The Parker post., 1914-01-03
D0LLYS AUNT PRUDENCE
BY S. 6. BAKER.


stand in the way Of deal of the mag
nitude of this. That weed-groWn, "
shaped strip of land isn't doing her
the least bit of good, and yet she ties
up our sale of that North Columbus
property of the Driving Park associa-
tion through her refusal to unload.
I'VE can't make her SELL" his part
ner, Tom Haines, had answered de-
spondently. And she says she won't
for any amount of money. And you
know there is no use reasoning when
a woman is stubborn. She won't even
answer my letters"
"Who is the woman?"
prudence Grimes, and she lives in
the little town of Suffolk. An old
maid, | guess, and with peculiar ideas
Of her sort.
I'm going out there" Frank had
averred
At Suffolk he left his coach, almost
colliding with a tall, pretty light-haired
girl just in the act Of boarding the
train.
DOLLY"
"All a-bo-a-r-d!"
Suffolk is a small town. Trains stop
there for about one moment.
Frank drew the natty suit case from
the half-paralyzed fingers of the girl,
seized her resolutely by the arm, and
drew her away from the train.
'*Why-the very ideal"
The maid flushed Indignantly as the
conductor shut the door of the vesti-
bule, and the wheels beneath it began
to turn. Look what you have done,
Frank Horton. You've made me miss
my train"
Undoubtedly" The young six-foot-
er's lips were compressed. 81 want a
little conversation with you
1--WE have nothing to talk about" "
The girl spoke coldly.
"Oh, but we have Why is it, Dolly,
that you have never wrote me? And
how comes it that you are here?"
my aunt lives here, if you must
know And as far as writing is con-
cerned. I didn't write-well, just be,
cause"
81 can see a bench in that little
park said Horton with seeming irrele-
to come to some sort of an under
standing"
mo, I'll not" declared Miss Dolly,
in a voice with just a71spicion of a
culver in it.
The culver was the flaw in the ar
NOR. In three seconds she was doing
just what HortoS had suggested and
the youth was sitting beside her.
And now," Horton insisted, ''you
must tell me three things: why you
left Chicago SO hastily, what you are
doing here, and why you have never
written me?"
Il shall do nothing Of the kind an
grily denied the maid.
But you will" Horizons tone was
positive.
Anyway, 1 have been taught never
to write to a man until he has written
to me first"
Horton looked his disgust. "As if, %
he parried 81 we're possessed to some
pyschic gift to tell me where you
were. This is the last place in the
world I would look. for you. Fate is
against you-and insist upon the an
swer to my question. The answer
that you wouldn't give me in Chicago" !"
MY, how terrible, it has become" :"
said Dolly mockingly, and then, more
decidedly, and with hint of anger,
''who gave you the right to speak to
me so, Mr. Frank Horton? I'll answer
your question or not-just as
choose"
But Dolly"-the mans voice was
humble nowhere isn't any reason
at all in not answering" He reached
over and took one of her hands. why
didn't you tell me that you were COM
ing away, Dolly?"
81 didn't know, Frank Really, boy,
you are too impatient"
But your answer" insisted Horton.
"You haven't given it to me-and am
waiting"
the man. "There are none so blind"
half whispered a gentle voice, "as
those who will not see."
"You mean?" he demanded eagerly.
'Pm not going to tell you what |
mean" pouted the girl. "And to think
that l ever imagined you to be smart.
l am going to take you up to the
house to meet my aunt and have you
explain your boorish conduct"
Then your aunt really lives here?'
Eyes, it is on her account that I
came back here and left Chicago so
hurriedly. She is such a suspicious
person! A concern calling itself the
Keystone Realty company has been
trying to buy an absolutely worthless
piece of property from her, and after
she had refused several offers, they
made her a positively startling one.
She called me from Chicago to consult
with her-I am her only relative, you
know. l advised her to accept, and
today she sent a letter to that effect
She"
What is her name?" gasped Hor
ton
Miss Prudence Grimes. Why, what
on earth is the matter. Frank Horton