Graham guardian., 1918-03-22

FAIRY GODFATHER f,
tH$%<$%4
BY GRACE MACY.

II don't see how we're ever going
to choose which one OF us is to go.
do think that he might have deigned
to designate some one BY name"
Listen to Teen prepare for diet
Of sour grapes. It's never the princess
royal who Is chosen. I'll bet a cookie
Eve goes"
Eve glanced up from the pattern
she was stenciling on q ponge sun
shine.
mo, I thank you" she laughed. II
have none Of the back to nature i'm.
pulse at all"
well. I Wish he'd ask me-" Dick
returned. 'rll bet the old duffer has
dandy place up there Ia the noun
tains."
''Hush. here comes dad" warned
Christine, as the study door slammed,
and the doctors quick step sounded
along the hall.
He looked the group on the veran-
da over with shrewd, kindly eyes,
drawing on his motor gloves.
"Have you chosen the victim yeti"
'Dick wants to co. said Eve. but
I'm sure Mr.. Caldwell expects one of
us girls. Don't you think so, dad2
You sec, he says his sister Is staying
with him and he wouldn't have men-
toned a chaperon II It had been just
case Of Dick. I can't 60, and Teen
doesn't want to-"
Suddenly from the army hammock
at the end Of the veranda, there bobbed
IA tousled head Of red curls.
II want to Co." called Pipes, con.
ldently. 'Id just love to 20, dad.
You know I'd get along all right"
Her elder sisters eyed her hopefully.
Pipes would be the best to 60, after
all. She was just between fifteen and
sixteen--what Dick called ine pat
tern Of 'fapper.'
So the letter was sent back accept
ing Mr.. Caldweil's invitation for one
Of the young Prestons to spend the
summer up at his camp In the Cat
skills. And one week later Miss Con.
stance Eleanor Preston, otherwise
Pipes, found herself deposited on lit
tie platform at Indian Leap. There
was no station, only waiting bench
with a projecting roof over 1t. Seated
on this was young man reading q
magazine. Pipes approached him with
her usual serene assurance.
'Do you know the way up to Mr..
Caldwell's place." 49,.
"I'm going by there. Cant / take
you up2" he asked. ats about six
miles. You're not Miss Preston. are
your ....
"Oh, yes l am" answered Pipes.
"Whyf Did he send you down to
meet mef"
The young man nodded, gravely.
II was sent down to meet Miss Con.
stance Preston, from New York. You
see," he added. II thought you'd be
about twenty-five"
II am sixteen" replied Pipes, with
her best air of 'aioofness.
The camp was In the hemlock belt
on the south side Of Indian Leap. The
lodge was a big one-storied affair
surrounded BY wide veranda. Miss
Eunice Caldwell, a dear little old lady
who slept most Of the time, was chate-
laine and hostess. Mr.. Caldwell, him
self was like nothing 20 much as a
big, shaggy mountain bear. He was
out all day long, following his pur-
suits as naturalist, and Pipes
tramped with him happily. Very un.
expectedly Miss Eunice let the cat out
Of the bag.
"You know" she said, In her COM
Portable way one day when Pipes and
she were alone, II have to laugh to
see how reconciled Horace 10 getting.
When he wrote that letter think he
rather hoped that Eve would come up.
l haven't seen your sisters, my dear,
but I believe that Evelyn 10 the pretty
one"
YEP" answered Pipes, happily.
'Eve Is the pretty one. Teen Is the
clever one, and I am the freckled one.
I'm sorry he was disappointed"
"Oh, but he isn't now, my dear. It's
quite satisfactory. You see, it's very
lonesome for him when Gerard 10
away"
Pipes paid no attention to the words
then. She was getting ready for a
trip to Indian Leap sfter q particular
kind Of moth they had been hunting
for weeks.
They missed her at lunch time. but
1t was not until twilight that Gerard
began to be frankly uneasy. Miss Eu-
nice told him that Pipes had gone over
to the Leap after some sort of bug.
The two men started out with lanterns
to seek her. Gerard never forgot that
night and its dangers. The Leap was
sheer fall into chasm hundreds Of
feet deep. With Mr.. Caldwell's help,
he lowered himself over the precpiee
when they heard her hrst answering
call for help.
TITS Just my ankle" said Pipes.
"And maybe a shoulder and collar.
bone. was getting down here all
right when slipped and fell, but got
the moth, tell him. Don't crush It It's
In the net"
It was a month later whea the
Preston family received letter from
Mr.. Caldwell:
~ am sure you won't mind my keep
Ing Pipes here until she 10 fully recov.
cred. She's engaged to my nephew
and the two Of them will have oil I've
got. They're very happy. I'm sorry
the older girl could not have enjoyed
II vacation here also"
The two girls were silent, but Dick
chuckled.