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diff --git a/18413-h/18413-h.htm b/18413-h/18413-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..390bb84 --- /dev/null +++ b/18413-h/18413-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,12131 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Prudence of the Parsonage, by Ethel Hueston</title> +<style type="text/css"> +BODY { color: Black; + background: White; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-size: medium; + font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; + text-align: justify } + +P {text-indent: 4% } + +P.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +P.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-size: small } + +P.letter {font-size: small } + + hr.full { width: 100%; + height: 5px; } + a:link {color:#0000ff; + text-decoration:none; } + link {color:#0000ff; + text-decoration:none; } + a:visited {color:#0000ff; + text-decoration:none; } + a:hover {color:#ff0000; + text-decoration: underline; } + pre {font-size: 75%; } + +</style> +</head> +<body> +<h1 align="center">The Project Gutenberg eBook, Prudence of the Parsonage, by Ethel Hueston, +Illustrated by Arthur William Brown</h1> +<pre> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: Prudence of the Parsonage</p> +<p>Author: Ethel Hueston</p> +<p>Release Date: May 18, 2006 [eBook #18413]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PRUDENCE OF THE PARSONAGE***</p> +<br><br><center><h3>E-text prepared by Al Haines</h3></center><br><br> +<hr class="full" noshade> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<A NAME="img-front"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG SRC="images/img-front.jpg" ALT=""What did you put in this soup, Prudence?"" BORDER="2" WIDTH="369" HEIGHT="557"> +<H4> +[Frontispiece: "What did you put in this soup, Prudence?"] +</H4> +</CENTER> + +<BR><BR> + +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +PRUDENCE OF THE PARSONAGE +</H1> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +BY +</H3> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +ETHEL HUESTON +</H2> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY +<BR> +ARTHUR WILLIAM BROWN +</H3> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +NEW YORK +<BR> +GROSSET & DUNLAP +<BR> +PUBLISHERS +</H4> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H5 ALIGN="center"> +COPYRIGHT 1915 +<BR> +THE BOBBS-MERRILL COMPANY +</H5> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +TO MY MOTHER +<BR><BR> +WHO DEVOTED HER LIFE TO REARING +<BR> +A WHOLE PARSONAGE-FULL OF ROLLICKING +<BR> +YOUNG METHODISTS +</H3> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +CONTENTS +</H2> + +<BR> + +<CENTER> + +<TABLE WIDTH="80%"> +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">CHAPTER</TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> </TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">I </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap01">INTRODUCING HER</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">II </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap02">THE REST OF THE FAMILY</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">III </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap03">THE LADIES' AID</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">IV </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap04">A SECRET SOCIETY</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">V </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap05">THE TWINS STICK UP FOR THE BIBLE</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">VI </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap06">AN ADMIRER</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">VII </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap07">LESSONS IN ETIQUETTE</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">VIII </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap08">THE FIRST DARK SHADOW OF WINTER</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">IX </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap09">PRACTISING ECONOMY</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">X </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap10">A BURGLAR'S VISIT</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XI </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap11">ROMANCE COMES</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XII </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap12">ROUSED FROM HER SLUMBER</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XIII </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap13">SHE ORDERS HER LIFE</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XIV </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap14">SHE COMES TO GRIEF</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XV </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap15">FATE TAKES CHARGE</A></TD> +</TR> + +</TABLE> + +</CENTER> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +ILLUSTRATIONS +</H2> + +<BR> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#img-front"> +"What did you put in this soup, Prudence?" . . . . . . <I>Frontispiece</I> +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#img-078"> +"If you'll shut the door one minute,<BR> +we'll have everything exactly as you left it." +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#img-164"> +"Yes, and have refreshments for just you two?" +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#img-274"> +"She predicted I'm to fall in love with you." +</A> +</H3> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap01"></A> +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +PRUDENCE OF THE PARSONAGE +</H1> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER I +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +INTRODUCING HER +</H3> + +<P> +None but the residents consider Mount Mark, Iowa, much of a town, and +those who are honest among them admit, although reluctantly, that Mount +Mark can boast of far more patriotism than good judgment! But the +<I>very most</I> patriotic of them all has no word of praise for the ugly +little red C., B. & Q. railway station. If pretty is as pretty does, +as we have been told so unpleasantly often, then the station is +handsome enough, but as an ornament to the commonwealth it is a dismal +failure,—low, smoky and dust-grimed. In winter its bleakness and +bareness add to the chill of the rigorous Iowa temperature, and in +summer the sap oozing through the boards is disagreeably suggestive of +perspiration. The waiting-room itself is "cleaned" every day, and yet +the same dust lies in the corners where it has lain for lo, these many +years. And as for the cobwebs, their chief distinction lies in their +ripe old age. If there were only seven spiders in the ark, after the +subsiding of the waters, at least a majority of them must have found +their way to Mount Mark station in South-eastern Iowa. +</P> + +<P> +Mount Mark is anything but proud of the little station. It openly +scoffs at it, and sniffs contemptuously at the ticket agent who bears +the entire C., B. & Q. reputation upon his humble shoulders. At the +same time, it certainly does owe the railroad and the state a debt of +gratitude for its presence there. It is the favorite social rendezvous +for the community! Only four passenger trains daily pass through Mount +Mark,—not including the expresses, which rush haughtily by with no +more than a scornful whistle for the sleepy town, and in return for +this indignity, Mount Mark cherishes a most unchristian antipathy +toward those demon fliers. +</P> + +<P> +But the "passengers"—ah, that is a different matter. The arrival of a +passenger train in Mount Mark is an event—something in the nature of a +C., B. & Q. "At Home," and is always attended by a large and +enthusiastic gathering of "our best people." All that is lacking are +the proverbial "light refreshments!" +</P> + +<P> +So it happened that one sultry morning, late in the month of August, +there was the usual flutter of excitement and confusion on the platform +and in the waiting-room of the station. The habitués were there in +force. Conspicuous among them were four gaily dressed young men, +smoking cigarettes and gazing with lack-luster eyes upon the animated +scene, which evidently bored them. All the same, they invariably +appeared at the depot to witness this event, stirring to others no +doubt, but incapable of arousing the interest of these life-weary +youths. They comprised the Slaughter-house Quartette, and were the +most familiar and notorious characters in all the town. +</P> + +<P> +<I>The Daily News</I> reporter, in a well-creased, light gray suit and tan +shoes, and with eye-glasses scientifically balanced on his aquiline +nose, was making pointed inquiries into the private plans of the +travelers. <I>The Daily News</I> reporters in Mount Mark always wear +well-creased, light gray suits and tan shoes, and always have +eye-glasses scientifically balanced on aquiline noses. The uninitiated +can not understand how it is managed, but there lies the fact. Perhaps +<I>The News</I> includes these details in its requirements of applicants. +Possibly it furnishes the gray suits and the tan shoes, and even the +eye-glasses. Of course, the reporters can practise balancing them +scientifically,—but how does it happen that they always have aquiline +noses? At any rate, that is the Mount Mark type. It never varies. +</P> + +<P> +The young woman going to Burlington to spend the week-end was +surrounded with about fifteen other young women who had come to "see +her off." She had relatives in Burlington and went there very often, +and she used to say she was glad she didn't have to exchange Christmas +presents with all the "friends" who witnessed her arrivals and +departures at the station. Mount Mark is a very respectable town, be +it understood, and girls do not go to the station without an excuse! +</P> + +<P> +The Adams Express wagon was drawn close to the track, and the agent was +rushing about with a breathless energy which seemed all out of +proportion to his accomplishments. The telegraph operator was gazing +earnestly out of his open window, and his hands were busily moving +papers from one pigeon-hole to another, and back again. Old Harvey +Reel, who drove the hotel bus, was discussing politics with the man who +kept the restaurant, and the baggage master, superior and supremely +dirty, was checking baggage with his almost unendurably lordly air. +</P> + +<P> +This was one of the four daily rejuvenations that gladdened the heart +of Mount Mark. +</P> + +<P> +A man in a black business suit stood alone on the platform, his hands +in his pockets, his eyes wandering from one to another of the strange +faces about him. His plain white ready-made tie proclaimed his calling. +</P> + +<P> +"It's the new Methodist preacher," volunteered the baggage master, +crossing the platform, ostensibly on business bound, but really to see +"who all" was there. "I know him. He's not a bad sort." +</P> + +<P> +"They say he's got five kids, and most of 'em girls," responded the +Adams Express man. "I've ordered me a dress suit to pay my respects in +when they get here. I want to be on hand early to pick me out a girl." +</P> + +<P> +"Yah," mocked the telegraph operator, bobbing his head through the +window, "you need to. They tell me every girl in Mount Mark has turned +you down a'ready." +</P> + +<P> +But the Methodist minister, gazing away down the track where a thin +curl of smoke announced the coming of Number Nine, and Prudence,—heard +nothing of this conversation. He was not a handsome man. His hair was +gray at the temples, his face was earnest, only saved from severity by +the little clusters of lines at his eyes and mouth which proclaimed +that he laughed often, and with relish. +</P> + +<P> +"Train going east!" +</P> + +<P> +The minister stood back from the crowd, but when the train came +pounding in a brightness leaped into his eyes that entirely changed the +expression of his face. A slender girl stood in the vestibule, leaning +dangerously outward, and waving wildly at him a small gloved hand. +When the train stopped she leaped lightly from the steps, ignoring the +stool placed for her feet by the conductor. +</P> + +<P> +"Father!" she cried excitedly and small and slight as she was, she +elbowed her way swiftly through the gaping crowd. "Oh, father!" And +she flung her arms about him joyously, unconscious of the admiring eyes +of the Adams Express man, and the telegraph operator, and old Harvey +Reel, whose eyes were always admiring when girls passed by. She did +not even observe that the Slaughterhouse Quartette looked at her +unanimously, with languid interest from out the wreaths of smoke they +had created. +</P> + +<P> +Her father kissed her warmly. "Where is your baggage?" he asked, a +hand held out to relieve her. +</P> + +<P> +"Here!" And with a radiant smile she thrust upon him a box of candy +and a gaudy-covered magazine. +</P> + +<P> +"Your suit-case," he explained patiently. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh!" she gasped. "Run, father, run! I left it on the train!" +</P> + +<P> +Father did run, but Prudence, fleeter-footed, out-distanced him and +clambered on board, panting. +</P> + +<P> +When she rejoined her father her face was flushed. "Oh, father," she +said quite snappily, "isn't that just like me?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, very like," he agreed, and he smiled. "Where is your umbrella?" +</P> + +<P> +Prudence stopped abruptly. "I don't know," she said, with a stony +face. "I can't remember a blessed thing about the old umbrella. Oh, I +guess I didn't bring it, at all." She breathed long in her relief. +"Yes, that's it, father, I left it at Aunt Grace's. Don't you worry +about it. Fairy'll bring it to-morrow. Isn't it nice that we can +count on Fairy's remembering?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, very nice," he said, but his eyes were tender as he looked down +at the little figure beside him. +</P> + +<P> +"And so this is Mount Mark! Isn't it a funny name, father? Why do +they call it Mount Mark?" +</P> + +<P> +"I don't know. I hadn't thought to inquire. We turn here, Prudence; +we are going north now. This is Main Street. The city part of the +town—the business part—is to the south." +</P> + +<P> +"It's a pretty street, isn't it?" she cried. "Such nice big maples, +and such shady, porchy houses. I love houses with porches, don't you? +Has the parsonage a porch?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, a big one on the south, and a tiny one in front. The house faces +west. That is the college there. It opens in three weeks, and Fairy +can make freshmen all right, they tell me. I wish you could go, too. +You haven't had your share of anything—any good thing, Prudence." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I have my share of you, father," she said comfortingly. "And +I've always had my share of oatmeal and sorghum molasses,—though one +wouldn't think it to look at me. Fairy gained a whole inch last week +at Aunt Grace's. She was so disgusted with herself. She says she'll +not be able to look back on the visit with any pleasure at all, just +because of that inch. Carol said she ought to look back with more +pleasure, because there's an inch more of her to do it! But Fairy says +she did not gain the inch in her eyes! Aunt Grace laughed every minute +we were there. She says she is all sore up and down, from laughing so +much." +</P> + +<P> +"We have the house fixed up pretty well, Prudence, but of course you'll +have to go over it yourself and arrange it as you like. But remember +this: You are not allowed to move the heavy furniture. I forbid it +emphatically. There isn't enough of you for that." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I'll remember,—I think I will. I'm almost certain to remember +some things, you know." +</P> + +<P> +"I must go to a trustees' meeting at two o'clock, but we can get a good +deal done before then. Mrs. Adams is coming to help you this +afternoon. She is one of our Ladies, and very kind. There, that is +the parsonage!" +</P> + +<P> +Prudence gazed in silence. Many would not have considered it a +beautiful dwelling, but to Prudence it was heavenly. Fortunately the +wide, grassy, shaded lawn greeted one first. Great spreading maples +bordered the street, and clustering rose-bushes lined the walk leading +up to the house. The walk was badly worn and broken to be sure,—but +the roses were lovely! The grass had been carefully cut,—the +father-minister had seen to that. The parsonage, to Prudence's +gratified eyes, looked homey, and big, and inviting. In fact, it was +very nearly gorgeous! It needed painting badly, it is true. The +original color had been a peculiar drab, but most of it had disappeared +long before, so it was no eyesore on account of the color. There were +many windows, and the well-known lace curtains looked down upon +Prudence tripping happily up the little board walk,—or so it seemed to +her. +</P> + +<P> +"Two whole stories, and an attic besides! Not to mention the bathroom! +Oh, father, the night after you wrote there was a bathroom, Constance +thanked God for it when she said her prayers. And I couldn't reprove +her, for I felt the same way about it myself. It'll be so splendid to +have a whole tub to bathe in! I spent half the time bathing this last +week at Aunt Grace's. A tub is so bountiful! A pan is awfully +insufficient, father, even for me! I often think what a trouble it +must be to Fairy! And a furnace, too! And electric lights! Don't you +think there is something awe-inspiring in the idea of just turning a +little knob on the wall, and flooding a whole room with light? I do +revel in electric lights, I tell you. Oh, we have waited a long time +for it, and we've been very patient indeed, but, between you and me, +father, I am most mightily glad we've hit the luxury-land at last. I'm +sure we'll all feel much more religious in a parsonage that has a +bathroom and electric lights! Oh, father!" +</P> + +<P> +He had thrown open the door, and Prudence stood upon the threshold of +her new home. It was not a fashionable building, by any means. The +hall was narrow and long, and the staircase was just a plain +businesslike staircase, with no room for cushions, and flowers, and +books. The doors leading from the hall were open, and Prudence caught +a glimpse of three rooms furnished, rather scantily, in the old +familiar furniture that had been in that other parsonage where Prudence +was born, nineteen years before. +</P> + +<P> +Together she and her father went from room to room, up-stairs and down, +moving a table to the left, a bed to the right,—according to her own +good pleasure. Afterward they had a cozy luncheon for two in the +"dining-room." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, it is so elegant to have a dining-room," breathed Prudence +happily. "I always pretended it was rather fun, and a great saving of +work, to eat and cook and study and live in one room, but inwardly the +idea always outraged me. Is that the school over there?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, that's where Connie will go. There is only one high school in +Mount Mark, so the twins will have to go to the other side of town,—a +long walk, but in good weather they can come home for dinner.—I'm +afraid the kitchen will be too cold in winter, Prudence,—it's hardly +more than a shed, really. Maybe we'd——" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, father, if you love me, don't suggest that we move the stove in +here in winter! I'm perfectly willing to freeze out there, for the +sake of having a dining-room. Did I ever tell you what Carol said +about that kitchen-dining-room-living-room combination at Exminster? +Well, she asked us a riddle, 'When is a dining-room not a dining-room?' +And she answered it herself, 'When it's a little pig-pen.' And I felt +so badly about it, but it did look like a pig-pen, with stove here, and +cupboard there, and table yonder, and—oh, no, father, please let me +freeze!" +</P> + +<P> +"I confess I do not see the connection between a roomful of furniture +and a pig-pen, but Carol's wit is often too subtle for me." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, that's a lovely place over there, father!" exclaimed Prudence, +looking from the living-room windows toward the south. "Isn't it +beautiful?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes. The Avery family lives there. The parents are very old and +feeble, and the daughters are all—elderly—and all school-teachers. +There are four of them, and the youngest is forty-six. It is certainly +a beautiful place. See the orchard out behind, and the vineyard. They +are very wealthy, and they are not fond of children outside of school +hours, I am told, so we must keep an eye on Connie.—Dear me, it is two +o'clock already, and I must go at once. Mrs. Adams will be here in a +few minutes, and you will not be lonely." +</P> + +<P> +But when Mrs. Adams arrived at the parsonage, she knocked repeatedly, +and in vain, upon the front door. After that she went to the side +door, with no better result. Finally, she gathered her robes about her +and went into the back yard. She peered into the woodshed, and saw no +one. She went into the barn-lot, and found it empty. In despair, she +plunged into the barn—and stopped abruptly. +</P> + +<P> +In a shadowy corner was a slender figure kneeling beside an overturned +nail keg, her face buried in her hands. Evidently this was Prudence +engaged in prayer,—and in the barn, of all places in the world! +</P> + +<P> +"A—a—a—hem!" stammered Mrs. Adams inquiringly. +</P> + +<P> +"Amen!" This was spoken aloud and hurriedly, and Prudence leaped to +her feet. Her fair hair clung about her face in damp babyish tendrils, +and her face was flushed and dusty, but alight with friendly interest. +She ran forward eagerly, thrusting forth a slim and grimy hand. +</P> + +<P> +"You are Mrs. Adams, aren't you? I am Prudence Starr. It is so kind +of you to come the very first day," she cried. "It makes me love you +right at the start." +</P> + +<P> +"Ye—yes, I am Mrs. Adams." Mrs. Adams was embarrassed. She could not +banish from her mental vision that kneeling figure by the nail keg. +Interrogation was written all over her ample face, and Prudence +promptly read it and hastened to reply. +</P> + +<P> +"I do not generally say my prayers in the barn, Mrs. Adams, I assure +you. I suppose you were greatly surprised. I didn't expect to do it +myself, when I came out here, but—well, when I found this grand, old, +rambling barn, I was so thankful I couldn't resist praying about it. +Of course, I didn't specially designate the barn, but God knew what I +meant, I am sure." +</P> + +<P> +"But a barn!" ejaculated the perplexed "member." "Do you call that a +blessing?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, indeed I do," declared Prudence. Then she explained patiently: +"Oh, it is on the children's account, you know. They have always +longed for a big romantic barn to play in. We've never had anything +but a shed, and when father went to Conference this year, the twins +told him particularly to look out for a good big barn. They said we'd +be willing to put up with any kind of a parsonage, if only we might +draw a barn for once. You can't imagine how happy this dear old place +will make them, and I was happy on their account. That's why I +couldn't resist saying my prayers,—I was so happy I couldn't hold in." +</P> + +<P> +As they walked slowly toward the house, Mrs. Adams looked at this +parsonage girl in frank curiosity and some dismay, which she strongly +endeavored to conceal from the bright-eyed Prudence. The Ladies had +said it would be so nice to have a grown girl in the parsonage! +Prudence was nineteen from all account, but she looked like a child +and—well, it was not exactly grown-up to give thanks for a barn, to +say the very least! Yet this girl had full charge of four younger +children, and was further burdened with the entire care of a +minister-father! Well, well! Mrs. Adams sighed a little. +</P> + +<P> +"You are tired," said Prudence sympathetically. "It's so hot walking, +isn't it? Let's sit on the porch until you are nicely rested. Isn't +this a lovely yard? And the children will be so happy to have this +delicious big porch. Oh, I just adore Mount Mark already." +</P> + +<P> +"This is a fine chance for us to get acquainted," said the good woman +with eagerness. +</P> + +<P> +Now if the truth must be told, there had been some ill feeling in the +Ladies' Aid Society concerning the reception of Prudence. After the +session of Conference, when the Reverend Mr. Starr was assigned to +Mount Mark, the Ladies of the church had felt great interest in the man +and his family. They inquired on every hand, and learned several +interesting items. The mother had been taken from the family five +years before, after a long illness, and Prudence, the eldest daughter, +had taken charge of the household. There were five children. So much +was known, and being women, they looked forward with eager curiosity to +the coming of Prudence, the young mistress of the parsonage. +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Starr had arrived at Mount Mark a week ahead of his family. The +furniture had been shipped from his previous charge, and he, with the +assistance of a strong and willing negro, had "placed it" according to +the written instructions of Prudence, who had conscientiously outlined +just what should go in every room. She and the other children had +spent the week visiting at the home of their aunt, and Prudence had +come on a day in advance of the others to "wind everything up," as she +had expressed it. +</P> + +<P> +But to return to the Ladies,—the parsonage girls always capitalized +the Ladies of their father's church, and indeed italicized them, as +well. And the irrepressible Carol had been heard to remark, "I often +feel like exclamation-pointing them, I promise you." But to return +once more. +</P> + +<P> +"One of us should go and help the dear child," said Mrs. Scott, the +president of the Aids, when they assembled for their business meeting, +"help her, and welcome her, and advise her." +</P> + +<P> +"I was thinking of going over," said one, and another, and several +others. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, that will not do at all," said the president; "she would be +excited meeting so many strangers, and could not properly attend to her +work. That will never do, never, never! But one of us must go, of +course." +</P> + +<P> +"I move that the president appoint a committee of one to help Miss +Prudence get settled, and welcome her to our midst," said Mrs. Barnaby, +secretly hoping that in respect for her making this suggestion honoring +the president, the president would have appreciation enough to appoint +Mrs. Barnaby herself as committee. +</P> + +<P> +The motion was seconded, and carried. +</P> + +<P> +"Well," said Mrs. Scott slowly, "I think in a case like this the +president herself should represent the society. Therefore, I will +undertake this duty for you." +</P> + +<P> +But this called forth a storm of protest and it became so clamorous +that it was unofficially decided to draw cuts! Which was done, and in +consequence of that drawing of cuts, Mrs. Adams now sat on the front +porch of the old gray parsonage, cheered by the knowledge that every +other Lady of the Aid was envying her! +</P> + +<P> +"Now, just be real sociable and tell me all about yourself, and the +others, too," urged Mrs. Adams. "I want to know all about every one of +you. Tell me everything." +</P> + +<P> +"There isn't much to tell," said Prudence, smiling. "There are five of +us; I am the oldest, I am nineteen. Then comes Fairy, then the twins, +and then the baby." +</P> + +<P> +"Are the twins boys, or a boy and a girl?" +</P> + +<P> +"Neither," said Prudence, "they are both girls." +</P> + +<P> +"More girls!" gasped Mrs. Adams. "And the baby?" +</P> + +<P> +"She is a girl, too." And Prudence laughed. "In short, we are all +girls except father. He couldn't be, of course,—or I suppose he +would, for our family does seem to run to girls." +</P> + +<P> +"Prudence is a very nice name for a minister's daughter," said Mrs. +Adams suggestively. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes,—for some ministers' daughters," assented Prudence. "But is +sadly unsuitable for me. You see, father and mother were very +enthusiastic about the first baby who hadn't arrived. They had two +names all picked out months ahead,—Prudence and John Wesley. That's +how I happen to be Prudence. They thought, as you do, that it was an +uplifting name for a parsonage baby.—I was only three years old when +Fairy was born, but already they realized that they had made a great +mistake. So they decided to christen baby number two more +appropriately. They chose Frank and Fairy,—both light-hearted, happy, +cheerful names.—It's Fairy," Prudence smiled reflectively. "But +things went badly again. They were very unlucky with their babies. +Fairy is Prudence by nature, and I am Fairy. She is tall and a little +inclined to be fat. She is steady, and industrious, and reliable, and +sensible, and clever. In fact, she is an all-round solid and +worthwhile girl. She can do anything, and do it right, and is going to +be a college professor. It is a sad thing to think of a college +professor being called Fairy all her life, isn't it? Especially when +she is so dignified and grand. But one simply can't tell beforehand +what to expect, can one? +</P> + +<P> +"Father and mother were quite discouraged by that time. They hardly +knew what to do. But anyhow they were sure the next would be a boy. +Every one predicted a boy, and so they chose a good old Methodist +name,—Charles. They hated to give it John Wesley, for they had sort +of dedicated that to me, you know,—only I happened to be Prudence. +But Charles was second-best. And they were very happy about it, +and—it was twin girls! It was quite a blow, I guess. But they +rallied swiftly, and called them Carol and Lark. Such nice musical +names! Father and mother were both good singers, and mother a splendid +pianist. And Fairy and I showed musical symptoms early in life, so +they thought they couldn't be far wrong that time. It was a bitter +mistake. It seemed to turn the twins against music right from the +start. Carol can carry a tune if there's a strong voice beside her, +but Lark can hardly tell the difference between <I>Star Spangled Banner</I> +and <I>Rock of Ages</I>. +</P> + +<P> +"The neighbors were kind of amused by then, and mother was very +sensitive about it. So the next time she determined to get ahead of +Fate. 'No more nonsense, now,' said mother. 'It's almost certain to +be a boy, and we'll call him William after father,—and Billy for +short.' We all liked the name Billy, mother especially. But she +couldn't call father anything but William,—we being parsonage people, +you know. But she kept looking forward to little Billy,—and then they +changed it in a hurry to Constance. And after that, father and mother +gave the whole thing up as a bad job. There aren't any more of us. +Connie settled the baby business in our family." +</P> + +<P> +Mrs. Adams wiped her eyes, and leaned weakly back in her chair, gasping +for breath. "Well, I swan!" was all she could say at that moment. +</P> + +<P> +While giving herself time to recover her mental poise she looked +critically at this young daughter of the parsonage. Then her eyes +wandered down to her clothes, and lingered, in silent questioning, on +Prudence's dress. It was a very peculiar color. In fact, it was no +color at all,—no named color. Prudence's eyes had followed Mrs. +Adams' glance, and she spoke frankly. +</P> + +<P> +"I suppose you're wondering if this dress is any color! Well, I think +it really is, but it isn't any of the regular shades. It is my own +invention, but I've never named it. We couldn't think of anything +appropriate. Carol suggested 'Prudence Shade,' but I couldn't bring +myself to accept that. Of course, Mrs. Adams, you understand how +parsonage people do with clothes,—handing them down from generation +unto generation. Well, I didn't mind it at first,—when I was the +biggest. But all of a sudden Fairy grew up and out and around, and one +day when I was so nearly out of clothes I hardly felt that I could +attend church any more, she suggested that I cut an old one of hers +down for me! At first I laughed, and then I was insulted. Fairy is +three years younger than I, and before then she had got my +handed-downs. But now the tables were turned. From that time on, +whenever anything happened to Fairy's clothes so a gore had to be cut +out, or the bottom taken off,—they were cut down for me. I still feel +bitter about it. Fairy is dark, and dark blues are becoming to her. +She handed down this dress,—it was dark blue then. But I was not +wanting a dark blue, and I thought it would be less recognizable if I +gave it a contrasting color. I chose lavender. I dyed it four times, +and this was the result." +</P> + +<P> +"Do the twins dress alike?" inquired Mrs. Adams, when she could control +her voice. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes,—unfortunately for Connie. They do it on purpose to escape the +handed-downs! They won't even have hair ribbons different. And the +result is that poor Connie never gets one new thing except shoes. She +says she can not help thanking the Lord in her prayers, that all of us +outwear our shoes before we can outgrow them.—Connie is only nine. +Fairy is sixteen, and the twins are thirteen. They are a very clever +lot of girls. Fairy, as I told you, is just naturally smart, and aims +to be a college professor. Lark is an intelligent studious girl, and +is going to be an author. Carol is pretty, and lovable, and +kind-hearted, and witty,—but not deep. She is going to be a Red Cross +nurse and go to war. The twins have it all planned out. Carol is +going to war as a Red Cross nurse, and Lark is going, too, so she can +write a book about it, and they are both going to marry +soldiers,—preferably dashing young generals! Now they can hardly wait +for war to break out. Connie is a sober, odd, sensitive little thing, +and hasn't decided whether she wants to be a foreign missionary, or get +married and have ten children.—But they are all clever, and I'm proud +of every one of them." +</P> + +<P> +"And what are you going to be?" inquired Mrs. Adams, looking with real +affection at the bright sweet face. +</P> + +<P> +But Prudence laughed. "Oh, dear me, Mrs. Adams, seems to me if I just +get the others raised up properly, I'll have my hands full. I used to +have aims, dozens of them. Now I have just one, and I'm working at it +every day." +</P> + +<P> +"You ought to go to school," declared Mrs. Adams. "You're just a girl +yourself." +</P> + +<P> +"I don't want to go to school," laughed Prudence. "Not any more. I +like it, just taking care of father and the girls,—with Fairy to keep +me balanced! I read, but I do not like to study.—No, you'll have to +get along with me just the way I am, Mrs. Adams. It's all I can do to +keep things going now, without spending half the time dreaming of big +things to do in the future." +</P> + +<P> +"Don't you have dreams?" gasped Mrs. Adams. "Don't you have dreams of +the future? Girls in books nowadays dream——" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I dream," interrupted Prudence, "I dream lots,—but it's mostly +of what Fairy and the others will do when I get them properly raised. +You'll like the girls, Mrs. Adams, I know you will. They really are a +gifted little bunch,—except me. But I don't mind. It's a great honor +for me to have the privilege of bringing up four clever girls to do +great things,—don't you think? And I'm only nineteen myself! I don't +see what more a body could want." +</P> + +<P> +"It seems to me," said Mrs. Adams, "that I know more about your sisters +than I do about you. I feel more acquainted with them right now, than +with you." +</P> + +<P> +"That's so, too," said Prudence, nodding. "But they are the ones that +really count, you know. I'm just common little Prudence of the +Parsonage,—but the others!" And Prudence flung out her hands +dramatically. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap02"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER II +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE REST OF THE FAMILY +</H3> + + +<P> +It was Saturday morning when the four young parsonage girls arrived in +Mount Mark. The elderly Misses Avery, next door, looked out of their +windows, pending their appearance on Main Street, with interest and +concern. It was a serious matter, this having a whole parsonage-full of +young girls so close to the old Avery mansion. To be sure, the Averys +had a deep and profound respect for ministerial households, but they were +Episcopalians themselves, and in all their long lives they had never so +much as heard of a widower-rector with five daughters, and no +housekeeper. There was something blood-curdling in the bare idea. +</P> + +<P> +The Misses Avery considered Prudence herself rather a sweet, silly little +thing. +</P> + +<P> +"You have some real nice people in the Methodist church," Miss Dora had +told her. "I dare say you will find a few of them very likeable." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I will like them all," said Prudence quickly and seriously. +</P> + +<P> +"Like them all!" echoed Miss Dora. "Oh, impossible!" +</P> + +<P> +"Not for us," said Prudence. "We are used to it, you know. We always +like people." +</P> + +<P> +"That is ridiculous," said Miss Dora. "It is absolutely impossible. One +can't! Of course, as Christians, we must tolerate, and try to help every +one. But Christian tolerance and love are——" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, excuse me, but—really I can't believe there is such a thing as +Christian tolerance," said Prudence firmly. "There is Christian love, +and—that is all we need." Then leaning forward: "What do you do, Miss +Avery, when you meet people you dislike at very first sight?" +</P> + +<P> +"Keep away from them," was the grim reply. +</P> + +<P> +"Exactly! And keep on disliking them," said Prudence triumphantly. +"It's very different with us. When we dislike people at first sight, we +visit them, and talk to them, and invite them to the parsonage, and +entertain them with our best linen and silverware, and keep on getting +friendlier and friendlier, and—first thing you know, we like them fine! +It's a perfectly splendid rule, and it has never failed us once. Try it, +Miss Avery, do! You will be enthusiastic about it, I know." +</P> + +<P> +So the Misses Avery concluded that Prudence was very young, and couldn't +seem to quite outgrow it! She was not entirely responsible. And they +wondered, with something akin to an agony of fear, if the younger girls +"had it, too!" Therefore the Misses Avery kept watch at their respective +windows, and when Miss Alice cried excitedly, "Quick! Quick! They are +coming!" they trooped to Miss Alice's window with a speed that would have +done credit to the parsonage girls themselves. First came the minister, +whom they knew very well by this time, and considered quite respectable. +He was lively, as was to be expected of a Methodist minister, and told +jokes, and laughed at them! Now, a comical rector,—oh, a very different +matter,—it wasn't done, that's all! At any rate, here came the +Methodist minister, laughing, and on one side of him tripped a small +earnest-looking maiden, clasping his hand, and gazing alternately up into +his face, and down at the stylish cement sidewalk beneath her feet. On +the other side, was Fairy. The Misses Avery knew the girls by name +already,—having talked much with Prudence. +</P> + +<P> +"Such a Fairy!" gasped Miss Millicent, and the others echoed the gasp, +but wordlessly. +</P> + +<P> +For Fairy for very nearly as tall as her father, built upon generous +lines, rather commanding in appearance, a little splendid-looking. Even +from their windows they could discern something distinctly Juno-like in +this sixteen-year-old girl, with the easy elastic stride that matched her +father's, and the graceful head, well carried. A young goddess,—named +Fairy! +</P> + +<P> +Behind them, laughing and chattering, like three children, as they +were,—came the twins with Prudence, each with an arm around her waist. +And Prudence was very little taller than they. When they reached the +fence that bordered the parsonage, the scene for a moment resembled a +miniature riot. The smaller girls jumped and exclaimed, and clasped +their hands. Fairy leaned over the fence, and stared intently at this, +their parsonage home. Then the serious little girl scrambled under the +fence, followed closely by the lithe-limbed twins. A pause, a very short +one,—and then Prudence, too, was wriggling beneath the fence. +</P> + +<P> +"Hold the wire up for me, papa," cried Fairy, "I'm too fat." And a +second later she was running gracefully across the lawn toward the +parsonage. The Methodist minister laughed boyishly, and placing his +hands on the fence-post, he vaulted lightly over, and reached the house +with his daughters. Then the Misses Avery, school-teachers, and elderly, +looked at one another. +</P> + +<P> +"Did you ever?" whispered the oldest Miss Avery, and the others slowly +shook their heads. +</P> + +<P> +Now, think! Did you ever see a rector jumping a three-wire fence, and +running full speed across his front yard, in pursuit of a flying family? +It may possibly have occurred,—we have never seen it. Neither had the +Misses Avery. Nor did they ever expect to. And if they had seen it, it +is quite likely they would have joined the backsliders at that instant. +</P> + +<P> +But without wasting much time on this gruesome thought, they hurried to a +window commanding the best view of the parsonage, and raised it. Then +they clustered behind the curtains, and watched, and listened. There was +plenty to hear! From the parsonage windows came the sound of scampering +feet and banging doors. Once there was the unmistakable clatter of a +chair overturned. With it all, there was a constant chorus of "Oh, +look!" "Oh! Oh!" "Oh, how sweet!" "Oh, papa!" "Oh, Prudence!" +"Look, Larkie, look at this!" +</P> + +<P> +Then the thud of many feet speeding down the stairs, and the slam of a +door, and the slam of a gate. The whole parsonage-full had poured out +into the back yard, and the barn-lot. Into the chicken coop they raced, +the minister ever close upon their heels. Over the board fence they +clambered to the big rambling barn, and the wide door swung closed after +them. But in a few seconds they were out once more, by the back barn +door, and over the fence, and on to the "field." There they closed +ranks, with their arms recklessly around whoever was nearest, and made a +thorough tour of the bit of pasture-land. For some moments they leaned +upon the dividing fence and gazed admiringly into the rich orchard and +vineyard of the Avery estate. But soon they were skipping back to the +parsonage again, and the kitchen door banged behind them. +</P> + +<P> +Then the eldest Miss Avery closed the window overlooking the parsonage +and confronted her sisters. +</P> + +<P> +"We must just make the best of it," she said quietly. +</P> + +<P> +But next door, the gray old ugly parsonage was full to overflowing with +satisfaction and happiness and love. +</P> + +<P> +The Starrs had never had an appointment like this before. They had just +come from the village of Exminster, of five hundred inhabitants. There +the Reverend Mr. Starr had filled the pulpits of three small Methodist +churches, scattered at random throughout the country,—consideration, +five hundred dollars. But here,—why, Mount Mark had a population of +fully three thousand, and a business academy, and the Presbyterian +College,—small, to be sure, but the name had a grand and inspiring +sound. And Mr. Starr had to fill only one pulpit! It was heavenly, +that's what it was. To be sure, many of his people lived out in the +country, necessitating the upkeep of a horse for the sake of his pastoral +work, but that was only an advantage. Also to be sure, the Methodists in +Mount Mark were in a minority, and an inferiority,—Mount Mark being a +Presbyterian stronghold due to the homing there of the trim and orderly +little college. But what of that? The salary was six hundred and fifty +dollars and the parsonage was adorable! The parsonage family could see +nothing at all wrong with the world that day, and the future was +rainbow-tinted. +</P> + +<P> +Every one has experienced the ecstatic creepy sensation of sleeping in a +brand-new home. The parsonage girls reveled in the memory of that first +night for many days. "It may be haunted for all we know," cried Carol +deliciously. "Just think, Connie, there may be seven ghosts camped on +the head of your bed, waiting——" +</P> + +<P> +"Carol!" +</P> + +<P> +When the family gathered for worship on that first Sabbath morning, Mr. +Starr said, as he turned the leaves of his well-worn Bible, "I think it +would be well for you girls to help with the morning worship now. You +need practise in praying aloud, and—so we will begin to-day. Connie and +I will make the prayers this morning, Prudence and Carol to-morrow, and +Fairy and Lark the next day. We will keep that system up for a while, +anyhow. When I finish reading the chapter, Connie, you will make the +first prayer. Just pray for whatever you wish as you do at night for +yourself. I will follow you." +</P> + +<P> +Connie's eyes were wide with responsibility during the reading of the +chapter, but when she began to speak her voice did not falter. Connie +had nine years of good Methodist experience back of her! +</P> + +<P> +"Our Father, who art in Heaven, we bow ourselves before Thy footstool in +humility and reverence. Thou art our God, our Creator, our Saviour. +Bless us this day, and cause Thy face to shine upon us. Blot out our +transgressions, pardon our trespasses. Wash us, that we may be whiter +than snow. Hide not Thy face from the eyes of Thy children, turn not +upon us in wrath. Pity us, Lord, as we kneel here prostrate before Thy +majesty and glory. Let the words of our mouths and the meditations of +our hearts, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our strength and our +Redeemer. And finally save us, an unbroken family around Thy throne in +Heaven, for Jesus' sake. Amen." +</P> + +<P> +This was followed by an electric silence. Prudence was biting her lips +painfully, and counting by tens as fast as she could. Fairy was mentally +going over the prayer, sentence by sentence, and attributing each +petition to the individual member in the old church at Exminster to whom +it belonged. The twins were a little amazed, and quite proud. Connie +was an honor to the parsonage,—but they were concerned lest they +themselves should do not quite so well when their days came. +</P> + +<P> +But in less than a moment the minister-father began his prayer. His +voice was a little subdued, and he prayed with less fervor and abandon +than usual, but otherwise things went off quite nicely. When he said, +"Amen," Prudence was on her feet and half-way up-stairs before the others +were fairly risen. Fairy stood gazing intently out of the window for a +moment, and then went out to the barn to see if the horse was through +eating. Mr. Starr walked gravely and soberly out the front door, and +around the house. He ran into Fairy coming out the kitchen door, and +they glanced quickly at each other. +</P> + +<P> +"Hurry, papa," she whispered, "you can't hold in much longer! Neither +can I!" +</P> + +<P> +And together, choking with laughter, they hurried into the barn and gave +full vent to their feelings. +</P> + +<P> +So it was that the twins and Connie were alone for a while. +</P> + +<P> +"You did a pretty good job, Connie," said Carol approvingly. