Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-12-06
CHAPTER XII.
THE MoRRow's wAKEN1NG.

TIE X WAkEN1NG.
Before Sunday evening. Peggie real
ly lost patience with Prue. She was
so saucy and coquettish. so bubbling
over with merry stories and foolish
Jests. that even in church she could not
keep still, but fluttered her fan and
whispered behind it to Peggie. until
that lively damsel was quite ashamed
of her levity. Not one word could she
be induced to say about Robin. AS
tonislled at her Indifference, Peggie
tried In a variety Of ways to entrap
her into some expression of feeling
about him, but she became impatient
Nlder questions, n received any sug-
gestions Of sympathy with cold flip.
pancy or ever more provoking silence.
tors poured through the little house in
Mayfair. Superb equipages and sump-
uous sedan-chairs blocked the thor
o%ughfare, while their occupants. in
gorgeous array. Offered their congratu-
lations to the Lady Prudence, and
her grandmother's egg-shell %"chaney"
cups. Lady Drulmloch did not venture
into such a crowd. but. decked in her
priceless ~cashneres n laces. received
a favored few in her dressing room,
and listened with a flush of pride on.
beauty and the representations of a
future even more brilliant and event
full than her past.
You must persuade her to marry
Well and settle down, lear COUSIN
Lady Limerick advised. "Twenty-two
is quite old enough, eve for a widow,
to give up frivolous firtations and
choose a husband. The men are all
wild about her, l know; but if she jilts
a few more of them, the rest will get
frightened and leave her in the lurch.
] and she will have to be satisfied with a
crooked stick, like many another Spoilt
beauty"
Drumloch replied. 1.-The harder She
finds 1t to choose before marriage, the
less likely she will be to repent after
ward"
For all that the old lady took oc-
casion to read her granddaughter a
lecture upon the necessity of
mending her ways before too. late. To
which. Prue listened reverentially, and
promised speedy amendment. Five
minutes afterward, In the privacy of
their own room. she was making Peg
gle die of laughter at her c%aricature of
herself as a reformed character, with
an her fascinating caprices exchanged
for h cares of the nursery and still
room, obedience to a tryrannical
spouse replacing her sway over a score
OF s%uitors. while she welded Mrs.
Grundy's birch instead of defying it.
NOT one solemn or repentant thought
clouded the laughter of her blue eyes,
n when her cousin kissed her good
night and babe her sleep well, she
cried out:
Why. I'm two-thirds asleep all
ready" and turned upon her pillow
with a sigh OF voluptuous drowsiness.
Blu in h night, Peggie. who ALWAYS
slept with tho COMMUNICATING door
open between the two rooms, was awak-
ened by a sound so strange and unac-
customed. that her heart stood still
TOT q moment. with awe. From the
little white bed, wherein Prue usually
slept as calmly as a child, came sounds
and broken words Of s~elf-reproach, and
prayers for pardon for herself and
pity for n In extremity.
Peggie started from her bed and
crept s~tealthily to h door. where she
this unexpected outbreak.
on! II I could only once ask him
70 forgive me-" Prue sobbed. "Oh!
Robin. Robin. I did not want you to
love me: I did not mean to be cruel.
NY God! he will die without knowing
oh! me. oh! me-
Poor little Prue. how unjust I have
oeen." thought Peggy remorsefully. ST
was past all patience with her heart
less indifference. and here she is
breaking her heart over q. frolic mar
rtage with q highwayman!"
She crept in quietly. and lying down
beside Prue. put her arms round the
little Quivering form and drew the
tear-damp face upon her kindly bosom.
What IL the matter. Prue? Don't
cry so dreadfully." she said.
You are not to blame. We eA'1 per.
suaded you. and after all Robin
10 none the worse for knowing he leaves