The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1918-06-14
CHAPTER xlii-Continued.

and tell her we. kept praying all the
time? Prudence Is such a great hand
for praying, you know"
Fairy promised. and the twins crept
upstairs. 1t was dark in their room.
"We'l undress in the dark SO as not
to awake poor little Connie" whis>
pered Lark. ITS nice she can sleep
iike that, isn't it,"
And the twins went to bed, and fell
asleep after while, never doubling
that Connie. in her corner of the room,
was already safe and happy in the OBJ
ivion Of slumber.
But poor Connie! She had not WAX
ened when Fairy closed the dungeon
door. 1t was long afterward when she
sat up and began rubbing her eyes
She did not know where she was. Then
she remembered! She wondered IL
Prudence She scrambled to her
feet, and trotted over to the dungeon
door. 1t was locked; she could not
turn the knob. At first she thought Of
screaming and pounding on the door.
'But that will arouse Prudence, and
frghten her, and maybe kill her." she
thought wretchedly. "I'll just keep
Still unt1l someone paSSeS.
But no one passed for long time.
and Connie stretched her aching body
and sobbed, worrying about Prudence,
fearful on her OWL account She had
no idea of the time. She supposed it
was still early. And the parsonage
was deathly quiet. Maybe Prudence
had died! Connie writhed in agony
on the hard floor, and sobbed bitterly.
Still she would not risk pounding on
the dungeon door.
Upstairs, in the front ROOM Prudence
was wrestling with fever. Higher and
higher 1t rose, until the doctors looked
very anxious. They held brief con-
sultation In the corner Of the room.
q Then they beckoned to Mr.. Starr.
HAS Prudence been worrying about
something this winterr"
Yes, she has,"
ut Is that young man, isn't itf' In
quired the family doctor-a Methodist
member"
YES"
'Can you bring him here?"
"Yes-as soon as he can get here
from Des Moines."
herself down nearly to the point of
prostration. We think we can break
this fever without serious conse
quences, but get the young man as soon
as possible. She cannot relax and rest
until she gets relief"
So he went downstairs and over the
telephone dictated a short message to
Jerry: please come-Prudence."
When he entered the front bedroom
again, Prudence was muttering unin
telligible words under her breath. He
kneeled down beside the bed and put
his arms arozad her. She clung to him
with sudden passion.
"Jerry! jerry" she cried. Her IA
ther caressed and petted her, but did
cot speak.
"Oh, can't" she cried again. II
can't, Jerry. can't!" Again her voice
fell to low mumbling. Eyes, go. Go at
once. I promised, you know. They
haven't any mother Il promised.
Jerry! Jerry!" Then. painting. she
fell back on the pillows.
But Mr.. Starr smiled gently to him.
self. So that was the answer! Oh,
foolish little Prudence! Oh, sweet
hearted little martyr girl!
Hours later the fever broke and
Prudence drifted into a deep sleep.
Then the doctors went downstairs with
Or. Starr, talking in quiet, ordinary
ones.
''Oh, she Is all right now, no danger
at all. She'll do fine. Let her sleep.
Send Fairy to bed, too. Keep Prudence
quiet few days-that's all. She's all
light"
They did not hear the timid knock
at the dungeon door. But after they
had gone out, Mr.. Starr locked the
door behind them, and started back
through the hall to see If the kitchen
doors were locked. He distinctly
heard soft tapping, and he smiled.
'Micew he thought. Then he heard
something elsa family whispered,
"Father!"
With a SHARP exclamation he un-
locked and opened the dungeon door,
end Connie fell into his arms, sobbing
piteously And he did the only wise
thing to do under the circumstances
He sat down on the hall floor and
cuddled the child against his breast.
He talked to her soothingly until the
sobs Quieted, and her voice was under
control.
"Now, tell father" he urged, show
did you get In the dungeon? The
twins"
"Oh, no, father, Of course not; the
twins wouldn't do such thing as
thot IN thn Inn 10
that Prudence would get well. And l
prayed myself to sleep. When woke
up the door was locked"
But you precious child" he whis-
pered, "why didn't you call out, or