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes. I think I did myself," was the complacent answer. "But I intended +to put in, 'Keep us as the apple of Thy eye, hold us in the hollow of Thy +hand,' and I forgot it until I had said 'Amen.' I had a notion to put in +a post-script, but I believe that isn't done." +</P> + +<P> +"Never mind," said Carol, "I'll use that in mine, to-morrow." +</P> + +<P> +It can not be said that this form of family worship was a great success. +The twins were invariably stereotyped, cut and dried. They thanked the +Lord for the beautiful morning, for kind friends, for health, and family, +and parsonage. Connie always prayed in sentences extracted from the +prayers of others she had often heard, and every time with nearly +disastrous effect. +</P> + +<P> +But the days passed around, and Prudence and Carol's turn came again. +Carol was a thoughtless, impetuous, impulsive girl, and her prayers were +as nearly "verbal repetitions" as any prayers could be. So on this +morning, after the reading of the chapter, Carol knelt by her chair, and +began in her customary solemn voice: +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, our Father, we thank Thee for this beautiful morning." Then intense +silence. For Carol remembered with horror and shame that it was a +dreary, dismal morning, cloudy, ugly and all unlovely. In her despair, +the rest of her petition scattered to the four winds of heaven. She +couldn't think of another word, so she gulped, and stammered out a faint +"Amen." +</P> + +<P> +But Prudence could not begin. Prudence was red in the face, and nearly +suffocated. She felt all swollen inside,—she couldn't speak. The +silence continued. "Oh, why doesn't father do it?" she wondered. As a +matter of fact, father couldn't. But Prudence did not know that. One +who laughs often gets in the habit of laughter,—and sometimes laughs out +of season, as well as in. Finally, Prudence plunged in desperately, +"Dear Father"—as she usually began her sweet, intimate little talks with +God,—and then she paused. Before her eyes flashed a picture of the +"beautiful morning," for which Carol had just been thankful! She tried +again. "Dear Father,"—and then she whirled around on the floor, and +laughed. Mr. Starr got up from his knees, sat down on his chair, and +literally shook. Fairy rolled on the lounge, screaming with merriment. +Even sober little Connie giggled and squealed. But Carol could not get +up. She was disgraced. She had done a horrible, disgusting, idiotic +thing. She had insulted God! She could never face the family again. +Her shoulders rose and fell convulsively. +</P> + +<P> +Lark did not laugh either. With a rush she was on her knees beside +Carol, her arms around the heaving shoulders. "Don't you care, Carrie," +she whispered. "Don't you care. It was just a mistake,—don't cry, +Carrie." +</P> + +<P> +But Carol would not be comforted. She tried to sneak unobserved from the +room, but her father stopped her. +</P> + +<P> +"Don't feel so badly about it, Carol," he said kindly, really sorry for +the stricken child,—though his eyes still twinkled, "it was just a +mistake. But remember after this, my child, to speak to God when you +pray. Remember that you are talking to Him. Then you will not make such +a blunder.—So many of us," he said reflectively, "ministers as well as +others, pray into the ears of the people, and forget we are talking to +God." +</P> + +<P> +After that, the morning worship went better. The prayers of the children +changed,—became more personal, less flowery. They remembered from that +time on, that when they knelt they were at the feet of God, and speaking +direct to Him. +</P> + +<P> +It was the hated duty of the twins to wash and dry the dishes,—taking +turns about with the washing. This time was always given up to +story-telling, for Lark had a strange and wonderful imagination, and +Carol listened to her tales with wonder and delight. Even Connie found +dish-doing hours irresistible, and could invariably be found, face in her +hands, both elbows on the table, gazing with passionate earnestness at +the young story-teller. Now, some of Lark's stories were such weird and +fearful things that they had seriously interfered with Connie's slumbers, +and Prudence had sternly prohibited them. But this evening, just as she +opened the kitchen door, she heard Lark say in thrilling tones: +</P> + +<P> +"She crept down the stairs in the deep darkness, her hand sliding lightly +over the rail. Suddenly she stopped. Her hand was arrested in its +movement. Ice-cold fingers gripped hers tightly. Then with one piercing +shriek, she plunged forward, and fell to the bottom of the stairs with a +terrific crash, while a mocking laugh——" +</P> + +<P> +The kitchen door slammed sharply behind Prudence as she stepped into the +kitchen, and Connie's piercing shriek would surely have rivaled that of +Lark's unfortunate heroine. Even Carol started nervously, and let the +plate she had been solemnly wiping for nine minutes, fall to the floor. +Lark gasped, and then began sheepishly washing dishes as though her life +depended on it. The water was cold, and little masses of grease clung to +the edges of the pan and floated about on the surface of the water. +</P> + +<P> +"Get fresh hot water, Lark, and finish the dishes. Connie, go right +up-stairs to bed. You twins can come in to me as soon as you finish." +</P> + +<P> +But Connie was afraid to go to bed alone, and Prudence was obliged to +accompany her. So it was in their own room that the twins finally faced +an indignant Prudence. +</P> + +<P> +"Carol, you may go right straight to bed. And Lark—I do not know what +in the world to do with you. Why don't you mind me, and do as I tell +you? How many times have I told you not to tell weird stories like that? +Can't you tell nice, interesting, mild stories?" +</P> + +<P> +"Prudence, as sure as you live, I can't! I start them just as mild and +proper as can be, but before I get half-way through, a murder, or death, +or mystery crops in, and I can't help it." +</P> + +<P> +"But you must help it, Lark. Or I shall forbid your telling stories of +any kind. They are so silly, those wild things, and they make you all +nervous, and excitable, and— Now, think, Larkie, and tell me how I +shall punish you." +</P> + +<P> +Lark applied all the resources of her wonderful brain to this task, and +presently suggested reluctantly: "Well, you might keep me home from the +ice-cream social to-morrow night." But her face was wistful. +</P> + +<P> +"No," said Prudence decidedly, to Lark's intense relief. "I can't do +that. You've been looking forward to it so long, and your class is to +help with the serving. No, not that, Larkie. That would be too mean. +Think of something else." +</P> + +<P> +"Well,—you might make me wash and dry the dishes all alone—for a week, +Prudence, and that will be a bad punishment, too, for I just despise +washing dishes by myself. Telling stories makes it so much—livelier." +</P> + +<P> +"All right, then," said Prudence, relieved in turn, "that is what I will +do. And Carol and Connie must not even stay in the kitchen with you." +</P> + +<P> +"I believe I'll go to bed now, too," said Lark, with a thoughtful glance +at her two sisters, already curled up snugly and waiting for the +conclusion of the administering of justice. "If you don't mind, +Prudence." +</P> + +<P> +Prudence smiled a bit ruefully. "Oh, I suppose you might as well, if you +like. But remember this, Lark: No more deaths, and murders, and +mysteries, and highway robberies." +</P> + +<P> +"All right, Prudence," said Lark with determination. And as Prudence +walked slowly down-stairs she heard Lark starting in on her next story: +</P> + +<P> +"Once there was a handsome young man, named Archibald Tremaine,—a very +respectable young fellow. He wouldn't so much as dream of robbing, or +murdering, or dying." +</P> + +<P> +Then Prudence smiled to herself in the dark and hurried down. +</P> + +<P> +The family had been in the new parsonage only three weeks, when a +visiting minister called on them. It was about ten minutes before the +luncheon hour at the time of his arrival. Mr. Starr was in the country, +visiting, so the girls received him alone. It was an unfortunate day for +the Starrs. Fairy had been at college all morning, and Prudence had been +rummaging in the attic, getting it ready for a rainy-day and winter +playroom for the younger girls. She was dusty, perspirey and tired. +</P> + +<P> +The luncheon hour arrived, and the girls came in from school, eager to be +up and away again. Still the grave young minister sat discoursing upon +serious topics with the fidgety Prudence,—and in spite of dust and +perspiration, she was good to look upon. The Reverend Mr. Morgan +realized that, and could not tear himself away. The twins came in, shook +hands with him soberly, glancing significantly at the clock as they did +so. Connie ran in excitedly, wanting to know what was the matter with +everybody, and weren't they to have any luncheon? Still Mr. Morgan +remained in his chair, gazing at Prudence with frank appreciation. +Finally Prudence sighed. +</P> + +<P> +"Do you like sweet corn, Mr. Morgan?" +</P> + +<P> +This was entirely out of the line of their conversation, and for a moment +he faltered. "Sweet corn?" he repeated. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, roasting-ears, you know,—cooked on the cob." +</P> + +<P> +Then he smiled. "Oh, yes indeed. Very much," he said. +</P> + +<P> +"Well," she began her explanation rather drearily, "I was busy this +morning and did not prepare much luncheon. We are very fond of sweet +corn, and I cooked an enormous panful. But that's all we have for +luncheon,—sweet corn and butter. We haven't even bread, because I am +going to bake this afternoon, and we never eat it with sweet corn, +anyhow. Now, if you care to eat sweet corn and butter, and canned +peaches, we'd just love to have you stay for luncheon with us." +</P> + +<P> +The Reverend Mr. Morgan was charmed, and said so. So Prudence rushed to +the kitchen, opened the peaches in a hurry, and fished out a clean napkin +for their guest. Then they gathered about the table, five girls and the +visiting minister. It was really a curious sight, that table. In the +center stood a tall vase of goldenrod. On either side of the vase was a +great platter piled high with sweet corn, on the cob! Around the table +were six plates, with the necessary silverware, and a glass of water for +each. There was also a small dish of peaches at each place, and an +individual plate of butter. That was all,—except the napkins. But +Prudence made no apologies. She was a daughter of the parsonage! She +showed the Reverend Mr. Morgan to his place as graciously and sweetly as +though she were ushering him in to a twenty-seven course banquet. +</P> + +<P> +"Will you return thanks, Mr. Morgan?" she said. And the girls bowed +their heads. The Reverend Mr. Morgan cleared his throat, and began, "Our +Father, we thank Thee for this table." +</P> + +<P> +There was more of the blessing, but the parsonage girls heard not one +additional phrase,—except Connie, who followed him conscientiously +through every word. By the time he had finished, Prudence and Fairy, and +even Lark, had composed their faces. But Carol burst into merry +laughter, close upon his reverent "Amen,"—and after one awful glare at +her sister, Prudence joined in. This gaiety communicated itself to the +others and soon it was a rollicking group around the parsonage table. +Mr. Morgan himself smiled uncertainly. He was puzzled. More, he was +embarrassed. But as soon as Carol could get her breath, she gasped out +an explanation. +</P> + +<P> +"You were just—right, Mr. Morgan,—to give thanks—for the table! +There's nothing—on it—to be thankful for!" +</P> + +<P> +And the whole family went off once more into peals of laughter. +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Morgan had very little appetite that day. He did not seem to be so +fond of sweet corn as he had assured Prudence. He talked very little, +too. And as soon as possible he took his hat and walked hurriedly away. +He did not call at the parsonage again. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, Carol," said Prudence reproachfully, wiping her eyes, "how could you +start us all off like that?" +</P> + +<P> +"For the table, for the table!" shrieked Carol, and Prudence joined in +perforce. +</P> + +<P> +"It was awful," she gasped, "but it was funny! I believe even father +would have laughed." +</P> + +<P> +A few weeks after this, Carol distinguished herself again, and to her +lasting mortification. The parsonage pasture had been rented out during +the summer months before the change of ministers, the outgoing incumbent +having kept neither horse nor cow. As may be imagined, the little +pasture had been taxed to the utmost, and when the new minister arrived, +he found that his field afforded poor grazing for his pretty little +Jersey. But a man living only six blocks from the parsonage had +generously offered Mr. Starr free pasturage in his broad meadow, and the +offer was gratefully accepted. This meant that every evening the twins +must walk the six blocks after the cow, and every morning must take her +back for the day's grazing. +</P> + +<P> +One evening, as they were starting out from the meadow homeward with the +docile animal, Carol stopped and gazed at Blinkie reflectively. +</P> + +<P> +"Lark," she said, "I just believe to my soul that I could ride this cow. +She's so gentle, and I'm such a good hand at sticking on." +</P> + +<P> +"Carol!" ejaculated Lark. "Think how it would look for a parsonage girl +to go down the street riding a cow." +</P> + +<P> +"But there's no one to see," protested Carol. And this was true. For +the parsonage was near the edge of town, and the girls passed only five +houses on their way home from the meadow,—and all of them were well back +from the road. And Carol was, as she had claimed, a good hand at +"sticking on." She had ridden a great deal while they were at Exminster, +a neighbor being well supplied with rideable horses, and she was +passionately fond of the sport. To be sure, she had never ridden a cow, +but she was sure it would be easy. +</P> + +<P> +Lark argued and pleaded, but Carol was firm. "I must try it," she +insisted, "and if it doesn't go well I can slide off. You can lead her, +Lark." +</P> + +<P> +The obliging Lark boosted her sister up, and Carol nimbly scrambled into +place, riding astride. +</P> + +<P> +"I've got to ride this way," she said; "cows have such funny backs I +couldn't keep on any other way. If I see any one coming, I'll slide for +it." +</P> + +<P> +For a while all went well. Lark led Blinkie carefully, gazing about +anxiously to see that no one approached. Carol gained confidence as they +proceeded, and chatted with her sister nonchalantly, waving her hands +about to show her perfect balance and lack of fear. So they advanced to +within two blocks of the parsonage. +</P> + +<P> +"It's very nice," said Carol, "very nice indeed,—but her backbone is +rather—well, rather penetrating. I think I need a saddle." +</P> + +<P> +By this time, Blinkie concluded that she was being imposed upon. She +shook her head violently, and twitched the rope from Lark's hand,—for +Lark now shared her sister's confidence, and held it loosely. With a +little cry she tried to catch the end of it, but Blinkie was too quick +for her. She gave a scornful toss of her dainty head, and struck out +madly for home. With great presence of mind, Carol fell flat upon the +cow's neck, and hung on for dear life, while Lark, in terror, started out +in pursuit. +</P> + +<P> +"Help! Help!" she cried loudly. "Papa! Papa! Papa!" +</P> + +<P> +In this way, they turned in at the parsonage gate, which happily stood +open,—otherwise Blinkie would undoubtedly have gone through, or over. +As luck would have it, Mr. Starr was standing at the door with two men +who had been calling on him, and hearing Lark's frantic cries, they +rushed to meet the wild procession, and had the unique experience of +seeing a parsonage girl riding flat on her stomach on the neck of a +galloping Jersey, with another parsonage girl in mad pursuit. +</P> + +<P> +Blinkie stopped beside the barn, and turned her head about inquiringly. +Carol slid to the ground, and buried her face in her hands at sight of +the two men with her father. Then with never a word, she lit out for the +house at top speed. Seeing that she was not hurt, and that no harm had +been done, the three men sat down on the ground and burst into hearty +laughter. +</P> + +<P> +Lark came upon them as they sat thus, and Lark was angry. She stamped +her foot with a violence that must have hurt her. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't see anything to laugh at," she cried passionately, "it was +awful, it was just awful! Carrie might have been killed! It—it——" +</P> + +<P> +"Tell us all about it, Lark," gasped her father. And Lark did so, +smiling a little herself, now that her fears were relieved. "Poor +Carol," she said, "she'll never live down the humiliation. I must go and +console her." +</P> + +<P> +And a little later, the twins were weeping on each other's shoulders. +</P> + +<P> +"I wouldn't have cared," sobbed Carol, "if it had been anybody else in +the world! But—the presiding elder,—and—the president of the +Presbyterian College! And I know the Presbyterians look down on us +Methodists anyhow, though they wouldn't admit it! And riding a cow! Oh, +Larkie, if you love me, go down-stairs and get me the carbolic acid, so I +can die and be out of disgrace." +</P> + +<P> +This, however, Lark stoutly refused to do, and in a little while Carol +felt much better. But she talked it over with Prudence very seriously. +</P> + +<P> +"I hope you understand, Prudence, that I shall never have anything more +to do with Blinkie! She can die of starvation for all I care. I'll +never take her to and from the pasture again. I couldn't do it! Such +rank ingratitude as that cow displayed was never equaled, I am certain." +</P> + +<P> +"I suppose you'll quit using milk and cream, too," suggested Prudence. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, well," said Carol more tolerantly, "I don't want to be too hard on +Blinkie, for after all it was partly my own fault. So I won't go that +far. But I must draw the line somewhere! Hereafter, Blinkie and I meet +as strangers!" +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap03"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER III +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE LADIES' AID +</H3> + + +<P> +"It's perfectly disgusting, I admit, father," said Prudence sweetly, +"but you know yourself that it very seldom happens. And I am sure the +kitchen is perfectly clean, and the soup is very nice indeed,—if it is +canned soup! Twins, this is four slices of bread apiece for you! You +see, father, I really feel that this is a crisis in the life of the +parsonage——" +</P> + +<P> +"How long does a parsonage usually live?" demanded Carol. +</P> + +<P> +"It wouldn't live long if the ministers had many twins," said Fairy +quickly. +</P> + +<P> +"Ouch!" grinned Connie, plagiarizing, for that expressive word belonged +exclusively to the twins, and it was double impertinence to apply it to +one of its very possessors. +</P> + +<P> +"And you understand, don't you, father, that if everything does not go +just exactly right, I shall feel I am disgraced for life? I know the +Ladies disapprove of me, and look on me with suspicion. I know they +think it wicked and ridiculous to leave the raising of four bright +spirits in the unworthy hands of a girl like me. I know they will all +sniff and smile and—Of course, twins, they have a perfect right to +feel, and act, so. I am not complaining. But I want to show them for +once in their lives that the parsonage runs smoothly and sweetly. If +you would just stay at home with us, father, it would be a big help. +You are such a tower of strength." +</P> + +<P> +"But unfortunately I can not. People do not get married every day in +the week, and when they are all ready for it they do not allow even +Ladies' Aids to stand in their way. It is a long drive, ten miles at +least, and I must start at once. And it will likely be very late when +I get back. But if you are all good, and help Prudence, and uphold the +reputation of the parsonage, I will divide the wedding fee with +you,—share and share alike." This was met with such enthusiasm that +he added hastily, "But wait! It may be only a dollar!" +</P> + +<P> +Then kissing the various members of the parsonage family, he went out +the back door, barnward. +</P> + +<P> +"Now," said Prudence briskly, "I want to make a bargain with you, +girls. If you'll stay clear away from the Ladies, and be very good and +orderly, I'll give you all the lemonade and cake you can drink +afterward." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, Prudence, I'm sure I can't drink much cake," cried Carol +tragically, "I just can't imagine myself doing it!" +</P> + +<P> +"I mean, eat the cake, of course," said Prudence, blushing. +</P> + +<P> +"And let us make taffy after supper?" wheedled Carol. +</P> + +<P> +Prudence hesitated, and the three young faces hardened. Then Prudence +relented and hastily agreed. "You won't need to appear at all, you +know. You can just stay outdoors and play as though you were model +children." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said Carol tartly, "the kind the members used to have,—which +are all grown up, now! And all moved out of Mount Mark, too!" +</P> + +<P> +"Carol! That sounds malicious, and malice isn't tolerated here for a +minute. Now,—oh, Fairy, did you remember to dust the back of the +dresser in our bedroom?" +</P> + +<P> +"Mercy! What in the world do you want the back of the dresser dusted +for? Do you expect the Ladies to look right through it?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, but some one might drop something behind it, and it would have to +be pulled out and they would all see it. This house has got to be +absolutely spotless for once,—I am sure it will be the first time." +</P> + +<P> +"And the last, I hope," added Carol sepulchrally. +</P> + +<P> +"We have an hour and a half yet," continued Prudence. "That will give +us plenty of time for the last touches. Twins and Connie, you'd better +go right out in the field and play. I'll call you a little before two, +and then you must go quietly upstairs, and dress—just wear your plain +little ginghams, the clean ones of course! Then if they do catch a +glimpse of you, you will be presentable.—Yes, you can take some bread +and sugar, but hurry." +</P> + +<P> +"You may take," said Fairy. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, of course, may take is what I mean.—Now hurry." +</P> + +<P> +Then Prudence and Fairy set to work again in good earnest. The house +was already well cleaned. The sandwiches were made. But there were +the last "rites," and every detail must be religiously attended to. +</P> + +<P> +It must be remembered that the three main down-stairs rooms of the +parsonage were connected by double doors,—double doors, you +understand, not portières! The front room, seldom used by the +parsonage family, opened on the right of the narrow hallway. Beyond it +was the living-room, which it must be confessed the parsonage girls +only called "living-room" when they were on their Sunday +behavior,—ordinarily it was the sitting-room, and a cheery, homey, +attractive place it was, with a great bay window looking out upon the +stately mansion of the Averys. To the left of the living-room was the +dining-room. The double doors between them were always open. The +other pair was closed, except on occasions of importance. +</P> + +<P> +Now, this really was a crisis in the life of the parsonage family,—if +not of the parsonage itself. The girls had met, separately, every +member of the Ladies' Aid. But this was their first combined movement +upon the parsonage, and Prudence and Fairy realized that much depended +on the success of the day. As girls, the whole Methodist church +pronounced the young Starrs charming. But as parsonage people,—well, +they were obliged to reserve judgment. And as for Prudence having +entire charge of the household, it must be acknowledged that every +individual Lady looked forward to this meeting with eagerness,—they +wanted to "size up" the situation. They were coming to see for +themselves! Yes, it was undoubtedly a crisis. +</P> + +<P> +"There'll be a crowd, of course," said Fairy. "We'll just leave the +doors between the front rooms open." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, but we'll close the dining-room doors. Then we'll have the +refreshments all out on the table, and when we are ready we'll just +fling back the doors carelessly and—there you are!" +</P> + +<P> +So the table was prettily decorated with flowers, and great plates of +sandwiches and cake were placed upon it. In the center was an enormous +punch-bowl, borrowed from the Averys, full of lemonade. Glasses were +properly arranged on the trays, and piles of nicely home-laundered +napkins were scattered here and there. The girls felt that the +dining-room was a credit to them, and to the Methodist Church entire. +</P> + +<P> +From every nook and corner of the house they hunted out chairs and +stools, anticipating a real run upon the parsonage. Nor were they +disappointed. The twins and Connie were not even arrayed in their +plain little ginghams, clean, before the first arrivals were ushered up +into the front bedroom, ordinarily occupied by Prudence and Fairy. +</P> + +<P> +"There's Mrs. Adams, and Mrs. Prentiss, and Mrs.——," began Connie, +listening intently to the voices in the next room. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," whispered Carol, "peek through the keyhole, Lark, and see if +Mrs. Prentiss is looking under the bed for dust. They say she——" +</P> + +<P> +"You'd better not let Prudence catch you repeating——" +</P> + +<P> +"There's Mrs. Stone, and Mrs. Davis, and——" +</P> + +<P> +"They say Mrs. Davis only belongs to the Ladies' Aid for the sake of +the refreshments, and——" +</P> + +<P> +"Carol! Prudence will punish you." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I don't believe it," protested Carol. "I'm just telling you +what I've heard other people say." +</P> + +<P> +"We aren't allowed to repeat gossip," urged Lark. +</P> + +<P> +"No, and I think it's a shame, too, for it's awfully funny. Minnie +Drake told me that Miss Varne joined the Methodist church as soon as +she heard the new minister was a widower so she——" +</P> + +<P> +"Carol!" +</P> + +<P> +Carol whirled around sharply, and flushed, and swallowed hard. For +Prudence was just behind her. +</P> + +<P> +"I—I—I—" but she could get no further. +</P> + +<P> +Upon occasion, Prudence was quite terrible. "So I heard," she said +dryly, but her eyes were hard. "Now run down-stairs and out to the +field, or to the barn, and play. And, Carol, be sure and remind me of +that speech to-night. I might forget it." +</P> + +<P> +The girls ran quickly out, Carol well in the lead. +</P> + +<P> +"No wedding fee for me," she mumbled bitterly. "Do you suppose there +can be seven devils in my tongue, Lark, like there are in the Bible?" +</P> + +<P> +"I don't remember there being seven devils in the Bible," said Lark. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I mean the—the possessed people it tells about in the +Bible,—crazy, I suppose it means. Somehow I just can't help +repeating——" +</P> + +<P> +"You don't want to," said Lark, not without sympathy. "You think it's +such fun, you know." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, anyhow, I'm sure I won't get any wedding fee to-night. It seems +to me Prudence is very—harsh sometimes." +</P> + +<P> +"You can appeal to father, if you like." +</P> + +<P> +"Not on your life," said Carol promptly and emphatically; "he's worse +than Prudence. Like as not he'd give me a good thrashing into the +bargain. No,—I'm strong for Prudence when it comes to punishment,—in +preference to father, I mean. I can't seem to be fond of any kind of +punishment from anybody." +</P> + +<P> +For a while Carol was much depressed, but by nature she was a buoyant +soul and her spirits were presently soaring again. +</P> + +<P> +In the meantime, the Ladies of the Aid Society continued to arrive. +Prudence and Fairy, freshly gowned and smiling-faced, received them +with cordiality and many merry words. It was not difficult for them, +they had been reared in the hospitable atmosphere of Methodist +parsonages, where, if you have but two dishes of oatmeal, the outsider +is welcome to one. That is Carol's description of parsonage life. +</P> + +<P> +But Prudence was concerned to observe that a big easy chair placed well +back in a secluded corner, seemed to be giving dissatisfaction. It was +Mrs. Adams who sat there first. She squirmed quite a little, and +seemed to be gripping the arms of the chair with unnecessary fervor. +Presently she stammered an excuse, and rising, went into the other +room. After that, Mrs. Miller tried the corner chair, and soon moved +away. Then Mrs. Jack, Mrs. Norey, and Mrs. Beed, in turn, sat +there,—and did not stay. Prudence was quite agonized. Had the awful +twins filled it with needles for the reception of the poor Ladies? At +first opportunity, she hurried into the secluded corner, intent upon +trying the chair for herself. She sat down anxiously. Then she +gasped, and clutched frantically at the arms of the chair. For she +discovered at once to her dismay that the chair was bottomless, and +that only by hanging on for her life could she keep from dropping +through. She thought hard for a moment,—but thinking did not +interfere with her grasp on the chair-arms,—and then she realized that +the wisest thing would be to discuss it publicly. Anything would be +better than leaving it unexplained, for the Ladies to comment upon +privately. +</P> + +<P> +So up rose Prudence, conscientiously pulling after her the thin cushion +which had concealed the chair's shortcoming. "Look, Fairy!" she cried. +"Did you take the bottom out of this chair?—It must have been horribly +uncomfortable for those who have sat there!—However did it happen?" +</P> + +<P> +Fairy was frankly amazed, and a little inclined to be amused. +</P> + +<P> +"Ask the twins," she said tersely, "I know nothing about it." +</P> + +<P> +At that moment, the luckless Carol went running through the hall. +Prudence knew it was she, without seeing, because she had a peculiar +skipping run that was quite characteristic and unmistakable. +</P> + +<P> +"Carol!" she called. +</P> + +<P> +And Carol paused. +</P> + +<P> +"Carol!" more imperatively. +</P> + +<P> +Then Carol slowly opened the door,—she was a parsonage girl and rose +to the occasion. She smiled winsomely,—Carol was nearly always +winsome. +</P> + +<P> +"How do you do?" she said brightly. "Isn't it a lovely day? Did you +call me, Prudence?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes. Do you know where the bottom of that chair has gone?" +</P> + +<P> +"Why, no, Prudence—gracious! That chair!—Why, I didn't know you were +going to bring that chair in here—Why,—oh, I am so sorry! Why in the +world didn't you tell us beforehand?" +</P> + +<P> +Some of the Ladies smiled. Others lifted their brows and shoulders in +a mildly suggestive way, that Prudence, after nineteen years in the +parsonage, had learned to know and dread. +</P> + +<P> +"And where is the chair-bottom now?" she inquired. "And why did you +take it?" +</P> + +<P> +"Why we wanted to make——" +</P> + +<P> +"You and Lark?" +</P> + +<P> +"Well, yes,—but it was really all my fault, you know. We wanted to +make a seat up high in the peach tree, and we couldn't find a board the +right shape. So she discovered—I mean, I did—that by pulling out two +tiny nails we could get the bottom off the chair, and it was just fine. +It's a perfectly adorable seat," brightening, but sobering again as she +realized the gravity of the occasion. "And we put the cushion in the +chair so that it wouldn't be noticed. We never use that chair, you +know, and we didn't think of your needing it to-day. We put it away +back in the cold corner of the sitting—er, living-room where no one +ever sits. I'm so sorry about it." +</P> + +<P> +Carol was really quite crushed, but true to her parsonage training, she +struggled valiantly and presently brought forth a crumpled and sickly +smile. +</P> + +<P> +But Prudence smiled at her kindly. "That wasn't very naughty, Carol," +she said frankly. "It's true that we seldom use that chair. And we +ought to have looked." She glanced reproachfully at Fairy. "It is +strange that in dusting it, Fairy—but never mind. You may go now, +Carol. It is all right." +</P> + +<P> +Then she apologized gently to the Ladies, and the conversation went on, +but Prudence was uncomfortably conscious of keen and quizzical eyes +turned her way. Evidently they thought she was too lenient. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, it wasn't very naughty," she thought wretchedly. "How can I +pretend it was terribly bad, when I feel in my heart that it wasn't!" +</P> + +<P> +Before long, the meeting was called to order, and the secretary +instructed to read the minutes. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh," fluttered Miss Carr excitedly, "I forgot to bring the book. I +haven't been secretary very long, you know." +</P> + +<P> +"Only six months," interrupted Mrs. Adams tartly. +</P> + +<P> +"How do you expect to keep to-day's minutes?" demanded the president. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I am sure Miss Prudence will give me a pencil and paper, and I'll +copy them in the book as soon as ever I get home." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, indeed," said Prudence. "There is a tablet on that table beside +you, and pencils, too. I thought we might need them." +</P> + +<P> +Then the president made a few remarks, but while she talked, Miss Carr +was excitedly opening the tablet. Miss Carr was always excited, and +always fluttering, and always giggling girlishly. Carol called her a +sweet old simpering soul, and so she was. But now, right in the midst +of the president's serious remarks, she quite giggled out. +</P> + +<P> +The president stared at her in amazement. The Ladies looked up +curiously. Miss Carr was bending low over the tablet, and laughing +gaily to herself. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, this is very cute," she said. "Who wrote it? Oh, it is just real +cunning." +</P> + +<P> +Fairy sprang up, suddenly scarlet. "Oh, perhaps you have one of the +twins' books, and they're always scribbling and——" +</P> + +<P> +"No, it is yours, Fairy. I got it from among your school-books." +</P> + +<P> +Fairy sank back, intensely mortified, and Miss Carr chirped brightly: +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, Fairy, dear, did you write this little poem? How perfectly sweet! +And what a queer, sentimental little creature you are. I never dreamed +you were so romantic. Mayn't I read it aloud?" +</P> + +<P> +Fairy was speechless, but the Ladies, including the president, were +impatiently waiting. So Miss Carr began reading in a sentimental, +dreamy voice that must have been very fetching fifty years before. At +the first suggestion of poetry, Prudence sat up with conscious +pride,—Fairy was so clever! But before Miss Carr had finished the +second verse, she too was literally drowned in humiliation. +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +"My love rode out of the glooming night,<BR> +Into the glare of the morning light.<BR> +My love rode out of the dim unknown,<BR> +Into my heart to claim his own.<BR> +My love rode out of the yesterday,<BR> +Into the now,--and he came to stay.<BR> +Oh, love that is rich, and pure, and true,<BR> +The love in my heart leaps out to you.<BR> +Oh, love, at last you have found your part,--<BR> +To come and dwell in my empty heart."<BR> +</P> + +<P> +Miss Carr sat down, giggling delightedly, and the younger Ladies +laughed, and the older Ladies smiled. +</P> + +<P> +But Mrs. Prentiss turned to Fairy gravely. "How old are you, my dear?" +</P> + +<P> +And with a too-apparent effort, Fairy answered, "Sixteen!" +</P> + +<P> +"Indeed!" A simple word, but so suggestively uttered. "Shall we +continue the meeting, Ladies?" +</P> + +<P> +This aroused Prudence's ire on her sister's behalf, and she squared her +shoulders defiantly. For a while, Fairy was utterly subdued. But +thinking it over to herself, she decided that after all there was +nothing absolutely shameful in a sixteen-year-old girl writing +sentimental verses. Silly, to be sure! But all sixteen-year-olds are +silly. We love them for it! And Fairy's good nature and really good +judgment came to her rescue, and she smiled at Prudence with her old +serenity. +</P> + +<P> +The meeting progressed, and the business was presently disposed of. So +far, things were not too seriously bad, and Prudence sighed in great +relief. Then the Ladies took out their sewing, and began industriously +working at many unmentionable articles, designed for the intimate +clothing of a lot of young Methodists confined in an orphans' home in +Chicago. And they talked together pleasantly and gaily. And Prudence +and Fairy felt that the cloud was lifted. +</P> + +<P> +But soon it settled again, dark and lowering. Prudence heard Lark +running through the hall and her soul misgave her. Why was Lark going +upstairs? What was her errand? And she remembered the wraps of the +Ladies, up-stairs, alone and unprotected. Dare she trust Lark in such +a crisis? Perhaps the very sight of Prudence and the Ladies' Aid would +arouse her better nature, and prevent catastrophe. To be sure, her +mission might be innocent, but Prudence dared not run the risk. +Fortunately she was sitting near the door. +</P> + +<P> +"Lark!" she called softly. Lark stopped abruptly, and something fell +to the floor. +</P> + +<P> +"Lark!" +</P> + +<P> +There was a muttered exclamation from without, and Lark began fumbling +rapidly around on the floor talking incoherently to herself. +</P> + +<P> +"Lark!" +</P> + +<P> +The Ladies smiled, and Miss Carr, laughing lightly, said, "She is an +attentive creature, isn't she?" +</P> + +<P> +Prudence would gladly have flown out into the hall to settle this +matter, but she realized that she was on exhibition. Had she done so, +the Ladies would have set her down forever after as thoroughly +incompetent,—she could not go! But Lark must come to her. +</P> + +<P> +"Lark!" This was Prudence's most awful voice, and Lark was bound to +heed. