and when even the laughter of her
sisters smote harshly upon her ears. She tried to be as always, but in
her eyes the wounded look lingered, and her face grew so pale and thin
that her father and Fairy, anxiously watching, were filled with grave
concern. She remained almost constantly in the parsonage, reading very
little, sitting most of her leisure time staring out the windows.

Fairy had tried to win her confidence, and had failed.

"You are a darling, Fairy, but I really do not want to talk about
it.--Oh, no, indeed, it is all my own fault. I told him to go, and not
come again.--No, you are wrong, Fairy, I do not regret it. I do not
want him to come any more."

And Fairy worried. What in the world had happened to separate in the
morning these two who had been kissing so frankly in the back yard the
evening before?

Mr. Starr, too, had tried. "Prudence," he said gently, "you know very
often men do things that to women seem wrong and wicked. And maybe
they are! But men and women are different by nature, my dear, and we
must remember that. I have satisfied myself that Jerry is good, and
clean, and manly. I do not think you should let any foolishness of his
in the past, come between you now."

"You are mistaken, father. Jerry is all right, and always was, I am
sure. It is nothing like that. I told him to go, and not to come
again. That is all."

"But if he should come back now----"

"It would be just the same. Don't worry about it, father. It's all
right."

"Prudence," he said, more tenderly, "we have been the closest of
friends and companions, you and I, from the very beginning. Always you
have come to me with your troubles and worries. Have I ever failed
you? Why, then, do you go back on me now, when you really need me?"

Prudence patted his shoulder affectionately, but her eyes did not meet
his. "I do not really need you now, father. It is all settled, and I
am quite satisfied. Things are all right with me just as they are."

Then he took a serious step, without her knowledge. He went to Des
Moines, and had a visit with Jerry. He found him thinner, his face
sterner, his eyes darker. When the office boy announced "Mr. Starr,"
Jerry ran quickly out to greet him.

"Is she all right?" he cried eagerly, almost before he was within
hailing distance.

Mr. Starr did not mince matters. "Jerry," he said abruptly, "did you
and Prudence have a quarrel? She declines to tell me anything ab