The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1917-04-12
CHAPTER X.
Reused From Her slumber.

Reused From Her SIumber.
At twenty minutes to four, the par
sonage family clustered excitedly In
the sitting room, which the sunshine
flooded cheerily. They were waiting
for the hero of Prudence's romance.
"Oh. Larkle, will you run upstairs
and bring my lace handkerchief
Would you keep these pearls on, |
Fairy, or would you take them off?"
II would keep them on, Prue. You |
do look so sweet, but your face Is very |
flushed. am afraid you are feverish.
Maybe we had better not let him see
Prue today, father"
"Fairy!" exclaimed Prudence. Ills
ten, listen, girls Look, Fairy, and see
If that is he! Yes, 1t Is, l know-l
can tell by his walk" Warm rich
color dyed her face and throat, and
she clasped her hands over her heart,
wondering II Connie beside her could
hear its tumult.
"Tll 20 to the door," said Father
Starr, and Prudence looked at him
beseechingly.
| I'll am sure he is all right father.
You will be nice to him, won't your
Without answering, Mr.. Starr left
the room. He could not trust his voice.
Listen, girls, l want to hear" whis-
pered Prudence. And she smiled as
she heard her fathers cordial voice.
"You are Mr.. Harmer, aren't your
l Gm Prudence's father. Come right
In. The whole family is assembled to
do you honor. The girls have already
/, made you prince In disguise. Come
back this way. Prudence is resting
very nicely"
When the two men stepped into the
sitting room, Prudence, for once. quite
overlooked her father. She lifted her
eyes 70 Jerrold Harmer's face. and
waited, breathless. Nor was he long
In finding her among the bevy of girls.
He walked at once to the bed, and
took her hand.
my little comrade Of the road" ne
said gaJU6, but with tenderness. I'm
afraid you are not feeling well enough
for callers, today"
"Oh, yes, / am" protested Prudence
with strange shyness.
He turned to the other girls. and
greeted them easily. He was entirely
self-possessed. "Miss Starr told me SO
much about you that know you all to
begin with. He smiled at Fairy as
he added. "In fact, she predicted that
am to fall In love with you. And SO.
very likely, I should, II hadn't met
your sister hrst." ~..
They all laughed at that, and then
he walked back and stood by Prudence
. once more. "Was 1t a bad sprain? !?
Does 1t pain you very badlyf You
look tired. am afraid II was an I'm
, position for me to come this after
! noOn."
"Oh. don't worry about that" p1f In
/ Connie anxiously. "She wanted You
4 to come. She's been getting US ready
, for you ever since the doctor left. I
1 think 1t was kind Of silly for me to
wear my blue just for one caller"
al The twins glared at her. realizing
, that she was discrediting the parson.
age. but Jerrold Harmer laughed. and
Q Prudence Joined him.
"It Is quite true" she admitted
8 frankly. ''The mule and disgraced
I the parsonage this morning. and !
I wanted the rest Of you to redeem II
I this afternoon" She looked ut him
!, inquiringly. "Then you had another
,. cOatf
Q "No, didn't. I saw this one In a
K window this morning, and couldn't re.
o sist 1t. Was the ride very hard on
your ankle7"
L Mr.. Starr was puzzled. Evidently II
Q was not lack Of funds which brought
K this man on foot from Des Moines to
D Mount Mark, halfway across the
q state! He did not look like man
y fleeing from Justice. What, then. was
the explanation7
E, "You must have found 1t rather a
I long walk" he began tentatively, his
eyes on the young mans face.
g. "Yes, l think my feet are a little
Y blistered. have walked farther thar
:. that many times, but am out of prac
II tice now. Sometimes, however. walk
e ing Is painful necessity"
t. "How long did 1t take you coming
n from Des Moines to Mount Mark?" In
d quired Carol In n subdued and respect
full voice, and curious, withal.
m "From Des Moines," he gasped
l. Good heavens! I did not walk from
g, Des Moinesi Did you" He turnet
to Prudence questioningly. did yo,
J. think walked clear from De-
9, Moinesr
le "Yes." And added hastily. "But
e did not care II you did. It did no
:" make any difference how you came.s