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, Prue," she said plaintively, "I'll be there in a minute. Can't +you wait just five minutes? Let me run up-stairs first, won't you? +Then I'll come gladly! Won't that do?" +</P> + +<P> +Her voice was hopeful. But Prudence replied with dangerous calm: +</P> + +<P> +"Come at once, Lark." +</P> + +<P> +"All right, then," and added threateningly, "but you'll wish I hadn't." +</P> + +<P> +Then Lark opened the door,—a woeful figure! In one hand she carried +an empty shoe box. And her face was streaked with good rich Iowa mud. +Her clothes were plastered with it. One shoe was caked from the sole +to the very top button, and a great gash in her stocking revealed a +generous portion of round white leg. +</P> + +<P> +Poor Prudence! At that moment, she would have exchanged the whole +parsonage, bathroom, electric lights and all, for a tiny log cabin in +the heart of a great forest where she and Lark might be alone together. +</P> + +<P> +And Fairy laughed. Prudence looked at her with tears in her eyes, and +then turned to the wretched girl. +</P> + +<P> +"What have you been doing, Lark?" +</P> + +<P> +The heart-break expressed in the face of Lark would have made the +angels weep. Beneath the smudges of mud on her cheeks she was pallid, +and try as she would, she could not keep her chin from trembling +ominously. Her eyes were fastened on the floor for the most part, but +occasionally she raised them hurriedly, appealingly, to her sister's +face, and dropped them again. Not for worlds would she have faced the +Ladies! Prudence was obliged to repeat her question before Lark could +articulate a reply. She gulped painfully a few times,—making +meanwhile a desperate effort to hide the gash in one stocking by +placing the other across it, rubbing it up and down in great +embarrassment, and balancing herself with apparent difficulty. Her +voice, when she was able to speak, was barely recognizable. +</P> + +<P> +"We—we—we are making—mud images, Prudence. It—it was awfully +messy, I know, but—they say—it is such a good—and useful thing to +do. We—we didn't expect—the—the Ladies to see us." +</P> + +<P> +"Mud images!" gasped Prudence, and even Fairy stared incredulously. +"Where in the world did you get hold of an idea like that?" +</P> + +<P> +"It—it was in that—that Mother's Home Friend paper you take, +Prudence." Prudence blushed guiltily. "It—it was modeling in clay, +but—we haven't any clay, and—the mud is very nice, but—Oh, I know I +look just—horrible. I—I—Connie pushed me in the—puddle—for fun. +I—I was vexed about it, Prudence, honestly. I—I was chasing her, and +I fell, and tore my stocking,—and—and—but, Prudence, the papers do +say children ought to model, and we didn't think of—getting caught." +Another appealing glance into her sister's face, and Lark plunged on, +bent on smoothing matters if she could. "Carol is—is just fine at it, +really. She—she's making a Venus de Milo, and it's good. But we +can't remember whether her arm is off at the elbow or below the +shoulder——" An enormous gulp, and by furious blinking Lark managed +to crowd back the tears that would slip to the edge of her lashes. +"I—I'm very sorry, Prudence." +</P> + +<P> +"Very well, Lark, you may go. I do not really object to your modeling +in mud, I am sure. I am sorry you look so disreputable. You must +change your shoes and stockings at once, and then you can go on with +your modeling. But there must be no more pushing and chasing. I'll +see Connie about that to-night. Now——" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh! Oh! Oh! What in the world is that?" +</P> + +<P> +This was a chorus of several Ladies' Aid voices,—a double quartette at +the very least. Lark gave a sharp exclamation and began looking +hurriedly about her on the floor. +</P> + +<P> +"It's got in here,—just as I expected," she exclaimed. "I said you +would be sorry, Prue,—Oh, there it is under your chair, Mrs. Prentiss. +Just wait,—maybe I can shove it back in the box again." +</P> + +<P> +This was greeted with a fresh chorus of shrieks. There was a hurried +and absolute vacation of that corner of the front room. The Ladies +fled, dropping their cherished sewing, shoving one another in a most +Unladies-Aid-like way. +</P> + +<P> +And there, beneath a chair, squatted the cause of the confusion, an +innocent, unhappy, blinking toad! +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, Larkie!" +</P> + +<P> +This was a prolonged wail. +</P> + +<P> +"It's all right, Prue, honestly it is," urged Lark with pathetic +solemnity. "We didn't do it for a joke. We're keeping him for a good +purpose. Connie found him in the garden,—and—Carol said we ought to +keep him for Professor Duke,—he asked us to bring him things to cut up +in science, you remember. So we just shoved him into this shoe box, +and—we thought we'd keep him in the bath-tub until morning. We did it +for a good purpose, don't you see we did? Oh, Prudence!" +</P> + +<P> +Prudence was horribly outraged, but even in that critical moment, +justice insisted that Lark's arguments were sound. The professor had +certainly asked the scholars to bring him "things to cut up." But a +toad! A live one!—And the Ladies' Aid! Prudence shivered. +</P> + +<P> +"I am sure you meant well, Larkie," she said in a low voice, striving +hard to keep down the bitter resentment in her heart, "I know you did. +But you should not have brought that—that thing—into the house. Pick +him up at once, and take him out-of-doors and let him go." +</P> + +<P> +But this was not readily done. In spite of her shame and deep dismay, +Lark refused to touch the toad with her fingers. +</P> + +<P> +"I can't touch him, Prudence,—I simply can't," she whimpered. "We +shoved him in with the broom handle before." +</P> + +<P> +And as no one else was willing to touch it, and as the Ladies clustered +together in confusion, and with much laughter, in the far corner of the +other room, Prudence brought the broom and the not unwilling toad was +helped to other quarters. +</P> + +<P> +"Now go," said Prudence quickly, and Lark was swift to avail herself of +the permission. +</P> + +<P> +Followed a quiet hour, and then the Ladies put aside their sewing and +walked about the room, chatting in little groups. With a significant +glance to Fairy, Prudence walked calmly to the double doors between the +dining-room and the sitting-room. The eyes of the Ladies followed her +with interest and even enthusiasm. They were hungry. Prudence slowly +opened wide the doors, and—stood amazed! The Ladies clustered about +her, and stood amazed also. The dining-room was there, and the table! +But the appearance of the place was vastly different! The snowy cloth +was draped artistically over a picture on the wall, the lowest edges +well above the floor. The plates and trays, napkin-covered, were +safely stowed away on the floor in distant corners. The kitchen scrub +bucket had been brought in and turned upside down, to afford a fitting +resting place for the borrowed punch bowl, full to overflowing with +fragrant lemonade. +</P> + +<P> +And at the table were three dirty, disheveled little figures, bending +seriously over piles of mud. A not-unrecognizable Venus de Milo +occupied the center of the table. Connie was painstakingly at work on +some animal, a dog perhaps, or possibly an elephant. And—— +</P> + +<P> +The three young modelers looked up in exclamatory consternation as the +doors opened. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, are you ready?" cried Carol. "How the time has flown! We had no +idea you'd be ready so soon. Oh, we are sorry, Prudence. We intended +to have everything fixed properly for you again. We needed a flat +place for our modeling. It's a shame, that's what it is. Isn't that a +handsome Venus? I did that!—If you'll just shut the door one minute, +Prudence, we'll have everything exactly as you left it. And we're as +sorry as we can be. You can have my Venus for a centerpiece, if you +like." +</P> + +<A NAME="img-078"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG SRC="images/img-078.jpg" ALT=""If you'll just shut the door one minute, Prudence, we'll have everything exactly as you left it."" BORDER="2" WIDTH="568" HEIGHT="390"> +<H4> +[Illustration: "If you'll just shut the door one minute, Prudence,<BR> +we'll have everything exactly as you left it." +</H4> +</CENTER> + +<P> +Prudence silently closed the doors, and the Ladies, laughing +significantly, drew away. +</P> + +<P> +"Don't you think, my dear," began Mrs. Prentiss too sweetly, "that they +are a little more than you can manage? Don't you really think an older +woman is needed?" +</P> + +<P> +"I do not think so," cried Fairy, before her sister could speak, "no +older woman could be kinder, or sweeter, or more patient and helpful +than Prue." +</P> + +<P> +"Undoubtedly true! But something more is needed, I am afraid! It +appears that girls are a little more disorderly than in my own young +days! Perhaps I do not judge advisedly, but it seems to me they are a +little—unmanageable." +</P> + +<P> +"Indeed they are not," cried Prudence loyally. "They are young, +lively, mischievous, I know,—and I am glad of it. But I have lived +with them ever since they were born, and I ought to know them. They +are unselfish, they are sympathetic, they are always generous. They do +foolish and irritating things,—but never things that are hateful and +mean. They are all right at heart, and that is all that counts. They +are not bad girls! What have they done to-day? They were +exasperating, and humiliating, too, but what did they do that was +really mean? They embarrassed and mortified me, but not intentionally! +I can't punish them for the effect on me, you know! Would that be just +or fair? At heart, they meant no harm." +</P> + +<P> +It must be confessed that there were many serious faces among the +Ladies. Some cheeks were flushed, some eyes were downcast, some lips +were compressed and some were trembling. Every mother there was asking +in her heart, "Did I punish my children just for the effect on me? Did +I judge my children by what was in their hearts, or just by the trouble +they made me?" +</P> + +<P> +And the silence lasted so long that it became awkward. Finally Mrs. +Prentiss crossed the room and stood by Prudence's side. She laid a +hand tenderly on the young girl's arm, and said in a voice that was +slightly tremulous: +</P> + +<P> +"I believe you are right, my dear. It is what girls are at heart that +really counts. I believe your sisters are all you say they are. And +one thing I am very sure of,—they are happy girls to have a sister so +patient, and loving, and just. Not all real mothers have as much to +their credit!" +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap04"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER IV +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +A SECRET SOCIETY +</H3> + + +<P> +Carol and Lark, in keeping with their twin-ship, were the dearest of +chums and comrades. They resembled each other closely in build, being +of the same height and size. They were slender, yet gave a suggestion +of sturdiness. Carol's face was a delicately tinted oval, brightened +by clear and sparkling eyes of blue. She was really beautiful, bright, +attractive and vivacious. She made friends readily, and was always +considered the "most popular girl in our crowd"—whatever Carol's crowd +at the time might be. But she was not extremely clever, caring little +for study, and with no especial talent in any direction. Lark was as +nearly contrasting as any sister could be. Her face was pale, her eyes +were dark brown and full of shadows, and she was a brilliant and +earnest student. For each other the twins felt a passionate devotion +that was very beautiful, but ludicrous as well. +</P> + +<P> +To them, the great rambling barn back of the parsonage was a most +delightful place. It had a big cow-shed on one side, and horse stalls +on the other, with a "heavenly" haymow over all, and with "chutes" for +the descent of hay,—and twins! In one corner was a high dark crib for +corn, with an open window looking down into the horse stalls adjoining. +When the crib was newly filled, the twins could clamber painfully up on +the corn, struggle backward through the narrow window, and holding to +the ledge of it with their hands, drop down into the nearest stall. To +be sure they were likely to fall,—more likely than not,—and their +hands were splinter-filled and their heads blue-bumped most of the +time. But splinters and bumps did not interfere with their pursuit of +pleasure. +</P> + +<P> +Now the twins had a Secret Society,—of which they were the founders, +the officers and the membership body. Its name was Skull and +Crossbones. Why that name was chosen perhaps even the twins themselves +could not explain, but it sounded deep, dark and bloody,—and so was +the Society. Lark furnished the brain power for the organization but +her sister was an enthusiastic and energetic second. Carol's club name +was Lady Gwendolyn, and Lark's was Sir Alfred Angelcourt ordinarily, +although subject to frequent change. Sometimes she was Lord Beveling, +the villain of the plot, and chased poor Gwendolyn madly through +corn-crib, horse stalls and haymow. Again she was the dark-browed +Indian silently stalking his unconscious prey. Then she was a fierce +lion lying in wait for the approaching damsel. The old barn saw +stirring times after the coming of the new parsonage family. +</P> + +<P> +"Hark! Hark!" sounded a hissing whisper from the corn-crib, and +Connie, eavesdropping outside the barn, shivered sympathetically. +</P> + +<P> +"What is it! Oh, what is it?" wailed the unfortunate lady. +</P> + +<P> +"Look! Look! Run for your life!" +</P> + +<P> +Then while Connie clutched the barn door in a frenzy, there was a sound +of rattling corn as the twins scrambled upward, a silence, a low thud, +and an unromantic "Ouch!" as Carol bumped her head and stumbled. +</P> + +<P> +"Are you assaulted?" shouted the bold Sir Alfred, and Connie heard a +wild scuffle as he rescued his companion from the clutches of the old +halter on which she had stumbled. Up the haymow ladder they hurried, +and then slid recklessly down the hay-chutes. Presently the barn door +was flung open, and the "Society" knocked Connie flying backward, ran +madly around the barn a few times, and scurried under the fence and +into the chicken coop. +</P> + +<P> +A little later, Connie, assailed with shots of corncobs, ran bitterly +toward the house. "Peaking" was strictly forbidden when the twins were +engaged in Skull and Crossbones activities. +</P> + +<P> +And Connie's soul burned with desire. She felt that this secret +society was threatening not only her happiness, but also her health, +for she could not sleep for horrid dreams of Skulls and Crossbones at +night, and could not eat for envying the twins their secret and +mysterious joys. Therefore, with unwonted humility, she applied for +entrance. She had applied many times previously, without effect. But +this time she enforced her application with a nickel's worth of red +peppermint drops, bought for the very purpose. The twins accepted the +drops gravely, and told Connie she must make formal application. Then +they marched solemnly off to the barn with the peppermint drops, +without offering Connie a share. This hurt, but she did not long +grieve over it, she was so busy wondering what on earth they meant by +"formal application." Finally she applied to Prudence, and received +assistance. +</P> + +<P> +The afternoon mail brought to the parsonage an envelope addressed to +"Misses Carol and Lark Starr, The Methodist Parsonage, Mount Mark, +Iowa," and in the lower left-hand corner was a suggestive drawing of a +Skull and Crossbones. The eyes of the mischievous twins twinkled with +delight when they saw it, and they carried it to the barn for prompt +perusal. It read as follows: +</P> + +<P CLASS="letter"> +"Miss Constance Starr humbly and respectfully craves admittance into +the Ancient and Honorable Organization of Skull and Crossbones." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +The twins pondered long on a fitting reply, and the next afternoon the +postman brought a letter for Connie, waiting impatiently for it. She +had approached the twins about it at noon that day. +</P> + +<P> +"Did you get my application?" she had whispered nervously. +</P> + +<P> +But the twins had stared her out of countenance, and Connie realized +that she had committed a serious breach of secret society etiquette. +</P> + +<P> +But here was the letter! Her fingers trembled as she opened it. It +was decorated lavishly with skulls and crossbones, splashed with red +ink, supposedly blood, and written in the same suggestive color. +</P> + +<P CLASS="letter"> +"Skull and Crossbones has heard the plea of Miss Constance Starr. If +she present herself at the Parsonage Haymow this evening, at eight +o'clock, she shall learn the will of the Society regarding her +petition." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +Connie was jubilant! In a flash, she saw herself admitted to the +mysterious Barnyard Order, and began working out a name for her own +designation after entrance. It was a proud day for her. +</P> + +<P> +By the time the twins had finished washing the supper dishes, it was +dark. Constance glanced out of the window apprehensively. She now +remembered that eight o'clock was very, very late, and that the barn +was a long way from the house! And up in the haymow, too! And such a +mysterious bloody society! Her heart quaked within her. So she +approached the twins respectfully, and said in an offhand way: +</P> + +<P> +"I can go any time now. Just let me know when you're ready, and I'll +go right along with you." +</P> + +<P> +But the twins stared at her again in an amazing and overbearing +fashion, and vouchsafed no reply. Connie, however, determined to keep +a watchful eye upon them, and when they started barnward, she would +trail closely along in their rear. It was a quarter to eight, and +fearfully dark, when she suddenly remembered that they had been +up-stairs an unnaturally long time. She rushed up in a panic. They +were not there. She ran through the house. They were not to be found. +The dreadful truth overwhelmed her,—the twins were already in the +haymow, the hour had come, and she must go forth. +</P> + +<P> +Breathlessly, she slipped out of the back door, and closed it softly +behind her. She could not distinguish the dark outlines of the barn in +the equal darkness of the autumn night. She gave a long sobbing gasp +as she groped her way forward. As she neared the barn, she was +startled to hear from the haymow over her head, deep groans as of a +soul in mortal agony. Something had happened to the twins! +</P> + +<P> +"Girls! Girls!" she cried, forgetting for the moment her own sorry +state. "What is the matter? Twins!" +</P> + +<P> +Sepulchral silence! And Connie knew that this was the dreadful Skull +and Bones. Her teeth chattered as she stood there, irresolute in the +intense and throbbing darkness. +</P> + +<P> +"It's only the twins," she assured herself over and over, and began +fumbling with the latch of the barn door,—but her fingers were stiff +and cold. Suddenly from directly above her, there came the hideous +clanking of iron chains. Connie had read ghost stories, and she knew +the significance of clanking chains, but she stood her ground in spite +of the almost irresistible impulse to fly. After the clanking, the +loud and clamorous peal of a bell rang out. +</P> + +<P> +"It's that old cow bell they found in the field," she whispered +practically, but found it none the less horrifying. +</P> + +<P> +Finally she stepped into the blackness of the barn, found the ladder +leading to the haymow and began slowly climbing. But her own weight +seemed a tremendous thing, and she had difficulty in raising herself +from step to step. She comforted herself with the reflection that at +the top were the twins,—company and triumph hand in hand. But when +she reached the top, and peered around her, she found little +comfort,—and no desirable company? +</P> + +<P> +A small barrel draped in black stood in the center of the mow, and on +it a lighted candle gave out a feeble flickering ray which emphasized +the darkness around it. On either side of the black-draped barrel +stood a motionless figure, clothed in somber black. On the head of one +was a skull,—not a really skull, just a pasteboard imitation, but it +was just as awful to Connie. On the head of the other were crossbones. +</P> + +<P> +"Kneel," commanded the hoarse voice of Skull, in which Connie could +faintly distinguish the tone of Lark. +</P> + +<P> +She knelt,—an abject quivering neophyte. +</P> + +<P> +"Hear the will of Skull and Crossbones," chanted Crossbones in a shrill +monotone. +</P> + +<P> +Then Skull took up the strain once more. "Skull and Crossbones, great +in mercy and in condescension, has listened graciously to the prayer of +Constance, the Seeker. Hear the will of the Great Spirit! If the +Seeker will, for the length of two weeks, submit herself to the will of +Skull and Crossbones, she shall be admitted into the Ancient and +Honorable Order. If the Seeker accepts this condition, she must bow +herself to the ground three times, in token of submission." +</P> + +<P> +"There's no ground here," came a small faint voice from the kneeling +Seeker. +</P> + +<P> +"The floor, madam," Skull explained sternly. "If the Seeker accepts +the condition,—to submit herself absolutely to the will of Skull and +Crossbones for two entire weeks,—she shall bow herself three times." +</P> + +<P> +Constance hesitated. It was so grandly expressed that she hardly +understood what they wanted. Carol came to her rescue. +</P> + +<P> +"That means you've got to do everything Lark and I tell you for two +weeks," she said in her natural voice. +</P> + +<P> +Then Constance bowed herself three times,—although she lost her +balance in the act, and Carol forgot her dignity and gave way to +laughter, swiftly subdued, however. +</P> + +<P> +"Arise and approach the altar," she commanded in the shrill voice, +which yet gave signs of laughter. +</P> + +<P> +Constance arose and approached. +</P> + +<P> +"Upon the altar, before the Eternal Light, you will find a small black +bow, with a drop of human blood in the center. This is the badge of +your pledgedom. You must wear it day and night, during the entire two +weeks. After that, if all is well; you shall be received into full +membership. If you break your pledge to the Order, it must be restored +at once to Skull and Crossbones. Take it, and pin it upon your breast." +</P> + +<P> +Constance did so,—and her breast heaved with rapture and awe in +mingling. +</P> + +<P> +Then a horrible thing happened. The flame of the "Eternal Light" was +suddenly extinguished, and Carol exclaimed, "The ceremony is ended. +Return, damsel, to thine abode." +</P> + +<P> +A sound of scampering feet,—and Constance knew that the Grand +Officials had fled, and she was alone in the dreadful darkness. She +called after them pitifully, but she heard the slam of the kitchen door +before she had even reached the ladder. +</P> + +<P> +It was a sobbing and miserable neophyte who stumbled into the kitchen a +few seconds later. The twins were bending earnestly over their Latin +grammars by the side of the kitchen fire, and did not raise their eyes +as the Seeker burst into the room. Constance sat down, and gasped and +quivered for a while. Then she looked down complacently at the little +black bow with its smudge of red ink, and sighed contentedly. +</P> + +<P> +The week that followed was a gala one for the twins of Skull and +Crossbones. Constance swept their room, made their bed, washed their +dishes, did their chores, and in every way behaved as a model pledge of +the Ancient and Honorable. The twins were gracious but firm. There +was no arguing, and no faltering. "It is the will of Skull and +Crossbones that the damsel do this," they would say. And the damsel +did it. +</P> + +<P> +Prudence did not feel it was a case that called for her interference. +So she sat back and watched, while the twins told stories, read and +frolicked, and Constance did their daily tasks. +</P> + +<P> +So eight days passed, and then came Waterloo. Constance returned home +after an errand downtown, and in her hand she carried a great golden +pear. Perhaps Constance would have preferred that she escape the +notice of the twins on this occasion, but as luck would have it, she +passed Carol in the hall. +</P> + +<P> +"Gracious! What a pear! Where did you get it?" demanded Carol +covetously. +</P> + +<P> +"I met Mr. Arnold down-town, and he bought it for me. He's very fond +of me. It cost him a dime, too, for just this one. Isn't it a +beauty?" And Connie licked her lips suggestively. +</P> + +<P> +Carol licked hers, too, thoughtfully. Then she called up the stairs, +"Lark, come here, quick!" +</P> + +<P> +Lark did so, and duly exclaimed and admired. Then she said +significantly, "I suppose you are going to divide with us?" +</P> + +<P> +"Of course," said Connie with some indignation. "I'm going to cut it +in five pieces so Prudence and Fairy can have some, too." +</P> + +<P> +A pause, while Carol and Lark gazed at each other soberly. Mentally, +each twin was figuring how big her share would be when the pear was +divided in fives. Then Lark spoke. +</P> + +<P> +"It is the will of Skull and Crossbones that this luscious fruit be +turned over to them immediately." +</P> + +<P> +Constance faltered, held it out, drew it back. +</P> + +<P> +"If I do, I suppose you'll give me part of it, anyhow," she said, and +her eyes glittered. +</P> + +<P> +"Not so, damsel," said Carol ominously. "The Ancient and Honorable +takes,—it never gives." +</P> + +<P> +For a moment Constance wavered. Then she flamed into sudden anger. "I +won't do it, so there!" she cried. "I think you're mean selfish pigs, +that's what I think! Taking my very own pear, and—but you won't get +it! I don't care if I never get into your silly old society,—you +don't get a bite of this pear, I can tell you that!" And Constance +rushed up-stairs and slammed a door. A few seconds later the door +opened again, and her cherished badge was flung down upon Skull and +Crossbones. +</P> + +<P> +"There's your old black string smeared up with red ink!" she yelled at +them wildly. And again the door slammed. +</P> + +<P> +Carol picked up the insulted badge, and studied it thoughtfully. Lark +spoke first. +</P> + +<P> +"It occurs to me, Fair Gwendolyn, that we would do well to keep this +little scene from the ears of the just and righteous Prudence." +</P> + +<P> +"Right, as always, Brave Knight," was the womanly retort. And the +twins betook themselves to the haymow in thoughtful mood. +</P> + +<P> +A little later, when Prudence and Fairy came laughing into the +down-stairs hall, a white-faced Constance met them. "Look," she said, +holding out a pear, divided into three parts, just like Gaul. "Mr. +Arnold gave me this pear, and here's a piece for each of you." +</P> + +<P> +The girls thanked her warmly, but Prudence paused with her third almost +touching her lips. "How about the twins?" she inquired. "Aren't they +at home? Won't they break your pledge if you leave them out?" +</P> + +<P> +Constance looked up sternly. "I offered them some half an hour ago, +and they refused it," she said. "And they have already put me out of +the society!" There was tragedy in the childish face, and Prudence put +her arms around this baby-sister. +</P> + +<P> +"Tell Prue all about it, Connie," she said. But Constance shook her +head. +</P> + +<P> +"It can't be talked about. Go on and eat your pear. It is good." +</P> + +<P> +"Was it all right?" questioned Prudence. "Did the twins play fair, +Connie?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said Constance. "It was all right. Don't talk about it." +</P> + +<P> +But in two days Constance repented of her rashness. In three days she +was pleading for forgiveness. And in four days she was starting in on +another two weeks of pledgedom, and the desecrated ribbon with its drop +of blood reposed once more on her ambitious breast. +</P> + +<P> +For three days her service was sore indeed, for the twins informed her, +with sympathy, that she must be punished for insubordination. "But +after that, we'll be just as easy on you as anything, Connie," they +told her. "So don't you get sore now. In three days, we'll let up on +you." +</P> + +<P> +A week passed, ten days, and twelve. Then came a golden October +afternoon when the twins sat in the haymow looking out upon a mellow +world. Constance was in the yard, reading a fairy story. The +situation was a tense one, for the twins were hungry, and time was +heavy on their hands. +</P> + +<P> +"The apple trees in Avery's orchard are just loaded," said Lark +aimlessly. "And there are lots on the ground, too. I saw them when I +was out in the field this morning." +</P> + +<P> +"Some of the trees are close to our fence, too," said Carol slowly. +"Very close." +</P> + +<P> +Lark glanced up with sudden interest. "That's so," she said. "And the +wires on the fence are awfully loose." +</P> + +<P> +Carol gazed down into the yard where Constance was absorbed in her +book. "Constance oughtn't to read as much as she does," she argued. +"It's so bad for the eyes." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, and what's more, she's been getting off too easy the last few +days. The time is nearly up." +</P> + +<P> +"That's so," said Lark. "Let's call her up here." This was done at +once, and the unfortunate Constance walked reluctantly toward the barn, +her fascinating story still in her hand. +</P> + +<P> +"You see, they've got more apples than they need, and those on the +ground are just going to waste," continued Carol, pending the arrival +of the little pledge. "The chickens are pecking at them, and ruining +them." +</P> + +<P> +"It's criminal destruction, that's what it is," declared Lark. +</P> + +<P> +Connie stood before them respectfully, as they had instructed her to +stand. The twins hesitated, each secretly hoping the other would voice +the order. But Lark as usual was obliged to be the spokesman. +</P> + +<P> +"Damsel," she said, "it is the will of Skull and Crossbones that you +hie ye to yonder orchard,—Avery's, I mean,—and bring hither some of +the golden apples basking in the sun." +</P> + +<P> +"What!" ejaculated Connie, startled out of her respect. +</P> + +<P> +Carol frowned. +</P> + +<P> +Connie hastened to modify her tone. "Did they say you might have +them?" she inquired politely. +</P> + +<P> +"That concerns thee not, 'tis for thee only to render obedience to the +orders of the Society. Go out through our field and sneak under the +fence where the wires are loose, and hurry back. We're awfully hungry. +The trees are near the fence. There isn't any danger." +</P> + +<P> +"But it's stealing," objected Connie. "What will Prudence——" +</P> + +<P> +"Damsel!" And Connie turned to obey with despair in her heart. +</P> + +<P> +"Bring twelve," Carol called after her, "that'll be four apiece. And +hurry, Connie. And see they don't catch you while you're about it." +</P> + +<P> +After she had gone, the twins lay back thoughtfully on the hay and +stared at the cobwebby roof above them. +</P> + +<P> +"It's a good thing Prudence and Fairy are downtown," said Lark sagely. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, or we'd catch it," assented Carol. "But I don't see why! The +Averys have too many apples, and they are going to waste. I'm sure +Mrs. Avery would rather let us have them than the chickens." +</P> + +<P> +They lay in silence for a while. Something was hurting them, but +whether it was their fear of the wrath of Prudence, or the twinges of +tender consciences,—who can say? +</P> + +<P> +"She's an unearthly long time about it," exclaimed Lark, at last. "Do +you suppose they caught her?" +</P> + +<P> +This was an awful thought, and the girls were temporarily suffocated. +But they heard the barn door swinging beneath them, and sighed with +relief. It was Connie! She climbed the ladder skilfully, and poured +her golden treasure before the arch thieves, Skull and Crossbones. +</P> + +<P> +There were eight big tempting apples. +</P> + +<P> +"Hum! Eight," said Carol sternly. "I said twelve." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, but I was afraid some one was coming. I heard such a noise +through the grapevines, so I got what I could and ran for it. There's +three apiece for you, and two for me," said Connie, sitting down +sociably beside them on the hay. +</P> + +<P> +But Carol rose. "Damsel, begone," she ordered. "When Skull and +Crossbones feast, thou canst not yet share the festive board. Rise +thee, and speed." +</P> + +<P> +Connie rose, and walked soberly toward the ladder. But before she +disappeared she fired this parting shot, "I don't want any of them. +Stolen apples don't taste very good, I reckon." +</P> + +<P> +Carol and Lark had the grace to flush a little at this, but however the +stolen apples tasted, the twins had no difficulty in disposing of them. +Then, full almost beyond the point of comfort, they slid down the +hay-chutes, went out the back way, climbed over the chicken coops,—not +because it was necessary, but because it was their idea of +amusement,—and went for a walk in the field. At the farthest corner +of the field they crawled under the fence, cut through a neighboring +potato patch, and came out on the street. Then they walked respectably +down the sidewalk, turned the corner and came quietly in through the +front door of the parsonage. +</P> + +<P> +Prudence was in the kitchen preparing the evening meal. Fairy was in +the sitting-room, busy with her books. The twins set the table +conscientiously, filled the wood-box, and in every way labored +irreproachably. But Prudence had no word of praise for them that +evening. She hardly seemed to know they were about the place. She +went about her work with a pale face, and never a smile to be seen. +</P> + +<P> +Supper was nearly ready when Connie sauntered in from the barn. After +leaving the haymow, she had found a cozy corner in the com-crib, with +two heavy lap robes discarded by the twins in their flight from wolves, +and had settled down there to finish her story. As she stepped into +the kitchen, Prudence turned to her with such a sorry, reproachful gaze +that Connie was frightened. +</P> + +<P> +"Are you sick, Prue?" she gasped. +</P> + +<P> +Prudence did not answer. She went to the door and called Fairy. +"Finish getting supper, will you, Fairy? And when you are all ready, +you and the twins go right on eating. Don't wait for father,—he isn't +coming home until evening. Come up-stairs with me, Connie; I want to +talk to you." +</P> + +<P> +Connie followed her sister soberly, and the twins flashed at each other +startled and questioning looks. +</P> + +<P> +The three girls were at the table when Prudence came into the +dining-room alone. She fixed a tray-supper quietly and carried it off +up-stairs. Then she came back and sat down by the table. But her face +bore marks of tears, and she had no appetite. The twins had felt small +liking for their food before, now each mouthful seemed to choke them. +But they dared not ask a question. They were devoutly thankful when +Fairy finally voiced their interest. +</P> + +<P> +"What is the matter? Has Connie been in mischief?" +</P> + +<P> +"It's worse than that," faltered Prudence, tears rushing to her eyes +again. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, Prudence! What in the world has she done?" +</P> + +<P> +"I may as well tell you, I suppose,—you'll have to know it sooner or +later. She—went out into Avery's orchard and stole some apples this +afternoon. I was back in the alley seeing if Mrs. Moon could do the +washing, and I saw her from the other side. She went from tree to +tree, and when she got through the fence she ran. There's no mistake +about it,—she confessed." The twins looked up in agony, but +Prudence's face reassured them. Constance had told no tales. "I have +told her she must spend all of her time up-stairs alone for a week, +taking her meals there, too. She will go to school, of course, but +that is all. I want her to see the awfulness of it. I told her I +didn't think we wanted to eat with—a thief—just yet! I said we must +get used to the idea of it first. She is heartbroken, but—I must make +her see it!" +</P> + +<P> +That was the end of supper. No one attempted to eat another bite. +After the older girls had gone into the sitting-room, Carol and Lark +went about their work with stricken faces. +</P> + +<P> +"She's a little brick not to tell," whispered Lark. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm going to give her that pearl pin of mine she always liked," said +Carol in a hushed voice. +</P> + +<P> +"I'll give her my blue ribbon, too,—she loves blue so. And to-morrow +I'll take that quarter I've saved and buy her a whole quarter's worth +of candy." +</P> + +<P> +But that night when the twins went up to bed, they were doomed to +disappointment. They had no chance of making it up with Constance. +For Prudence had moved her small bed out of the twins' room, and had +placed it in the front room occupied by herself and Fairy. They asked +if they might speak to Constance, but Prudence went in with them to say +good night to her. The twins broke down and cried as they saw the +pitiful little figure with the wan and tear-stained face. They threw +their arms around her passionately and kissed her many times. But they +went to bed without saying anything. +</P> + +<P> +Hours later, Lark whispered, "Carol! are you asleep?" +</P> + +<P> +"No. I can't go to sleep somehow." +</P> + +<P> +"Neither can I. Do you think we'd better tell Prudence all about it?" +</P> + +<P> +Carol squirmed in the bed. "I—suppose we had," she said reluctantly. +</P> + +<P> +"But—it'll be lots worse for us than for Connie," Lark added. "We're +so much older, and we made her do it." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, and we ate all the apples," mourned Carol. +</P> + +<P> +"Maybe we'd better just let it go," suggested Lark. +</P> + +<P> +"And we'll make it up to Connie afterwards," said Carol. +</P> + +<P> +"Now, you be careful and not give it away, Carol." +</P> + +<P> +"You see that you don't." +</P> + +<P> +But it was a sorry night for the twins. The next morning they set off +to school, with no chance for anything but a brief good morning with +Connie,—given in the presence of Prudence. Half-way down the +parsonage walk, Carol said: +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, wait a minute, Lark. I left my note-book on the table." And Lark +walked slowly while Carol went rushing back. She found Prudence in the +kitchen, and whispered: +</P> + +<P> +"Here—here's a note, Prudence. Don't read it until after I've gone to +school,—at ten o'clock you may read it. Will you promise?" +</P> + +<P> +Prudence laughed a little, but she promised, and laid the note +carefully away to wait the appointed hour for its perusal. As the +clock struck ten she went to the mantle, and took it down. This is +what Carol had written: +</P> + +<P CLASS="letter"> +"Oh, Prudence, do please forgive me, and don't punish Connie any more. +You can punish me any way you like, and I'll be glad of it. It was all +my fault. I made her go and get the apples for me, and I ate them. +Connie didn't eat one of them. She said stolen apples would not taste +very good. It was all my fault, and I'm so sorry. I was such a coward +I didn't dare tell you last night. Will you forgive me? But you must +punish me as hard as ever you can. But please, Prudence, won't you +punish me some way without letting Lark know about it? Please, please, +Prudence, don't let Larkie know. You can tell Papa and Fairy so they +will despise me, but keep it from my twin. If you love me, Prudence, +don't let Larkie know." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +As Prudence read this her face grew very stern. Carol's fault! And +she was ashamed to have her much-loved twin know of her disgrace. At +that moment, Prudence heard some one running through the hall, and +thrust the note hastily into her dress. It was Lark, and she flung +herself wildly upon Prudence, sobbing bitterly. +</P> + +<P> +"What is the matter, Lark?" she tried, really frightened. "Are you +sick?" +</P> + +<P> +"Heartsick, that's all," wailed Lark. "I told the teacher I was sick +so I could come home, but I'm not. Oh, Prudence, I know you'll despise +and abominate me all the rest of your life, and everybody will, and I +deserve it. For I stole those apples myself. That is, I made Connie +go and get them for me. She didn't want to. She begged not to. But I +made her. She didn't eat one of them,—I did it. And she felt very +badly about it. Oh, Prudence, you can do anything in the world to +me,—I don't care how horrible it is; I only hope you will. But, +Prudence, you won't let Carol know, will you? Oh, spare me that, +Prudence, please. That's my last request, that you keep it from Carol." +</P> + +<P> +Prudence was surprised and puzzled. She drew the note from her pocket, +and gave it to Lark. "Carol gave me that before she went to school," +she explained. "Read it, and tell me what you are driving at. I think +you are both crazy. Or maybe you are just trying to shield poor +Connie." +</P> + +<P> +Lark read Carol's note, and gasped, and—burst out laughing! The +shame, and bitter weeping, and nervousness, had rendered her +hysterical, and now she laughed and cried until Prudence was alarmed +again. +</P> + +<P> +In time, however, Lark was able to explain. "We both did it," she +gasped, "the Skull and Crossbones. And we both told the truth about +it. We made her go and get them for us, and we ate them, and she +didn't want to go. I advised Carol not to tell, and she advised me not +to. All the way to school this morning, we kept advising each other +not to say a word about it. But I intended all the time to pretend I +was sick, so I could come and confess alone. I wanted to take the +punishment for both of us, so Carol could get out. I guess that's what +she thought, too. Bless her little old heart, as if I'd let her he +punished for my fault. And it was mostly my fault, too, Prue, for I +mentioned the apples first of all." +</P> + +<P> +Prudence laughed,—it was really ludicrous. But when she thought of +loyal little Connie, sobbing all through the long night, the tears came +to her eyes again. She went quickly to the telephone, and called up +the school building next door to the parsonage. +</P> + +<P> +"May I speak to Constance Starr, Mr. Imes?" she asked. "It is very +important. This is Prudence, her sister." And when Connie came to the +telephone, she cried, "Oh, you blessed little child, why didn't you +tell me? Will you forgive me, Connie? I ought to have made you tell +me all about it, but I was so sorry, I couldn't bear to talk much about +it. The twins have told me. You're a dear, sweet, good little +darling, that's what you are." