Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-05-13
THE MOCK PRoDIGAL
BY Ella Randall Pierce.

BY Ella Randall Pierce.
copyright. 1914. by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate)
from his retreat behind the green vines
OF the shaded veranda Britt Maxon SOM
berly eyed his younger brother. the gay,
central figure of a lively group on the
lawn.
All his life Cecil had been a care and
q trial. He had defed restrictions. out
RACED conventions, dipped into all the
petty designations of the town, loafed,
laughed and snapped his fingers at every
Dooy VINO sought to restrain, advise or
reproach him. His final act before his dis
appearance had been the appropriation Of
q small amount of his firms cash-which
sum ms father had promptly made good
ana an attempt to elope with the minis
f Sad % pretty : laughter: The girl; however;
railway station and returned home, weep
ing and repentent.
Yet, for all the dark record of a check
ered past, here he was at home again.
ereo ABOUT him, each one trying to Guido
the Others in gladstone hospitality.
hro vhee the rsturned prodigali. The elder
1t wonderful! The folks wouldn't make
such a fuss over me If 1 stayed away SO
years: They're making every day a fete
day now, and nobody knows or cares
whether I'm in 1t or not
Britt Maxon was usually of good humor
and Kindly disposed toward every one.
Even the ae erring Younger brother; but, at
watching gaze took in not only the lithes
noyish figure of the returned truant, but
the slender, blue-gowned girl who had
peen beside him almost constantly since
MS arrival: Mora Kemp. too! And she
had scarcely known Cecil before his alb
sence.
the watcher. Give a man the reputation
OF a dashing. devil-may-care scamp. and
they'll find him charming. Yes. Cecil's a
mighty good-looking fellow-more X a
Kemp had common sense! Well, I'm off,
He turned abruptly. running into his
sister, Fanny, near the inside stairway.
on, Britt, will you come and hull some
those biscuit shortcakes CeciTs so fond
OF. He says he hasn't seen one since he
stay to tea. She and Cecil are going over
to the farm house now for the extra
cream. I said I'd send Molly. but they
across the wooded hills to the farm house,
and ground his teeth. His brother was
certainly making the most of his early
opportunities.
At the tea table, encircled with guests.
none was so merry as Cecil and the blonde
girl who sat at his right hand. She turned
two or three times to challenge her older
friend. Britt Maxon: but the dull, savage
mood kept possession OF him. and his at
ical.
In the evening Cecil played the mando-
lin and sang fascinating foreign songs,
some OF them accompanied by anguish
eyes. When It was time for the little
party to break VI, he went home with
Mora Kemp.
"A little more of this sort of thing and
elder brother. "CeciTs a hero! I've been
sane, safe and steady 30 long. I've ceased
ali al Sc som lastfhdiss!'1s; ,tb 15s t ap"nt ! ave them
week later. after Cecil and Mora had
been out canoeing. and the former had
carelessly upset the boat, and had then
IN her dripping garments to the Maxon
had come.
The next day, everybody in town vas
Maxon had gone away mysteriously!
d 6ritt no Ma1on HI had suddenly. given up his
nnH position M.sa, with the richest firm in town!
e panic, and Fanny Maxon and Mora
Kemp had been seen crying on each 9TH
ers shoulder. while Cecil was trying to
IT. Let the duffer go-itn do him good
see Britt cut up a bit. Show he's human
up" said Mora. with dignity. But inn
agine him leaving his splendid position
with the Lomax-Tweed company"
bow way ny 81 ne = started MsaS to %. Werk there a mere
he'd just been made president of the
Canton club. And I'd counted on his play
ing era; an my ac~companiments this winter"
blithely: but his sister shook. her head.
Cecil was given. to introducing startling
approximations in all his musical per-
tormances. "Oh, well. Britt'n be back be-
fore winter"
Indeed. no. sighed Fanny. H wrote
to mother-which is more than you did
when you ran away. Cecil-and he limited
at a trip to South America"
Cecil whistled. His travels had never
taken him as far as that.
The hummer passed, and no message
came from the absent one: but Mrs. Max
on received a gift now and then, bearing
some distant postmark. The tokens came
Once, Mora Kemp found a handkerchief
of delicate Mexican handwork in her
mornin's mail; but she spoke of this to
no one.
It was early in the next spring that the
station master at Canton saw q familiar
figure approaching from the hating. east
bound train.
"Ginger-Britt Maxon! Well. I thought
we'd see you back about this time"
Then he shook hands In q hearty way,
n fell to chatting as In times zone by.
Britt walked through the main street OF
the town. where old friends greeted him
the day before. Two or three stopped him
to ask about his travels: but he felt that
his return was not causing a sensation.
To be sure; Fanny hung herself upon
mothers hand trembled in his own for an
instant: butt knew you'd come back.
Britt" said Mrs. Maxcn gently.
soon n', az the they We're in the hall again in: You gu
got back just in time. cecil's gone away
again!"