The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-04-20
CHAPTER XII.
She Comes to Grief.

Il u
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. II
didn't hear you come to bed last night,
and didn't hear you getting out this
morning. Why, what Is the matterY'
For Prudence had turned her face to-
ward her sister, and 1t was so white
and so unnatural that Fairy was
shocked.
'Prudencel You are sickl Go to
bed and let me get breakfast. Here,
get out OF this, and will"
"There's nothing the matter with me.
| / had headache, and did not sleep,
but am all right now. Are the girls
up yetT'
/ Fairy eyed her suspiciously. Jerry
Is out unusually early, too, isn't hei
Ills 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"
"Ohi" Fairy's voice was noncom.
initial. "When is he coming backY'
"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 1t.
just eat your breakfast as usual, and
have n little tact"
"A lovers quarrel" suggested Lark
her eyes glittered greedily.
Nothing of the sort. And don't keer
staring at Prue, either. And do mo-
keep talking about Jerry all the time
You mind me. or will tell papa"
"Thats funny" said Carol thought
fully. I'VE saw them kissing each othe
like mad In the back yard last night
anu tiito tuoInlllS nS HtS fOit W aCNut
no more. They are crazy"
'Kissingl In the back yardi Wha
are you talking about?'
Carol explained, and Fairy locke
still more thoughtful and perturbed.
She opened the door, and called oil
to them In loud and breezy voice
"Hurry, girls, for breakfast is read
and there's no time to waste In pa
sonuge on Sunday morning." Then sh
added In whisper, 'And don't 70
mention Jerry, and don't ask Prudene
what makes her so pale, or you'll cate
it!n
Then she went to her fathers doc
breakfast is ready, p pa" she Gale
clearly. She turned the knob softl,
and peeped in. MAY come In mil
ute?" Standing close beside him, sh
told him all she knew of what had hnI
pened.
Prudence is CHASTITY. father jus
CHASTITY. And she can't talk about
yet, so be careful what you say, wi
your"
And 1t was due to Fairy's kindly at
monitions that the parsonage famil
took the departure of Jerry so calml!
That was the beginning of Prudence
bitter winter, when the brightest sur
!, shine was cheerless and dreary. an
{ when even the laughter of her sister
: smote harshly upon her ears. She trie
1 to be as always. but In her eyes th
wounded look fingered, and her fac
t grew so pale and thin that her fathe
/ and Fairy, anxiously watching. wer
/ filled with grave concern. She II
1 malned almost constantly i'm the pal
i sonage, reading very little, sitting mos
Q of her leisure time staring out the wiz
- dows.
:. Fairy had tried to win her cont
+ dence, and had failed.
d "You are arling. Fairy, but rea
ly do not want to talk about it. OF
J. no, indeed. 1t is all my own fault.
It told him 10 go. and not come again
e No, you are wrong, Fairy, l do not r,
greet it. do not want him to come an
t, more"
e Mr. Starr, too, had tried. prudence
he said gently, 'you know very ofte
r, men do things that to women seel
e wrong and wicked. And maybe the
arel But men and women are diffe
(. emit by nature. my dear. and we mul
IL remember that. have satisfied myse
i that Jerry Is good, and clean. and MAJ
Ae ~. l do not think you should let al
he foolishness of his in the past come b
st tween you now"
Is Cro BE CoNTINUED1