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, Prudence!" That was all Connie said, but something in her voice +made Prudence hang up the receiver quickly, and cry bitterly! +</P> + +<P> +That noon Prudence pronounced judgment on the sinners, but her eyes +twinkled, for Carol and Lark had scolded each other roundly for giving +things away! +</P> + +<P> +"Connie should have refused to obey you," she said gently, holding +Connie in her arms. "She knew it was wrong. But she has been punished +more than enough. But you twins! In the first place, I right now +abolish the Skull and Crossbones forever and ever. And you can not +play in the barn again for a month. And you must go over to the Averys +this afternoon, and tell them about it, and pay for the apples. And +you must send all of your spending money for the next month to that +woman who is gathering up things for the bad little children in the +Reform School,—that will help you remember what happens to boys and +girls who get in the habit of taking things on the spur of the moment!" +</P> + +<P> +The twins accepted all of this graciously, except that which referred +to confessing their sin to their neighbors. That did hurt! The twins +were so superior, and admirable! They couldn't bear to ruin their +reputations. But Prudence stood firm, in spite of their weeping and +wailing. And that afternoon two shamefaced sorry girls crept meekly in +at the Averys' door to make their peace. +</P> + +<P> +"But about the Skull and Crossbones, it's mostly punishment for me, +Prue," said Connie regretfully, "for the twins have been in it ever +since we came to Mount Mark, and I never got in at all! And I wanted +them to call me Lady Magdalina Featheringale." And Connie sighed. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap05"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER V +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE TWINS STICK UP FOR THE BIBLE +</H3> + + +<P> +Prudence had been calling on a "sick member." Whenever circumstances +permitted she gladly served as pastoral assistant for her father, but +she always felt that raising the family was her one big job, and +nothing was allowed to take precedence of it. As she walked that +afternoon down Maple Street,—seemingly so-called because it was +bordered with grand old elms,—she felt at peace with all the world. +The very sunshine beaming down upon her through the huge skeletons of +the leafless elms, was not more care-free than the daughter of the +parsonage. Parsonage life had been running smoothly for as much as ten +days past, and Prudence, in view of that ten days' immunity, was +beginning to feel that the twins, if not Connie also, were practically +reared! +</P> + +<P> +"Mount Mark is a dear old place,—a duck of a place, as the twins would +say,—and I'm quite sorry there's a five-year limit for Methodist +preachers. I should truly like to live right here until I am old and +dead." +</P> + +<P> +Then she paused, and bowed, and smiled. She did not recognize the +bright-faced young woman approaching, but she remembered just in time +that parsonage people are marked characters. So she greeted the +stranger cordially. +</P> + +<P> +"You are Miss Starr, aren't you?" the bright-faced woman was saying. +"I am Miss Allen,—the principal of the high school, you know." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, yes," cried Prudence, thrusting forth her hand impulsively, "oh, +yes, I know. I am so glad to meet you." +</P> + +<P> +Miss Allen was a young woman of twenty-six, with clear kind eyes and a +strong sweet mouth. She had about her that charm of manner which can +only be described as winsome womanliness. Prudence gazed at her with +open and honest admiration. Such a young woman to be the principal of +a high school in a city the size of Mount Mark! She must be +tremendously clever. But Prudence did not sigh. We can't all be +clever, you know. There must be some of us to admire the rest of us! +</P> + +<P> +The two walked along together, chatting sociably on subjects that meant +nothing to either of them. Presently Miss Allen stopped, and with a +graceful wave of her hand, said lightly: +</P> + +<P> +"This is where I am rooming. Are you in a very great hurry this +afternoon? I should like to talk to you about the twins. Will you +come in?" +</P> + +<P> +The spirits of Prudence fell earthward with a clatter! The twins! +Whatever had they been doing now? +</P> + +<P> +She followed Miss Allen into the house and up the stairs with the joy +quite quenched in her heart. She did not notice the dainty room into +which she was conducted. She ignored the offered chair, and with a +dismal face turned toward Miss Allen. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, please! What have they been doing? Is it very awful?" +</P> + +<P> +Miss Allen laughed gaily. "Oh, sit down and don't look so distressed. +It's nothing at all. They haven't been doing anything. I just want to +discuss them on general principles, you know. It's my duty to confer +with the parents and guardians of my scholars." +</P> + +<P> +Immensely relieved, Prudence sank down in the chair, and rocked +comfortably to and fro a few times. General principles,—ah, blessed +words! +</P> + +<P> +"I suppose you know that Carol is quite the idol of the high school +already. She is the adored one of the place. You see, she is not +mixed up in any scholastic rivalry. Lark is one of the very best in +her class, and there is intense rivalry between a few of the freshmen. +But Carol is out of all that, and every one is free to worship at her +shrine. She makes no pretensions to stand first." +</P> + +<P> +"Is she very stupid?" Prudence was disappointed. She did so want both +of her twins to shine. +</P> + +<P> +"Stupid! Not a bit of it. She is a very good scholar, much better +than the average. Our first pupils, including Lark, average around +ninety-six and seven. Then there are others ranging between ninety and +ninety-four. Carol is one of them. The fairly good ones are over +eighty-five, and the fairly bad ones are over seventy-five, and the +hopeless ones are below that. This is a rough way of showing how they +stand. Lark is a very fine scholar, really the best in the class. She +not only makes good grades, she grasps the underlying significance of +her studies. Very few freshmen, even among the best, do that. She is +quite exceptional. We hope to make something very big and fine of +Larkie." +</P> + +<P> +Prudence's eyes shone with motherly pride. She nodded, striving to +make her voice natural and matter-of-fact as she answered, "Yes, she is +bright." +</P> + +<P> +"She certainly is! Carol is quite different, but she is so +sweet-spirited, and vivacious, and—un-snobbish, if you know what that +means—that every one in high school, and even the grammar-grade +children, idolize her. She is very witty, but her wit is always +innocent and kind. She never hurts any one's feelings. And she is +never impertinent. The professors are as crazy about her as the +scholars,—forgive the slang. Did the twins ever tell you what +happened the first day of school?" +</P> + +<P> +"No,—tell me." Prudence was clearly very anxious. +</P> + +<P> +"I shall never forget it. The freshmen were sent into the recitation +room to confer with Professor Duke about text-books, etc. Carol was +one of the first in the line, as they came out. She sat down in her +seat in the first aisle, with one foot out at the side. One of the +boys tripped over it. 'Carol,' said Miss Adams gently, 'you forgot +yourself, didn't you?' And Carol's eyes twinkled as she said, 'Oh, no, +Miss Adams, if I had I'd still be in the recitation room.'" Miss Allen +laughed, but Prudence's eyes were agonized. +</P> + +<P> +"How hateful of her!" +</P> + +<P> +"Don't the twins tell you little things that happen at school,—like +that, for instance?" +</P> + +<P> +"Never! I supposed they were perfectly all right." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, here's another. Twice a week we have talks on First Aid to the +Injured. Professor Duke conducts them. One day he asked Carol what +she would do if she had a very severe cold, and Carol said, 'I'd soak +my feet in hot water and go to bed. My sister makes me.'" Miss Allen +laughed again, but Prudence was speechless. +</P> + +<P> +"Sometimes we have talks on normal work, practical informal +discussions. Many of our scholars will be country school-teachers, you +know. Miss Adams conducts these normal hours. One day she asked Carol +what she would do if she had applied for a school, and was asked by the +directors to write a thesis on student discipline, that they might +judge of her and her ability by it? Carol said, 'I'd get Lark to write +it for me.'" +</P> + +<P> +Even Prudence laughed a little at this, but she said, "Why don't you +scold her?" +</P> + +<P> +"We talked it all over shortly after she entered school. Miss Adams +did not understand Carol at first, and thought she was a little +impertinent. But Professor Duke and I stood firm against even +mentioning it to her. She is perfectly good-natured about it. You +know, of course, Miss Starr, that we really try to make individuals of +our scholars. So many, many hundreds are turned out of the public +schools all cut on one pattern. We do not like it. We fight against +it. Carol is different from others by nature, and we're going to keep +her different if possible. If we crush her individuality, she will +come out just like thousands of others,—all one pattern! Miss Adams +is as fond of Carol now as any one of us. You understand that we could +not let impudence or impertinence pass unreproved, but Carol is never +guilty of that. She is always respectful and courteous. But she is +spontaneous and quick-witted, and we are glad of it. Do you know what +the scholars call Professor Duke?" +</P> + +<P> +"Professor Duck," said Prudence humbly. "But they mean it for a +compliment. They really admire and like him very much. I hope he does +not know what they call him." +</P> + +<P> +"He does! One day he was talking about the nobility system in England. +He explained the difference between dukes, and earls, and lords, etc., +and told them who is to be addressed as Your Majesty, Your Highness, +Your Grace and so on. Then he said, 'Now, Carol, if I was the king's +eldest son, what would you call me?' And Carol said, 'I'd still call +you a Duck, Professor,—it wouldn't make any difference to me.'" +</P> + +<P> +Prudence could only sigh. +</P> + +<P> +"One other time he was illustrating phenomena. He explained the idea, +and tried to get one of the boys to mention the word,—phenomenon, you +know. The boy couldn't think of it. Professor gave three or four +illustrations, and still the boy couldn't remember it. 'Oh, come now,' +professor said, finally, 'something unusual, something very much out of +the ordinary! Suppose you should see a blackbird running a race down +the street with a sparrow, what would you call it?' The boy couldn't +imagine, and professor said, 'What would you call that, Carol?' Carol +said, 'A bad dream.'" +</P> + +<P> +Prudence smiled wearily. +</P> + +<P> +"Sometimes we have discussions of moral points. We take turns about +conducting them, and try to stimulate their interest in such things. +We want to make them think, every one for himself. One day Professor +Duke said, 'Suppose a boy in this town has a grudge against +you,—unjust and unfair. You have tried one thing after another to +change his attitude. But he continues to annoy and inconvenience and +even hurt you, on every occasion. Remember that you have tried every +ordinary way of winning his good will. Now what are you going to do as +a last resort?' Carol said, 'I'll tell papa on him.'" Miss Allen +laughed again, heartily. "It does have a disturbing effect on the +class, I admit, and often spoils a good point, but Professor Duke calls +on Carol every time he sees her eyes twinkle! He does it on purpose. +And Miss Adams is nearly as bad as he. One day she said, 'Suppose you +have unintentionally done something to greatly irritate and +inconvenience a prominent man in town. He knows you did it, and he is +very angry. He is a man of sharp temper and disagreeable manners. You +know that he will be extremely unpleasant and insulting if you go to +him with explanations and apologies. What are you going to do?' 'I +think I'll just keep out of his way for a few weeks,' said Carol +soberly." +</P> + +<P> +"I hope she doesn't talk like that to you, Miss Allen." +</P> + +<P> +Instantly Miss Allen was grave. "No, she does not, I am so sorry." +Leaning forward suddenly, she said, "Miss Starr, why do the twins +dislike me?" +</P> + +<P> +"Dislike you!" echoed Prudence. "Why, they do not dislike you! What +in the world makes you think——" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, yes indeed they do,—both of them. Now, why? People generally +like me. I have always been popular with my students. This is my +second year here. Last year the whole high school stood by me as one +man. This year, the freshmen started as usual. After one week, the +twins changed. I knew it instantly. Then other freshmen changed. Now +the whole class comes as near snubbing me as they dare. Do you mean to +say they have never told you about it?" +</P> + +<P> +"Indeed they have not. And I am sure you are mistaken. They do like +you. They like everybody." +</P> + +<P> +"Christian tolerance, perhaps," smiled Miss Allen ruefully. "But I +want them to like me personally and intimately. I can help the twins. +I can do them good, I know I can. But they won't let me. They keep me +at arm's length. They are both dear, and I love them. But they freeze +me to death! Why?" +</P> + +<P> +"I can't believe it!" +</P> + +<P> +"But it is true. Don't they talk of their professors at home at all?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, often." +</P> + +<P> +"What do they say of us?" +</P> + +<P> +"Why, they say Miss Adams is a perfectly sweet old lamb,—they do not +mean to be disrespectful. And they say Professor Duke is the dearest +duck! They almost swear by 'Professor Duck'!" +</P> + +<P> +"And what do they say of me?" +</P> + +<P> +Prudence hesitated, thinking hard. +</P> + +<P> +"Come now, what do they say? We must get to the bottom of this." +</P> + +<P> +"Why, they have said that you are very pretty, and most unbelievably +smart." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh! Quite a difference between sweet old lamb, and the dearest duck, +and being very pretty and smart! Do you see it?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," confessed Prudence reluctantly, "but I hadn't thought of it +before." +</P> + +<P> +"Now, what is wrong? What have I done? Why, look here. The twins +think everything of Professor Duke, and I am sure Carol deliberately +neglects her science lessons in order to be kept in after school by +him. But though she hates mathematics,—my subject,—she works at it +desperately so I can't keep her in. She sits on Mr. Duke's table and +chats with him by the hour. But she passes me up with a curt, 'Good +night, Miss Allen.'" +</P> + +<P> +"And Larkie, too?" +</P> + +<P> +"Lark is worse than Carol. Her dislike is deeper-seated. I believe I +could win Carol in time. Sometimes I waylay her when she is leaving +after school, and try my best. But just as she begins to thaw, Lark +invariably comes up to see if she is ready to go home, and she looks at +both of us with superior icy eyes. And Carol freezes in a second. +Ordinarily, she looks at me with a sort of sympathetic pity and wonder, +but Lark is always haughty and nearly contemptuous. It is different +with the rest of the class. It is nothing important to them. The +twins are popular in the class, you know, and the others, realizing +that they dislike me, hold aloof on their account." +</P> + +<P> +"I can't fathom it," said Prudence. +</P> + +<P> +"Now, Professor Duke is very brilliant and clever and interesting. And +he does like Carol tremendously,—Larkie, too. He says she is the +cleverest girl he ever knew. But Carol is his favorite. But he does +not like teaching, and he has not the real interests of the scholars at +heart. Next year, he is to begin some very wonderful research work at +a big salary. That is what he loves. That is where his interests lie. +But this year, being idle, and his uncle being on the school board +here, he accepted this place as a sort of vacation in the meanwhile. +That is all it means to him. But I love teaching, it is my life-work. +I love the young people, and I want to help them. Why won't the twins +give me a chance? Surely I am as attractive as Professor Duke. They +are even fond of Miss Adams, whom most people consider rather a sour +old maid. But they have no use for me. I want you to find out the +reason, and tell me. Will you do it? They will tell you if you ask +them, won't they?" +</P> + +<P> +"I think so. It is partly my fault. I am very strict with them about +saying hateful things about people. I do not allow it. And I insist +that they like everybody,—if they don't, I make them. So they have +just kept it to themselves. But I will do my best." +</P> + +<P> +One would have thought that Prudence carried the responsibility for the +entire public-school system of the United States upon her shoulders +that night, so anxious were her eyes, so grave her face. Supper over, +she quietly suggested to Fairy that she would appreciate the absence of +herself and Connie for a time. And Fairy instantly realized that the +twins must be dealt with seriously for something. So she went in +search of Connie, and the two set out for a long walk. Then Prudence +went to the kitchen where the twins were washing the dishes, and as +usual, laughing immoderately over something. +</P> + +<P> +Prudence sat down and leaned her elbows on the table, her chin in her +palms. "I met Miss Allen to-day," she said, closely observing the +faces of the twins. A significant glance flashed between them, and +they stiffened instantly. +</P> + +<P> +"She's very pretty and sweet, isn't she?" continued Prudence. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, very," agreed Lark without any enthusiasm. +</P> + +<P> +"Such pretty hair," added Carol dispassionately. +</P> + +<P> +"She must be very popular with the scholars," suggested Prudence. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, most of them are fond of her," assented Lark. +</P> + +<P> +"She has rather winsome manners, I think," said Carol. +</P> + +<P> +"Which of your professors do you like best?" queried Prudence. +</P> + +<P> +"Duck," they answered unanimously, and with brightening faces. +</P> + +<P> +"Why?" +</P> + +<P> +"Because he is a duck," said Carol, and they all laughed. But Prudence +returned to the charge without delay. +</P> + +<P> +"Do you like Miss Allen?" She was going through these questions with +such solemnity that the twins' suspicions had been aroused right at the +start. What had Miss Allen told their sister? Again that significant +flash from twin to twin. +</P> + +<P> +"She certainly has very likeable ways," said Lark shrewdly. +</P> + +<P> +"But do you like her?" insisted Prudence. +</P> + +<P> +"I would like her very much under ordinary circumstances," admitted +Carol. +</P> + +<P> +"What is unusual about the circumstances?" Prudence wanted to know. +</P> + +<P> +"Look here, Prudence, what did Miss Allen tell you? Was she +complaining about us? We've been very nice and orderly, I'm sure." +Lark was aggrieved. +</P> + +<P> +"She wasn't complaining. She likes you both. But she says you do not +like her. I want to know why." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, if you must know, Miss Allen is a heretic," snapped Lark. +</P> + +<P> +Then Prudence leaned back in her chair and gazed at the flushed faces +of the twins for two full minutes. +</P> + +<P> +"A—a—a what?" she ejaculated, when power of speech returned to her. +</P> + +<P> +"Heretic," said Carol with some relish. "A heretic! You know what +heresy is, don't you? We'll tell you all about it if you like, now +you've got things started." +</P> + +<P> +"We didn't tell you before because we thought you and father would feel +badly about sending us to school to a heretic. But don't you +worry,—Miss Allen hasn't influenced us any." +</P> + +<P> +"We haven't given her a chance," said Carol, with her impish smile. +</P> + +<P> +"Go on," begged Prudence. "Tell me. You're both crazy, I see that. +But tell me!" +</P> + +<P> +"Well," began Lark, for Carol always relegated the story-telling to her +more gifted twin, "we've suspected Miss Allen right from the start. +They used to have Bible reading every morning in school, one chapter, +you know, and then the Lord's prayer. After the first week, Miss Allen +dropped it. We thought that was a—a suspicious circumstance." +</P> + +<P> +"Phenomenally so," said Carol darkly. +</P> + +<P> +"But we kept our suspicions to ourselves, and we didn't come across +anything else for several days. We wouldn't condemn anybody on—on +circumstantial evidence, Prue. We're very fair-minded, you know." +</P> + +<P> +"In spite of being twins," added Carol. +</P> + +<P> +"What's that got to do with it?" Prudence inquired, frowning at Carol. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, nothing," admitted Carol, driven into a corner. "I just wanted to +make it emphatic." +</P> + +<P> +"Go on, Lark." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, there's a girl at school named Hattie Simpson. You do not know +her, Prue. We don't associate with her. Oh, yes, we like her very +well, but she isn't parsonage material." +</P> + +<P> +"She's a goat," put in Carol. "You needn't frown, Prue, that's Bible! +Don't you remember the sheep and the goats? I don't know now just what +it was they did, but I know the goats were very—very disreputable +characters!" +</P> + +<P> +"Go on, Lark." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, her folks are atheists, and she's an atheist, too. You know +what an atheist is, don't you? You know, Prue, Mount Mark is a very +religious town, on account of the Presbyterian College, and all, and it +seems the Simpsons are the only atheists here. Hattie says people look +down on her terribly because of it. She says the church folks consider +them, the Simpsons, that is, the dust on their shoes, and the crumbs +off the rich man's table. She got that terribly mixed up, but I didn't +correct her." +</P> + +<P> +"I think she did very well for an atheist," said Carol, determined not +to be totally overlooked in this discussion. +</P> + +<P> +"What has all this to do with Miss Allen?" +</P> + +<P> +"Well, one day Hattie was walking home from school with us, and she was +telling us about it,—the dust on their shoes, etc.,—and she said she +liked Miss Allen better than anybody else in town. I asked why. She +said Miss Allen believed the same things the Simpsons believe, only +Miss Allen daren't say so publicly, or they would put her out of the +school. She said Miss Allen said that most church members were +hypocrites and drunkards and—and just generally bad, and the ones +outside the church are nearly always good and moral and kind. She said +Miss Allen joined the Presbyterian church here because most of the +school board are Presbyterians. She said Miss Allen said she didn't +care if people were Catholics or Jews or atheists or—or just ordinary +Protestants, so long as they were kind to one another, and went about +the world doing good works. And that's why Miss Allen wouldn't read +the Bible and say the Lord's prayer in school." +</P> + +<P> +"What do you think of that?" demanded Carol. "Isn't that heresy? +She's as bad as the priest and Levite, isn't she?" +</P> + +<P> +"Did you ask Miss Allen about it?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, indeed, we've just ignored Miss Allen ever since. We have watched +her as closely as we could since then, to see if we could catch her up +again. Of course she has to be careful what she says in school, but we +found several strong points against her. It's a perfectly plain case, +no doubt about it." +</P> + +<P> +"And so you went among the other freshmen influencing them, and telling +tales, and criticizing your——" +</P> + +<P> +"No indeed, Prue, we wouldn't! But you know it says in the Bible to +beware of false doctrines and the sowers of bad seed,—or something +like that—" +</P> + +<P> +"And we bewared as hard as we could!" grinned Carol. +</P> + +<P> +"We have tried to explain these things to the other freshmen so Miss +Allen could not lead them into—into error. Oh, that's Christian +Science, isn't it? Well, Minnie Carlson is a Christian Scientist and +she talks so much about falling into error that—honestly——" +</P> + +<P> +"We can't tell error from truth any more," interjected Carol neatly. +"And so I hope you won't punish us if we accidentally vary from the +truth once in a while." +</P> + +<P> +This was quite beyond Prudence's depth. She knew little of Christian +Science save that it was a widely accepted creed of recent origin. So +she brought the twins back to Miss Allen again. "But, twins, do you +think it was kind, and Christian, and—and like parsonage girls, to +accept all this against Miss Allen without giving her a chance to +defend herself?" +</P> + +<P> +"As I told you, Prue, we have watched her very close since then. She +has never come right out in the open,—she wouldn't dare,—but she has +given herself away several times. Nothing can get by us when we're on +the watch, you know!" +</P> + +<P> +Prudence knew. "What did Miss Allen say?" +</P> + +<P> +The twins thought seriously for a while. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, yes, Lark," suggested Carol finally, "don't you remember she said +the Bible was an allegory?" +</P> + +<P> +"What?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, she did. She was explaining to the English class what was meant +by allegory, and she said the purpose of using allegory was to teach an +important truth in a homely impressive way that could be remembered. +She mentioned several prominent allegories, and said the Bible was one. +And you know yourself Prue, that the Bible is Gospel truth, and—I +mean, it is so! I mean——" +</P> + +<P> +"What she means," said Lark helpfully, "is that the Bible is not just a +pretty way of teaching people to be good, but it's solid fact clear +through." +</P> + +<P> +"That's very well expressed, Lark,"—Prudence herself could not have +expressed it half so well! "But how do you twins understand all these +things so thoroughly?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, you know Mrs. Sears is our Sunday-school teacher, and she's always +hot on the trail of the higher critics and heretics. She explained all +about the—the nefarious system to us one Sunday. She says the higher +critics try to explain away the Bible by calling it allegory. So we +were ready for Miss Allen there. And whenever anything came up at +school, we would ask Mrs. Sears about it on Sunday,—without mentioning +names of course. She's very much gratified that we are so much +interested in such things. She thinks we're sure to be deaconesses, at +the very least. But Carol said she wouldn't be a deaconess,—she was +going to be a Red Cross nurse and go to war. That stumped Mrs. Sears +for a while, and then she said we could be Red Cross Deaconess nurses." +</P> + +<P> +"I won't," said Carol, "because the deaconess uniforms aren't as +stylish as the Red Cross nurses'. I think I'll look pretty fine in a +white uniform with a stiff little cap and a red cross on my arm. Red +crosses make a very pretty decoration, don't you think they do, Lark?" +</P> + +<P> +"What else did Miss Allen say at school?" Prudence demanded, leading +the twins back to the subject. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, one day she said,—you know she gives uplifting little moral +talks quite often, Prue. Sometimes she tells us stories with inspiring +points. She's really a moral person, I believe." +</P> + +<P> +"And I'm honestly sorry she's a heretic," said Carol, "for I do want to +be friendly enough with her to ask if she uses anything on her +complexion to keep it so rose-leafy. If she does, I'll have some of +it, if it takes all my next year's clothes!" +</P> + +<P> +Lark laughed. "A rose-leaf complexion will be a poor substitute +for——" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, for goodness' sake, twins, come back to Miss Allen. I am going +right up to her house this minute, to ask her about it, and explain——" +</P> + +<P> +"She's the one to do the explaining, seems to me," said Carol +belligerently. "We've got to stick up for the Bible, Prue,—it's our +business." +</P> + +<P> +"And I don't think you should tell her,—it may hurt her feelings," +urged Lark. +</P> + +<P> +"Have heretics feelings?" queried Carol. "I suppose it's a feeling +of——" +</P> + +<P> +"Carol! Will you quit talking for a minute! This is a serious matter. +If she believes all that nonsense, she's no proper teacher and—and +she'll have to be put out of the high school. And if she doesn't +believe it, she's a martyr! I'm going to find out about it at once. +Do you want to come with me?" +</P> + +<P> +"I should say not," said the twins promptly. +</P> + +<P> +"I think you're very foolish to go at all," added Lark. +</P> + +<P> +"I wouldn't go for a dollar," declared Carol. "It'd be very +interesting to see how a heretic feels, but I don't care to know how +ordinary Christians feel when they fall into their hands. I'm not +aching to see Miss Allen to-night." +</P> + +<P> +So Prudence set forth, conscientiously, in the darkness. A brave and +heroic thing for Prudence to do, for she was a cowardly creature at +heart. +</P> + +<P> +Miss Allen heard her voice in the lower hall, and came running +down-stairs to meet her. "Come up," she cried eagerly, "come on up." +</P> + +<P> +And before Prudence was fairly inside the door, she demanded, "What is +it? Did you find out? Is it my fault?" +</P> + +<P> +Then Prudence blushed and stammered, "Why—it sounds—silly but—they +think you are a—heretic." +</P> + +<P> +Miss Allen gasped. Then she laughed. Then she walked to her +dressing-table and picked up a long hatpin. "Will you kindly jab this +into me?" she said. "I'm having a nightmare." +</P> + +<P> +Prudence explained in detail. At first Miss Allen laughed, it must be +confessed. Then she grew very sober. "It is really my fault," she +said, "for I should have remembered that young people read a ton of +meaning into a pound of words. Of course, I am not guilty, Miss Starr. +Professor Duke and Miss Adams can swear to that. They call me +Goody-goody. They say I am an old-fashioned apostle, and they accuse +me of wanting to burn them both at the stake! Now, sit down and let me +explain." +</P> + +<P> +Prudence sat down. She was glad, so glad, that this sweet-faced, +bright-eyed woman was an "ordinary Christian," and not a "priest and a +Levite!" +</P> + +<P> +"About the allegory business, it is very simple. What I said was +this,—'The Bible is full of allegory.' I did not say, 'The Bible is +allegory.' I said the Bible is full of allegory, and so it is. The +parables, for instance,—what are they? Do you see the +difference?—But it is really more serious about poor little Hattie +Simpson. As the twins told you, her parents are atheists. Her father +is a loud-voiced, bragging, boastful, coarse-hearted fellow. Hattie +herself does not know what her parents believe, and what they do not. +She simply follows blindly after them. She thinks she is an eyesore in +Mount Mark because of it. She resents it bitterly, but she feels the +only decent thing for her to do is to stand by her folks. Let me tell +you about our conversation. I tried to make friends with her, for I +truly pity her. She has no friends, she slinks about as though +constantly ashamed of herself. She trusts no one, herself least of +all. I tried to draw her out, and with partial success. She told me +how she feels about it all. I said, 'Hattie, won't you let some +one—some minister, who knows how—tell you about Christianity, and +explain to you what Christians really believe?' 'No,' she said +passionately, 'I'll stand by my folks.' Then I saw she was not ready +yet. I said, 'Well, perhaps it is just as well for the present, for +you are too young now to take any definite stand for yourself. It is +true,' I told her, 'that many church members are not Christians, and +are bad immoral people,—as your father says. They are not Christians. +And it is true that many outside of the church are good moral +people,—but they are not Christians, either.' And then I said, 'Don't +worry your head just now about whether people are Catholics or Jews or +Protestants, or what they are. Just try to love everybody, and try to +grow up to be such a sweet, kind, loving woman that you will be a +blessing to the world. And what is more,' I said, 'do not puzzle your +head now about why some believe the Bible, and some do not. Just wait. +When you are older, you shall go into things for yourself, and make +your own decision.'" +</P> + +<P> +Prudence nodded. "I think you were very sweet about it," she said. +</P> + +<P> +"I wanted to win her confidence in the hope that some time, a little +later, I myself may show her what Christ is to us, and why we love the +Bible. But I did fight shy of the real point, for fear I might anger +her and put a barrier between us. I just tried to win her confidence +and her love, to pave the way for what I may be able to do later on. +Do you see? I have had several talks with her, but she is not ready. +She is just a child, stubbornly determined to stand with her folks, +right or wrong. I am trying now to cultivate the ground, I say nothing +to make her dislike or distrust me. I did not think of her telling it +to others,—and telling it wrong! Surely no one but the twins could +have read so much into it!" +</P> + +<P> +"Well," and Prudence smiled, "you know we are parsonage people! We +have to stick up for the Bible, as Carol says." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, and about the Bible reading," said Miss Allen suddenly, "I have +nothing to do with that. As you know, there are Jews and Catholics and +Christian Scientists and every branch of Protestant represented in our +little school. The Jews and Christian Scientists are in a minority. +The Jews, have always objected to Bible reading, but they were too few +to be influential. With a Catholic teacher, the Catholics were quite +willing to have it. With a Protestant teacher, the Protestants were +strong for it. But there was always friction—one side objecting—so +the school board ruled it out entirely. I did not explain this to the +scholars. I did not want our young people to know of the petty +bickering and scrapping going on among the elders in the town. So I +simply said that hereafter we would dispense with the Bible reading. +But it was the direct order of the board. I argued against it, so did +Professor Duke, so did Miss Adams. But as it happens, we are all three +Presbyterians! It did no good." +</P> + +<P> +Then as Prudence rose to go home, she asked eagerly, "Do you think the +twins will like me now?" +</P> + +<P> +"I don't see how in the world they can help it," declared Prudence, +smiling; "indeed, they admitted they were only too anxious to love you, +but couldn't honestly do so because they had to stick up for the Bible! +I am so glad and relieved! This is the first time I have gone +heresy-hunting, and I was quite bowed down with the weight of it. And +if ever I can help with poor little Hattie, will you let me know? I +must have the twins invite her to spend some Saturday with us. That's +the way I make the girls like people,—by being with them a great, +great deal." +</P> + +<P> +Just before she said good night, Prudence murmured hopefully, "I am +sorry it happened, but it will be a good lesson for the twins. I am +sure that after this, they will be less ready to listen to gossip, and +more ready to give one the benefit of a doubt. It's a great +responsibility, this raising a family, Miss Allen—and especially +twins!" +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap06"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER VI +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +AN ADMIRER +</H3> + + +<P> +It must be remembered that Prudence did not live in a sheltered and +exclusive city home, where girls are rigidly withheld from all +unchaperoned intercourse with young men and old. We know how things +are managed in the "best homes" of the big cities,—girls are sheltered +from innocent open things, and, too often, indulge in really serious +amusements on the quiet. But this was the Middle West, where girls are +to be trusted. Not all girls, of course, but as a matter of fact, the +girls who need watching, seldom get enough of it to keep them out of +mischief. Out in Iowa, girls and boys are allowed to like each other, +and revel in each other's company. And it is good for both. +</P> + +<P> +Prudence was not a sentimental girl. Perhaps this was partly due to +the fact that at the age when most girls are head-full of boy, Prudence +was hands-full of younger sisters! And when hands are full to +overflowing, there is small likelihood of heads being full of nonsense. +Prudence liked boys as she liked girls,—that was the end of it. +Romance was to her a closed book, and she felt no inclination to peep +between the covers. Soul-stirring had not come to her yet. +</P> + +<P> +But Prudence was attractive. She had that indescribable charm that +carries a deep appeal to the eyes, and the lips, and the hearts of men. +Happily Prudence herself did not realize this. The first young man of +Mount Mark to yield to the charms of Prudence was a serious-minded +lawyer, nearly ten years her senior. This was just the type of man to +become enraptured with Prudence. He gazed across at her solemnly +during the church service. He waited patiently after the benediction +until she finished her Methodist practise of hand-shaking, and then +walked joyously home with her. He said little, but he gazed in frank +enchantment at the small womanly girl beside him. +</P> + +<P> +"He's not half bad, Fairy," Prudence would confide to her sister when +they were snug in their bed. "He's not half bad at all. But at heart, +he doesn't approve of me. He doesn't know that himself, and I +certainly can't believe it is my duty to tell him. But I am convinced +that it is true. For instance, he thinks every one, especially women, +should have a mission in life, a serious, earnest mission. I told him +I didn't believe anything of the kind,—I think we are just supposed to +live along from day to day and do what we can, and be happy, and not +say mean things about one another. But he said he considered that I +was fulfilling the noblest mission a woman could have. Now what do you +reckon he meant by that, Fairy? I've been puzzling my brain over it +for days and days. Anybody can tell I am not the sort of girl to have +a mission! Maybe he just said it to encourage me,—he's a very +encouraging sort of man. He's very nice,—oh, very nice, indeed! But +isn't it a nuisance to have him tagging along home with me, when I +might be having such a good time with you and the twins, or father? +Can a girl tell a man she prefers to go home with her family, without +hurting his feelings? Is there any way to turn a person down without +letting him know it? He's so nice I wouldn't hurt his feelings for +anything, but—it's such a bother! I'm too young for beaus, and since +I'm never going to get married it's just a waste of time." +</P> + +<P> +And Fairy screamed with laughter, but told Prudence she must solve her +own love problems! And Prudence, unwilling to give offense, and +preferring self-sacrifice, endured his company until a gay young +college lad slipped in ahead of him. "First come, first served," was +the motto of heartless Prudence, and so she tripped comfortably away +with "Jimmy," laughing at his silly college stories, and never thinking +to give more than a parting smile at the solemn face she left behind. +</P> + +<P> +After Jimmy came a grocery clerk named Byron Poe Smith, and after him +somebody else, and somebody else, and somebody else. And Prudence +continued to laugh, and thought it "awfully amusing, Fairy, but I keep +wondering what you and the twins are laughing about!" +</P> + +<P> +But it was Fairy herself who brought a real disturbing element into the +life of Prudence. One of the lightest-minded of the many light-minded +college men, had been deeply smitten by the charms of dignified Fairy. +He walked with her, and talked with her,—this young man was a great +deal of a talker, as so pathetically many college men are! He planned +many little expeditions and entertainments for her amusement, and his +own happiness. His name was Eugene Babler. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, he talks a lot," said Fairy coolly, "but he certainly shows one a +good time, and that's the point, you know!" +</P> + +<P> +She came in from college one afternoon and rattled off this little tale +to Prudence. +</P> + +<P> +"A few of us were on the campus to-day, and we decided to go down the +creek to-morrow afternoon and take our suppers. There'll be Ellen +Stark, and Georgia Prentiss, and myself. And the boys will be Tom +Angell, and Frank Morris, and Eugene Babler. And Professor Rayburn was +there when we were talking about it, and so we asked him to go along, +but we told him he must take a girl. And he said, 'I wonder if your +sister wouldn't go? I have only met her once, but perhaps on your +recommendation, Miss Fairy——' and he paused with his breath in the +air, inquiringly. So I said, 'Do you mean Prudence, or one of the +twins?' He smiled very kindly and said, 'I mean Prudence.' I said I +was sure you would go, and so you'll have to do it. It's a great +honor, Prue, for all the upper-class girls, and even the unmarried +women on the Fac. are crazy about him. He's so aloof, you know, and +very intelligent. I swelled with pride at the public tribute to the +parsonage!" +</P> + +<P> +"Professor Rayburn! Of the Fac.!" gasped Prudence. "Oh, I'm sure he +didn't mean me, Fairy. You must have misunderstood him. Why, I +wouldn't know what to say to a professor, you know! What is his line?" +</P> + +<P> +"Bugs!" cried Fairy. "He's the biology man. And this is his first +year here, and he's very brilliant,—they say! I'm no authority on +bugs myself. But anyhow every one just raves about him, and he showed +very plainly that he was anxious to get acquainted with you, so you'll +have to go." +</P> + +<P> +"But bugs!" wailed Prudence. "What do I know about bugs! Will he +expect me to know how to divide them,—separate them, you know—" +</P> + +<P> +"I suppose you mean dissect them, you poor child," screamed Fairy. +"Divide bugs! If professor could hear you now, Prue, he would be sadly +disillusioned. You must just trot up-stairs and get one of the twins' +biology books and cram up a little. He won't expect you to be an +advanced buggist. He can give you points himself. Men do love to have +girls appeal to their superior knowledge, and be admiring and deferent. +Maybe he will 'divide one' for you if you ask him 'please.'" +</P> + +<P> +"I won't do it," declared Prudence. "I don't like bugs anyhow, +and—why, the very pictures of them in the twins' books make me +nervous. I won't do it. You can just tell him I don't feel qualified +to go." +</P> + +<P> +"You've got to go," said Fairy sternly, "for I said you would, and he's +counting on it. He's going to phone you this afternoon and ask you +himself. You've got to go." +</P> + +<P> +At that instant, the telephone rang. +</P> + +<P> +"There's professor!" cried Fairy. "You tell him you are just delighted +to go, and that you are so interested in bugs!" +</P> + +<P> +With a flushed face, Prudence took down the receiver. "Hello," she +said, "this is the parsonage." +</P> + +<P> +And then, a second later, she said, "Yes, this is Prudence." +</P> + +<P> +After that she stood silent for some little time, with Fairy crouched +beside her, trying to hear. +</P> + +<P> +Then spoke Prudence. "Yes, Fairy has been telling me. And it's very +kind of you, indeed, and I know I would enjoy it. But as I was telling +Fairy, I don't know a thing about bugs, and I don't like them anyhow, +so I'm afraid you would find me rather stupid." +</P> + +<P> +Fairy was striving to get a hand over her sister's lips to stem the +words, but Prudence eluded her. They were both somewhat astounded at +the great peal of laughter which came over the telephone. +</P> + +<P> +"Good! That's just what I was hoping for! You couldn't have said +anything that would give me greater pleasure. Then shall I come around +with Babler, for you and your sister, about one o'clock?