The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1918-05-31
CHAPTER XII.
She Comes to Grief.

Fairy was one OF those buOyant,
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. ~
didn't hear you come to bed last night,
morning. Why, what Is the matter7"
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 sick! 90 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.
up yet?'
Fairy eyed her suspiciously. "Jerry
is out unusually early. too. isn't he7
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-I suppose he is halfway
to Des Moines by now."
"Ohw Fairy's voice was nonconl-
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 q little tact"
"A lovers quarrel" suggested Lark,
her eyes glittered greedily.
Nothing Of the sort And don't keep
staring at Prue, either. And do not
keep talking about Jerry all the time.
You mind me, or will tell papa"
''That's funny" said Carol thought
fully. I'VE saw them kissing each other
like mad in the back yard last night
and this morning he has gone to return
NO more. Iney are crazy.
kissing! In the back yard! What
are you talking aboutY
Carol explained, and Fairy looked
still more thoughtful and perturbed.
She opened the door, and called out
to them in loud and breezy voice !:
"Hurry, girls, for breakfast is ready,
and there's no time to waste in par
| oh
added In whisper. "And don't you
mention Jerry. and don't ask Prudence
what makes her so pale, or you'll catch
itw
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 a min.
ute?" Standing close beside him, she
told him all she knew Of what had hap
pened.
prudence is ghastly. father, just
CHASTITY. And she can't talk about ii
yet, 20 be careful what you say, will
your
And 1t was due to Fairy's kindly ad-
monitions that the parsonage family
took the departure Of Jerry SO calmly.
That was the beginning Of Prudence's
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-
malned 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 arling. Fairy, but real
ly do not want to talk about it. oh,
no, indeed, 1t is all my own fault. |
told him 10 60. and not come again.
No, you are wrong. Fairy, l do not re-
gret 1t. l do not want him to come any
more"
Mr.. Starr, too, had tried. prudence"
he said gently, ''you know very often
men do things that to women seem
wrong and wicked. And maybe they
are! But men and women nre differ
ent by nature, my dear. and we must
remember that. have satisfied myself
that Jerry is good, and clean, and man.
ly. I do not think you should let any
foolishness of his in the past come be-
tween you now"
(To BE CoNTINUED.)