The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-10-11


is, look out that Won don't take cold.
entertaining us in n room that don't
get any sun. Here. let me put this
little shawl 'ronnd your shoulders.
You mustn't take any, chances. you
know"
without waiting for assent, she
snatched the crocheted shawl from the
table and proffered It to her hostess.
And Mrs. Percy. the spoiled. the
waited-on. was Instantly mollified.
She accepted the service with muir
INJURED gratitude.
No sooner had Mrs. Penfield re-
sumed her seat. however, than 1t was
Mrs. Percy who did the springing.
She came to her feet with a ponder
Gus agility very different from her
previous manner.
"Ughi Ugh The nasty thingl"
she screamed. "Ohl OH Take 1t
or Oil There's two of iti Take
IT.
Mrs. Sanders plunged to the rescue.
With careless gesture, Mrs. Penfield
swung in ahead of her. an do It,"
she announced In a tone Of renuhcia-
tive in perilous enterprise e
Help me ~ cried Mrs. Percy. "They
stick. Take the shawl ey
With her left hand she was trying
to disengage from the fuzzy shawl
first one and then the other Of two
small caterpillars.
."Well, I declare TO goodness p ex-
claimed Mrs. Penfield safely. Her
hands were busy With the shawl, but
in some way, not explained, 1t had
become entangled. In the buttons of
~ -ttf Vvl4
the green sweater, and 1t was not
easily freed. Mrs. Percy's agitation
steadily grew.
"They must have come in the win
dow. l can't stand the nasty little
things. oh-oh. take 1t off. Tear it
anythingl Oh-oh. good heavens,
look, look I"
Her shaking finger pointed at Mrs.
Penfield herself. and two curious
things at once became evident. One
was that Mrs. Percy was using her
right hand; the other, that an active
caterpillar was excursioning up the
front of Mrs. Penfield's dress.
"Well, did you everr' interjected
Mrs. Penfield.
But at this point Mrs. Percy de-
cided that caterpillars were after her;
and her nerves gave way. With a
Shrek. she wrenched and tore at the
shawl, using both hands indiscriml-
nately. Fairly beside herself, she
stormed about the roomv forgetful of
feet that dragged. of legs that refused
to be supple. She shivered and
screamed and fought the air with
nervous lashing of both arms. Her
dark eyes shot mad glances In every
direction. searching for more cater
pillars.
"I know what 'tis." she howled.
ITS pest We're going to be over
run. They'll come in the doors and
windows. And Il hate the crawling
things. Oh, what shall we do7 What
shall We"
Suddenly she stopped. Her arms
dropped. She had become conscious
of the interested, significant gaze of
her guests-a gaze that reminded her
of many things. A .n0f
UGH" she cried. "Aint this aw-
full? ri suffer for II later"
Mrs. Sanders clasped her hands fer
vently "Oh, I'm so glad It happened
There amt no more cnterpillars
here: I've looked. And they-they've
brought you out OF it."
Mrs. Percy gasped. "It vast was
only superhuman-"
mo Mrs. Percy" broke in Mrs.
Penfield brightly. 81 been watching
how you did it, and It was just as
natural as could be- You'll find it'll
he permanent-mark my words. It's
plain as can he that the whole trouble
was nerves getting wound up. oa ac-
count of worrying. mebbe; and they've
unwOund now. ANY dOctOr'd tell you
.hat you've limbered np to stay. Why.
don't you b'lieve II? Well, then, I'll
tell YOU what: We'll have doctor in
to tell You himself We amt going. to
have you fretting over something
fhat don't really all you"
Mrs Percy looked at her heiplessly.
with a smoldering fire in her black
eyes "Much you know about 1t.
expect it'll come back"
"No. 1t won't" said Mrs. Penfield
firmly. ''If 1t does, well have the
doctor, cause The Custard Cup amt
going to see you suffer 'thout helping
you out We're your friends"
"Oh-oh. yes. +"
bright look flashed across Mrs
Penfield's face. "Oh, won't Lorene be
happy? / can't walt to tell her. And
now there amt nothing standing in
her way. Doesn't II. seem like provi.
dence that you said you wouldn't OBJ
ject any more If"
II didn't say" interposed Mrs
Percy hotly.
Mrs. Sanders eyes were very wide
"Oh. yes, you did, Mrs. Percy.
heard you." i-'
, Mrs. Penfield extended her hant
with genial smile. II am so trul,
glad" she said in low, deep voice
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