—Oh, that is +very kind of you, Miss Starr. Good-by! Don't cultivate an interest in +bugs between now and to-morrow, for my sake!" +</P> + +<P> +The girls looked at each other doubtfully when the receiver was once +more on its hook. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm afraid he's laughing at me," said Prudence questioningly. +</P> + +<P> +"I should hope so," cried Fairy. "What in the world did you say that +for? Couldn't you have pretended to be interested? Professor likes +women to be dignified and intellectual and deep, and——" +</P> + +<P> +"Then why on earth did he ask me to go?" demanded Prudence. "Any one +could tell to look at me that I'm not dignified and intellectual and +deep, and——" +</P> + +<P> +"And I know he admired you, for he was so eager when he asked about +you. Think how grand it would be to speak of 'my sister, Mrs. +Professor Rayburn,' and——" +</P> + +<P> +"Don't be silly, Fairy. If I was going to marry anybody, which I am +not, I hope you do not think for one minute that I'd marry a buggist! +Gracious! Goodness! I've a notion not to go a step! I'll call him up +and——" +</P> + +<P> +But Fairy only laughed. +</P> + +<P> +And after all, Prudence looked forward to the little outing in the +glorious October woods with eager anticipation. It was seldom indeed +that she indulged in merry-making away from the parsonage. Yet she was +fond of gaiety. Long before one o'clock on that eventful day, she was +ready. And her face was so bright, and her eyes so starry, that placid +self-satisfied Fairy felt a twinge of something like envy. +</P> + +<P> +"You look like a creature from another world, Prue," she said. "If +Professor Rayburn has any sense in his bones, he will fall dead in love +with you,—bugs or no bugs!" +</P> + +<P> +"People do not have sense in their bones, Fairy, and—and—shall I say +professor, or just plain Mister?" +</P> + +<P> +"Professor, I suppose,—every one calls him professor." +</P> + +<P> +"Then I shall say Mister," said Prudence. "It will be so hard to enjoy +myself if I keep remembering that he teaches bugs! I might as well be +at school. I shall say Mister." +</P> + +<P> +And she did say "Mister," and she said it so sweetly, and looked up +into Professor Rayburn's face so brightly, and with happiness so +evident and so girlish, that the staid professor felt a quick +unaccountable throbbing down somewhere beneath his coat. He did look +eager! There was no doubt of it. And he looked at Prudence, +continuously. +</P> + +<P> +"Just like ordinary men, isn't he?" whispered Fairy to Eugene +Babler,—called "Babbie," for short and for humiliation,—for he +enjoyed the reputation of being a "talker" even among college men! +</P> + +<P> +The three young couples struck off briskly down the road, creek-ward, +and Prudence followed sedately with her professor. +</P> + +<P> +"Fairy says it was perfectly disgusting of me to tell you I didn't know +anything about bugs," she said comfortably. "But I thought maybe, you +were one of those professors who like one thing so much they can't be +interested in anything else. And I wanted to warn you. But I guess +you aren't that kind, after all?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, no, indeed," he assured her fervently, looking deep into her blue +eyes. "I like bugs, it is true. But really I like other things, one +thing at least, much better." +</P> + +<P> +"Is it a riddle?" she inquired. "Am I supposed to guess?" +</P> + +<P> +"It isn't a riddle, but you may guess. Think hard, now! It's a +serious matter. Please don't say 'food.'" +</P> + +<P> +"If I get below seventy will I be put down a grade?" she asked. Then +with intense solemnity, "I guess girls." +</P> + +<P> +They laughed together, youthfully. "You are right," he said. +</P> + +<P> +And with a sigh of relief, Prudence answered, "That's the first time I +ever got a hundred in anything in my life. I was very much accustomed +to eighties when I was in school. I am very common and unbrilliant," +she assured him. "Fairy says you are perfectly horribly clever——" +</P> + +<P> +She glanced up when she heard his exclamation, and laughed at his +rueful face. "Oh, that isn't Fairy's expression. She thinks brilliant +and clever people are just adorable. It is only I who think them +horrible." Even Prudence could see that this did not help matters. +"I—I do not mean that," she stammered. "I am sure you are very nice +indeed, and we are going to be good friends, aren't we? But I am such +a dunce myself that I am afraid of real clever people. They are so +superior. And so uninteresting, and—oh, I do not mean that either." +Then Prudence laughed at her predicament. "I may as well give it up. +What I really mean is that you are so nice and friendly and +interesting, that I can hardly believe you are so clever. You are the +nicest smart person I ever saw,—except my own family, I mean." She +smiled up at him deliciously. "Does that make it square?" +</P> + +<P> +"More than square," he said. "You are too complimentary. But the only +thing that really counts to-day is whether we are going to be real good +friends, as you suggested. We are, aren't we? The very best and +closest of friends?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," agreed Prudence, dimpling. "I like men to be my friends,—nice +men, I mean. But it isn't always safe. So many start out to be good +friends, and then want to be silly. So a girl has to be very careful. +But it's perfectly safe with you, and so we can be the very best of +friends. I won't need to be watchful for bad symptoms." +</P> + +<P> +"Do you think me so unmanly that I couldn't fall in love?" he asked, +and his voice was curious, as though she had hurt him. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, of course, you'll fall in love," laughed Prudence. "All nice men +do.—But not with me,—that was what I meant I couldn't imagine a buggy +professor—oh, I beg your pardon! But the twins are so silly and +disrespectful, and they thought it was such a joke that I should even +look at a professor of biology that they began calling you the buggy +professor. But they do not mean any harm by it, not the least in the +world. They're such nice sweet girls, but—young, you know. Are your +feelings hurt?" she asked anxiously. +</P> + +<P> +"Not a bit! I think the twins and I will be tremendously good friends. +I'm quite willing to be known as the buggy professor. But you were +trying to explain why I couldn't fall in love with you. I suppose you +mean that you do not want me to." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, not that at all," she hastened to assure him. Then she stopped. +"Yes," she said honestly, "that is true, too. But that isn't what I +was trying to say. I was just saying that no one realizes any more +than I how perfectly impossible it would be for a clever, grown-up, +brilliant professor to fall in love with such an idiot as I am. That's +all. I meant it for a compliment," she added, seeing he was not well +pleased. +</P> + +<P> +He smiled, but it was a sober smile. "You said it was true that you +did not wish me to be—fond of you. Why? Don't you like me then, +after all?" +</P> + +<P> +Now, he realized that this was a perfectly insane conversation, but for +the life of him, he couldn't help it. Prudence was so alluring, and +the sky was so warmly blue, the sunshine so mild and hazy, and the +roadside so gloriously gay with colors! Who could have sense on such a +day, with such a girl as this? +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I do like you very much indeed," declared Prudence. "It's a big +relief, too, for I didn't expect to—oh, I beg your pardon again, +but—well, I was scared when Fairy told me how remarkable you are. I +didn't want to disgrace the parsonage, and I knew I would. But—why, +the reason I do not want you to fall in love with me,—that's very +different from being fond of me, I do want you to be that,—but when +people fall in love, they get married. I'm not going to get married, +so it would be silly to fall in love, wouldn't it?" +</P> + +<P> +He laughed heartily at the matter-of-factness with which this +nineteen-year-old girl disposed of love and marriage. "Why aren't you +going to be married?" he inquired, foolishly happy, and showing more +foolishness than happiness, just as we all do on such occasions. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, it will be ten or eleven years before Connie is fairly raised." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, but you won't be a Methuselah, in eleven years," he smiled. +</P> + +<P> +"No, but you forget father." +</P> + +<P> +"Forget father! Are you raising him, too?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, I'm not raising him, but I'm managing him." But when he laughed, +she hastened to add, "That is, I take care of him, and keep house for +him, and remind him of things he forgets." Then with girlish honesty, +she added, "Though I must confess that he has to remind me of things I +forget, oftener than I do him. I inherited my forgetfulness from +father. I asked him once if he inherited his from grandfather, and he +said he forgot whether grandfather was forgetful or not! Father is +very clever. So's Fairy. And the twins are the smartest little things +you ever saw,—and Connie, too. Connie is the oddest, keenest child. +She's wonderful. They all are,—but me. It's kind of humiliating to +be the only stupid one in a family of smart folks. I suppose you've no +idea how it feels, and I can't explain it. But sometimes I think maybe +I ought to go off and die, so the whole family can shine and sparkle +together. As it is, there's just a dull glow from my corner, quite +pale and ugly compared with the brilliant gleams the others are sending +out." +</P> + +<P> +Said Professor Rayburn, "Ah, Prudence, the faint, sweet mellow glows +are always beautiful. Not sparkling, perhaps, not brilliant! But +comforting, and cheering, and—always to be trusted. It's just these +little corner-glows, like yours, that make life worth living." +</P> + +<P> +This was rather deep for Prudence, but she felt instinctively that he +was complimenting her. She thanked him sweetly, and said, "And after +all, I do not really mind being the stupid one. I think it's rather +fun, for then I can just live along comfortably, and people do not +expect much of me. It would wear me all out to be as clever as Fairy, +or as witty as Carol, or as studious as Lark. But I am most +tremendously proud of them, I assure you." +</P> + +<P> +If Professor Rayburn had continued along this interesting and fruitful +line of conversation, all would have been well. +</P> + +<P> +"But it came just like a clap of thunder in the sunshine," said +Prudence to Fairy dramatically, as they sat in their room talking +things over that night. "We were having a perfectly grand time, and I +was just thinking he was as nice and interesting as if he didn't know +one thing to his name, when—Crash! That's how it happened." +</P> + +<P> +Fairy wiped her eyes, and lay back weakly on the bed. "Go on," she +urged. "What happened?" +</P> + +<P> +"He stopped right in the middle of a sentence about me, something real +nice, too, that I was awfully interested in, and said, 'Look, Miss +Starr!' Then he got down on his knees and began cautiously scraping +away the sticks and leaves. Then he fished out the most horrible, +woolly, many-legged little animal I ever saw in my life. He said it +was a giminythoraticus billyancibus, and he was as tickled over it as +though he had just picked up a million-dollar diamond. And what do you +suppose the weird creature did with it? He wrapped it in a couple of +leaves, and put his handkerchief around it and put it in his +pocket!—Do you remember when we were eating by the creek, and I got +jam on my fingers? He offered me his handkerchief to wipe it off? Do +you remember how I shoved him away, and shuddered? I saw you look +reprovingly at me! That's why! Do you suppose I could wipe my fingers +with a handkerchief that had been in one of his pockets?" +</P> + +<P> +"It wasn't the one that had the giminy billibus, was it?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, but goodness only knows what had been in this one,—an alligator, +maybe, or a snake. He's very fond of snakes. He says some of them are +so useful. I try to be charitable, Fairy, and I believe I would give +even Satan credit for any good there was in him,—but it is too much to +ask me to be fond of a man who is fond of snakes. But that is not the +worst. He put the giminy thing in his pocket,—his left pocket! Then +he came on walking with me, on my right side. On my right side, Fairy, +do you understand what that means? It means that the giminy billibus, +as you call it—oh, I wouldn't swear to the name, Fairy, I do not claim +to be smart, but I know how it looked! Well, anyhow, name and all, it +was on the side next to me. I stopped to look at a little stick, and +switched around on the other side. Then he stooped to look at a bunch +of dirt, and got on the wrong side again. Then I stopped, and then he +did, and so we kept zig-zagging down the road. A body would have +thought we were drunk, I suppose. Four times that man stopped to pick +up some wriggling little animal, and four times he deposited his +treasure in one of his various pockets. Don't ask why it is impossible +for me to be friends with such a being,—spare me that humiliation!" +</P> + +<P> +But the fair daughter of the parsonage proved irresistibly attractive +to the unfortunate professor, and he was not to be lightly shunted +aside. He forsook the Presbyterian church, of which he was a member, +and attended the Methodist meetings with commendable assiduity. After +each service, he accompanied Prudence home, and never failed to accept +her invitations, feebly given, to "come in a minute." He called as +often during the week as Propriety, in the voice of Prudence, deemed +fitting. It was wholly unnatural for Prudence to cater to Propriety, +but Professor Rayburn did not know this. Weeks passed, a month slipped +away, and another. Professor Rayburn was considered a fixture in the +parsonage household by all except Prudence herself, who chafed under +her bondage. +</P> + +<P> +"I can't just blurt out that I think he's a nuisance," she mourned to +Fairy. "Oh, if he'd just do something disgusting so I could fire him +off,—Pop! Just like that. Wouldn't it be glorious?" +</P> + +<P> +But the professor did not indulge in disgusting things, and Prudence +continued to worry and fret. Then came a blessed evening when the +minister and Fairy were away from home, and the twins and Connie were +safely in their beds. Professor Rayburn sat with Prudence in the cozy +living-room, and Prudence was charming, though quiet, and the professor +was only human. Prudence had made tea, and as she rose to relieve him +of his empty cup, he also rose to return it to the table. Laughing, +they put it down on the tray, each holding one side of the saucer. +Then when it was safely disposed of, Prudence turned toward him, still +laughing at the silliness of it,—very alluring, very winsome. And Mr. +Rayburn, unexpectedly to himself as to her, put his arms around her and +kissed her. He was aghast at himself, once it was over, and +Prudence,—well, let us say frankly that Prudence was only relieved, +for it came to her in a flash that this was the "disgusting thing" for +which she had so fervently longed. +</P> + +<P> +"Mr. Rayburn!" +</P> + +<P> +"That was very stupid and unpardonable of me, Prudence," he said +quickly, "I really did not think what I was doing. But you were so +sweet, and—I'm awfully fond of you, Prudence, you know that." +</P> + +<P> +Prudence looked at him thoughtfully. She felt that this hardly gave +her the desired opening. So she waited, hoping he would commit himself +further. More humbled by her unnatural silence, he did go on. +</P> + +<P> +"You know, Prudence, when a man cares for a girl as I care for you, it +isn't always easy for him to be sober and sensible. You shouldn't have +been so—so dear." +</P> + +<P> +Prudence sighed happily. She was content. This gave her the +long-desired cue. +</P> + +<P> +"Mr. Rayburn," she said gently but decidedly, "I think you ought not to +come here any more." +</P> + +<P> +He walked over to her quickly, and stood beside the chair into which +she had dropped when he kissed her. +</P> + +<P> +"Don't say that, Prudence," he said in a hurried low voice. +</P> + +<P> +"It is true," she persisted, feeling somehow sorry, though she did not +understand why she should feel so. "I—I—well, you know I—you +remember what I told you that first day, don't you? About getting +married, and falling in love, and such things. It is true. I don't +want to love anybody, and I don't want to get married, and Fairy +says—it is—remotely possible—that you might get—very fond of me." +</P> + +<P> +He smiled rather grimly. "Yes, I think it is—remotely possible." +</P> + +<P> +"Then that settles it," she said comfortably. "And besides, I have +such a lot to do that I can't—well, bother—spending so much time +outside as I have with you. I've been neglecting my work, and it isn't +right. I haven't the time." +</P> + +<P> +"Which is your way of saying that you do not like me, isn't it?" +</P> + +<P> +Prudence stood up impulsively. "Oh, I like you, but—" she threw out +her hands expressively. He took them in his, tenderly, firmly. +</P> + +<P> +"But, Prudence," he argued, "that is because the woman in you isn't +awake. You may never love me—a dismal possibility, but it is true. +But don't you think it only fair that you should give me a chance to +try?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, but that's just the point," she cried. "I do not want you to try. +I do not want to run any risk, at all. I wouldn't marry you if I did +love you—I told you that right in the beginning." +</P> + +<P> +He still held her hands in one of his, caressing them slowly with the +other. "What is there about me that you do not like?" he demanded +suddenly. "There is something, I know." +</P> + +<P> +And with her awful unbelievable honesty. Prudence told him. "Yes," +she said, "that is true. I hated to mention it, but there is +something! Mr. Rayburn, I just can't stand the bugs!" +</P> + +<P> +"Good heavens! The what?" +</P> + +<P> +"The bugs! I can't bear for you to be near me, because I keep +wondering if there are bugs and things in your pocket. I'm afraid +they'll get over on me. Even now it makes me shiver when you hold my +hands, because I know you've been handling the horrible little +creatures with yours." He dropped her hands abruptly, and stared at +her. "And after you leave, I get down on my hands and knees and look +over the floor, and examine the chairs, to see if any have crawled off! +It's a terrible feeling, Mr. Rayburn. You know I told you I hated +bugs.—I'm afraid I've hurt your feelings," she said sadly. +</P> + +<P> +"Where in the world did you get such an idea as that?" he demanded +rather angrily. "Do you think I have pet bugs to carry around with me +for company?" +</P> + +<P> +"No,—but don't you remember the picnic,—and how you kept gathering +them up in your handkerchiefs and putting them in your pockets? And +how I kept squirming around to get on the other side,—I was trying to +get away from the bugs!" +</P> + +<P> +"But, my heavens, Prudence, those were my field clothes. I don't put +bugs in these pockets,—these are my Sunday togs!" He smiled a little. +"And I always wash my hands, you know." He found it humorous, and yet +it hurt him. Such a little thing to prejudice a girl so strongly,—and +one he liked so marvelously well! +</P> + +<P> +"You might forget, and put them in these pockets,—it's a kind of habit +with you, I suppose. And just plain washing won't take the idea of +bugs off your hands." +</P> + +<P> +"Prudence, you are only a girl,—a childish girl, but a very sweet one. +I want you to like me. When you grow up, you are going to be a +wonderfully good and lovely woman. I—I am going to want you then. I +know it. Let's just be friends now, can't we—until later—for a long +time yet? I'll promise on my word of honor never to put another bug in +my pockets, or my handkerchiefs. But I can't promise not to touch +them, for I have to do it in class. That's how I earn my living! But +I will wash my hands with Ivory soap and sapolio, and rub them with +cold cream, and powder them, and perfume them, before I ever come near +you again. Won't that do?" +</P> + +<P> +Prudence shook her head. "I know you are laughing at me," she said, +"but I always told you I was just a silly simpleton. And—it isn't the +bugs altogether. I—I like it better to be with my sisters than——" +</P> + +<P> +"Than with me? I see. As I said, the woman of you is still sleeping. +Well, we are young, and I will wait. I won't bother you any more for a +long time, Prudence, but I shan't forget you. And some day I will come +back to you again." He stared at her moodily. Then he put his hands +beneath her elbows, and looked into her eyes searchingly. "You are a +strange girl, Prudence. In some ways, you are so womanly, and in other +ways so—pitifully girlish! All the woman in your heart seems to be +given to your sisters and your father, and— But you will waken, and I +won't hurry you." Then he put his arms around her again, and whispered +in her ear, "But I love you, Prudence, and—if some one else should do +the awakening—it would hurt!" Then he kissed her, and went away. +</P> + +<P> +But Prudence ran up-stairs, singing happily. "Oh, I feel like a +caged-up bird that has broken loose," she cried to her reflection in +the mirror jubilantly. "Oh, what fun it will be to come home from +church with Fairy and the twins, the way I used to do!" +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap07"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER VII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +LESSONS IN ETIQUETTE +</H3> + + +<P> +Connie was lying flat on her back near the register. The twins were +sitting on the floor near her, hearing each other conjugate Latin +verbs. And Prudence, with her darning basket, was earnestly trying to +solve a domestic problem,—how to get three pairs of wearable stockings +out of eleven hosiery remnants. So Fairy found them as she came in, +radiant and glowing. +</P> + +<P> +"Glorious day," she said, glancing impartially at her sisters. "Just +glorious! Why are you all hugging the register, may I ask? It is +perfect weather. Connie, you should be out-of-doors this minute, by +all means. Twins, aren't you grown-up enough to sit on chairs, or +won't your footies reach the floor?—Babbie, Eugene Babler, you know, +is coming to spend the evening, Prudence." +</P> + +<P> +"What is going on to-night?" queried Prudence. +</P> + +<P> +"Nothing is going on. That's why he is coming. It's too cold to +meander around outdoors these nights, and so we shall have to amuse +ourselves inside as best we can." +</P> + +<P> +The whole family came to attention at this. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, goody!" cried Connie. "Let's make taffy, shall we, Fairy?" +</P> + +<P> +"Certainly not. This isn't a children's party. You'll go to bed at +eight o'clock as usual, Connie mine.—Now, we must have something to +eat. The question is, What shall it be?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," agreed Carol with enthusiasm,—Carol was always enthusiastic on +the subject of something to eat. "Yes, indeed, that is the question. +What shall we have?" +</P> + +<P> +"You will likely have pleasant dreams, Carol," was the cool retort. +"Babbie did not invite himself to spend the evening with you, I +believe." +</P> + +<P> +"Do you mean to suggest," demanded Lark with withering scorn, "that it +is your intention to shut yourself up alone with this—this creature, +excluding the rest of us?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, and have refreshments for just you two?" cried Carol. +</P> + +<A NAME="img-164"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG SRC="images/img-164.jpg" ALT=""Yes, and have refreshments for just you two?"" BORDER="2" WIDTH="525" HEIGHT="379"> +<H4> +[Illustration: "Yes, and have refreshments for just you two?"] +</H4> +</CENTER> + +<P> +"That is my intention most certainly. The twins and Connie will not +put in appearance at all. Prue will serve the refreshments, and will +eat with us. Babbie and I shall spend the evening in the front room." +</P> + +<P> +"The front room?" echoed Prudence. "This room is much cheerier, and +more homelike." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, Babbie isn't a member of the family, you know," said Fairy. +</P> + +<P> +"You are doing your best," sniffed Carol. +</P> + +<P> +"Now, you girls must understand right off, that things are different +here from what they were at Exminster. When boys came to the house +there they came to have a good time with the whole family. But here it +is very different. I've been looking around, and I've got on to the +system. The proper thing is to receive callers privately, without the +family en masse sitting by and superintending. That's etiquette, you +know. And one must always serve refreshments. More etiquette. Men +are such greedy animals, they do not care to go places where the eats +aren't forthcoming." +</P> + +<P> +"Men! Are you referring to this Babbling creature now?" interposed +Carol. +</P> + +<P> +"Ouch!" said Lark. +</P> + +<P> +"But won't it be rather—poky—just sitting in the front room by +yourselves all evening?" asked Prudence doubtfully, ignoring the +offended twins. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I dare say it will. But it's the proper thing to do," said Fairy +complacently. +</P> + +<P> +"What are you going to do all evening?" Connie wanted to know. "Just +sit and look at each other and admire yourselves?" +</P> + +<P> +The twins thought this very clever of Connie, so they both said "Ouch!" +approvingly. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, no, baby dear," said Fairy good-naturedly. "We shall talk. +Feast our souls with a flow of reason, you know. We shall converse. +We shall hold pleasant intercourse." +</P> + +<P> +"Wouldn't it be more fun to have the girls in for a little while?" +This from Prudence. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, it might,—but it wouldn't be the proper thing at all. College +men do not care to be entertained by babies." +</P> + +<P> +"No," snapped Lark, "the wisdom of babies is too deep for +these—these—these men in embryo." +</P> + +<P> +This was so exquisitely said that Lark was quite restored to amiability +by it. "In embryo," had been added to her vocabulary that very day in +the biology class. It was only the sheerest good fortune which gave +her the opportunity of utilizing it so soon. And Carol said "Ouch!" +with such whole-souled admiration that Lark's spirit soared among the +clouds. She had scored! +</P> + +<P> +"And what shall we serve them?" urged Prudence. "I suppose it would +hardly do to—pop corn, would it?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, indeed. Popping corn is very nice for the twins and the little +boys in the neighborhood." Fairy smiled with relish as she saw the +twins wince at this thrust. "But Babbie and I— Oh, never! It +wouldn't do at all. Now, oyster stew and crackers,—I mean wafers,——" +</P> + +<P> +"Oysters are fearfully expensive, Fairy," objected the frugal Prudence. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, we can stand it for once," said Fairy easily. "This is the first +time, and we must do something extra. Babbie is all the rage at +school, and the girls are frantic with jealousy because I have cut +everybody else out. To be honest about it, I can't understand it +myself. Babbie's such a giddy scatter-brained youngster, you'd think +he'd prefer——" +</P> + +<P> +"Do you like him, Fairy? Don't you think he's tiresome? He talks so +much, it seems to me." +</P> + +<P> +"To be sure I like him. He's great fun. He's always joking and never +has a sensible thought, and hates study. He's an amusing soul, I must +say. He's going to attend here a couple of years, and then study +pharmacy. His father is a druggist in Ottumwa, and quite well off. +The only reason Babbie came here instead of going to a big college in +the East is because his father is a trustee. Trustees are in honor +bound to send their offspring to the college they trustee,—just as +ministers are obliged to trade with the members when possible." +</P> + +<P> +"Even if they short-weight and long-charge you," put in Carol. +</P> + +<P> +"Carol!" exclaimed Prudence reprovingly. "Well, we'll serve oyster +stew then. Will you eat in the dining-room?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, we'll eat on the little table in the front room,—informally, you +know. You must get it ready, and arrange it nicely on the big tray. +Then you must come to the door and say, 'Wouldn't you like a little +oyster stew?' Say it carelessly, as if we always have something to eat +before going to bed. And I'll say, 'Oh, yes, Prudence, bring it right +in.' Then you bring it in, and we'll all eat together.—That's the way +to do it! Babbie's had dates with the very swellest girls in school, +and he knows about such things. We must do it up brown!" +</P> + +<P> +"Swell!" mocked Lark. "Do it up brown! Oh, you'll be a record-breaker +of a college professor all right. I'm sure this young Babler is just +the type of man to interest the modern college professor! Swell! Do +it up brown!" +</P> + +<P> +"Ouch!" grinned Carol. +</P> + +<P> +"Now, will you twins run down-town for the oysters?" asked Prudence +briskly. +</P> + +<P> +"Who? Us?" demanded Lark, indignantly and ungrammatically. "Do you +think we can carry home oysters for the—the—personal consumption of +this Babbling young prince? Not so! Let Fairy go after the oysters! +She can carry them home tenderly and appreciatively. Carol and I +can't! We don't grasp the beauty of that man's nature." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, yes, twinnies, I think you'll go, all right. Hurry now, for you +must be back in time to help me get supper. Fairy'll have to +straighten the front room, and we won't have time. Run along, and be +quick." +</P> + +<P> +For a few seconds the twins gazed at each other studiously. Neither +spoke. Without a word, they went up-stairs to prepare for their errand. +</P> + +<P> +They whispered softly going through the upper hall. +</P> + +<P> +"We'd better make a list," said Carol softly. +</P> + +<P> +So with heads close together they wrote out several items on a piece of +paper. +</P> + +<P> +"It'll cost quite a lot," objected Carol. "Thirty cents, anyhow. And +Prudence'll make us pay for the oysters, sure. Remember that." +</P> + +<P> +"We'd better let Connie in, too," suggested Lark. +</P> + +<P> +Connie was hastily summoned, and the twins whispered explanations in +her willing ears. "Good!" she said approvingly. "It'll serve 'em +right." +</P> + +<P> +"But it'll cost money," said Carol. "How much have you got?" +</P> + +<P> +Then Connie understood why she had been consulted. The twins always +invited her to join their enterprises when money was required. +</P> + +<P> +"A quarter," she faltered. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, we'll go shares," said Lark generously. "We'll pay a dime +apiece. It may not take that much. But if Prudence makes us pay for +the oysters, you'll have to pay a third. Will you do that?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, indeed." Connie was relieved. She did not always get off so +easily! +</P> + +<P> +"Twins! You must hurry!" This was Prudence at the bottom of the +stairs. And the twins set off quite hurriedly. Their first tall was +at the meat market. +</P> + +<P> +"A pint of oysters," said Lark briefly. +</P> + +<P> +When he brought them to her, she smelled them suspiciously. Then Carol +smelled. +</P> + +<P> +"Are these rotten oysters?" she demanded hopefully. +</P> + +<P> +"No," he answered, laughing. "Certainly not." +</P> + +<P> +"Have you got any rotten ones?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, we don't keep that kind." He was still laughing. +</P> + +<P> +The twins sighed and hurried next door to the grocer's. +</P> + +<P> +"A nickel's worth of pepper—the strongest you have." +</P> + +<P> +This was quickly settled—and the grave-faced twins betook themselves +to the corner drug store. +</P> + +<P> +"We—we want something with a perfectly awful smell," Lark explained +soberly. +</P> + +<P> +"What kind of a smell?" +</P> + +<P> +"We don't care what kind, but it must be perfectly sickening. Like +something rotten, or dead, if you have it. Something that will stay +smelly for several hours,—but it mustn't be dangerous, of course." +</P> + +<P> +"What do you want it for?" +</P> + +<P> +"We want it to put in a room to give it a horrible smell for an hour or +so." Lark winked at him solemnly. "It's a joke," she further +elucidated. +</P> + +<P> +"I see." His eyes twinkled. "I think I can fix you up." A moment +later he handed her a small bottle. "Just sprinkle this over the +carpet. It won't do any harm, and it smells like thunder. It costs a +quarter." +</P> + +<P> +Carol frowned. "I suppose we'll have to take it," she said, "but it's +pretty expensive. I hate to have druggists get such a lot of money." +</P> + +<P> +He laughed aloud. "I hate to have you get a good licking to-morrow, +too,—but you'll get it just the same, or I miss my guess." +</P> + +<P> +When the twins arrived home, Fairy was just cutting the candy she had +made. "It's delicious," she said to Prudence. "Here's a nice dishful +for you and the girls.—Pitch in, twins, and help yourselves. It's +very nice." +</P> + +<P> +The twins waved her haughtily away. "No, thank you," they said. "We +couldn't eat that candy with relish. We are unworthy." +</P> + +<P> +"All right," Prudence put in quickly, as Fairy only laughed. "I'll put +it in the cupboard, and Fairy and I will eat it to-morrow. It's +perfectly fine,—simply delicious." +</P> + +<P> +But the twins were not to be tempted. Before they went up-stairs, Lark +inquired sarcastically: +</P> + +<P> +"I suppose, Fairy, you'll don your best blue silk in honor of this +event?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, no," was the ready answer, "I'll just wear my little green muslin. +It's old, but very nice and comfortable—just right for an evening at +home." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," scoffed Carol, "and of course you are remembering that every one +says it is the most becoming dress you have." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, yes," laughed Fairy, "I'm remembering that, all right." +</P> + +<P> +Then the twins went up-stairs, but not to their own room at once. +Instead they slipped noiselessly into the front bedroom, and a little +later Carol came out into the hall and stood listening at the head of +the stairs, as though on guard. +</P> + +<P> +"Be sure and leave quite a few stitches in, Lark," she whispered once. +"We want it to hang together until Babbie gets here." +</P> + +<P> +That was all. Presently Lark emerged, and their own door closed behind +them. +</P> + +<P> +"It's a good thing father has to go to the trustees' meeting to-night, +isn't it?" asked Carol. And Lark agreed, absently. She was thinking +of the oysters. +</P> + +<P> +As soon as they finished supper, Lark said, "Don't you think we'd +better go right to bed, Prue? We don't want to taint the atmosphere of +the parsonage. Of course, Fairy will want to wash the dishes herself +to make sure they are clean and shining." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, no," disclaimed Fairy, still good-naturedly. "I can give an extra +rub to the ones we want to use,—that is enough. I do appreciate the +thought, though, thanks very much." +</P> + +<P> +So the twins plunged in, carefully keeping Connie beside them. "She +has such a full-to-overflowing look," said Carol. "If we don't keep +hold of her, she'll let something bubble over." Connie had a dismal +propensity for giving things away,—the twins had often suffered from +it. To-night, they were determined to forestall such a calamity. +</P> + +<P> +Then they all three went to bed. To be sure it was ridiculously early, +but they were all determined. +</P> + +<P> +"We feel weak under this unusual strain. Our nerves can't stand the +tension. We really must retire to rest. Maybe a good night's sleep +will restore us to normal," Lark explained gravely. +</P> + +<P> +Fairy only laughed. "Good!" she cried. "Do go to bed. The only time +I am sure of you is when you are in your beds. Do you mind if I tie +you in, to make assurance doubly sure?" +</P> + +<P> +But the twins and Connie had disappeared. +</P> + +<P> +"You keep your eyes open, Fairy," Prudence whispered melodramatically. +"Those girls do not look right. Something is hanging over our heads." +And she added anxiously, "Oh, I'll be so disappointed if things go +badly. This is the first time we've ever lived up to etiquette, and I +feel it is really a crisis." +</P> + +<P> +Fairy was a little late getting up-stairs to dress, but she took time +to drop into her sisters' room. They were all in bed, breathing +heavily. She walked from one to another, and stood above them +majestically. +</P> + +<P> +"Asleep!" she cried. "Ah, Fortune is kind. They are asleep. How I +love these darling little twinnies,—in their sleep!" +</P> + +<P> +An audible sniff from beneath the covers, and Fairy, smiling +mischievously, went into the front room to prepare for her caller. +</P> + +<P> +The bell rang as she was dressing. Prudence went to the door, +preternaturally ceremonious, and ushered Mr. Babler into the front +room. She turned on the electric switch as she opened the door. She +was too much impressed with the solemnity of the occasion to take much +note of her surroundings, and she did not observe that the young man +sniffed in a peculiar manner as he entered the room. +</P> + +<P> +"I'll call Fairy," she said demurely. +</P> + +<P> +"Tell her she needn't primp for me," he answered, laughing. "I know +just how she looks already." +</P> + +<P> +But Prudence was too heavily burdened to laugh. She smiled hospitably, +and closed the door upon him. Fairy was tripping down the stairs, very +tall, very handsome, very gay. She pinched her sister's arm as she +passed, and the front room door swung behind. But she did not greet +her friend. She stood erect by the door, her head tilted on one side, +sniffing, sniffing. +</P> + +<P> +"What in the world?" she wondered. Then she blushed. Perhaps it was +something he had used on his hair! Or perhaps he had been having his +suit cleaned! "Oh, I guess it's nothing, after all," she stammered. +But Eugene Babler was strangely quiet. He looked about the room in a +peculiar questioning way. +</P> + +<P> +"Shall I raise a window?" he suggested finally. "It's rather—er—hot +in here." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, do," she urged. "Raise all of them. It's—do you—do you notice +a—a funny smell in here? Or am I imagining it? It—it almost makes +me sick!" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, there is a smell," he said, in evident relief. "I thought maybe +you'd been cleaning the carpet with something. It's ghastly. Can't we +go somewhere else?" +</P> + +<P> +"Come on." She opened the door into the sitting-room. "We're coming +out here if you do not mind, Prue." And Fairy explained the difficulty. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, that's very strange," said Prudence, knitting her brows. "I was +in there right after supper, and I didn't notice anything. What does +it smell like?" +</P> + +<P> +"It's a new smell to me," laughed Fairy, "but something about it is +strangely suggestive of our angel-twins." +</P> + +<P> +Prudence went to investigate, and Fairy shoved a big chair near the +table, waving her hand toward it lightly with a smile at Babbie. Then +she sank into a low rocker, and leaned one arm on the table. She +wrinkled her forehead thoughtfully. +</P> + +<P> +"That smell," she began. "I am very suspicious about it. It was not +at all natural——" +</P> + +<P> +"Excuse me, Fairy," he said, ill at ease for the first time in her +knowledge of him. "Did you know your sleeve was coming out?" +</P> + +<P> +Fairy gasped, and raised her arm. +</P> + +<P> +"Both arms, apparently," he continued, smiling, but his face was +flushed. +</P> + +<P> +"Excuse me just a minute, will you?" Fairy was unruffled. She sought +her sister. "Look here, Prue,—what do you make of this? I'm coming +to pieces! I'm hanging by a single thread, as it were." +</P> + +<P> +Her sleeves were undoubtedly ready to drop off at a second's notice! +Prudence was shocked. She grew positively white in the face. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, Fairy," she wailed. "We are disgraced." +</P> + +<P> +"Not a bit of it," said Fairy coolly. "I remember now that Lark was +looking for the scissors before supper. Aren't those twins unique? +This is almost bordering on talent, isn't it? Don't look so +distressed, Prue. Etiquette itself must be subservient to twins, it +seems. Don't forget to bring in the stew at a quarter past nine, and +have it as good as possible,—please, dear." +</P> + +<P> +"I will," vowed Prudence, "I'll—I'll use cream. Oh, those horrible +twins!" +</P> + +<P> +"Go in and entertain Babbie till I come down, won't you?" And Fairy +ran lightly up the stairs, humming a snatch of song. +</P> + +<P> +But Prudence did a poor job of entertaining Babbie during her sister's +absence. She felt really dizzy! Such a way to introduce Etiquette +into the parsonage life. She was glad to make her escape from the room +when Fairy returned, a graceful figure in the fine blue silk! She went +back to the dining-room, and painstakingly arranged the big tray for +the designated moment of its entrance,—according to etiquette. Fairy +and Babbie in the next room talked incessantly, laughing often and +long, and Prudence, hearing, smiled in sympathy. She herself thought +it would be altogether stupid to be shut up in a room alone with "just +a man" for a whole evening,—but etiquette required it. Fairy knew +about such things, of course. +</P> + +<P> +A little after nine, she called out dismally, "Fairy!" And Fairy, +fearing fresh disaster, came running out. +</P> + +<P> +"What now? What——" +</P> + +<P> +"I forget what you told me to say," whispered Prudence wretchedly, +"what was it? The soup is ready, and piping hot,—but what is it you +want me to say?" +</P> + +<P> +Fairy screamed with laughter. "You goose!" she cried. "Say anything +you like. I was just giving you a tip, that was all. It doesn't make +any difference what you say." