The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-04-20
CHAPTER xllI-contlnued.

you kiss Prudence good night for u.s.
and tell her we kept praying all the
time? Prudence Is such a great hand
for praying you know"
Fairy promised, and the twins crept
upstairs. It was dark in their room,
"Well undress in the dark so as not
TO awake poor little Connie" whis-
pered Lark. "Its nice she can sleep
like that isn't it?"
And the twins went to bed, and fell
asleep after a while, never doubling
that Connie, In her corner of the ROOM
was already safe and happy in the OBJ
llvion of slumber.
But poor Connie! She had not wax
ened when Fairy closed the dungeon
door. 1t was long afterward when she
sat up and began rubbing her eyes.
She did not know where she was. Then
she remembered! She wondered If
Prudence She scrambled TO her
feet, and trotted over to the dungeon,
door. 1t was locked; she could not
turn the knob. At first she thought of
screaming and pounding on the door.
'But that will arouse Prudence, and
frighten her, and maybe kill her." she
thought wretchedly. 'Tll just keep
still until someone passes"
But no one passed for long time,
and Connie stretched her aching body
and sobbed, worrying about Prudence,
fearful on her own account. She had
no idea of the time She supposed 1t
was still early. And the parsonage
was deathly quiet. Maybe Prudence
had died. Connie writhed in agony
on the hard floor, and sobbed bitterly.
Still she would not risk pounding on
the dungeon door.
Upstairs, in the front room, Prudence
was wrestling with fever. Higher and
higher it rose, until the doctors looked
very anxious. They held brief con-
sultation in the corner of the room.
Then they beckoned to Mr.. Starr.
"Has Prudence been worrying about
Eomething this winter?"
"Yes, she has"
1T is that young man, isn't it?" in
CURED the family doctor-a Methodist
"member."
"Yes."
"Can you bring him here?"
'Yes-as soon as he can get here
from Des Moines."
You'd better do it. She has worn |
herself down nearly to the point of |
prostration. We think we can break |
this fever without serious conse- |
quences, but get the young man as soon .
ms hn nd
until she gets relief"
So he went downstairs and over the
telephone dictated a short message to
Jerry: please cOme-Prudence."
When he entered the front bedroom
again, Prudence was muttering unin-
telIigible words under her breath. He
kneeled down beside the bed and put
his arms around her. She clung to him
With sudden passion.
Jerry Jerryl" she cried. Her fa-
tker ceressed and petted her, but did
not speak.
"Oh, l can't" she cried again. 81
can't, Jerry, can't" Again her voice
fell to low mumbling. "Yes, go. Go at
once. 1 promised, you know. They
haven't any mother II promised.
Jerry! Jerryl" Then, painting, she
fell back on the pillows.
But Mr.. Starr smiled gently to him
self. So that was the answerl Oh,
foolish little Prudence! Oh, sweet
hearted little martyr girl
Hours later the fever broke and
Prudence drifted into a deep sleep.
Then the doctors went downstairs with ,
Mr.. Starr, talking in quiet, ordinary .
tones.
"Oh, she is all right now, no danger
at all. She'll do fine. Let her sleep. :
Send Fairy to bed, too. Keep Prudence
quiet few days-thats all. She's all I
right"
They did not hear the timid knock !,
at the dungeon door. But after they
had gone out, Mr.. Starr locked the
door behind them, and started back
through the, hall to see If the kitchen
doors were locked. He distinctly
heard a soft tapping, and he smiled.
''Mice" he thought. Then he heard I"
else-a family whispered, "
"Father!" =,
With sharp exclamation he un- =
locked and opened the dungeon door, 8
and Connie fell into his arms, sobbing
plteOusly. And he did the only wise .
thing to do under the circumstances. ~
He sat down on the hall floor and
cuddled the child against his breast. IL
He talked to her soothingly until the Di
;obs quieted, and her voice was under y
control. II
Nov, tell father" he urged, 'how 81
lid you get in the dungeon? The 81
wins" f1t
"Oh, no, father, of course not; the Il
wins wouldn't do such a thing as Il
hat. went into the dungeon to pray W
hat Prudence would get well. And / al
'rayed myself to sleep. When 1 woke rS
p the door was locked" to
"But you precious child" he whis- Ill
ered, "why didn't you call out, or OF
Ound on the door?" IN
Il was afraid it would excite Prue m
nd make her worse" she answered sa
imply. And her fathers kiss was un- ht
'Ontedly tender as he carried her up- vi
tairs to bed. ia
Prudence slept late the next morn TO
lg, and when she opened her eyes her IN
lther was sitting beside her. OF
"All right this morning, father" she
lid, smiling. "Are the girls at ov
.hool" clC
mo, this is Saturday" thI
"Oh, Of course. Well, bring them CIR