connie, you mustn't. We can't allow it. Oh, of course if you insist, dearest, only " And then they rushed to find hats and gloves for their generous gen-erous sister and devoted aunt. The second story came back in due time, but with the boost still strong in her memory, and with the fifteen dollars dol-lars in the bank, Connie bore it bravely brave-ly and started It traveling once more. Most of the stories never did find a permanent lodging place, and Connie carried an old box to the attic for a repository for her mental fruits that couldn't make friends away from home. But she never despaired again. And the twins, after their own manner, man-ner, calmly took to themselves full credit for the career which they believed be-lieved lay not far before her. CHAPTER XIV. A Millionaire's Son. "If Jim doesn't ask for a date for the concert next week, Lark, let's snub him good." "Oh,. don't worry. He always asks. You have that same discussion every time there's anything going on. It's just a waste of time." Mr. Starr looked up from his mail. "Complexion and boys with Carol, books and boys with Lark, Connie, if you begin that nonsense you'll get spanked. One member of my family shall rise above it, if I lmve to do it with force." Connie blushed. The twins broke into open derision. "Connie! Oh, yes, Connie's above that nonsense." "Connie's the worst In the family, father, only she's one of those reserved, re-served, supercilious souls who doesn't tell everything she knows." "'Nonsense.' I wish father could have heard Lee Hanson last night. It would have been a revelation to him. 'Aw, go on, Connie, give us a kiss.' " Connie caught her lips between her teeth. Iler face was scarlet. "Twins !" "It's a fact, father. He kept us awake. 'Aw, go on. Connie, be good to a fellow.' " "I I " began Connie defensively. "Well, we know it. Don't interrupt whm we're telling things. You always spoil a good story by cutting In. 'Aw, go on. Conine. g:i on. now!' And Connie Con-nie said " Tim twins rocked off in a paroxysm of laughter, and Connie flashed a murderous look at them. "Well, I" "Give us time. C.np; We're coming com-ing to that. And Connie said, 'I'm going go-ing in now ; I'm Fleepy.' " "I didn't father, I didn't!" "Well you might have said a worse thing t-an that," he told her sadly. "I min I " "She did say it," cried the twins. "Tin sleepy.' Just like that." "Well, it would make you sick," declared de-clared Connie, wrinkling up her nose to express her disgust. "Are boys always al-ways like that father?" "Don't ask me." he hedged promptly. "How should I know?" "Oh, Connie, how can you ! There's father now, he never cared to kiss the girls even in his bad and balmy days, did you, daddy? Oh, no, father wns all for the strictly orthodox even in his youth!" Mr. Starr returned precipitately to his mail, and the twins calmly resun.eu the discussion where it had been utt- '"Tliule later a quick reclamation from their father made them turn to him inquiringly. , "It's a shame," he said, and again. "What a shame!" "Whv. it's a letter from Andrew HciTan old college chum of mine. His son is going West nnd Andy is sending him around this way to see me and meet my family. He'll be here this afternoon. Isn't it a shame? "Isn't it lovely?" exclaimed Carol. "We can use him to make Jim Forrest jealous if he doesn't ask for that date? And she rose up and kissed her lather. "Will vou kindly get back to your seat, voting lady, and not interfere with my thoughts?" he reproved her sternly but with twinkling eyes. "The trouble Is I have to go to Fort Madison Madi-son on the noon train for that Epworth League convention. I'd like to see that boy. Andy's done well, I guess. I've always heard so. He's a millionaire, they say." For a long second his daughters gazed at him speechlessly. Then, "A millionaire's son," Lark faltered fal-tered feebly. "But I have to go to Fort Madison. I am on the program tonight. There's the puzzle." "Oh, father, you can leave him to us," volunteered Lark. "We'll be lovely, love-ly, just lovely. A millionaire's son! Oh, yes, daddy, you can trust him to us all right." At last he caught the drift of their enthusiasm. "Ah I I see! That fatal 'charm. You're sure you'll treat him nicely?" "Oh, yes, father, so sure. A millionaire's million-aire's son. We've never even seen one yet." "Now, look here, girls, fix the house up nnd carry it off the best you can. I'll be gone until the end of the week, since I'm on for the last night, too. Will you do your best?" After his departure, Carol gathered the family forces about her without a moment's delay. "A millionaire's son," she prefaced her remarks, and as she had expected, was rewarded with immediate attention. atten-tion. "Now, for darling father's sake, we've got to manage this thing the very best we can. We have to make this Andy Hedges, millionaire's son, think we're just about all right, for father's sake. We must have a generous gen-erous dinner, to start with. We'll plan that a little later. Now I think, Aunt Grace, lovely, it would be nice for you to wear your lavender lace gown, and look delicate, don't you? A chaperoning chaperon-ing auntie In poor health is so aristocratic. aristo-cratic. You trust wear the lavender satin slippers and have a bottle of cologne to lift frequently to your sensitive sen-sitive nostrils." "Why, Carol, William wouldn't like it!" "Wouldn't like It!" ejaculated the schemer in surprise. "Wouldn't like it ! Why wouldn't he like It? Didn't he tell us to create a good impression? "It's a Shame," He Said, and Again-"What Again-"What a Shame!" Well, this is it. You'll make a lovely semi-invalid ucntie. You must have a faintly perfumed handkerchief to press to your eyes now and then. It "isn't hot enough for you slowly to wield a .racefu, fan, but we can get along "But, Carol" "Think how pleased dear father will be if his old college chum's son is pron erly impressed," interrupted Carol hurriedly, hur-riedly, and proceeded at once with her plans. 1 (TO BE CONTINUED.) |