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I am determined to do my part just right," vowed Prudence +fervently, "according to etiquette and all. What was it you said?" +</P> + +<P> +Fairy stifled her laughter with difficulty, and said in a low voice, +"Wouldn't you like a little nice, hot, oyster stew?" Prudence repeated +it after her breathlessly. +</P> + +<P> +So Fairy returned once more, and soon after Prudence tapped on the +door. Then she opened it, and thrust her curly head inside. "Wouldn't +you like a little nice, hot, oyster stew?" she chirped methodically. +And Fairy said, "Oh, yes indeed, Prudence,—this is so nice of you." +</P> + +<P> +The stew was steaming hot, and the three gathered sociably about the +table. Prudence was talking. Fairy was passing the +"crackers,"—Prudence kicked her foot gently beneath the table, to +remind her that etiquette calls them "wafers." So it happened that +Babbie was first to taste the steaming stew. He gasped, and gulped, +and swallowed some water with more haste than grace. Then he toyed +idly with spoon and wafer until Prudence tasted also. Prudence did not +gasp. She did not cry out. She looked up at her sister with wide hurt +eyes,—a world of pathos in the glance. But Fairy did not notice. +</P> + +<P> +"Now, please do not ask me to talk until I have finished my soup," she +was saying brightly, "I simply can not think and appreciate oyster stew +at the same time." +</P> + +<P> +Then she appreciated it! She dropped her spoon with a great clatter, +and jumped up from the table. "Mercy!" she shrieked. "It is poisoned!" +</P> + +<P> +Babbie leaned back in his chair and laughed until his eyes were wet. +Prudence's eyes were wet, too, but not from laughter! What would +etiquette think of her, after this? +</P> + +<P> +"What did you do to this soup, Prudence?" demanded Fairy. +</P> + +<P> +"I made it,—nothing else," faltered poor Prudence, quite crushed by +this blow. And oysters forty cents a pint! +</P> + +<P> +"It's pepper, I think," gasped Babbie. "My insides bear startling +testimony to the presence of pepper." +</P> + +<P> +And he roared again, while Prudence began a critical examination of the +oysters. She found them literally stuffed with pepper, there was no +doubt of it. The twins had done deadly work! Their patience, at +least, was commendable,—it seemed that not one oyster had escaped +their attention. The entire pint had been ruined by the pepper. +</P> + +<P> +"Revenge, ye gods, how sweet," chanted Fairy. "The twins are getting +even with a vengeance,—the same twins you said were adorable, Babbie." +It must be said for Fairy that her good nature could stand almost +anything. Even this did not seriously disturb her. "Do you suppose +you can find us some milk, Prue? And crackers! I'm so fond of +crackers and milk, aren't you, Babbie?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I adore it. But serve a microscope with it, please. I want to +examine it for microbes before I taste." +</P> + +<P> +But Prudence did better than that. She made some delicious cocoa, and +opened a can of pear preserves, donated to the parsonage by the amiable +Mrs. Adams. The twins were very fond of pear preserves, and had been +looking forward to eating these on their approaching birthday. They +were doomed to disappointment! The three had a merry little feast, +after all, and their laughter rang out so often and so unrestrainedly +that the twins shook in their beds with rage and disappointment. +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Starr came in while they were eating, and joined them genially. +But afterward, when Prudence realized that etiquette called for their +retirement, her father still sat complacently by the register, talking +and laughing. Prudence fastened her eyes upon him. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I must honestly go to bed," she said, gazing hypnotically at her +father. "I know you will excuse me. I must store up my strength to +deal with the twins in the morning." +</P> + +<P> +She got up from her chair, and moved restlessly about the room, still +boring her father with her eyes. He did not move. She paused beside +him, and slipped her hand under his elbow. +</P> + +<P> +"Now, father," she said gaily, "we must put our heads together, and +think out a proper punishment for the awful creatures." +</P> + +<P> +Her hand was uplifting, and Mr. Starr rose with it. Together they left +the room with cordial good nights, and inviting Mr. Babler to "try the +parsonage again." Prudence listened outside the twins' door, and heard +them breathing loudly. Then she went to her own room, and snuggling +down beneath the covers, laughed softly to herself. +</P> + +<P> +"Etiquette!" she gurgled. "Etiquette! There's no room for such a +thing in a parsonage,—I see that!" +</P> + +<P> +It speaks well for the courage of Babbie, and the attractions of Fairy, +that he came to the parsonage again and again. In time he became the +best of friends with the twins themselves, but he always called them +"the adorables," and they never asked him why. The punishment +inflicted upon them by Prudence rankled in their memories for many +months. Indeed, upon that occasion, Prudence fairly surpassed herself +in the ingenuity she displayed. The twins considered themselves very +nearly as grown-up as Fairy, and the fact that she was a young lady, +and they were children, filled their hearts with bitterness. They +never lost an opportunity of showing their independence where she was +concerned. And with marvelous insight, Prudence used Fairy as her +weapon of punishment,—in fact, the twins called Fairy the +"ducking-stool" for many days. +</P> + +<P> +"The offense was against Fairy," said Prudence, with a solemnity she +did not feel, "and the reparation must be done to her. For three +weeks, you must do all of her bedroom work, and run every errand she +requires. Moreover, you must keep her shoes well cleaned and nicely +polished, and must do every bit of her darning!" +</P> + +<P> +The twins would have preferred whipping a thousand times. They felt +they had got a whipping's worth of pleasure out of their mischief! But +a punishment like this sat heavily upon their proud young shoulders, +and from that time on they held Fairy practically immune from their +pranks. +</P> + +<P> +But Prudence did not bother her head about etiquette after that +experience. "I'm strong for comfort," she declared, "and since the two +can not live together in our family, I say we do without etiquette." +</P> + +<P> +And Fairy nodded in agreement, smiling good-naturedly. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap08"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER VIII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE FIRST DARK SHADOW OF WINTER +</H3> + + +<P> +Prudence and Fairy stood in the bay window of the sitting-room, and +looked out at the thickly falling snow. Already the ground was whitely +carpeted, and the low-branched peach trees just outside the parsonage +windows were beginning to bow down beneath their burdens. +</P> + +<P> +"Isn't it beautiful, Prudence?" whispered Fairy. "Isn't it beautiful? +Oh, I love it when it snows." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, and you love it when the sun shines, too," said Prudence, "and +when it rains, and when the wind is blowing. You have the soul of a +poet, that's what is the matter with you. You are a nature-fiend, as +Carol would say." +</P> + +<P> +Fairy turned abruptly from the window. "Don't talk for a minute, +Prue,—I want to write." +</P> + +<P> +So Prudence stood quietly in the window, listening to the pencil +scratching behind her. +</P> + +<P> +"Listen now, Prue,—how is this?" Fairy had a clear expressive voice, +"a bright voice," Prudence called it. And as she read her simple lines +aloud, the heart of Prudence swelled with pride. To Prudence, Fairy +was a wonderful girl. +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +"Good night, little baby earth, going to sleep,<BR> +Tucked in your blankets, all woolly and deep.<BR> +Close your tired eyelids, droop your tired head,<BR> +Nestle down sweetly within your white bed.<BR> +Kind Mother Sky, bending softly above,<BR> +Is holding you close in her bosom of love.<BR> +Closely she draws the white coverlets warm,<BR> +She will be near you to shield you from harm.<BR> +Soon she will set all her candles alight,<BR> +To scatter the darkness, and save you from fright.<BR> +Then she will leave her cloud-doorway ajar,<BR> +To watch you, that nothing your slumbers may mar.<BR> +Rest, little baby earth, rest and sleep tight,<BR> +The winter has come, and we bid you good night."<BR> +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +Fairy laughed, but her face was flushed. "How is that?" she demanded. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, Fairy," cried Prudence, "it is wonderful! How can you think of +such sweet little things? May I have it? May I keep it? Oh, I think +it is perfectly dear—I wish I could do that! I never in the world +would have thought of baby earth going to sleep and Mother Sky tucking +her in white blankets.—I think you are just wonderful, Fairy!" +</P> + +<P> +Fairy's eyes were bright at the praise, but she laughed as she +answered. "You always think me and my scribbles perfection, +Prue,—even the love verses that shocked the Ladies' Aid. You are a +bad critic. But doesn't the snow make you think—pretty things, +Prudence? Come now, as you stood at the window there, what were you +thinking?" +</P> + +<P> +"I was just wondering if Connie wore her rubbers to school, and if +father remembered to take his muffler." +</P> + +<P> +Fairy burst into renewed laughter. "Oh, you precious, old, practical +Prudence," she gurgled. "Rubbers and mufflers, with such a delicious +snowfall as this! Oh, Prudence, shame upon you." +</P> + +<P> +Prudence was ashamed. "Oh, I know I am a perfect idiot, Fairy," she +said. "I know it better than anybody else. I am so ashamed of myself, +all the time." Then she added rather shyly, "Fairy, are you ashamed of +me sometimes? When the college girls are here, and you are all talking +so brilliantly, aren't you kind of mortified that I am so stupid and +dull? I do not care if outsiders do think I am inferior to the rest of +you, but—really I do not want you to be ashamed of me! I—oh, I know +it myself,—that I do not amount to anything, and never will, but—it +would hurt if I thought you and the twins were going to find +me—humiliating." Prudence was looking at her sister hungrily, her +lips drooping, her eyes dark. +</P> + +<P> +For a long instant Fairy stared at her incredulously. Then she sprang +to her feet, her face white, her eyes blazing. +</P> + +<P> +"Prudence Starr," she cried furiously, "how dare you say such things of +us? Do you think we are as despicable as all that? Oh, Prudence, I +never was so insulted in all my life! Ashamed of you! Ashamed—Why, +we are proud of you, every one of us, daddy, too! We think you are the +finest and dearest girl that ever lived. We think—Oh, I think God +Himself must be proud of a girl like you, Prudence Starr! Ashamed of +you!" +</P> + +<P> +And Fairy, bursting into tears, rushed wildly out of the room. For all +her poetical nature, Fairy was usually self-restrained and calm. Only +twice before in all her life had Prudence seen her so tempest-tossed, +and now, greatly disturbed, yet pleased at the passionate avowals, she +hurried away in search of her sister. She needed no more assurance of +her attitude. +</P> + +<P> +So the twins and Connie came into an empty room, and chattered away to +themselves abstractedly for an hour. Then Prudence came down. +Instantly Connie was asked the all-important question: +</P> + +<P> +"Are your feet wet?" +</P> + +<P> +Connie solemnly took three steps across the room. "Hear me sqush," she +said proudly. She did sqush, too! +</P> + +<P> +"Constance Starr, I am ashamed of you! This is positively wicked. You +know it is a law of the Medes and Persians that you change your shoes +and stockings as soon as you come in when your feet are wet. Do it at +once. I'll get some hot water so you can soak your feet, too. And you +shall drink some good hot peppermint tea, into the bargain. I'll teach +you to sit around in wet clothes! Do you think I want an invalid on my +hands?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, don't be so fussy," said Connie fretfully, "wet feet don't do any +harm." But she obligingly soaked her feet, and drank the peppermint. +</P> + +<P> +"Are your feet wet, twins?" +</P> + +<P> +"No," said Lark, "we have better judgment than to go splashing through +the wet old snow.—What's the matter with you, Carol? Why don't you +sit still? Are your feet wet?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, but it's too hot in this room. My clothes feel sticky. May I +open the door, Prudence?" +</P> + +<P> +"Mercy, no! The snow is blowing a hurricane now. It isn't very hot in +here, Carol. You've been running outdoors in the cold, and that makes +it seem hot. You must peel the potatoes now, twins, it's time to get +supper. Carol, you run up-stairs and ask papa if he got his feet wet. +Between him and Connie, I do not have a minute's peace in the winter +time!" +</P> + +<P> +"You go, Lark," said Carol. "My head aches." +</P> + +<P> +"Do you want me to rub it?" asked Prudence, as Lark skipped up-stairs +for her twin. +</P> + +<P> +"No, it's just the closeness in here. It doesn't ache very bad. If we +don't have more fresh air, we'll all get something and die, +Prudence.—I tell you that. This room is perfectly stuffy.—I do not +want to talk any more." And Carol got up from her chair and walked +restlessly about the room. +</P> + +<P> +But Carol was sometimes given to moods, and so, without concern, +Prudence went to the kitchen to prepare the evening meal. +</P> + +<P> +"Papa says his feet are not wet, and that you are a big simpleton, +and—Oh, did you make cinnamon rolls to-day, Prue? Oh, goody! Carrie, +come on out! Look,—she made cinnamon rolls." +</P> + +<P> +Connie, too, hastened out to the kitchen in her bare feet, and was +promptly driven back by the watchful Prudence. +</P> + +<P> +"I just know you are going to be sick, Connie,—I feel it in my bones. +And walking out in that cold kitchen in your bare feet! You can just +drink some more peppermint tea for that, now." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, give me a cinnamon roll to go with it," urged Connie. +"Peppermint is awfully dry, taken by itself." +</P> + +<P> +Lark hooted gaily at this sentiment, but joined her sister in pleading +for cinnamon rolls. +</P> + +<P> +"No, wait until supper is ready. You do not need to help peel the +potatoes to-night, Carol. Run back where it is warm, and you must not +read if your head aches. You read too much anyhow. I'll help Lark +with the potatoes. No, do not take the paper, Carol,—I said you must +not read." +</P> + +<P> +Then Lark and Prudence, working together, and talking much, prepared +the supper for the family. When they gathered about the table, +Prudence looked critically at Connie. +</P> + +<P> +"Are you beginning to feel sick? Do you feel like sneezing, or any +thing?—Connie's awfully naughty, papa. Her feet were just oozing +water, and she sat there in her wet shoes and stockings, just like a +stupid child.—Aren't you going to eat any supper, Carol? Are you +sick? What is the matter? Does your head still ache?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, it doesn't ache exactly, but I do not feel hungry. No, I am not +sick, Prudence, so don't stew about it. I'm just not hungry. The meat +is too greasy, and the potatoes are lumpy. I think I'll take a +cinnamon roll." But she only picked it to pieces idly. Prudence +watched her with the intense suspicious gaze of a frightened mother +bird. +</P> + +<P> +"There are some canned oysters out there, Carol. If I make you some +soup, will you eat it?" +</P> + +<P> +This was a great concession, for the canned oysters were kept in +anticipation of unexpected company. But Carol shook her head +impatiently. "I am not hungry at all," she said. +</P> + +<P> +"I'll open some pineapple, or those beautiful pickled peaches Mrs. +Adams gave us, or—or anything, if you'll just eat something, Carrie." +</P> + +<P> +Still Carol shook her head. "I said I wasn't hungry, Prudence." But +her face was growing very red, and her eyes were strangely bright. She +moved her hands with unnatural restless motions, and frequently lifted +her shoulders in a peculiar manner. +</P> + +<P> +"Do your shoulders hurt, Carol?" asked her father, who was also +watching her anxiously. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, it feels kind of—well—tight, I guess, in my chest. But it +doesn't hurt. It hurts a little when I breathe deep." +</P> + +<P> +"Is your throat still sore, Carol?" inquired Lark. "Don't you remember +saying you couldn't swallow when we were coming home from school?" +</P> + +<P> +"It isn't sore now," said Carol. And as though intolerant of further +questioning, she left the dining-room quickly. +</P> + +<P> +"Shall I put flannel on her chest and throat, father?" asked Prudence +nervously. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, and if she gets worse we will call the doctor. It's probably +just a cold, but we must——" +</P> + +<P> +"It isn't diphtheria, papa, you know that," cried Prudence passionately. +</P> + +<P> +For there were four reported cases of that dread disease in Mount Mark. +</P> + +<P> +But the pain in Carol's chest did grow worse, and she became so +feverish that she began talking in quick broken sentences. +</P> + +<P> +"It was too hot!—Don't go away, Larkie!—Her feet were wet, and it +kept squshing out.—I guess I'm kind of sick, Prue.—Don't put that +thing on my head, it is strangling me!—Oh, I can't get my breath!" +And she flung her hand out sharply, as though to push something away +from her face. +</P> + +<P> +Then Mr. Starr went to the telephone and hurriedly called the doctor. +Prudence meanwhile had undressed Carol, and put on her little pink +flannel nightgown. +</P> + +<P> +"Go out in the kitchen, girls, and shut the door," she said to her +sisters, who stood close around the precious twin, so suddenly +stricken. "Fairy!" she cried. "Go at once. It may be catching. Take +the others with you. And keep the door shut." +</P> + +<P> +But Lark flung herself on her knees beside her twin, and burst into +choking sobs. "I won't go," she cried. "I won't leave Carrie. I will +not, Prudence!" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, it is too hot," moaned Carol. "Oh, give me a drink! Give me some +snow, Prudence. Oh, it hurts!" And she pressed her burning hands +against her chest. +</P> + +<P> +"Lark," said her father, stepping quickly to her side, "go out to the +kitchen at once. Do you want to make Carrie worse?" And Lark, cowed +and quivering, rushed into the kitchen and closed the door. +</P> + +<P> +"I'll carry her up-stairs to bed, Prue," said her father, striving to +render his voice natural for the sake of the suffering oldest daughter, +whose tense white face was frightening. +</P> + +<P> +Together they carried the child up the stairs. "Put her in our bed," +said Prudence. "I'll—I'll—if it's diphtheria, daddy, she and I will +stay upstairs here, and the rest of you must stay down. You can bring +our food up to the head of the stairs, and I'll come out and get it. +They can't take Carol away from the parsonage." +</P> + +<P> +"We will get a nurse, Prudence. We couldn't let you run a risk like +that. It would not be right. If I could take care of her properly +myself, I——" +</P> + +<P> +"You couldn't, father, and it would be wicked for you to take such +chances. What would the—others do without you? But it would not make +any difference about me. I'm not important. He can give me +anti-toxin, and I'm such a healthy girl there will be no danger. But +she must not be shut alone with a nurse. She would die!" +</P> + +<P> +And Carol took up the words, screaming, "I will die! I will die! +Don't leave me, Prudence. Don't shut me up alone. Prudence! +Prudence!" +</P> + +<P> +Down-stairs in the kitchen, three frightened girls clung to one +another, crying bitterly as they heard poor Carol's piercing screams. +</P> + +<P> +"It is pneumonia," said the doctor, after an examination. And he +looked at Prudence critically. "I think we must have a nurse for a few +days. It may be a little severe, and you are not quite strong enough." +Then, as Prudence remonstrated, "Oh, yes," he granted, "you shall stay +with her, but if it is very serious a nurse will be of great service. +I will have one come at once." Then he paused, and listened to the +indistinct sobbing that floated up from the kitchen. "Can't you send +those girls away for the night,—to some of the neighbors? It will be +much better." +</P> + +<P> +But this the younger girls stubbornly refused to do. "If you send me +out of the house when Carol is sick, I will kill myself," said Lark, in +such a strange voice that the doctor eyed her sharply. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, if you will all stay down-stairs and keep quiet, so as not to +annoy your sister," he consented grudgingly. "The least sobbing, or +confusion, or excitement, may make her much worse. Fix up a bed on the +floor down here, all of you, and go to sleep." +</P> + +<P> +"I won't go to bed," said Lark, looking up at the doctor with agonized +eyes. "I won't go to bed while Carol is sick." +</P> + +<P> +"Give her a cup of something hot to drink," he said to Fairy curtly. +</P> + +<P> +"I won't drink anything," said Lark. "I won't drink anything, and I +won't eat a bite of anything until Carol is well. I won't sleep, +either." +</P> + +<P> +The doctor took her hand in his, and deftly pushed the sleeve above the +elbow. +</P> + +<P> +"You can twist my arm if you like, but I won't eat, and I won't drink, +and I won't sleep." +</P> + +<P> +The doctor smiled. Swiftly inserting the point of his needle in her +arm, he released her. "I won't hurt you, but I am pretty sure you will +be sleeping in a few minutes." He turned to Fairy. "Get her ready for +bed at once. The little one can wait." +</P> + +<P> +An hour later, he came down-stairs again. "Is she sleeping?" he asked +of Fairy in a low voice. "That is good. You have your work cut out +for you, my girl. The little one here will be all right, but this twin +is in nearly as bad shape as the one up-stairs." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh! Doctor! Larkie, too!" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, she is not sick. But she is too intense. She is taking this too +hard. Her system is not well enough developed to stand such a strain +very long. Something would give way,—maybe her brain. She must be +watched. She must eat and sleep. There is school to-morrow, isn't +there?" +</P> + +<P> +"But I am sure Lark will not go, Doctor. She has never been to school +a day in her life without Carol. I am sure she will not go!" +</P> + +<P> +"Let her stay at home, then. Don't get her excited. But make her +work. Keep her doing little tasks about the house, and send her on +errands. Talk to her a good deal. Prudence will have her hands full +with the other twin, and you'll have all you can do with this one. I'm +depending on you, my girl. You mustn't fail me." +</P> + +<P> +That was the beginning of an anxious week. For two days Carol was in +delirium most of the time, calling out, crying, screaming affrightedly. +And Lark crouched at the foot of the stairs, hands clenched +passionately, her slender form tense and motionless. +</P> + +<P> +It was four in the afternoon, as the doctor was coming down from the +sick room, that Fairy called him into the dining-room with a suggestive +glance. +</P> + +<P> +"She won't eat," she said. "I have done everything possible, and I had +the nurse try. But she will not eat a bite. I—I'm sorry, Doctor, but +I can't make her." +</P> + +<P> +"What has she been doing?" +</P> + +<P> +"She's been at the foot of the stairs all day. She won't do a thing I +tell her. She won't mind the nurse. Father told her to keep away, +too, but she does not pay any attention. When I speak to her, she does +not answer. When she hears you coming down, she runs away and hides, +but she goes right back again." +</P> + +<P> +"Can your father make her eat? If he commands her?" +</P> + +<P> +"I do not know. I doubt it. But we can try. Here's some hot +soup,—I'll call father." +</P> + +<P> +So Lark was brought into the dining-room, and her father came down the +stairs. The doctor whispered an explanation to him in the hall. +</P> + +<P> +"Lark," said her father, gently but very firmly, "you must eat, or you +will be sick, too. We need all of our time to look after Carol to-day. +Do you want to keep us away from her to attend to you?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, father, of course not. I wish you would all go right straight +back to Carrie this minute and leave me alone. I'm all right. But I +can't eat until Carol is well." +</P> + +<P> +Her father drew a chair to the table and said, "Sit down and eat that +soup at once, Larkie." +</P> + +<P> +Lark's face quivered, but she turned away. "I can't, father. You +don't understand. I can't eat,—I really can't. Carrie's my twin, +and—oh, father, don't you see how it is?" +</P> + +<P> +He stood for a moment, frowning at her thoughtfully. Then he left the +room, signing for the doctor to follow. "I'll send Prudence down," he +said. "She'll manage some way." +</P> + +<P> +"I must stay here until I see her eat it," said the doctor. "If she +won't do it, she must be kept under morphine for a few days. But it's +better not. Try Prudence, by all means." +</P> + +<P> +So Prudence, white-faced, eyes black-circled, came down from the room +where she had served her sister many weary hours. The doctor was +standing in the center of the room. Fairy was hovering anxiously near +Lark, rigid at the window. +</P> + +<P> +"Larkie," whispered Prudence, and with a bitter cry the young girl +leaped into her sister's arms. +</P> + +<P> +Prudence caressed and soothed her tenderly. "Poor little Larkie," she +murmured, "poor little twinnie!—But Carol is resting pretty well now, +Lark. She's coming through all right. She was conscious several times +to-day. The first time she just looked up at me and smiled and +whispered, 'Hard luck, Prue.' Then a little later she said, 'Tell +Larkie I'm doing fine, and don't let her worry.' Pretty soon she spoke +again, 'You make Lark be sensible, Prue, or she'll be sick, too.' Once +again she started to say something about you, but she was too sick to +finish. 'Larkie is such a—,' but that was as far as she could go. +She was thinking of you all the time, Lark. She is so afraid you'll +worry and make yourself sick, too. She would be heartbroken if she was +able to see you, and you were too sick to come to her. You must keep +up your strength for Carol's sake. If she is conscious to-morrow, +we're going to bring you up a while to see her. She can hardly stand +being away from you, I know. But you must get out-of-doors, and bring +some color to your cheeks, first. It would make her miserable to see +you like this." +</P> + +<P> +Lark was still sobbing, but more gently now, and she still clung to her +sister. +</P> + +<P> +"To-morrow, Prudence? Honestly, may I go up to-morrow? You're not +just fooling me, are you? You wouldn't do that!" +</P> + +<P> +"Of course I wouldn't. Yes, you really may, if you'll be good and make +yourself look better. It would be very bad for Carrie to see you so +white and wan. She would worry. Have you been eating? You must eat +lots, and then take a good run out-of-doors toward bedtime, so you will +sleep well. It will be a good tonic for Carol to see you bright and +fresh and rosy." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I can't bear to be fresh and rosy when Carrie is sick!" +</P> + +<P> +"It hurts,—but you are willing to be hurt for Carol's sake! You will +do it on her account. It will do her so much good. Now sit down and +eat your soup, and I'll stay here a while and tell you all about her. +I gave her the pansies you bought her,—it was so sweet of you, too, +Larkie. It must have taken every cent of your money, didn't it? I +suppose you ordered them over the telephone, since you wouldn't leave +the house. When I told Carol you got them for her, she took them in +her hand and held them under the covers. Of course, they wilted right +away, but I knew you would like Carrie to have them close to her.'—Oh, +you must eat it all, Lark. It looks very good. I must take a little +of it up to Carol,—maybe she can eat some.—And you will do your very +best to be strong and bright and rosy—for Carol—won't you?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I will,—I'll go and run across the field a few times before I go +to bed. Yes, I'll try my very best." Then she looked up at the +doctor, and added: "But I wouldn't do it for you, or anybody else, +either." +</P> + +<P> +But the doctor only smiled oddly, and went away up-stairs again, +wondering at the wisdom that God has placed in the hearts of women! +</P> + +<P> +Dreary miserable days and nights followed after that. And Prudence, to +whom Carol, even in delirium, clung with such wildness that they dare +not deny her, grew weary-eyed and wan. But when the doctor, putting +his hand on her shoulder, said, "It's all right now, my dear. She'll +soon be as well as ever,"—then Prudence dropped limply to the floor, +trembling weakly with the great happiness. +</P> + +<P> +Good Methodist friends from all over Mount Mark came to the assistance +of the parsonage family, and many gifts and delicacies and knick-knacks +were sent in to tempt the appetite of the invalid, and the others as +well. +</P> + +<P> +"You all need toning up," said Mrs. Adams crossly, "you've all gone +clear under. A body would think the whole family had been down with +something!" +</P> + +<P> +Carol's friends at the high school, and the members of the faculty +also, took advantage of this opportunity to show their love for her. +And Professor Duke sent clear to Burlington for a great basket of +violets and lilies-of-the-valley, "For our little high-school +song-bird," as he wrote on the card. And Carol dimpled with delight as +she read it. +</P> + +<P> +"Now you see for yourself, Prudence," she declared. "Isn't he a duck?" +</P> + +<P> +When the little parsonage group, entire, gathered once more around the +table in the "real dining-room," they were joyful indeed. It was a +gala occasion! The very best china and silverware were brought out in +Carol's honor. The supper was one that would have gratified the heart +of a bishop, at the very least! +</P> + +<P> +"Apple pie, with pure cream, Carol," said Lark ecstatically, for apple +pie with pure cream was the favorite dessert of the sweet-toothed +twins. And Lark added earnestly, "And I don't seem to be very hungry +to-night, Carol,—I don't want any pie. You shall have my piece, too!" +</P> + +<P> +"I said I felt it in my bones, you remember," said Prudence, smiling at +Carol, "but my mental compass indicated Connie when it should have +pointed to Carol! And I do hope, Connie dear, that this will be a +lesson to you, and impress upon you that you must always change your +shoes and stockings when your feet are wet!" +</P> + +<P> +And for the first time in many days, clear, happy-hearted laughter rang +out in the parsonage. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap09"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER IX +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +PRACTISING ECONOMY +</H3> + + +<P> +It was a dull dreary day early in December. Prudence and Fairy were +sewing in the bay window of the sitting-room. +</P> + +<P> +"We must be sure to have all the scraps out of the way before Connie +gets home," said Prudence, carefully fitting together pieces of a dark, +warm, furry material. "It has been so long since father wore this +coat, I am sure she will not recognize it." +</P> + +<P> +"But she will ask where we got it, and what shall we say?" +</P> + +<P> +"We must tell her it is goods we have had in the house for a long time. +That is true. And I made this fudge on purpose to distract her +attention. If she begins to ask questions, we must urge her to have +more candy. Poor child!" she added very sympathetically. "Her heart +is just set on a brand-new coat. I know she will be bitterly +disappointed. If the members would just pay up we could get her one. +November and December are such bad months for parsonage people. Coal +to buy, feed for the cow and the horse and the chickens, and Carol's +sickness, and Larkie's teeth! Of course, those last are not regular +winter expenses, but they took a lot of money this year. Every one is +getting ready for Christmas now, and forgets that parsonage people need +Christmas money, too. November and December are always my bitter +months, Fairy,—bitter months!" +</P> + +<P> +Fairy took a pin from her mouth. "The velvet collar and cuffs will +brighten it up a good bit. It's really a pretty material. I have +honestly been ashamed of Connie the last few Sundays. It was so cold, +and she wore only that little thin summer jacket. She must have been +half frozen." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I had her dressed warmly underneath, very warmly indeed," declared +Prudence. "But no matter how warm you are underneath, you look cold if +you aren't visibly prepared for winter weather. It's a fortunate thing +the real cold weather was so slow in coming. I kept hoping enough +money would come in to buy her a coat for once in her life." +</P> + +<P> +"She has been looking forward to one long enough," put in Fairy. "This +will be a bitter blow to her. And yet it is not such a bad-looking +coat, after all." And she quickly ran up a seam on the machine. +</P> + +<P> +"Here comes Connie!" Prudence hastily swept a pile of scraps out of +sight, and turned to greet her little sister with a cheery smile. +</P> + +<P> +"Come on in, Connie," she cried, with a brightness she did not feel. +"Fairy and I are making you a new coat. Isn't it pretty? And so warm! +See the nice velvet collar and cuffs. We want to fit it on you right +away, dear." +</P> + +<P> +Connie picked up a piece of the goods and examined it intently. +</P> + +<P> +"Don't you want some fudge, Connie?" exclaimed Fairy, shoving the dish +toward her hurriedly. +</P> + +<P> +Connie took a piece from the plate, and thrust it between her teeth. +Her eyes were still fastened upon the brown furry cloth. +</P> + +<P> +"Where did you get this stuff?" she inquired, as soon as she was able +to speak. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, we've had it in the house quite a while," said Prudence, adding +swiftly, "Isn't it warm, Connie? Oh, it does look nice, doesn't it, +Fairy? Do you want it a little shorter, Connie, or is that about +right?" +</P> + +<P> +"About right, I guess. Did you ever have a coat like this, Prudence? +I don't seem to remember it.'" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, no, it wasn't mine. Take some more candy, Connie. Isn't it +good?—Let's put a little more fullness in the sleeves, Fairy. It's +more stylish this year.—The collar fits very nicely. The velvet gives +it such a rich tone. And brown is so becoming to you." +</P> + +<P> +"Thanks," said Connie patiently. "Was this something of yours, Fairy?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, no, we've just had it in the house quite a while. It comes in +very handy right now, doesn't it? It'll make you such a serviceable, +stylish coat. Isn't it about time for the twins to get here, Prudence? +I'm afraid they are playing along the road. Those girls get more +careless every day of their lives." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, if this didn't belong to one of you, whose was it?" demanded +Connie. "I know the twins never had anything like this. It looks kind +of familiar to me. Where did it come from?" +</P> + +<P> +"Out of the trunk in the garret, Connie. Don't you want some more +fudge? I put a lot of nuts in, especially on your account." +</P> + +<P> +"It's good," said Connie, taking another piece. She examined the cloth +very closely. "Say, Prudence, isn't this that old brown coat of +father's?" +</P> + +<P> +Fairy shoved her chair back from the machine, and ran to the window. +"Look, Prue," she cried. "Isn't that Mrs. Adams coming this way? I +wonder——" +</P> + +<P> +"No, it isn't," answered Connie gravely. "It's just Miss Avery getting +home from school.—Isn't it, Prudence? Father's coat, I mean?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, Connie, it is," said Prudence, very, very gently. "But no one +here has seen it, and it is such nice cloth,—just exactly what girls +are wearing now." +</P> + +<P> +"But I wanted a new coat!" Connie did not cry. She stood looking at +Prudence with her wide hurt eyes. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, Connie, I'm just as sorry as you are," cried Prudence, with +starting tears. "I know just how you feel about it, dearest. But the +people didn't pay father up last month, and nothing has come in for +this month yet, and we've had so much extra expense.—I will have to +wear my old shoes, too, Connie, and you know how they look! The +shoemaker says they aren't worth fixing, so I must wear them as they +are.—But maybe after Christmas we can get you a coat. They pay up +better then." +</P> + +<P> +"I think I'd rather wear my summer coat until then," said Connie +soberly. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, but you can't, dearest. It is too cold. Won't you be a good girl +now, and not make sister feel badly about it? It really is becoming to +you, and it is nice and warm. You know parsonage people just have to +practise economy, Connie,—it can't be helped. Take some more fudge, +dear, and run out-of-doors a while. You'll feel better about it +presently, I'm sure." +</P> + +<P> +Connie stood solemnly beside the table, her eyes still fastened on the +coat, cut down from her father's. "Can I go and take a walk?" she +asked finally. +</P> + +<P> +"May I, you mean," suggested Fairy. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, may I? Maybe I can reconcile myself to it." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, do go and take a walk," urged Prudence promptly, eager to get the +small sober face beyond her range of vision. +</P> + +<P> +"If I am not back when the twins get home, go right on and eat without +me. I'll come back when I get things straightened out in my mind." +</P> + +<P> +When Connie was quite beyond hearing, Prudence dropped her head on the +table and wept. "Oh, Fairy, if the members just knew how such things +hurt, maybe they'd pay up a little better. How do they expect +parsonage people to keep up appearances when they haven't any money?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, now, Prue, you're worse than Connie! There's no use to cry about +it. Parsonage people have to find happiness in spite of financial +misery. Money isn't the first thing with folks like us." +</P> + +<P> +"No, but they have pledged it," protested Prudence, lifting her +tear-stained face. "They must know we are counting on the money. Why +don't they keep their pledges? They pay their meat bills, and grocery +bills, and house rent! Why don't they pay for their religion?" +</P> + +<P> +"Now, Prue, you know how things go. Mrs. Adams is having a lot of +Christmas expense, and she thinks her four dollars a month won't really +be missed. She thinks she will make it up along in February, when +Christmas is over. But she forgets that Mrs. Barnaby with two dollars, +and Mrs. Scott with five, and Mr. Walter with seven, and Mr. Holmes +with three, and about thirty others with one dollar each, are thinking +the same thing! Each member thinks for himself, and takes no account +of the others. That's how it happens." +</P> + +<P> +Prudence squirmed uncomfortably in her chair. "I wish you wouldn't +mention names, Fairy," she begged. "I do not object to lumping them in +a body and wondering about them. But I can't feel right about calling +them out by name, and criticizing them.—Besides, we do not really know +which ones they are who did not pay." +</P> + +<P> +"I was just giving names for illustrative purposes," said Fairy +quickly. "Like as not, the very ones I named are the ones who did pay." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, get this stuff out of the way, and let's set the table. Somehow +I can't bear to touch it any more. Poor little Connie! If she had +cried about it, I wouldn't have cared so much. But she looked +so—heartsick, didn't she, Fairy?" +</P> + +<P> +Connie certainly was heartsick. More than that, she was a little +disgusted. She felt herself aroused to take action. Things had gone +too far! Go to church in her father's coat she could not! But they +hadn't the money. If Connie's father had been at home, perhaps they +might have reasoned it out together. But he had left town that +morning, and would not be home until Saturday evening,—too late to get +a coat in time for Sunday, and Prudence had said that Connie must be +coated by Sunday! She walked sturdily down the street toward the +"city,"—ironically so called. Her face was stony, her hands were +clenched. But finally she brightened. Her lagging steps quickened. +She skipped along quite cheerfully. She turned westward as she reached +the corner of the Square, and walked along that business street with +shining eyes. In front of the First National Bank she paused, but +after a few seconds she passed by. On the opposite corner was another +bank. When she reached it, she walked in without pausing, and the +massive door swung behind her. Standing on tiptoe, she confronted the +cashier with a grave face. +</P> + +<P> +"Is Mr. Harold in?" she asked politely. +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Harold was the president of the bank! It was a little unusual. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, he is in," said the cashier doubtfully, "but he is very busy." +</P> + +<P> +"Will you tell him that Constance Starr wishes to speak to him, +privately, and that it is very important?" +</P> + +<P> +The cashier smiled. "The Methodist minister's little girl, isn't it? +Yes, I will tell him." +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Harold looked up impatiently at the interruption. +</P> + +<P> +"It's the Methodist minister's little daughter, and she says it is +important for her to speak to you privately." