Picture Play Magazine (Oct-Nov 1915)

PICTURE-PLAY WEEKLY 9 "Will you tell them?" she asked in a whisper. * Doctor Warren turned away, and : "gulped. "Yes," he said shortly. "I'll tell ;: :father to-night." : 1 They had reached the hotel, and he handed her up the stairs. "Good night, Prudence, my love," he said softly. She blew him a kiss, as she went slowly up the broad stairway. "Father," said young Doctor Warren, as he came in, "I am in love." Old Colonel Warren jumped up. "Glad of it! Fine!" he exclaimed, rubbing his hands together. "I knew it would only be a question of time until you made up your mind to take Jean." "But it's not Jean," said his son doggedly. "It's Prudence Allen, a sister of one of the wounded Northern soldiers in the hospital." This revelation caused the old man to sink into his chair and pull ferociously at his mustaches. "Boy," he said in a strained voice, "you don't mean what you say, I trust?" Doctor Warren shook his head and said : "Yes, I do." His father rose. "A man who marries a Northern Yankee girl is no son of mine !" he thundered. "Do you hear me, sir? No son of mine!" His son turned away, jaw' hardening. "Be that as it may, I love her," he said simply, as he strode from the room. "Why, why " exploded the colonel, "Jean has already sent her trunk ; it arrived this afternoon, and is now upstairs. What will she think?" Doctor Warren, his face set, was passing out on his way to the hospital the next morning when the old darky handed him a letter. He tore it open sharply, and the next instant a look of bewilderment filled his eyes as he read: "Dear John: I know you will be Jjj waiting for me, and I know that you will think me an awfully selfish girl, but I must say that I love another man, and I used this method as the ruse. I hope you will forgive me, but I love Henry St. John. Yours, "Jean Harkness." With a cry of astonishment, Doctor Warren lowered the letter. '"So," he said, "Jean is eloping! By George !" He stuffed the letter into his pocket, and hurried to the hospital, a smile crossing his lips as he entered. Joe Allen and Prudence looked up at him. "Come, Prudence," he said, after first greetings were over, "let's go for a walk. You don't mind, do you, Joe? I've got something I must tell Prudence." "Not at all," smiled Joe knowingly, winking at the young, excited physician. "Read that," he said, thrusting the letter into her hands, when they had reached the quieter part of the town. Prudence read the letter, then raised her eyes to his. "I'm awfully sorry, dear," she said. "Sorry?" Doctor Warren cried. "Sorry? Why, I'm delighted beyond the power of speech. I'm so glad that I believe I will hug you here and now." Prudence drew back. "No, don't !" she said in mock terror. He laughed gayly. "Now, listen, Prudence. You are Jean Harkness !" "I?" she exclaimed. "What do you mean ?" "Don't you see?" he cried. "The old folks haven't seen Jean in four years or more. They don't know just how she looks now. And, if you love me, Prudence, do as I plan. You will present yourself as Jean to my folks. And then we will pretend that we don't like each other just to keep up the game." Prudence listened to him, then slowly shook her head. "No, John ; no. We can't do that ! It wouldn't be right !" "Right!" he answered fiercely. "Is anything in love right? You must, Prudence. It is our only chance." "But," she demurred, "suppose they discover that they have been hoaxed?" "Oh," he said, "certainly there is danger in it, but think of what it means to both of us, Prudence." His appeal touched her heart. In a faltering tone she responded : "All right. For you, dear, I'll do it. Only, I hope it won't make your parents angry with me." "Now, you leave that to me, Prudence, my dear girl, and I'll straighten out all tangles that develop. Listen, I'll go home now, and you come in half an hour. Do you hear?" "Yes," she whispered, a bit of fear showing in her eyes. When Doctor Warren arrived home, he found his father pacing the room. "Still thinking of my decision of last night?" his son asked softly. The old colonel turned and faced him. "Yes," he muttered, "that a son of mine should ever think of marrying a confounded Yankee!" He almost choked in his wrath. "But I'm not," went on Doctor Wairen imperturbably. "I have decided that I will follow your wishes in the matter." "My son," gasped the old man, "you — you mean it?" "Never was more serious in my life," said his son, winking at his reflection in the mirror. "You're a true gray soldier," cried Colonel Warren, clapping him on the back. "John, the house is yours, the lands are yours for that statement." The old fellow almost cried in his joy, running to the doorway to call his wife, to whom he told the wonderful news. "John," said his mother, "I have fixed up a room for Jean already. She should be here any minute now." As if her words were prophetic, the old darky entered and announced: "Miss Jean Harkness !" Doctor Warren turned away to conceal the smile on his lips. An instant later Prudence entered. "Why, my dear Jean," cried the colonel heartily, as he folded her in his arms, "how are you? It is so long since I saw you that I do believe you have changed for the better." "Yes," burst in Mrs. Warren, "you are better looking now than you were as a child," she said, examining Prudence closely. A great sigh came from Prudence's lips, and she looked to Doctor Warren. "Stick to it !" his lips spelled, and she smiled and said : "Yes, doesn't it seem strange, Colonel and Mrs. Warren, how a girl changes when she reaches womanhood?" "But always for the better," gallantly said the colonel. "Always for the better. Isn't that right, mother?" turning to his wife. "Oh, by the way, Jean. This is our boy, Doctor Warren now, if you please, with whom you used to play when you were small." Prudence moved to her lover. "How are you?" she said in a low tone. "Pretty well, I thank you," answered Doctor Warren, taking the hand and bowing over it dispiritedly. "I trust you will find your stay pleasant."