The Idaho Springs siftings-news. (Idaho Springs, Colo.) 1905-19??, 1918-05-17
CHAPTER X.
Reused From Her slumber.

Reused From Her Slumber.
At twenty minutes to four the par
sonage family clustered excitedly in |
the sitting room, which the sunshine |
flooded cheerily. They were waiting |
for the hero of Prudence's romance.
"Oh, Larkie. will you run upstairs
and bring my lace handkerchief?
Would you keep these pearls on.
Fairy, or would you take them OFT"
II would keep them on, Prue. You
do look SO sweet, but your face is very
flushed. am afraid you are feverish.
Maybe we had better not let him see
Prue today. father"
"Fairy!" exclaimed Prudence. Lis
ten, listen, girls! Look, Fairy, and see
If that is he! Yes, it Is, l KNOW
can tell by his walk" Warm rich
color dyed her face and throat. and
she clasped her hands over her heart,
wondering If Connie beside her could
hear Its tumult.
'Tl 60 to the door," said Father
Starr, and Prudence looked at him
beseechingly.
IL am sure he is all right, father.
I-you will be nice to him, won't your"
Without answering, Mr.. Starr left
the room. He could not trust his voice.
Listen. girls, want to hear" whis-
pered Prudence And she smiled as
she heard her fathers cordial voice.
you are Mr.. Harmer, aren't you?
l am Prudences father. Come right
In. The whole family is assembled to
do you honor. The girls have already
made you a prince in disguise. Come
back this way. Prudence is resting
very nicely"
When the two men stepped into the
sitting room, Prudence, for once, quite
overlooked her father. She lifted her
eyes to Jerrold Harmers face. and
waited, breathless. Nor was he long
in finding her among the bevy of girls.
He walked at once to the bed, and
took her hand.
my little comrade Of the road" he
said gayly, but with tenderness. "Tm
afraid you are not feeling well enough
for callers today"
"Oh, yes, 1 am" protested Prudence
with strange shyness.
He turned to the other girls, and
greeted them easily. He was entirely
self-possessed. Miss Starr told me so
much about you that l know you all to
begin with" He smiled at Fairy as
he added, "In fact, she predicted that
am to fall in love with you. And so,
very likely, I should, If I hadn't met
your sister first"
They all laughed at that, and then
he walked back and stood by Prudence
once more. "Was 1t a bad sprain?
Does it pain you very badly? You
look tired. I am afraid 1t was an i'm
position for me to come this after
noon."
"Oh, don't worry about that" put in
to come. She's been getting us ready
for you ever since the doctor left.
think it was kind of silly for me to
wear my blue just for one caller"
The twins glared ut her, realizing
that she was discrediting the parson-
age, but Jerrold Harmer laughed, and
Prudence Joined him.
"It Is quite true" she admitted
frankly. 1.-The mule and I disgraced
the parsonage this morning, and
wanted the rest of you to redeem 1t
this afternoon" She looked at him
inquiringly. 'Then you had another
coatY
mo, didn't. saw this one In
window this morning, and couldn't re-
sist it. Was the ride very hard ON
your ankle?"
Mr.. Starr was puzzled. Evidently it
was not lack of funds which brought
this man on foot from Des Moines to
Mount Mark, halfway across the
state! He did not look like a man
fleeing from justice. What, then, was
the explanation?
you must have found 1t rather a
long walk" he began tentatively, his
eyes on the young mans face.
"Yes, I think my feet are little
blistered. I have walked farther than
that many times, but am out Of prac-
tice now. Sometimes, however, walk |
ing is painful necessity"
How long did it take you coming |
from Des Moines to Mount Mark?" In
CURED Carol in a subdued and respect |
full voice, and curious, withal.
From Des Moines," he gasped. |
Good heavens! I did not walk from |
Des Moinesl Did you" He turned |
to Prudence questioningly. did you |
think walked clear from Dies
Moines3"
Eyes" And added hastily. "But I |
did not care II you did. 1t did not |
make any difference how you came"