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh! Probably a message from her father. Bring her in." +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Harold was one of the trustees of the Methodist church, and +prominent among them. His keen eyes were intent upon Connie as she +walked in, but she did not falter. +</P> + +<P> +"How do you do, Mr. Harold?" she said, and shook hands with him in the +good old Methodist way. +</P> + +<P> +His eyes twinkled, but he spoke briskly. "Did your father send you on +an errand?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, father is out of town. I came on business,—personal business, +Mr. Harold. It is my own affair." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I see," and he smiled at the earnest little face. "Well, what can +I do for you, Miss Constance?" +</P> + +<P> +"I want to borrow five dollars from the bank, Mr. Harold?" +</P> + +<P> +"You—did Prudence send you?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, no, it is my own affair as I told you. I came on my own account. +I thought of stopping at the other bank as I passed, but then I +remembered that parsonage people must always do business with their own +members if possible. And of course, I would rather come to you than to +a perfect stranger." +</P> + +<P> +"Thank you,—thank you very much. Five dollars you say you want?" +</P> + +<P> +"I suppose I had better tell you all about it. You see, I need a +winter coat, very badly. Oh, very badly, indeed! The girls were +ashamed of me last Sunday, I looked so cold outside, though I was +dressed plenty warm enough inside. I've been looking forward to a new +coat, Mr. Harold. I've never had one yet. There was always something +to cut down for me, from Prudence, or Fairy, or the twins. But this +time there wasn't anything to hand down, and so I just naturally +counted on a new one." Connie paused, and looked embarrassed. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes?" His voice was encouraging. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I'll tell you the rest, but I hope you won't say anything about +it, for I'd feel pretty cheap if I thought all the Sunday-school folks +knew about it.—You see, the members need such a lot of money now just +before Christmas, and so they didn't pay us up last month, and they +haven't paid anything this month. And we had to get coal, and feed, +and Larkie's teeth had to be fixed, and Carol was sick, you remember. +Seems to me Lark's teeth might have been put off until after Christmas, +but Prudence says not.—And so there isn't any money left, and I can't +have a coat. But Prudence and Fairy are making me one,—out of an old +coat of father's!" +</P> + +<P> +Constance paused dramatically. Mr. Harold never even smiled. He just +nodded understandingly. "I don't think I could wear a coat of father's +to church,—it's cut down of course, but—there's something painful +about the idea. I wouldn't expect father to wear any of my clothes! +You can see how it is, Mr. Harold. Just imagine how you would feel +wearing your wife's coat!—I don't think I could listen to the sermons. +I don't believe I could be thankful for the mercy of wearing father's +coat! I don't see anything merciful about it. Do you?" +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Harold did not speak. He gazed at Connie sympathetically, and +shook his head. +</P> + +<P> +"It's too much, that's what it is. And so I thought I'd just have to +take things into my own hands and borrow the money. I can get a good +coat for five dollars. But if the bank is a little short right now, I +can get along with four, or even three. I'd rather have the cheapest +coat in town, than one made out of father's. Do you think you can let +me have it?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, indeed we can." He seemed to find his voice with an effort. "Of +course we can. We are very glad to lend our money to responsible +people. We are proud to have your trade." +</P> + +<P> +"But I must tell you, that it may take me quite a while to pay it back. +Father gives me a nickel a week, and I generally spend it for candy. +There's another nickel, but it has to go in the collection, so I can't +really count that. I don't believe father would let me neglect the +heathen, even to pay for a winter coat! But I will give you the nickel +every week, and at that rate I can pay it back in a couple of years +easy enough. But I'd rather give the nickels as fast as I get them. +It's so hard to keep money when you can get your hand on it, you know. +Sometimes I have quite a lot of money,—as much as a quarter at a time, +from doing errands for the neighbors and things like that. I'll pay +you as fast as I can. Will that be all right? And the interest, too, +of course. How much will the interest be on five dollars?" +</P> + +<P> +"Well, that depends on how soon you repay the money, Connie. But I'll +figure it out, and tell you later." +</P> + +<P> +"All right. I know I can trust you not to cheat me, since you're a +trustee. So I won't worry about that." +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Harold drew out a bulky book from his pocket, and handed Connie a +crisp new bill. Her eyes sparkled as she received it. +</P> + +<P> +"But, Connie," he continued, "I feel that I ought to give you this. We +Methodists have done a wicked thing in forgetting our November +payments, and I will just give you this bill to make up for it." +</P> + +<P> +But Connie shook her head decidedly. "Oh, no! I'll have to give it +back, then. Father would not stand that,—not for one minute. Of +course, parsonage people get things given to them, quite a lot. And +it's a good thing, too, I must say! But we don't hint for them, Mr. +Harold. That wouldn't be right." She held out the bill toward him, +with very manifest reluctance. +</P> + +<P> +"Keep it,—we'll call it a loan then, Connie," he said. "And you may +pay me back, five cents at a time, just as is most convenient." +</P> + +<P> +The four older girls were at the table when Connie arrived. She +exhaled quiet satisfaction from every pore. Prudence glanced at her +once, and then looked away again. "She has reconciled herself," she +thought. Dinner was half over before Constance burst her bomb. She +had intended waiting until they were quite through, but it was more +than flesh and blood could keep! +</P> + +<P> +"Are you going to be busy this afternoon, Prudence?" she asked quietly. +</P> + +<P> +"We are going to sew a little," said Prudence. "Why?" +</P> + +<P> +"I wanted you to go down-town with me after school." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, perhaps I can do that. Fairy will be able to finish the coat +alone." +</P> + +<P> +"You needn't finish the coat!—I can't wear father's coat to church, +Prudence. It's a—it's a—physical impossibility." +</P> + +<P> +The twins laughed. Fairy smiled, but Prudence gazed at "the baby" with +tender pity. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm so sorry, dearest, but we haven't the money to buy one now." +</P> + +<P> +"Will five dollars be enough?" inquired Connie, and she placed her +crisp new bill beside her plate. The twins gasped! They gazed at +Connie with new respect. They were just wishing they could handle +five-dollar bills so recklessly. +</P> + +<P> +"Will you loan me twenty dollars until after Christmas, Connie?" +queried Fairy. +</P> + +<P> +But Prudence asked, "Where did you get this money, Connie?" +</P> + +<P> +"I borrowed it,—from the bank," Connie replied with proper gravity. +"I have two years to pay it back. Mr. Harold says they are proud to +have my trade." +</P> + +<P> +Prudence was silent for several long seconds. Then she inquired in a +low voice, "Did you tell him why you wanted it?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I explained the whole situation." +</P> + +<P> +"What did he say?" +</P> + +<P> +"He said he knew just how I felt, because he knew he couldn't go to +church in his wife's coat.—No, I said that myself, but he agreed with +me. He did not say very much, but he looked sympathetic. He said he +anticipated great pleasure in seeing me in my new coat at church next +Sunday." +</P> + +<P> +"Go on with your luncheon, twins," said Prudence sternly. "You'll be +late to school.—We'll see about going down-town when you get home +to-night, Connie. Now, eat your luncheon, and don't talk about coats +any more." +</P> + +<P> +When Connie had gone back to school, Prudence went straight to Mr. +Harold's bank. Flushed and embarrassed, she explained the situation +frankly. "My sympathies are all with Connie," she said candidly. "But +I am afraid father would not like it. We are dead set against +borrowing. After—our mother was taken, we were crowded pretty close +for money. So we had to go in debt. It took us two years to get it +paid. Father and Fairy and I talked it over then, and decided we would +starve rather than borrow again. Even the twins understood it, but +Connie was too little. She doesn't know how heartbreaking it is to +keep handing over every cent for debt, when one is just yearning for +other things.—I do wish she might have the coat, but I'm afraid father +would not like it. She gave me the five dollars for safekeeping, and I +have brought it back." +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Harold shook his head. "No, Connie must have her coat. This will +be a good lesson for her. It will teach her the bitterness of living +under debt! Besides, Prudence, I think in my heart that she is right +this time. This is a case where borrowing is justified. Get her the +coat, and I'll square the account with your father." Then he added, +"And I'll look after this salary business myself after this. I'll +arrange with the trustees that I am to pay your father his full salary +the first of every month, and that the church receipts are to be turned +in to me. And if they do not pay up, my lawyer can do a little +investigating! Little Connie earned that five dollars, for she taught +one trustee a sorry lesson. And he will have to pass it on to the +others in self-defense! Now, run along and get the coat, and if five +dollars isn't enough you can have as much more as you need. Your +father will get his salary after this, my dear, if we have to mortgage +the parsonage!" +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap10"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER X +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +A BURGLAR'S VISIT +</H3> + + +<P> +"Prue!" +</P> + +<P> +A small hand gripped Prudence's shoulder, and again came a hoarsely +whispered: +</P> + +<P> +"Prue!" +</P> + +<P> +Prudence sat up in bed with a bounce. +</P> + +<P> +"What in the world?" she began, gazing out into the room, half-lighted +by the moonshine, and seeing Carol and Lark shivering beside her bed. +</P> + +<P> +"Sh! Sh! Hush!" whispered Lark. "There's a burglar in our room!" +</P> + +<P> +By this time, even sound-sleeping Fairy was awake. "Oh, there is!" she +scoffed. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, there is," declared Carol with some heat. "We heard him, plain +as day. He stepped into the closet, didn't he, Lark?" +</P> + +<P> +"He certainly did," agreed Lark. +</P> + +<P> +"Did you see him?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, we heard him. Carol heard him first, and she spoke, and nudged +me. Then I heard him, too. He was at our dresser, but he shot across +the room and into the closet. He closed the door after him. He's +there now." +</P> + +<P> +"You've been dreaming," said Fairy, lying down again. +</P> + +<P> +"We don't generally dream the same thing at the same minute," said +Carol stormily. "I tell you he's in there." +</P> + +<P> +"And you two great big girls came off and left poor little Connie in +there alone with a burglar, did you? Well, you are nice ones, I must +say." +</P> + +<P> +And Prudence leaped out of bed and started for the door, followed by +Fairy, with the twins creeping fearfully along in the rear. +</P> + +<P> +"She was asleep," muttered Carol. +</P> + +<P> +"We didn't want to scare her," added Lark. +</P> + +<P> +Prudence was careful to turn the switch by the door, so that the room +was in full light before she entered. The closet door was wide open. +Connie was soundly sleeping. There was no one else in the room. +</P> + +<P> +"You see?" said Prudence sternly. +</P> + +<P> +"I'll bet he took our ruby rings," declared Lark, and the twins and +Fairy ran to the dresser to look. +</P> + +<P> +But a sickening realization had come home to Prudence. In the lower +hall, under the staircase, was a small dark closet which they called +the dungeon. The dungeon door was big and solid, and was equipped with +a heavy catch-lock. In this dungeon, Prudence kept the family +silverware, and all the money she had on hand, as it could there be +safely locked away. But more often than not, Prudence forgot to lock +it. +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Starr had gone to Burlington that morning to attend special revival +services for three days, and Prudence had fifty whole dollars in the +house, an unwonted sum in that parsonage! And the dungeon was not +locked. Without a word, she slipped softly out of the room, ran down +the stairs, making never a sound in her bare feet, and saw, somewhat to +her surprise, that the dungeon door was open. Quickly she flung it +shut, pushed the tiny key that moved the "catch," and was rushing up +the stairs again with never a pause for breath. +</P> + +<P> +A strange sight met her eyes in the twins' room. The twins themselves +were in each other's arms, sobbing bitterly. Fairy was still looking +hurriedly through the dresser drawers. +</P> + +<P> +"They are gone," wailed Carol, "our beautiful ruby rings that belonged +to grandmother." +</P> + +<P> +"Nonsense," cried Prue with nervous anger, "you've left them in the +bathroom, or on the kitchen shelves. You're always leaving them +somewhere over the place. Come on, and we'll search the house just to +convince you." +</P> + +<P> +"No, no," shrieked the twins. "Let's lock the door and get under the +bed." +</P> + +<P> +The rings were really valuable. Their grandmother, their mother's +mother, whom they had never seen, had divided her "real jewelry" +between her two daughters. And the mother of these parsonage girls, +had further divided her portion to make it reach through her own family +of girls! Prudence had a small but beautiful chain of tiny pearls. +Fairy's share consisted of a handsome brooch, with a "sure-enough +diamond" in the center! The twin rubies of another brooch had been +reset in rings for Carol and Lark, and were the priceless treasures of +their lives! And in the dungeon was a solid gold bracelet, waiting +until Connie's arm should be sufficiently developed to do it justice. +</P> + +<P> +"Our rings! Our rings!" the twins were wailing, and Connie, awakened +by the noise, was crying beneath the covers of her bed. +</P> + +<P> +"Maybe we'd better phone for Mr. Allan," suggested Fairy. "The girls +are so nervous they will be hysterical by the time we finish searching +the house." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, let's do the up-stairs then," said Prudence. "Get your slippers +and kimonos, and we'll go into daddy's room." +</P> + +<P> +But inside the door of daddy's room, with the younger girls clinging to +her, and Fairy looking odd and disturbed, Prudence stopped abruptly and +stared about the room curiously. +</P> + +<P> +"Fairy, didn't father leave his watch hanging on that nail by the +table? Seems to me I saw it there this morning. I remember thinking I +would tease him for being forgetful." +</P> + +<P> +And the watch was not there. +</P> + +<P> +"I think it was Sunday he left it," answered Fairy in a low voice. "I +remember seeing it on the nail, and thinking he would need it,—but I +believe it was Sunday." +</P> + +<P> +Prudence looked under the bed, and in the closet, but their father's +room was empty. Should they go farther? For a moment, the girls stood +looking at one another questioningly. Then—they heard a loud thud +down-stairs, as of some one pounding on a door. There was no longer +any doubt. Some one was in the house! Connie and the twins screamed +again and clung to Prudence frantically. And Fairy said, "I think we'd +better lock the door and stay right here until morning, Prue." +</P> + +<P> +But Prudence faced them stubbornly. "If you think I'm going to let any +one steal that fifty dollars, you are mistaken. Fifty dollars does not +come often enough for that, I can tell you." +</P> + +<P> +"It's probably stolen already," objected Fairy. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, if it is, we'll find out who did it, and have them arrested. +I'm going down to telephone to the police. You girls must lock the +door after me, and stay right here." +</P> + +<P> +The little ones screamed again, and Fairy said: "Don't be silly, Prue, +if you go I'm going with you, of course. We'll leave the kiddies here +and they can lock the door. They'll be perfectly safe in here." +</P> + +<P> +But the children loudly objected to this. If Prue and Fairy went, they +would go! So down the stairs they trooped, a timorous trembling crowd. +Prudence went at once to the telephone, and called up the residence of +the Allans, their neighbors across the street. After a seemingly +never-ending wait, the kind-hearted neighbor left his bed to answer the +insistent telephone. Falteringly Prudence explained their predicament, +and asked him to come and search the house. He promised to be there in +five minutes, with his son to help. +</P> + +<P> +"Now," said Prudence more cheerfully, "we'll just go out to the kitchen +and wait. It's quiet there, and away from the rest of the house, and +we'll be perfectly safe." To the kitchen, then, they hurried, and +found real comfort in its smallness and secureness. Prudence raked up +the dying embers of the fire, and Fairy drew the blinds to their lowest +limits. The twins and Connie trailed them fearfully at every step. +</P> + +<P> +When the fire was burning brightly, Prudence spoke with great +assurance. "I'll just run in to the dungeon and see for sure if the +money is there. I do not honestly believe there is a soul in the +house, but I can't rest until I know that money is safe." +</P> + +<P> +"You'll do nothing of the sort," said Fairy, "you'll stay right here +and wait with us. I do not believe there's any one in the house, +either, but if there is, you shan't run into him by yourself. You stay +right where you are, and don't be silly. Mr. Allan will do the +investigating." +</P> + +<P> +Every breath of wind against the windows drew startled cries from the +younger girls, and both Fairy and Prudence were white with anxiety when +they heard the loud voices of the Allans outside the kitchen door. +Prudence began crying nervously the moment the two angels of mercy +appeared before her, and Fairy told their tale of woe. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, there now," Mr. Allan said with rough sympathy, "you just got +scared, that's all. Everything's suspicious when folks get scared. I +told my wife the other day I bet you girls would get a good fright some +time left here alone. Come on, Jim, and we'll go over the house in a +jiffy." +</P> + +<P> +He was standing near the dining-room door. He lifted his head +suddenly, and seemed to sniff a little. There was undoubtedly a faint +odor of tobacco in the house. +</P> + +<P> +"Been any men in here to-night?" he asked. "Or this afternoon? Think, +now!" +</P> + +<P> +"No one," answered Prudence. "I was alone all afternoon, and there has +been no one in this evening." +</P> + +<P> +He passed slowly through the dining-room into the hall, closely +followed by his son and the five girls, already much reassured. As he +passed the dungeon door he paused for a moment, listening intently, his +head bent. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, Mr. Allan," cried Prudence, "let's look in the dungeon first. I +want to see if the money is safe." Her hand was already on the lock, +but he shoved her away quickly. +</P> + +<P> +"Is there any way out of that closet besides this door?" he asked. +</P> + +<P> +"No. We call it the dungeon," laughed Prudence, her self-possession +quite recovered. "It is right under the stairs, and not even a mouse +could gnaw its way out, with this door shut." +</P> + +<P> +"Who shut that door?" he inquired, still holding Prudence's hand from +the lock. Then without waiting for an answer, he went on, "Let's go +back in the other room a minute. Come on, all of you." In the +living-room, he hurried to the telephone, and spoke to the operator in +a low voice. "Call the police headquarters, and have them send two or +three men to the Methodist parsonage, right away. We've got a burglar +locked in a closet, and they'll have to get him out. Please hurry." +</P> + +<P> +At this, the girls crowded around him again in renewed fear. +</P> + +<P> +"Don't be scared," he said calmly, "we're all right. He's in there +safe enough and can't get out for a while. Now, tell me about it. How +did you get him in the closet? Begin at the beginning, and tell me all +about it." +</P> + +<P> +Carol began the story with keen relish. "I woke up, and thought I +heard some one in the room. I supposed it was Prudence. I said, +'Prudence,' and nobody answered, and everything was quiet.' But I felt +there was some one in there. I nudged Lark, and she woke up. He moved +then, and we both heard him. He was fumbling at the dresser, and our +ruby rings are gone. We heard him step across the room and into the +closet. He closed the door after him, didn't he, Lark?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, he did," agreed Lark. "His hand was on the knob." +</P> + +<P> +"So we sneaked out of bed, and went into Prudence's room and woke her +and Fairy." She looked at Connie, and blushed. "Connie was asleep, +and we didn't waken her because we didn't want to frighten her. We +woke the girls,—and you tell the rest, Prudence." +</P> + +<P> +"We didn't believe her, of course. We went back into their room and +there was no one there. But the rings were gone. While they were +looking at the dresser, I remembered that I forgot to lock the dungeon +door, where we keep the money and the silverware, and I ran down-stairs +and slammed the door and locked it, and went back up. I didn't hear a +sound down-stairs." +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Allan laughed heartily. "Well, your burglar was in that closet +after the money, no doubt, and he didn't hear you coming, and got +locked in. Did you make any noise coming down the stairs?" +</P> + +<P> +"No. I was in my bare feet, and I tried to be quiet because if there +was any one in the house, I did not want him coming at me in the dark. +I ran back up-stairs, and we looked in father's room. I thought father +had forgotten to take his watch with him, but it wasn't there.—Do you +really think it was Sunday he forgot it, Fairy?" +</P> + +<P> +"No," said Fairy, "it was there this afternoon. The burglar's got it +in the dungeon with him, of course.—I just said it was Sunday to keep +from scaring the twins." +</P> + +<P> +In a few minutes, they heard footsteps around the house and knew the +officers had arrived. Mr. Allan let them into the house, four of them, +and led them out to the hall. There could be no doubt whatever that +the burglar was in the dungeon. He had been busy with his knife, and +the lock was nearly removed. If the officers had been two minutes +later, the dungeon would have been empty. The girls were sent +up-stairs at once, with the Allan boy as guard,—as guard, without +regard for the fact that he was probably more frightened than any one +of them. +</P> + +<P> +The chief officer rapped briskly on the dungeon door. Then he clicked +his revolver. +</P> + +<P> +"There are enough of us to overpower three of you," he said curtly. +"And we have men outside the house, too. If you make any disturbance, +we shall all fire the instant the door is opened. If you put your +firearms on the floor, and hold both hands over your head, you'll be +well treated. If your hands are not up, we fire on sight. Get your +revolvers ready, boys." +</P> + +<P> +Then the officer opened the door. Evidently the burglar was wise +enough to appreciate the futility of fighting against odds. Perhaps he +did not wish to add the charge of manslaughter to that of robbery. +Certainly, he did not feel himself called to sudden death. At any +rate, his hands were above his head, and in less than a second he was +securely manacled. +</P> + +<P> +The chief officer had been eying him closely. "Say!" he exclaimed. +"Aren't you Limber-Limb Grant?" The burglar grinned, but did not +answer. "By jove!" shouted the officer. "It is! Call the girls down +here," he ordered, and when they appeared, gazing at the burglar with +mingled admiration, pity and fear, he congratulated them with +considerable excitement. +</P> + +<P> +"It's Limber-Limb Grant," he explained. "There's a reward of five +hundred dollars for him. You'll get the money, as sure as you're +born." Then he turned again to the burglar. "Say, Grant, what's a +fellow like you doing on such a fifth-rate job as this? A Methodist +parsonage is not just in your line, is it?" +</P> + +<P> +Limber-Limb laughed sheepishly. "Well," he explained good-naturedly, +"Chicago got too hot for me. I had to get out in a hurry, and I +couldn't get my hands on any money. I had a fine lot of jewels, but I +was so pushed I couldn't use them. I came here and loafed around town +for a while, because folks said Mount Mark was so fast asleep it did +not even wake up long enough to read the daily papers. I heard about +this parsonage bunch, and knew the old man had gone off to get more +religion. This afternoon at the station I saw a detective from Chicago +get off the train, and I knew what that meant. But I needed some cash, +and so I wasn't above a little job on the side. I never dreamed of +getting done up by a bunch of preacher's kids. I went upstairs to get +those family jewels I've heard about, and one of the little ones gave +the alarm. I already had some of them, so I came down at once. I +stopped in the dungeon to get that money, and first thing I knew the +door banged shut. That's all. You're welcome to the five hundred +dollars, ladies. Some one was bound to get it sooner or later, and I'm +partial to the ladies, every time." +</P> + +<P> +Limber-Limb Grant was a modern thief of the new class. At that moment, +in Chicago, he had in storage, a hundred thousand dollars' worth of +jewels, which he could not dispose of on the pressure of the moment. +The law was crowding him close, and he was obliged to choose between +meeting the law, or running away from it. He ran. He reached Mount +Mark, and trusted to its drowsiness for concealment for a few weeks. +But that afternoon the arrival of a detective gave him warning, and he +planned his departure promptly. A parsonage occupied by only five +girls held no terrors for him, and with fifty dollars and a few fairly +good jewels, a man of his talent could accomplish wonders. +</P> + +<P> +But Mount Mark had aroused from its lethargy. Limber-Limb Grant was in +the hands of the law. +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Starr had been greatly interested in the accounts of the +evangelistic services being held in Burlington. The workers were +meeting with marked success, and Mr. Starr felt he should get in touch +with them. So on Thursday morning he took the early east-bound train +to Burlington. There he sought out a conveniently located second-class +hotel, and took up residence. He attended the services at the +tabernacle in the afternoon and evening, and then went to bed at the +hotel. He slept late the next morning. When he finally appeared, he +noticed casually, without giving it thought, that the clerk behind the +desk looked at him with marked interest. Mr. Starr nodded cheerfully, +and the clerk came at once from behind the desk to speak to him. Two +or three other guests, who had been lounging about, drew near. +</P> + +<P> +"We've just been reading about your girls, sir," said the clerk +respectfully. "It's a pretty nervy little bunch! You must be proud of +them!" +</P> + +<P> +"My girls!" ejaculated Mr. Starr. +</P> + +<P> +"Haven't you seen the morning paper? You're Mr. Starr, the Methodist +minister at Mount Mark, aren't you?" +</P> + +<P> +"I am! But what has happened to my girls? Is anything wrong? Give me +the paper!" +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Starr was greatly agitated. He showed it. +</P> + +<P> +But the clerk could not lose this opportunity to create a sensation. +It was a chance of a life-time. "Why, a burglar got in the parsonage +last night," he began, almost licking his lips with satisfaction. "The +twins heard him at their dresser, and when he stepped into the closet +they locked him in there, and yelled for the rest of the family. But +he broke away from them, and went, down-stairs and climbed down into +the dungeon to get the money. Then Prudence, she ran down-stairs alone +in the dark, and locked him in the dungeon,—pushed him down-stairs or +something like that, I believe,—and then telephoned for the police. +And she stayed on guard outside the dungeon until the police got there, +so he couldn't get away. And the police got him, and found it was +Limber-Limb Grant, a famous gentleman thief, and your girls are going +to get five hundred dollars reward for catching him." +</P> + +<P> +Five minutes later, Mr. Starr and his suit-case were in a taxicab +speeding toward Union Station, and within eight minutes he was en route +for Mount Mark,—white in the face, shaky in the knees, but +tremendously proud in spirit. +</P> + +<P> +Arriving at Mount Mark, he was instantly surrounded by an exclamatory +crowd of station loungers. "Ride, sir? Glad to take you home for +nothing," urged Harvey Reel. Mount Mark was enjoying more notoriety +than ever before in the two hundred years of its existence. The name +of Prudence was upon every tongue, and her father heard it with +satisfaction. In the parsonage he found at least two-thirds of the +Ladies' Aid Society, the trustees and the Sunday-school superintendent, +along with a miscellaneous assortment of ordinary members, mixed up +with Presbyterians, Baptists and a few unclassified outsiders. And +Prudence was the center of attraction. +</P> + +<P> +She was telling the "whole story," for perhaps the fifteenth time that +morning, but she broke off when her father hurried in and flung her +arms about him. "Oh, papa," she cried, "they mustn't praise me. I had +no idea there was a burglar in the house when I ran down the stairs, +and if I hadn't been careless and left the dungeon unlocked the money +would have been in no danger, and if the twins hadn't wakened me I +wouldn't have known there was a burglar about the place, and if Fairy +hadn't kept me from rushing out to the dungeon to see if the money was +safe, he would have got away, and—it took the policemen to get him +out. Oh, I know that is not very grammatical, father, but it's just as +true as if it were! And I honestly can't see that much credit is due +me." +</P> + +<P> +But Mount Mark did not take it so calmly. And as for the Methodist +church,—well, the Presbyterian people used to say there was "no living +with those Methodists, since the girls caught a burglar in the +parsonage." Of course, it was important, from the Methodist point of +view. Pictures of the parsonage and the church were in all the papers +for miles around, and at their very next meeting the trustees decided +to get the piano the Sunday-school had been needing for the last +hundred years! +</P> + +<P> +When the five hundred dollars arrived from Chicago, Prudence felt that +personally she had no real right to the money. "We must divide it," +she insisted, "for I didn't earn it a bit more than any of the others. +But it is perfectly glorious to have five hundred dollars, isn't it? +Did you ever have five hundred dollars before? Just take it, father, +and use it for whatever we need. It's family money." +</P> + +<P> +But he would not hear of this. "No," he said, "put it in the bank, +Prudence, for there will come a time when you will want money very +badly. Then you will have it." +</P> + +<P> +"Let's divide it then,—a hundred for each of us," she urged. +</P> + +<P> +Neither the younger girls nor their father would consent to this. But +when Prudence stood very firm, and pleaded with them earnestly, they +decided to divide it. +</P> + +<P> +"I will deposit two hundred and fifty dollars for the four younger +ones," he said, "and that will leave you as much." +</P> + +<P> +So it was settled, and Prudence was a happy girl when she saw it safely +put away in the bank. +</P> + +<P> +"We can get it whenever we really need it, you know," she told her +father joyfully. "It's such a comfort to know it's there! I feel just +like a millionaire, I am sure. Do you think it would be all right to +send Limber-Limb Grant a letter of thanks for it? We were horribly +scared, but—well, I for one am willing to be horribly scared for such +a lot of money as that!" +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap11"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XI +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +ROMANCE COMES +</H3> + + +<P> +Sometimes, Methodists, or Presbyterians or heretics, whatever we may be, +we are irresistibly impelled to the conclusion that things were simply +bound to happen! However slight the cause,—still that cause was +predestined from the beginning of time. A girl may by the sheerest +accident, step from the street-car a block ahead of her destination,—an +irritating incident. But as she walks that block she may meet an +old-time friend, and a stranger. And that stranger,—ah, you can never +convince the girl that her stepping from the car too soon was not ordered +when the foundations of the world were laid. +</P> + +<P> +Even so with Prudence, good Methodist daughter that she was. We ask her, +"What if you had not gone out for a ride that morning?" And Prudence, +laughing, answers, "Oh, but I had to go, you see." "Well," we continue, +"if you had not met him that way, you could have met him some other way, +I suppose." "Oh, no," declares Prudence decidedly, "it had to happen +just that way." +</P> + +<P> +After all, down in plain ink on plain paper, it was very simple. Across +the street from the parsonage was a little white cottage set back among +tall cedars. In this cottage lived a girl named Mattie Moore,—a common, +unlovely, unexciting girl, with whom Romance could not apparently be +intimately concerned. Mattie Moore taught a country school five miles +out from town, and she rode to and from her school, morning and evening, +on a bicycle. +</P> + +<P> +Years before, when Prudence was young and bicycles were fashionable, she +had been intensely fond of riding. But as she gained in age, and +bicycles lost in popularity, she discarded the amusement as unworthy a +parsonage damsel. +</P> + +<P> +One evening, early in June, when the world was fair to look upon, it was +foreordained that Prudence should be turning in at the parsonage gate +just as Mattie Moore whirled up, opposite, on her dusty wheel. Prudence +stopped to interchange polite inanities with her neighbor, and Mattie, +wheeling the bicycle lightly beside her, came across the street and stood +beneath the parsonage maples with Prudence. They talked of the weather, +of the coming summer, of Mattie's school, rejoicing that one more week +would bring freedom from books for Mattie and the younger parsonage girls. +</P> + +<P> +Then said Prudence, seemingly of her own free will, but really directed +by an all-controlling Providence, "Isn't it great fun to ride a bicycle? +I love it. Sometime will you let me ride your wheel?" +</P> + +<P> +"Why, certainly. You may ride now if you like." +</P> + +<P> +"No," said Prudence slowly, "I am afraid it would not do for me to ride +now. Some of the members might see me, and—well, I am very grown up, +you know.—Of course," she added hastily, "it is different with you. You +ride for business, but it would be nothing but a frolic with me. I want +to get up at six o'clock and go early in the morning when the world is +fast asleep. Let me take it to-morrow morning, will you? It is +Saturday, and you won't be going to school." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, of course you may," was the hearty answer. "You may stay out as +long as you like. I'm going to sew to-morrow. You make take it in the +parsonage now and keep it until morning. I always sleep late on +Saturdays." +</P> + +<P> +So Prudence delightedly tripped up the parsonage board walk, wheeling the +bicycle by her side. She hid it carefully in the woodshed, for the twins +were rash and venturesome. But after she had gone to bed, she confided +her plan to Fairy. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm going at six o'clock, and I'll be back in time to get breakfast. +But as you know, Fairy, my plans do not always work out as I intend, so +if I am a little late, you'll get breakfast for papa and the girls, like +a dear, won't you?" +</P> + +<P> +Fairy promised. And early the next morning, Prudence, in a plain gingham +house dress, with the addition of a red sweater jacket and cap for +warmth, set out upon her secret ride. It was a magnificent morning, and +Prudence sang for pure delight as she rode swiftly along the country +roads. The country was simply irresistible. It was almost intoxicating. +And Prudence rode farther than she had intended. East and west, north +and south, she went, apparently guided only by her own caprice. She knew +it was growing late, "but Fairy'll get breakfast," she thought +comfortably. +</P> + +<P> +Finally she turned in a by-road, leading between two rich hickory groves. +Dismounting at the top of a long hill, she gazed anxiously around her. +No one was in sight. The nearest house was two miles behind, and the +road was long, and smooth, and inviting, and the hill was steep. +Prudence yearned for a good, soul-stirring coast, with her feet high up +on the framework of the wheel, and the pedals flying around beneath her +skirts. This was not the new and modern model of bicycle. The pedals on +Mattie Moore's wheel revolved, whether one worked them or not. +</P> + +<P> +It seemed safe. The road sloped down gradually at the bottom, with an +incline on the other side. What more could one desire. The only living +thing in sight besides birds gossiping in the leafy branches and the +squirrel scolding to himself, was a sober-eyed serious mule peacefully +grazing near the bottom of the hill. +</P> + +<P> +Prudence laughed gleefully, like a child. She never laughed again in +exactly that way. This was the last appearance of the old irresponsible +Prudence. The curtain was just ready to drop. +</P> + +<P> +"Here goes!" she cried, and leaping nimbly into the saddle, she pedaled +swiftly a few times, and then lifted her feet to the coveted position. +The pedals flew around beneath her, just as she had anticipated, and the +wind whistled about her in a most exhilarating way. +</P> + +<P> +But as she neared the bottom, a disastrous and totally unexpected thing +happened. The placid mule, which had been righteously grazing beside the +fence, suddenly stalked into the middle of the road. Prudence screamed, +jerked the handle-bar to the right, then to the left, and then, with a +sickening thud, she landed head first upon some part of the mule's +anatomy. She did not linger there, however. She bounced on down to the +ground, with a little cry of pain. The bicycle crashed beside her, and +the mule, slightly startled, looked around at her with ears raised in +silent questioning. Then he ambled slowly across the road, and +deliberately continued his grazing. +</P> + +<P> +Prudence tried to raise herself, but she felt sharp pain. She heard some +one leaping over the fence near her, and wondered, without moving her +head, if it could be a tramp bent on highway robbery. The next instant, +a man was leaning over her. "It's not a tramp," she thought, before he +had time to speak. +</P> + +<P> +"Are you hurt?" he cried. "You poor child!" +</P> + +<P> +Prudence smiled pluckily. "My ankle is hurt a little, but I am not a +child." +</P> + +<P> +The young man, in great relief, laughed aloud, and Prudence joined him +rather faintly. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm afraid I can not walk," she said. "I believe I've broken my ankle, +maybe my whole leg, for all I know. It—hurts—pretty badly!" +</P> + +<P> +"Lie down like this," he said, helping her to a more comfortable +position, "do not move. May I examine your foot?" +</P> + +<P> +She shook her head, but he removed the shoe regardless of her head-shake. +"I believe it is sprained. I am sure the bone is not broken. But how in +the world will you get home? How far is it to Mount Mark? Is that where +you live?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," considering, "yes, I live there, and it must be four miles, +anyhow. What shall I do?" +</P> + +<P> +In answer, he pulled off his coat, and arranged it carefully by the side +of the road on the grass. Then jerking open the bag he had carried, he +took out a few towels, and three soft shirts. Hastily rolling them +together for a pillow, he added it to the bed pro tem. Then he turned +again to Prudence. +</P> + +<P> +"I'll carry you over here, and fix you as comfortably as I can. Then +I'll go to the nearest house and get a wagon to take you home." +</P> + +<P> +Prudence was not shy, and realizing that his plan was the wise one, she +made no objections when he came to help her across the road. "I think I +can walk if you lift me up." +</P> + +<P> +But the first movement sent such a twinge of pain through the wounded +ankle that she clutched him frantically, and burst into tears. "It +hurts," she cried, "don't touch me." +</P> + +<P> +Without speaking, he lifted her as gently as he could and carried her to +the place he had prepared for her. "Will you be warm enough?" he asked, +after he had stood looking awkwardly down upon the sobbing girl as long +as he could endure it. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," nodded Prudence, gulping down the big soft rising in her throat. +</P> + +<P> +"I'll run. Do you know which way is nearest to a house? It's been a +long time since I passed one coming this way." +</P> + +<P> +"The way I came is the nearest, but it's two miles, I think." +</P> + +<P> +"I'll go as fast as I can, and you will be all right This confounded +cross-cut is so out of the way that no one will pass here for hours, I +suppose. Now lie as comfortably as you can, and do not worry. I'm going +to run." +</P> + +<P> +Off he started, but Prudence, left alone, was suddenly frightened. +"Please, oh, please," she called after him, and when he came back she +buried her face in shame, deep in the linen towel. