Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-03-18

hoiuihS your tongue, said MI. Biagden
quite severely, When he spoke in that
tone Of voice, Chetwynd always sub
sided. AZ | was saying, Presbrey. we
may as Well defer in the case of Mary
fhough God knows / do not want to
ln the risk of being too late
u fancy no harm can come to her
for some years. She is 9, believe"
Nine" said Mr.. Blagden, last
April"
OF course. the seed is thsre,' unused
the other.
0 course" agreed three voices. al
most in unison.
Eric is developing very marked
traits that-cr. aham!-You might say
they are quite ominous." said MI.
Blagden. He has q temper and a ten
dency to let so of it without any eff
Tort at self restraint. [ regret to say
That he has formed the habit of throw
ing stones at Chetwynd-frequently. so
my boy informs me, when his back is
turned. That trait, believe rae, is dis
tinctly hereditary. 1t isn't necessary,
IN sure, for me to so into the private
history of his father. Suffice it to say.
ne was 2 man of violent temper. with a
disposition to-er, ahem-to shed blood.
l regret to d that the children's
saother also took a lawless view of the
proprletles. 1t is Il duty to paint the
picture as strongly, as vigorously as
we can for Eric's sake. He must be
mace TO see the handwriting on the
wall. He must be warned in time. We
may be able to check or divert the
eVli tendencies that accrue to him by
nature"
In other words said Mr.. Presbrey,
we must obstruct nature. 1 quite UNI
derstand my dear Mr.. Blagden."
Precisely" agreed Horace.
we should pray for the poor boy"
began Mrs. Presbrey. Mr.. Isiagden
held up his hand and shook his head.
with q deprecatory smile. He was still
vaguely conscious of a remote period
IN ms life when his admiration for Julia
owd rose alnost to the Importance
OF love. That was when he was is and
she was 20. He was now as. and she
had been the wife of his pastor for tx
u experiencing a sort of speculative
wonder, very faint, very vague and
plainly reminiscent.
The time for prayer has passed" he
protested I'VE must use a little com
mon sense now. He FASTENED to set
nlinsslf arlsht: do not misunder-
stand me, Julia. So many of my pray
ers nave been answered that I, least
Oh all, should deny the efficacy Of
prayer. L VIII say. however. that my
prayers have always been supplement-
ed by a certain amount Of purely hui
man e~ndeaTor.' He was unconscious
" humorous, despite his serious mien.
What I mean is this: We can't helm
ERIC win prayer unless we are able to
secure his cooperation. We can't OBJ
tain that without first telling him
what its all about. Do you get my
meaning?"
1T is perfectly clear" said Mr.. Pres
brey, folding his napkin with grave
precision, SO that the initial "B" re-
manned In view.
Perfectly" his wife agreed.
What would you suggest?" asked
Mrs. Blagden.
NJ Presbrey was tactful. He lev
elled his gaze upon Il huge Delft platter
on the plate rail above Mrs. Blagden's
Prl1n couture, and pondered. He pom
dered long enough to permit his diplo-
macy to bring results. The effort was
successful. Mr.. Blagden offered the
suggestion.
81 suppos we'd better have Eric in
the library at once. Ring for Martha.
please" He directed the request to his
Wlle, VINO at once tangled the little sill
Yer hand bell hat stood beside the
warsaw candlestick. Martha" said he,
When the ancient domestic appeared
IN the door, send Master Eric to the
library at once"
So far as Horace was concerned the
conference was over. 1t YVES now time
for action.
Fries gone to bed SIR" announced
Martha.
TT isn't his bedtime" said Mrs. Blag-
den sternly.
mo. ma'am, but he said his face was
hurting him So"
His face?" demanded MIR. Blagden.
Who had not heard Of the encounter in
the arbor.
Fl said he fell off the fence and
bruised it. SIR" said Martha. who
would not have repeated a lie for the
world.
Mrs. Blagden cleared her throat I'M
easily. Her first impulse was to re-
main silent, but. on second thoughts.
she saw a chance to discredit the bow in
the eyes Of his uncle. She knew that
Horace detested a lie.
Fell off the fence?" she exclaimed.
he did nothing Of the sort. He at
lacked Chetwyrd, who was compelled
to thrash him soundly. Now, why
should he tell such a lie as that?"
MT. possessed a sense Of JUS
ice. You are much larger tina Eric.
Chetwynd," he said, turning a bit red
in the face.
'He threw q brick ut me. I punched
him In self Defense said his son. after
a scowl OF amazement at mis- mother.
you may go, Martha" said Mr.
Bladgen, for once a bit COMPOUNDED,
But stay. If he isn't asleep. tell him
to get up and come down at once,
Pound hard on the door before Won
ask him II he's asleep" advised the re-
sourceful ChetwyEd.
Continued next week.