Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-11-01
CHAPTER xIx-contInued.
-

MIS-. W6dIHGISlOH0 OyClluS llLlCu
with involuntary surprise. Mrs. Pen
field smiled, but made no explanation.
Experience in a wealthy family had
given her this knowledge, but she al
lowed the information to stand alone,
as Mrs Weatherstone would have
done.
"Pd only just begun to iron the
hangings,'' continued Mrs. Penfield
presently. She held up length OF
rose silk embroidered in a scattered
design of self color Mrs. Weather
stone stripped off her glove and felt
of the material She shook her head.
81 wouldn't have believed it could
be done. It's marvellous. Do you
mean, Mrs. Penfeld, that you washed
this and the spread in the water, as
you would white embroideries?
sLand, no. I'd have ruined 'em that
way for sure. 1 washed 'em with
bag"
with "a Did you say bag?"
eyes, like this ONE Mrs. Penfeld
produced, from the cupboard small
bag of muslin. half filed with soft
substance.
Mrs. Weatherstone felt of that, too,
but was still puzzled.
els it something that you buy?"
Mrs. Penfeld laughed. "Oh, no, ]
make 'em myself. It's mixture of
grains and"
"Stop!" cried Mrs. Weatherstone.
throwing up her hand in a gesture Of
quick authority. "Don't you tell me
what's in it."
"Why not? I'd just as soon you'd
know as not"
Don't you tell me-or anybody else.
Don't you tell a soul what's in it"
Mrs. Penfield gazed at her in silent
bewilderment.
"You remember what say. Keep it
to yourself"
Il don't see why" said Mrs. Pen
field slowly. sIt's just something
worked OUT, and it's been wonderful
for the children's dresses. I can keep.
bingham as bright as ever-if it amt
faded to begin with. stumbled on it
first by accident, and then I expert
mented till I got the right ingredients
and proportions and"
''Thats Just It." nodded Mrs. Wealth
erstone, 'and you've worked out
method that is ahead of the CONNER
cial methods. You keep your own coun-
sci till / talk with man I know who
owns chain Of laundries. I'll have
him come to talk with you"
A flash of gratitude lighted Mrs.
Penfeld's brown eyes. "Oh, if it could
be worth something's" she stammered.
81 never had thought of that. And l
thank you. always knew you were
kind"
Mrs. Weatherstone's glance travelled
briefly around the bare kitchen; rest
cd on Lettie, who had followed silent
"; skipped to Thad, who had padded
in from the yard -. She bit her lips,
as if an unwelcome conclusion about
her own thoughtfulness had forced its
way into her mind.
'I'm sorry / was impatient, Mrs.
Penfeld," she apologized, as they went
back into the living-roonl, ''but 1 never
dreamed you were so skillful." She
was fastening her scarf as she spoke.
"Oh, do wait a minute, please"
begged Mrs. Penfeld. 'eThat sounds
like Crink's whistle. He'd be so glad
to meet your
Crink came in at the big door, Crink
in the turned oyercoat, pulling off his
shabby cap. Lettie and Thad in their
thin cotton, were dressed according to
the sunshine and the really mild tenn
perature; but Crink, coming in contact
with the outside world, was dressed
according to the calendar month Of
January, nominally winter.
"This is Crink," said Mrs. Penfeld.
proudly. "Crink, amt it grand to see
Mrs. Weatherstone?"
ST should say! I" Crink stepped for
ward eagerly. .wanter thank you for
this here overcoat. Gee, it's dandy
1t was pretty good last winter but
now't Pennies turned it, amt nobody
got better"
"Yousturned Gera1dine's coati" MUIR
INJURED Mrs. Weatherstone. "Why, 1
never should imagine it wasn't new"
Drawing on her glove, she became gra-
ciously conversational. "Crink, my
dear, is it possible that you and Lettie
are twins? You're about the same
size, but your coloring is so different !"
No, ma'am, we amt twins. I'm most
ten, but l don't know how old Lettie is.
What would you say, Penzie?"
II expect Lettie's younger smiled
Mrs. Penfeld. "Only a few months,
likely. And you know we're guessing
more or less bout your age, too. 'Prox-
innate ages'll do very well for all three
Of you. There's heap of things more
important"
Mrs. Weatherstone paused with her
fingers on the clasp of the glove. she
had been about to fasten. Her dark
eyes were full of inquiry, but her lips
were polite.
Mrs. Penfield answered her express
sion. '"They weren't mine at all origin
ally. FL lost my own.''
oh. But they are related?"
''Bless you, no. / just adopted 'em."
Mrs. Penf1eld waved her hand careless
ly, in rather correct indication of the
vague beginnings which all three had
had.
Observation-Disclosures children?" ex-
claimed Mrs. Weatherstone.
'Why, yes It wasn't nothing.
wanted TO- and could as WELLS NOT