Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1917-06-05
CHAPTER XII.
She Comes to Grief.

warm-blooded girls to whom sleep is
indeed the great restorer. Now she
stood in the kitchen door, tall, cheeks
glowing, eyes sparkling, and smiled at
her sisters solemn back.
you are the little mousey, Prue,"
she said, in her full rich voice. 81
didn't hear you come to bed last night,
and l didn't hear you getting out this
morning. Why, what is the matter?"
For Prudence had turned her face to-
ward her sister, and it was so white
and so unnatural that Fairy was
shocked.
prudence You are sickI Go to
bed and let me get breakfast. Here,
get out of this, and 1 will"
'There's nothing the matter with me-
l had headache, and did not sleep,
but am all right now. Are the girls
up YETI"
Fairy eyed her suspiciously. Jerry
is out unusually early, too, isn't he?
His door is open."
"Jerry has gone, Fairy" Prudence's
back was presented to view once more,
and Prudence was stirring the oatmeal
with vicious energy. HE left early
this morning. suppose he is halfway
to Des Moines by now"
"Oh" Fairy's voice was noncom-
initial. "When is he coming back?"
"He isn't coming back. Please
hurry, Fairy. and call the others. The
oatmeal is ready"
Fairy went soberly up the stairs,
ostensibly to call her sisters.
Girls" she began carefully closing
the door of their room behind her.
"Jerry has gone, and isn't coming back
any more. And for goodness sake,
don't keep asking questions about it.
Just eat your breakfast as usual, and
have a little tact"
"a lovers quarrel" suggested Lark,
her eyes glittered greedily.
Nothing of the sort And don't keep
keep talking about Jerry all the time
You mind me, or 1 will tell papa"
"Thats funny" said Carol thought
fully. 1--WE saw them kissing each other
like mad in the back yard last night
and this morning he has gone to return
no more. They are crazy"
kissing In the back yard What
are you talking about?'
Carol explained, and Fairy looked
still more thoughtful and perturbed.
She opened the door, and called out
to them in a loud and breezy voice
Hurry, girls, for breakfast is ready
and there's no time to waste in a par.
sonage on Sunday morning" Then she
added in a whisper "And don't you
mention Jerry, and don't ask Prudence
what makes her so pale, or you'll catch
It'll"
Then she went to her fathers door
breakfast is ready, p pa" she called
clearly. She turned the knob softly
and peeped in. May come in min
ute?" Standing close beside him, she
told him all she knew of what had hap
pened.
prudence is CHASTITY, father, Just
CHASTITY. And she can't talk about IL
yet, so be careful what you say, will
your"
And 1t was due to Fairy's kindly adj
monitions that the parsonage family
took the departure of Jerry so calmly
That was the beginning of Prudences
bitter winter when the brightest sun
shine was cheerless and dreary. and
when even the laughter of her sisters
smote harshly upon her ears. She tried
to be as always, but in her eyes the
wounded look fingered, and her face
grew so pale and thin that her father
and Fairy, anxiously watching. were
filled with grave concern. She re
manned almost constantly in the par
sonage, reading very little. sitting most
of her leisure time staring out the win
dows.
Fairy had tried to win her conf
dence, and had failed.
"You are a -arling. Fairy. but real
ly do not want to talk about 1t. Oh
no, indeed, it is all my own fault.
told him 10 go, and not come again
No, you are wrong, Fairy. l do not re
greet it. do not want him to come ANY
more"
Mr.. Starr, too, had tried. prudence
he said gently, you know very Otter
men do things that to women seen
wrong and wicked. And maybe they
are But men and women are differ
ent by nature, my dear. and we must
remember that. have satisfied myself
that Jerry is good, and clean, and man
ly. l do not think you should let any
foolishness of his in the past come be
/