The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1917-02-15

ter'y' rhiry was sui looking nurrie0-
ly through the dresser drawers.
They are gone" walled Carol, "our
beautiful ruby rings that belonged to
grandmother"
Nonsense" cried Prue with nervous
anger, you've left them in the bath
room, or on the kitchen shelves.
You're always leaving them somewhere
over the place. Come on, and well
search the house just to convince you"
mo, no." shrieked the twins. Let's
lock the door and get under the bed"
The rings were really valuable.
Their grandmother, their mothers
mother, whom they had never seen,
had divided her real jewelry" between
her two daughters. And the mother of
these parsonage girls, had further d.
vidcd her portion TO make Il reach
through her own family Of girlsl
sour rings Our ringsr the twins
were wailing. and Connie, awakened
by the noise. was crying beneath the
covers Of her bed.
Maybe we'd better phone for Mr..
Allan" suggested Fairy. 1.-THE girls are
so nervous they will be hysterical by
the time we finish searching the
house."
"well, let's do the upstairs then"
said Prudence. Get your slippers and
kimonos, and wen go into daddy's
room"
But inside the door Of daddy's room.
with the younger girls clinging to her,
and Fairy looking odd and disturbed,
Prudence stopped abruptly and stared
about the room curiousiy.
Fairy, didn't father leave his watch
hanging on that nail by the tablet
Seems to me saw II there this MORN
Ing. I remember thinking I would
tease him for being forgetful.v
And the watch was not there.
Il think II was Sunday he left its
answered Fairy In a low voice. 81 re-
member seeing II on the nail, and think.
ing he would need it-but I believe II
was Sunday"
Prudence looked under the bed. and
In the closet but their fathers room
was empty. Should they go fartherf
For moment. the girls stood looking
Mt one another Questioningly. Then
they heard loud thud downstairs, as
Of someone pounding on door. There
was no longer any doubt. Someone
was In the housei Connie and the
twins screamed again and chung to
Prudence frantically. And Fairy sad.
II think we'd better lock the door and
stay right here until morning, True."
But Prudence faced them stubborn
ly. "If you think I'm going to let any
one steal that fifty dollars. you are
mistaken. Fifty dollars does not come
often enough for that. can tell you"
ITS probably stolen already" OBJ
jected Fairy.
swell. IL II Is. wen ind out who did
II, and have them arrested. I'm going
down to telephone TO the police. You
girls must lock the door after me, and
stay right here"
The little ones screamed again. and
Fairy said: "Don't be silly. Prue, II
you 20 I'm going with you. of course.
Wen leave the Riddles here and they
can lock the door. They'll be perfectly
safe In here
But the children loudly objected to
this. II Prue and Fairy went. they
would go! So down the stairs they
trooped. timorous trembling crowd.
Prudence went at once TO the tele-
phone, and called up the residence Of
the Allans, their neighbors across the
street. After seemingly never-ending
wait. the kind-hearted neighbor left
his bed to answer the insistent tele-
phone. Falteringly Prudence explained
their predicament. and asked him to
rome and search the house. He prom
sed to be there In five minutes. with
his son TO help.
"Now." said Prudence more cheer
fully, "we'll Just go out to the kitchen
md wait. It's quiet there, and away
from the rest Of the house. and wen
be perfectly safe" To the kitchen.
then, they hurried, and found real
comfort In its smallness and secure
hess. Prudence raked up the dying
,mbers Of the fire. and Fairy drew the
blinds TO their lowest limits. The
wins and Connie trailed them fear
'ully at every step.
Every breath OF wind against the
windows drew startled cries from the
younger girls, and both Fairy and Pru-
ience We're white with anxiety when
hey heard the loud voices of the Al
ans outside the kitchen door. Pru-
lence began crying nervously the mo-
nent the two angels of mercy ap-
'eared before her. and Fairy told their
ale of woe.
swell, there now" Mr.. Allan said
With rough sympathy, 'you just got
cared. thut's all. Everythings sus-
'icious when folks get scared. l told
ny wife the other day l bet you girls
'ould get good fright sometime, left
ERE alone. Come on. Jim. and we1l
% over the house In a jiffy."
lie was standing near the dining