The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1918-08-23
CHAPTER lx-Continued.
TO-


10
Eyes, he wanted to. But Pru ence
has set her heart on coming home. She
says she'll never feel that Jerry Junior
got the proper start II 1t happens any
place else They'll have trained
nurse"
"Jerry-whatT gasped the twins,
after a short silence due to amnZement.
Jerry Junior-that's what they call
It."
But how on earth do they known
"They don't know. But they have to
call 1t something, haven't they7 And
they want Jerry Junior. So Of
course they'll get 1t. For Prudence
10 good enough to get whatever she
wants"
Hum, that's no sign" shifted Carol.
Y don't get everything want. do II"
The girls laughed, from habit, not
from genuine interest, at Carols subtle
insinuation.
swell, shall we have her come"
YES" said Carol, "but you tell Prue
she needn't expect me to hold 1t until
1t gets too big to wiggle. I call them
nasty. treacherous little things. Mrs.
Miller made me hold hers, and 1t
squirmed right off my knee. wanted
to spank It,"
"And tell Prudence to uphold the
parsonage and have a white one"
added Lark. "These little Indian ef-
fects don't make Il hit with me-"
"Are you going to tell ConnieT
II don't think so-yet. Comics only
urteen."
"You tell her" Carols voice was
emphatic. -'There's nothing mysteri-
GUS about It. Everybody does 1t. And
Connie may have a few suggestions Of
her own to offer You tell Prue I'm
thinking out lot of good advice for
her, and"
"You must write her yourselves. She
wanted us to tell you long before"
Fairy picked up the little embroidered
dress and kissed 1t. but her fond eyes
were anxious.
SO, few weeks later, weeks crowd
ed full of tumult and anxiety, yes, and
laughter. too, Prudence and Jerry came
to Mount Mark and settled down to
quiet life in the parsonage. The girls
kissed Prudence very often. leaped
quickly to do her errands, and touched
her with nervous fingers. But mostly
they sat across the room and regarded
her curiously, shyly. quite materially
Carol and Lark Starr" Prudence
cried GROSSLY one day. when she inter
cepted one Of these surreptitIous
glances, "you march right upstairs and
shut yourselves up Tor thirty minutes
And II you ever ait around and stare
at me like stranger again, I'll spank
you both. I'm TO outsider. I belong
here Just as much as ever did. And
I'm still the head Of things around
here, too"
The twins obed,ently marched. and
after that Prudence was more like Pru-
dence, and the twins were much more
twinnish, so that life was very nearly
normal In the old parsonage. Prudence
said she couldn't feel quite satisfied
because the twins were too old to be
punished, but she often scolded them
in her gentle. teasing way. and the
twins enjoyed 1t more than anything
else that happened during those days
Of quiet.
Then came a night when the four
sisters huddled breatal>ssly in the
kitchen, and Aunt Grace and the
trained nurse stayed behind with Pru-
dence behind the closed door of the
front room upstairs. And the doctor
went In. too. after he had inflicted q
few light-hearted remarks upon the
two men in the little library.
After that-EDence, an immense
hushing silence -eettled down over the
parsonage. Jerry and Mr.. Starr, alone
In the library. where q faint odor Of
drugs, anesthetics, something that
smelled like hospitals fingered. stared
away from each nther with persistent
determination.
"Where are the girls7" Jerry asked.
picking up a roll H cotton which had
been left on the library table, and
finging It from him As though 1t
Ocorched his fingers.
"I-think I'll 30 and see," said Mr..
Starr. turning heavily.
Jerry hesitated . minute. "T-think
m 70 along" he said.
For IN instant their eyes met, sym
pathetically. and nd not smile though
their lips curved.
Down in ths: Kitchen, meanwhile.
Fairy sat somberly beside the table
xith a pile Of darnins which she
yabbed at viciousiy with the needle.
ark was perched on the Ice chest, but
ENy"' 6us to her childish instincts.