The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1934-11-16

0uduCS " Outd, are al OuI pcl5OhuAAJ
conducted party. Love to the Kurious
Kid.
Yours,
Rod"
Armstrong folded the letter. "The
pilot left an hour ago with my letter
telling Rod to come on with the gang.
Galloway is too keen not to know Of
the work going on at High Lodges. he
must suspect Rods plan, but, just the
same, l wish he might be providential-
ly called out of town an hour of so be.
fore that train arrives"
Prudence shook her head Perhaps
you'll think have four cylinder
mind when it comes to experimenting
-but-I'm afraid Rodney Gerard will
he frightfully disappointed when he
tries to make those men work"
''Pm not. Rod has-better say had
"a lazy manner, but he has developed
into a hard-hitting. daring business
man. He's dynamo when he gets his
mind made up."
A picture flashed on the screen of
Prue's mind: Rodney Gerard stand
ing in the sunshine before the big
barn; she could smell the scent of the
hay, see his eyes deepen to indigo, hear
his voice, low, controlled, declare:
"Pm not in that class you detest.
I'll make you take back what you said
about my being Of that type. I'll make
YOU! 1t will be a no-Quarter battle.
Get me?"
She had been on the verge of taking
it back when Milly Gooch had
would Jean and complicate mat
tiers, Jim, If from a discreet distance
we watched the arrival Of David and
his followers"
"Not If you keep out Of sight. I'll
drop in this evening to report. Take
it easy, Prue. Don't rush to finish
that ROOM"
When he had gone, Prudence laid
her face against the crimson beauty of
the roses and drew long breath of
their fragrance. Lovely things! 1t
wasn't their fault that a man whom
she disliked and distrusted had sent
them. Jim Armstrong didn't know
that Saying it with flowers" was a
habit with Rodney Gerard.
"What will you do first, Miss Prue?"
Jeans question brought Prue's at
tention back to the present. With long
pincers she began to poke among the
colorful tourmalines.
"As there is no need to hurry about
getting the living room in order, I'll
put in an hour at my bench. Change
Of work will rest me. Bring me the
stones from the safe, will you, Jean"
"Goody, love to look at them"
Miss Prue!" Jane Mack appeared
in the doorway. "The market man
phoned. He wants eggs and wants
them quick. He has rush order, and
he says, can you bring them right
down to the village"
Prudence dropped the pincers and
pulled off the panty smock. "Of
course we can, Macky. Come on, Jean,
we'll gather the eggs. Put the packets
of stones in the safe, will you, Macky?
Don't lock it. Leave the tourmalines
on the bench. I may have time to
select the colors when I return"
1t was somewhat difficult to make a
domestic career and an artistic career
jibe, Prudence decided an hour later
in her shop, as again she slipped into
her smock. She had brought the pa
per hanger from the village. David
might decide to come to the red brick
house instead Of going to High Lodges,
she had reasoned, and it would be bet
ter to have the living room in order
She picked up the pincers and COM
menced to experiment with the tourma-
lines on a penciled design.
"This sketch isn't right. Bring my
portfolio from the bookcase, will you,
Jeanw
"All-righty."
Prudence poked and fitted. No COM
bination Of stones suited her. She
called over her shoulder:
Cant you find it? 1t ought to be
on the bottom shelf"
'Where did you get this?"
"Get what?" Prudence turned. Jean
was staring at the newspaper picture
of Rodney Gerard and Milly Gooch.
"This. It's a picture of the same
cutey circus rider I found in Uncle
Rods desk in the gun room at High
Lodges. She'd written--I suppose she
wrote them-some slushy words on the
back. Stopped with just | o. Why
didn't she finish it?"
A laugh, a hateful laugh, cut into
her excited question. Jean stared at
her father in the doorway; the clip
ping fiuttered to his feet.
$50 you found picture in your
uncle's desk? Frying again, my dar-
ling daughter?" He mimicked his
wife's tone. "What happened to the
photograph with the word love un-
finished?"
Jean gulped. Her eyes appealed to
Prudence who put her arm about the
thin shoulders
Answer your father. dear"