Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1918-03-21
CHAPTER vi.
Maxine Matches,

n
d bit of embroidery in her hands. And
y Fairy sat at the table, formidable ar
ray of books before her. Aunt Grace
was gazing idly at her sewing basket,
q soft smile on her lips. And Fairy
was staring thoughtfully into the twi-
light, soft glow in her eyes. Aunt
Grace was thinking of the jolly parson-
age family, and how pleasant it was
to live with them. And Fairy was
thinking-ah, Fairy was twenty, and
twenty-year-olds always stare into the
twilight, with dreamy far-seeing eyes.
In upon this peaceful scene burst the
twins, flushed, tempestuous, in spite of
their seventeen years. Their hurry to
speak had rendered them incapable of
speech, SO they stood in the doorway
painting breathlessly for a moment,
while Fairy and her aunt, withdrawn
thus rudely from dreamland, looked at
them interrogatively.
Eyes, think so, too," began Fairy,
and the twins endeavored to crush her
with their lofty scorn. But it is not
easy to express lofty scorn when one
is red in the face, perspirey and short
of breath. So the twins decided of
necessity to overlook the offense just
this once.
Finally, recovering their vocal pow
ers simultaneously, they cried in uni
son:
"Duckiei"
duck In the yardl Do you mean
live one? Where did it come from?"
calculated their aunt.
'They mean Professor Duck of their
freshman year" explained Fairy COM
placently. its nothing. The twins
always make fuss over him. They
feel grateful to him for showing them
through freshman science-thats all"
'That's ALL" gasped Carol. "Why,
Fairy Starr, do you know he's en-
ployed by the-Society of-a-a scien-
tific research organization-or some
thing-in New York city, and gets four
thousand dollars year and has pros
pects-all kinds of prospects"
Eyes, know it. You haven't seen
him, auntie. He's tall, and has wrinkles
around his eyes, and dictatorial nose,
and steel gray eyes. He calls the twins
song-birds, and they're so fiattered
they adore him. He sends them candy
for Christmas. You know that Duckie
they rave SO much about. It's the very
man. Is he here"
Hes In town." said Lark.
"Going to stay a week." added Carol.
"And he said he wanted to have lots
of good times with us, and so-we-
why, of course it was very sudden, and
we didn't have time to ask"
'eBut parsonage doors are always
open"
"And I don't know how he ever
wormed it out of us, but-one of us"
II can't remember which one"
invited him to come for dinner to-
night, and he's coming"
Goodness" said Aunt Grace. "We
are going to have potato soup and
toast"
It'll keep,v said Carol. "Of course
we're sorry to inconvenience you at
this late hour, but Larkie and I will
tell Connie what to do, so you won't
have much bother. Let's see, now, we
must think up pretty fair meal. Four
thousand year-and prospects,
Aunt Grace turned questioning eyes
toward the older sister.
"All right" said Fairy, smiling. "It's
evidently settled. Think up your menu,
twins, and put Connie to work"
'Ts he nicer" Aunt Grace queried.
r fplz hn fc RI
with our college bunch some. know
him pretty well. He brought me home
from things time or two"
Carol leaned forward and looked at
her handsome sister with sudden in
tentness. HE asked about you" she
said, keen eyes on Fairy's. "He asked
particularly about you"
did he? Thanks. Yes, he's not
bad. He's pretty good in crowd
BY the force of her magnetic gaze,
Carol drew Lark out of the room, and
the door closed behind them. A few
minutes later they returned. There
was about them an air of subdued ex-
citement, suggestive of intrigue, that
Fairy found disturbing.
"You needn't plan any nonsense,
twins" she cautioned. Hes no beau
of mine"
"Of course not" they assured her
pleasantly. Were too old for mis-
chief Seventeen. and sensible for our
years Say. Fairy, you'll be nice to
Duckie. won't you? Can't you try to
mike it pleasant for him this week