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm afraid," she whispered, crying again. "I do not wish to be left +alone here. A snake might come, or a tramp." +</P> + +<P> +He sat down beside her. "You're nervous. I'll stay with you until you +feel better. Some one may come this way, but it isn't likely. A man I +passed on the road a ways back told me to cut through the hickory grove +and I would save a mile of travel. That's how I happened to come through +the woods, and find you." He smiled a little, and Prudence, remembering +the nature of her accident, flushed. Then, being Prudence, she laughed. +</P> + +<P> +"It was my own fault. I had no business to go coasting down like that. +But the mule was so stationary. It never occurred to me that he +contemplated moving for the next century at least. He was a bitter +disappointment." She looked down the roadside where the mule was +contentedly grazing, with never so much as a sympathetic glance toward +his victim. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm afraid your bicycle is rather badly done up." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh,—whatever will Mattie Moore say to me? It's borrowed. Oh, I see +now, that it was just foolish pride that made me unwilling to ride during +decent hours. What a dunce I was,—as usual." +</P> + +<P> +He looked at her curiously. This was beyond his comprehension. +</P> + +<P> +"The bicycle belongs to Mattie Moore. She lives across the street from +the parsonage, and I wanted to ride. She said I could. But I was +ashamed to ride in the daytime, for fear some of the members would think +it improper for a girl of the parsonage, and so I got up at six o'clock +this morning to do it on the sly. Somehow I never can remember that it +is just as bad to do things when you aren't seen as when you are. It +doesn't seem so bad, does it? But of course it is. But I never think of +that when I need to be thinking of it. Maybe I'll remember after this." +She was silent a while. "Fairy'll have to get breakfast, and she always +gets father's eggs too hard." Silence again. "Maybe papa'll worry. But +then, they know by this time that something always does happen to me, so +they'll be prepared." +</P> + +<P> +She turned gravely to the young man beside her. He was looking down at +her, too. And as their eyes met, and clung for an instant, a slow dark +color rose in his face. Prudence felt a curious breathlessness,—caused +by her hurting ankle, undoubtedly. +</P> + +<P> +"My name is Prudence Starr,—I am the Methodist minister's oldest +daughter." +</P> + +<P> +"And my name is Jerrold Harmer." He was looking away into the hickory +grove now. "My home is in Des Moines." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, Des Moines is quite a city, isn't it? I've heard quite a lot about +it. It isn't so large as Chicago, though, of course. I know a man who +lives in Chicago. We used to be great chums, and he told me all about +the city. Some day I must really go there,—when the Methodists get rich +enough to pay their ministers just a little more salary." Then she added +thoughtfully, "Still, I couldn't go even if I had the money, because I +couldn't leave the parsonage. So it's just as well about the money, +after all. But Chicago must be very nice. He told me about the White +City, and the big parks, and the elevated railways, and all the pretty +restaurants and hotels. I love pretty places to eat. You might tell me +about Des Moines. Is it very nice? Are there lots of rich people +there?—Of course, I do not really care any more about the rich people +than the others, but it always makes a city seem grand to have a lot of +rich citizens, I think. Don't you?" +</P> + +<P> +So he told her about Des Moines, and Prudence lay with her eyes +half-closed, listening, and wondering why there was more music in his +voice than in most voices. Her ankle did not hurt very badly. She did +not mind it at all. In fact, she never gave it a thought. From beneath +her lids, she kept her eyes fastened on Jerrold Harmer's long brown +hands, clasped loosely about his knees. And whenever she could, she +looked up into his face. And always there was that curious catching in +her breath, and she looked away again quickly, feeling that to look too +long was dangerous. +</P> + +<P> +"I have talked my share now," he was saying, "tell me all about yourself, +and the parsonage, and your family. And who is Fairy? And do you attend +the college at Mount Mark? You look like a college girl." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I am not," said Prudence, reluctant to make the admission for the +first time in her life. "I am too stupid to be a college girl. Our +mother is not living, and I left high school five years ago and have been +keeping house for my father and sisters since then. I am twenty years +old. How old are you?" +</P> + +<P> +"I am twenty-seven," and he smiled. +</P> + +<P> +"Jerrold Harmer," she said slowly and very musically. "It is such a nice +name. Do your friends call you Jerry?" +</P> + +<P> +"The boys at school called me Roldie, and sometimes Hammie. But my +mother always called me Jerry. She isn't living now, either. You call +me Jerry, will you?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I will, but it won't be proper. But that never makes any +difference to me,—except when it might shock the members! You want me +to call you Jerry, don't you?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I do. And when we are better acquainted, will you let me call you +Prudence?" +</P> + +<P> +"Call me that now.—I can't be too particular, you see, when I am lying +on your coat and pillowed with your belongings. You might get cross, and +take them away from me.—Did you go to college?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, to Harvard, but I was not much of a student. Then I knocked around +a while, looking at the world, and two years ago I went home to Des +Moines. I have been there ever since except for little runs once in a +while." +</P> + +<P> +Prudence sighed. "To Harvard!—I am sorry now that I did not go to +college myself." +</P> + +<P> +"Why? There doesn't seem to be anything lacking about you. What do you +care about college?" +</P> + +<P> +"Well, you went to college," she answered argumentatively. "My sister +Fairy is going now. She's very clever,—oh, very. You'll like her, I am +sure,—much better than you do me, of course." Prudence was strangely +downcast. +</P> + +<P> +"I am sure I won't," said Jerrold Harmer, with unnecessary vehemence. "I +don't care a thing for college girls. I know a lot of them, and—aw, +they make a fellow tired. I like home girls,—the kind that stay at +home, and keep house, and are sweet, and comfortable, and all that." +Jerrold flipped over abruptly, and lay on the grass, his face on his arms +turned toward her face. They were quiet for a while, but their glances +were clinging. +</P> + +<P> +"Your eyes are brown, aren't they?" Prudence smiled, as though she had +made a pleasant discovery. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes. Yours are blue. I noticed that, first thing." +</P> + +<P> +"Did you? Do you like blue eyes? They aren't as—well, as strong and +expressive as brown eyes. Fairy's are brown." +</P> + +<P> +"I like blue eyes best. They are so much brighter and deeper. You can't +see clear to the bottom of blue eyes,—you have to keep looking." And he +did keep looking. +</P> + +<P> +"Did you play football at college? You are so tall. Fairy's tall, too. +Fairy's very grand-looking. I've tried my best to eat lots, and +exercise, and make myself bigger, but—I am a fizzle." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I played football.—But girls do not need to be so tall as men. +Don't you remember what Orlando said about Rosalind,—'just as tall as my +heart'? I imagine you come about to my shoulder. We'll measure as soon +as you are on your feet again." +</P> + +<P> +"Are you going to live in Mount Mark now? Are you coming to stay?" +Prudence was almost quivering as she asked this. It was of vital +importance. +</P> + +<P> +"No, I will only be there a few days, but I shall probably be back every +week or so. Is your father very strict? Maybe he would object to your +writing to me." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, he isn't strict at all. And he will be glad for me to write to you, +I know. I write to two or three men when they are away. But they +are—oh, I do not know exactly what it is, but I do not really like to +write to them. I believe I'll quit. It's such a bother." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, it is, that's so. I think I would quit, if I were you. I was just +thinking how silly it is for me to keep on writing to some girls I used +to know. Don't care two cents about 'em. I'm going to cut it out as +soon as I get home. But you will write to me, won't you?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, of course." Prudence laughed shyly. "It seems so—well, nice,—to +think of getting letters from you." +</P> + +<P> +"I'll bet there are a lot of nice fellows in Mount Mark, aren't there?" +</P> + +<P> +"Why, no. I can't think of any real nice ones! Oh, they are all right. +I have lots of friends here, but they are—I do not know what! They do +not seem very nice. I wouldn't care if I never saw them again. But they +are good to me." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I can grasp that," he said with feeling. +</P> + +<P> +"Is Des Moines just full of beautiful girls?" +</P> + +<P> +"I should say not. I never saw a real beautiful girl in Des Moines in my +life. Or any place else, for that matter,—until I came—You know when +you come right down to it, there are mighty few girls that look—just the +way you want them to look." +</P> + +<P> +Prudence nodded. "That's the way with men, too. Of all the men I have +seen in my life, I never saw one before that looked just the way I wanted +him to." +</P> + +<P> +"Before?" he questioned eagerly. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said Prudence frankly. "You look just as I wish you to." +</P> + +<P> +And in the meanwhile, at the parsonage, Fairy was patiently getting +breakfast. "Prudence went out for an early bicycle ride,—so the members +wouldn't catch her," she explained to the family. "And she isn't back +yet. She'll probably stay out until afternoon, and then ride right by +the grocery store where the Ladies have their Saturday sale. That's +Prudence, all over. Oh, father, I did forget your eggs again, I am +afraid they are too hard. Here, twins, you carry in the oatmeal, and we +will eat. No use to wait for Prudence,—it would be like waiting for the +next comet." +</P> + +<P> +Indeed, it was nearly noon when a small, one-horse spring wagon drove +into the parsonage yard. Mr. Starr was in his study with a book, but he +heard a piercing shriek from Connie, and a shrill "Prudence!" from one of +the twins. He was downstairs in three leaps, and rushing wildly out to +the little rickety wagon. And there was Prudence! +</P> + +<P> +"Don't be frightened, father. I've just sprained my ankle, and it +doesn't hurt hardly any. But the bicycle is broken,—we'll have to pay +for it. You can use my own money in the bank. Poor Mr. Davis had to +walk all the way to town, because there wasn't any room for him in the +wagon with me lying down like this. Will you carry me in?" +</P> + +<P> +Connie's single bed was hastily brought downstairs, and Prudence +deposited upon it. "There's no use to put me up-stairs," she assured +them. "I won't stay there. I want to be down here where I can boss the +girls." +</P> + +<P> +The doctor came in, and bandaged the swollen purple ankle. Then they had +dinner,—they tried to remember to call it luncheon, but never succeeded! +After that, the whole parsonage family grouped about the little single +bed in the cheery sitting-room. +</P> + +<P> +"Whose coat is this, Prudence?" asked Connie. +</P> + +<P> +"And where in the world did you get these towels and silk shirts?" added +Fairy. +</P> + +<P> +Prudence blushed most exquisitely. "They are Mr. Harmer's," she said, +and glanced nervously at her father. +</P> + +<P> +"Whose?" chorused the family. And it was plain to be seen that Lark was +ready to take mental notes with an eye to future stories. +</P> + +<P> +"If you will sit down and keep still, I will tell you all about it. But +you must not interrupt me. What time is it, Fairy?" +</P> + +<P> +"Two o'clock." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, two. Then I have plenty of time. Well, when I got to that little +cross-cut through the hickory grove, about four miles out from town, I +thought I would coast down the long hill. Do you remember that hill, +father? There was no one in sight, and no animals, except one hoary old +mule, grazing at the bottom. It was irresistible, absolutely +irresistible. So I coasted. But you know yourself, father, there is no +trusting a mule. They are the most undependable animals." Prudence +looked thoughtfully down at the bed for a moment, and added slowly, +"Still, I have no hard feelings against the mule. In fact, I kind of +like him.—Well, anyway, just as I got to the critical place in the hill, +that mule skipped right out in front of me. It looked as though he did +it on purpose. I did not have time to get out of his way, and it never +occurred to him to get out of mine, and so I went Bang! right into him. +And it broke Mattie Moore's wheel, and upset me quite a little. But that +mule never budged! Jerry—er Harmer,—Mr. Harmer, you know,—said he +believed an earthquake could coast downhill on to that mule without +seriously inconveniencing him. I was hurt a little, and couldn't get up. +And so he jumped over the fence,—No, Connie, not the mule, of course! +Mr. Harmer! He jumped over the fence, and put his coat on the ground, +and made a pillow for me with the shirts and towels in his bag, and +carried me over. Then he wanted to go for a wagon to bring me home, but +I was too nervous and scared, so he stayed with me. Then Mr. Davis came +along with his cart, and Jerry—er—Harmer, you know, helped put me in, +and the cart was so small they both had to walk." +</P> + +<P> +"Where is he now?" "Is he young?" "Is he handsome?" "Did he look rich?" +</P> + +<P> +"Don't be silly, girls. He went to the hotel, I suppose. Anyhow, he +left us as soon as we reached town. He said he was in a hurry, and had +something to look after. His coat was underneath me in the wagon, and he +wouldn't take it out for fear of hurting my ankle, so the poor soul is +probably wandering around this town in his shirt-sleeves." +</P> + +<P> +Already, in the eyes of the girls, this Jerry—er—Harmer, had taken unto +himself all the interest of the affair. +</P> + +<P> +"He'll have to come for his coat," said Lark. "We're bound to see him." +</P> + +<P> +"Where does he live? What was he doing in the hickory grove?" inquired +Mr. Starr with a strangely sinking heart, for her eyes were alight with +new and wonderful radiance. +</P> + +<P> +"He lives in Des Moines. He was just walking into town, and took a short +cut through the grove." +</P> + +<P> +"Walking! From Des Moines?" +</P> + +<P> +Prudence flushed uncomfortably. "I didn't think of that," she said. +"But I do not see why he should not walk if he likes. He's strong and +athletic, and fond of exercise. I guess he's plenty able to walk if he +wants to. I'm sure he's no tramp, father, if that is what you are +thinking." +</P> + +<P> +"I am not thinking anything of the kind, Prudence," he said with dignity. +"But I do think it rather strange that a young man should set out to walk +from Des Moines to Mount Mark. And why should he be at it so early in +the morning? Doesn't he require sleep, as the rest of us do?" +</P> + +<P> +"How should I know? I guess if he likes to be but in the morning when it +is fresh and sweet, it is all right. I like the morning myself. He had +as much right out early as I had. His clothes were nice, and he is a +Harvard graduate, and his shoes were dusty, but not soiled or worn. +Anyhow, he is coming at four o'clock. If you want to ask if he is a +tramp, you can do it." And Prudence burst into tears. +</P> + +<P> +Dramatic silence in the cheerful sitting-room! Then Fairy began bustling +about to bathe the face and throat of "poor little Prudence," and her +father said sympathetically: +</P> + +<P> +"You're all nervous and wrought up, with the pain and excitement, +Prudence. I'm glad he is coming so we can thank him for his kindness. +It was mighty lucky he happened along, wasn't it? A Harvard graduate! +Yes, they are pretty strong on athletics at Harvard. You'd better +straighten this room a little and have things looking nice when he gets +here," said Father Starr, with great diplomacy. And he was rewarded, and +startled, by observing that Prudence brightened wonderfully at his words. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, do," she urged eagerly. "Get some of the roses from the corner +bush, and put them on the table there. And when you go up-stairs, Fairy, +you'd better bring down that little lace spread in the bottom drawer of +our dresser. It'll look very nice on this bed.—Work hard, girls, and +get everything looking fine. He'll be here at four, he said. You twins +may wear your white dresses, and Connie must put on her blue and wear her +blue bows.—Fairy, do you think it would be all right for you to wear +your silk dress? Of course, the silk is rather grand for home, but you +do look so beautiful in it. Father, will you put on your black suit, or +are you too busy? And don't forget to wear the pearl cuff buttons Aunt +Grace sent you." +</P> + +<P> +He went up-stairs to obey, with despair in his heart. But to the girls, +there was nothing strange in this exactness on the part of Prudence. +Jerrold Harmer was the hero of the romance, and they must unite to do him +honor. He was probably a prince in disguise. Jerrold Harmer was a +perfectly thrilling name. It was really a shame that America allows no +titles,—Lord Jerrold did sound so noble, and Lady Prudence was very +effective, too. He and Prudence were married, and had a family of four +children, named for the various Starrs, before one hour had passed. +</P> + +<P> +"I'll begin my book right away," Lark was saying. She and Carol were in +the dining-room madly polishing their Sunday shoes,—what time they were +not performing the marriage ceremony of their sister and The Hero. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, do! But for goodness' sake, don't run her into a mule! Seems to +me even Prudence could have done better than that." +</P> + +<P> +"I'll have his automobile break down in the middle of the road, and +Prudence can run into it. The carbureter came off, and of course the car +wouldn't run an inch without it." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, that's good," said Carol approvingly. "It must be a sixty +cylinder, eight horsepower—er—Ford, or something real big and costly." +</P> + +<P> +"Twins! You won't be ready," warned Prudence, and this dire possibility +sent them flying upstairs in a panic. +</P> + +<P> +While the girls, bubbling over with excitement, were dressing for the +great event, Mr. Starr went down-stairs to sit with Prudence. Carol +called to him on his way down, and he paused on the staircase, looking up +at her. +</P> + +<P> +"Lark and I are going to use some of Fairy's powder, father," she said. +"We feel that we simply must on an occasion like this. And for goodness' +sake, don't mention it before Him! It doesn't happen very often, you +know, but to-day we simply must. Now, don't you say anything about +falling in the flour barrel, or turning pale all of a sudden, whatever +else you do. We'd be so mortified, father." +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Starr was concerned with weightier matters, and went on down to +Prudence with never so much as a reproving shake of the head for the +worldly-minded young twins. +</P> + +<P> +"Father," began Prudence, her eyes on the lace coverlet, "do you think it +would be all right for me to wear that silk dressing-gown of mother's? I +need something over my nightgown, and my old flannel kimono is so ugly. +You know, mother said I was to have it, and—I'm twenty now. Do you +think it would be all right? But if you do not want me to wear it——" +</P> + +<P> +"I do want you to," was the prompt reply. "Yes, it is quite time you +were wearing it. I'll get it out of the trunk myself, and send Fairy +down to help you." Then as he turned toward the door, he asked +carelessly, "Is he very good-looking, Prudence?" +</P> + +<P> +And Prudence, with a crimson face, answered quickly, "Oh, I really didn't +notice, father." +</P> + +<P> +He went on up-stairs then, and presently Fairy came down with the dainty +silk gown trimmed with fine soft lace. "I brought my lavender ribbon for +your hair, Prudence. It will match the gown so nicely. Oh, you do look +sweet, dearest. I pity Jerrold Harmer, I can tell you that. Now I must +hurry and finish my own dressing." +</P> + +<P> +But with her foot on the bottom stair, she paused. Her sister was +calling after her. "Send father down here, quick, Fairy." +</P> + +<P> +Father ran down quickly, and Prudence, catching hold of his hands, +whispered wretchedly, "Oh, father, he—he is good-looking. I—I did +notice it. I didn't really mean to lie to you." +</P> + +<P> +"There, now, Prudence," he said, kissing her tenderly, "you mustn't get +excited again. I'm afraid you are too nervous to have callers. You must +lie very quietly until he comes. That was no lie, child. You are so +upset you do not know what you are saying to-day. Be quiet now, +Prudence,—it's nearly time for him to come." +</P> + +<P> +"You are a dear good father," she cried, kissing his hands passionately, +"but it was a lie. I did know what I was saying. I did it on purpose." +</P> + +<P> +And Mr. Starr's heart was heavy, for he knew that his fears were realized. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap12"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +ROUSED FROM HER SLUMBER +</H3> + + +<P> +At twenty minutes to four, the parsonage family clustered excitedly in +the sitting-room, which the sunshine flooded cheerily. They were waiting +for the hero of Prudence's romance. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, Larkie, will you run up-stairs and bring my lace handkerchief? It's +on our dresser, in the burnt-wood box." And after Lark had departed, she +went on, "The flowers are not quite in the center of the table, Fairy,—a +little to the right.—If you would move the curtains the least little +bit, those torn places would not show." Then she sighed. "How nice you +all look. Oh, Connie, won't you turn the clock a little this way, so I +can see it? That's better, thank you, precious. Thank you, Lark,—isn't +it a pretty handkerchief? I've only carried it three times, and I have +never really used it. Would you keep these pearls on, Fairy, or would +you take them off?" +</P> + +<P> +"I would keep them on, Prue,—they catch the color of the gown a little, +and are just beautiful. You do look so sweet, but your face is very +flushed. I am afraid you are feverish. Maybe we had better not let him +see Prue to-day, father. Perhaps he can come back to-morrow." +</P> + +<P> +"Fairy!" exclaimed Prudence. "Besides, he must come in to get his coat. +We can't expect him to go coatless over Sunday. Listen,—listen, girls! +Look, Fairy, and see if that is he! Yes, it is, I know,—I can tell by +his walk." Warm rich color dyed her face and throat, and she clasped her +hands over her heart, wondering if Connie beside her could hear its +tumult. +</P> + +<P> +"I'll go to the door," said Father Starr, and Prudence looked at him +beseechingly. +</P> + +<P> +"I—I am sure he is all right, father. I—you will be nice to him, won't +you?" +</P> + +<P> +Without answering, Mr. Starr left the room. He could not trust his voice. +</P> + +<P> +"Listen, girls, I want to hear," whispered Prudence. And she smiled as +she heard her father's cordial voice. +</P> + +<P> +"You are Mr. Harmer, aren't you? I am Prudence's father. Come right in. +The whole family is assembled to do you honor. The girls have already +made you a prince in disguise. Come back this way. Prudence is resting +very nicely." +</P> + +<P> +When the two men stepped into the sitting-room, Prudence, for once, quite +overlooked her father. She lifted her eyes to Jerrold Harmer's face, and +waited, breathless. Nor was he long in finding her among the bevy of +girls. He walked at once to the bed, and took her hand. +</P> + +<P> +"My little comrade of the road," he said gaily, but with tenderness, "I +am afraid you are not feeling well enough for callers to-day." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, yes, I am," protested Prudence with strange shyness. +</P> + +<P> +He turned to the other girls, and greeted them easily. He was entirely +self-possessed. "Miss Starr told me so much about you that I know you +all to begin with." He smiled at Fairy as he added, "In fact, she +predicted that I am to fall in love with you. And so, very likely, I +should,—if I hadn't met your sister first." +</P> + +<P> +They all laughed at that, and then he walked back and stood by Prudence +once more. "Was it a bad sprain? Does it pain you very badly? You look +tired. I am afraid it was an imposition for me to come this afternoon." +</P> + +<A NAME="img-274"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG SRC="images/img-274.jpg" ALT=""She predicted I'm to fall in love with you."" BORDER="2" WIDTH="379" HEIGHT="495"> +<H4> +[Illustration: "She predicted I'm to fall in love with you."] +</H4> +</CENTER> + +<P> +"Oh, don't worry about that," put in Connie anxiously. "She wanted you +to come. She's been getting us ready for you ever since the doctor left. +I think it was kind of silly for me to wear my blue just for one caller." +</P> + +<P> +The twins glared at her, realizing that she was discrediting the +parsonage, but Jerrold Harmer laughed, and Prudence joined him. +</P> + +<P> +"It is quite true," she admitted frankly. "The mule and I disgraced the +parsonage this morning, and I wanted the rest of you to redeem it this +afternoon." She looked at him inquiringly. "Then you had another coat?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, I didn't. I saw this one in a window this morning, and couldn't +resist it. Was the ride very hard on your ankle?" +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Starr was puzzled. Evidently it was not lack of funds which brought +this man on foot from Des Moines to Mount Mark,—half-way across the +state! He did not look like a man fleeing from justice. What, then, was +the explanation? +</P> + +<P> +"You must have found it rather a long walk," he began tentatively, his +eyes on the young man's face. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I think my feet are a little blistered. I have walked farther than +that many times, but I am out of practise now. Sometimes, however, +walking is a painful necessity." +</P> + +<P> +"How long did it take you coming from Des Moines to Mount Mark?" inquired +Carol in a subdued and respectful voice,—and curious, withal. +</P> + +<P> +"I did not come directly to Mount Mark. I stopped several places on +business. I hardly know how long it would take coming straight, through. +It would depend on one's luck, I suppose." +</P> + +<P> +"Well," said Lark, "taking it a little at a time it might be done, but +for myself, I should never dream of undertaking so much exercise." +</P> + +<P> +"Could you walk from here to Burlington at one stretch?" asked Connie. +</P> + +<P> +He looked rather surprised. "Why, perhaps I could if I was in shape, +but—seven miles was all I cared about this morning." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I think it was mighty brave of you to walk that far,—I don't care +why you did it," announced Connie with emphasis. +</P> + +<P> +"Brave!" he repeated. "I have walked three times seven miles, often, +when I was in school." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I mean the whole thing—clear from Des Moines," explained Connie. +</P> + +<P> +"From Des Moines," he gasped. "Good heavens! I did not walk from Des +Moines! Did you—" He turned to Prudence questioningly. "Did you think +I walked clear from Des Moines?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes." And added hastily, "But I did not care if you did. It did not +make any difference how you came." +</P> + +<P> +For a moment he was puzzled. Then he burst out laughing. "I am afraid +we had too much to talk about this morning. I thought I had explained my +situation, but evidently I did not. I drove from Des Moines in the car, +and——" +</P> + +<P> +"The automobile!" gasped Carol, with a triumphant look at Lark. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, just so. I stopped several places on business as I came through. +I drove from Burlington this morning, but I got off the road. The car +broke down on me, and I couldn't fix it,—broke an axle. So I had to +walk in. That is what I was seeing about to-day,—sending a man out for +the car and arranging about the repairs." He smiled again. "What in the +world did you think I would walk from Des Moines for?" he asked Prudence, +more inquisitive than grammatical. +</P> + +<P> +"I did not think anything about it until they asked, and—I did not know +about the car. You did not mention it." +</P> + +<P> +"No. I remember now. We were talking of other things all the time." He +turned frankly to Mr. Starr. "Perhaps you have heard of the Harmer +Automobile Company, of Des Moines. My father was Harvey Harmer. Two +years ago, when I was running around in Europe, he died. It was his +desire that I should personally take charge of the business. So I +hurried home, and have had charge of the company since then. We are +establishing sales agencies here, and in Burlington, and several other +towns. I came out for a little trip, and took advantage of the +opportunity to discuss the business with our new men. That's what +brought me to Mount Mark." To Connie he added laughingly, "So I must +sacrifice myself, and do without your praise. I did not walk until the +car broke down and compelled me to do so." +</P> + +<P> +For the first time in her life, Prudence distinctly triumphed over her +father. She flashed him the glance of a conqueror, and he nodded, +understandingly. He liked Jerrold Harmer,—as much as he could like any +man who stepped seriously into the life of Prudence. He was glad that +things were well. But—they would excuse him, he must look after his +Sunday's sermons. +</P> + +<P> +A little later the twins and Connie grew restless, and finally Connie +blurted out, "Say, Prue, don't you think we've upheld the parsonage long +enough? I want to get some fresh air." The twins would never have been +guilty of such social indiscretion as this, but they gladly availed +themselves of Connie's "break," and followed her out-of-doors. Then +Fairy got up, laughing. "I have done my share, too. I think we'll leave +the parsonage in your hands now, Prue. I want to write to Aunt Grace. +I'll be just at the head of the stairs, and if Prudence wants me, you +will call, won't you, Mr. Harmer? And won't you stay for dinner with us? +I'm sure to disgrace the parsonage again, for I am no cook, but you can +get along for once, surely. We spend more time laughing when the food is +bad, and laughter is very healthful. You will stay, won't you?" +</P> + +<P> +Jerrold Harmer looked very eager, and yet he looked somewhat doubtfully +at Prudence. Her eyes were eloquent with entreaties. Finally he +laughed, and said, "I should certainly like to stay, but you see I want +to come back to-morrow. Now, will I dare to come back to-morrow if I +stay for dinner to-night? Wouldn't Connie say that was disgracing the +parsonage?" +</P> + +<P> +Fairy laughed delightedly. "That is very good," she said. "Then you +will stay. I'll try to fix it up with Connie to save the reputation of +the house. Now, do not talk too much, Prue, and—what shall we have for +dinner? We only say dinner when we have company, Mr. Harmer. What we +have is supper." +</P> + +<P> +Prudence contracted her brows in the earnest endeavor to compose a menu +suitable for this occasion. "Mashed potatoes, and—use cream, Fairy. +You'd better let Lark do the mashing, for you always leave lumps. And +breaded veal cutlet," with a significant glance, "and creamed peas, and +radishes, and fruit. Will that be enough for you, Mr. Harmer?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oceans," he said contentedly. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I'll collect the twins and Connie and we will try to think up a +few additions. Where's the money?" +</P> + +<P> +"In the dungeon, and the key is on the nail above the door. And the +silverware is there, too," with another significant glance. +</P> + +<P> +After that, Prudence lay back happily on the pillows and smoothed the +lace on her mother's silk dressing gown. +</P> + +<P> +"Talk to me," she said, "tell me about where you live, and what you +do,—your work, you know, and how you amuse yourself. I want you to +amuse me now, Mr. Harmer." +</P> + +<P> +"You called me Jerry this morning." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I know. Do you want me to call you Jerry still?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, Prudence, I do. Do you mind if I move my chair a little closer?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, put it right here. Now, I am ready." +</P> + +<P> +"But there's nothing interesting about me. Let's talk of——" +</P> + +<P> +"It's interesting to me. Tell me about your business." +</P> + +<P> +"You don't care anything about business, I am sure." +</P> + +<P> +"I care about your business." +</P> + +<P> +"Do you, Prudence?—You look so sweet this afternoon. I nearly blurted +it out before the whole family. Wouldn't the twins have laughed? It +would have disgraced the parsonage. I think Mr. Starr is awfully lucky +to have five girls, and all of them pretty. But isn't it strange that +the prettiest and dearest one of them all should be the oldest daughter?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, but I'm not really—" Prudence began earnestly. Then she stopped, +and added honestly, "But I am glad you think so." +</P> + +<P> +No, they did not quote poetry, they did not discuss the psychological +intricacies of spontaneous attraction, they did not say anything deep, or +wise, or learned. But they smiled at each other, with pleased +investigating eyes. He put his hand on the coverlet, just near enough to +touch the lace on the sleeve of her silk dressing gown. And together +they found Paradise in the shabby sitting-room of the old Methodist +parsonage that afternoon. +</P> + +<P> +"Must you prepare meat for breading half an hour before cooking, or +when?" demanded Fairy, from the dining-room door. +</P> + +<P> +"What?—Oh!—Fifteen minutes before. Don't forget to salt and pepper the +crumbs, Fairy." +</P> + +<P> +"Perhaps some time your father will let you and a couple of the others +come to Des Moines with me in the car. You would enjoy a few days there, +I know. I live with my aunt, a dear, motherly little old soul. She will +adore you, Prudence, and you will like her, too. Would your father let +you spend a week? We can easily drive back and forth in the car." +</P> + +<P> +"Maybe he will,—but who will keep the parsonage while I am away?" +</P> + +<P> +"Fairy, to be sure. She must be a good fairy once in a while. We can +take the twins with us, Connie, too, if you like, and then Fairy will +only have to mother your father. Do you like riding in a car?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I love it. But I have not ridden very much. Willard Morley took me +quite often when he was here, but he is in Chicago now." +</P> + +<P> +"When's he coming back?" suspiciously. +</P> + +<P> +"Prudence, shall we have tea or coffee?" This was Lark from the doorway. +"Fairy wants to know." +</P> + +<P> +"What?—Oh!—Which do you want, Jerry?" +</P> + +<P> +"Which does your father prefer?" +</P> + +<P> +"He doesn't drink either except for breakfast." +</P> + +<P> +"I generally drink coffee, but I do not care much for it, so do not +bother——" +</P> + +<P> +"Coffee, Lark." +</P> + +<P> +"When's that Morley chap coming back?" +</P> + +<P> +"I do not know." And then, "He is never coming back as far as I am +concerned." +</P> + +<P> +Jerrold relented promptly. "You are why he went away, I suppose." +</P> + +<P> +"At any rate, he is gone." +</P> + +<P> +"Did you ever have a lover, Prudence? A real lover, I mean." +</P> + +<P> +"No, I, never did." +</P> + +<P> +"I'm awfully glad of that. I'll——" +</P> + +<P> +"Prudence, do you use half milk and half water for creamed tomato soup, +or all milk?" +</P> + +<P> +"What?—Oh!—All milk, Connie, and tell Fairy not to salt it until it is +entirely done, or it may curdle." +</P> + +<P> +"What in the world would they ever do without you, Prudence? You are the +soul of the parsonage, aren't you?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, I am just the cook and the chambermaid," she answered, laughing. +"But don't you see how hard it will be for me to go away?" +</P> + +<P> +"But it isn't fair! Vacation is coming now, and Fairy ought to take a +turn. What will they do when you get married?" +</P> + +<P> +"I have always said I would not get married." +</P> + +<P> +"But don't you want to get married,—some time?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, that isn't it. I just can't because I must take care of the +parsonage, and raise the girls. I can't." +</P> + +<P> +"But you will," he whispered, and his hand touched hers for just a +second. Prudence did not answer. She lifted her eyes to his face, and +caught in her breath once more. +</P> + +<P> +A little later he said, "Do you mind if I go upstairs and talk to your +father a few minutes? Maybe I'd better." +</P> + +<P> +"But do not stay very long," she urged, and she wondered why the +brightness and sunshine vanished from the room when he went out. "First +door to the right," she called after him. +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Starr arose to greet him, and welcomed him to his combination study +and bedroom with great friendliness. But Jerrold went straight to the +point. +</P> + +<P> +"Mr. Starr, it's very kind of you to receive a perfect stranger as you +have me. But I understand that with a girl like Prudence, you will want +to be careful. I can give you the names of several prominent men in Des +Moines, Christians, who know me well, and can tell you all about me." +</P> + +<P> +"It isn't necessary. We are parsonage people, and we are accustomed to +receiving men and women as worthy of our trust, until we find them +different. We are glad to count you among our friends." +</P> + +<P> +"Thank you, but—you see, Mr. Starr, this is a little different. Some +day, Prudence and I will want to be married, and you will wish to be sure +about me." +</P> + +<P> +"Does Prudence know about that?" +</P> + +<P> +"No," with a smile, "we haven't got that far yet. But I am sure she +feels it. She hasn't—well, you know what I mean. She has been asleep, +but I believe she is waking up now." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I think so. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, indeed. Anything you like." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, first, are you a Christian?" +</P> + +<P> +"Not the kind you are, Mr. Starr. My parents were Christians, but I've +never thought much about it myself because I was young and full of fun. +I have never been especially directed to religion. I go to church, and I +believe the Bible,—though I don't know much about it. I seldom read it. +But I'll get busy now, if you like, and really study it and—try to come +around your way. I know Prudence would make me do that." And he smiled +again. +</P> + +<P> +"Do you drink?" +</P> + +<P> +"I did a little, but I promised Prudence this morning I would quit it. I +never got—drunk, and I have not formed the habit. But sometimes with +the boys, I drink a little. But I do not care for it, and I swore off +this morning.—I smoke, too,—not cigarettes, of course. Prudence knows +it, but she did not make me promise to quit that?" His voice was raised, +inquiringly. +</P> + +<P> +"Would you have promised, if she had asked it?" This was sheer curiosity. +</P> + +<P> +"I suppose I would." He flushed a little. "I know I was pretty hard +hit, and it was such a new experience that I would have promised anything +she asked. But I like smoking, and—I don't think it is wicked." +</P> + +<P> +"Never mind the smoking. I only asked that question out of curiosity. +We're not as strait-laced as we might be perhaps. The only things I +would really object to, are those things that might seriously menace your +happiness, yours and hers, if the time does come. But the next +question,—can you pass a strict physical examination?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I can. I'll go with you to your physician to-night if you like. +I'm all right physically, I know." +</P> + +<P> +"Tell me about your relations with your mother when she was living." +</P> + +<P> +"She has been dead four years." Jerrold spoke with some emotion. "We +were great chums, though her health was always poor. I wrote her three +times a week when I was away from home, and she wrote me a note every +day. When I was in school, I spent all my vacations at home to be with +her. And I never went abroad until after her death because she did not +like the idea of my going so far from her." +</P> + +<P> +"Jerrold, my boy, I do not want to seem too severe, but—tell me, has +there been anything in your life, about women, that could come out and +hurt Prudence later on?" +</P> + +<P> +Jerrold hesitated. "Mr. Starr, I have been young, and headstrong, and +impulsive. I have done some things I wish now I hadn't. But I believe +there is nothing that I could not explain to Prudence so she would +understand. If I had thought beforehand of a girl like her, there are +things I would not have done. But there is nothing, I think, that would +really hurt, after I had a chance to talk it over with her." +</P> + +<P> +"All right. If you are the man, God bless you. I don't suppose you are +worthy of Prudence, for she is a good, pure-hearted, unselfish +girl,—there could be none better. But the real point is just whether +you will love each other enough!—I like your coming up here like this. +I think that was very decent and manly of you. And, do you mind if I +just suggest that you go a little slow with Prudence? Remember that she +has been sound asleep, until this morning. I do not want her awakened +too rudely." +</P> + +<P> +"Neither do I," said Jerrold quickly. "Shall I go down now? The girls +have invited me to stay for supper, and Prudence says I am to come back +to-morrow, too. Is that all right? Remember, I'll be going home on +Monday!" +</P> + +<P> +"It is all right, certainly. Spend as much time here as you like. You +will either get worse, or get cured, and—whichever it is, you've got to +have a chance. I like you, Jerrold. Prudence judges by instinct, but it +does not often fail her." +</P> + +<P> +Prudence heard him running down the stairs boyishly, and when he came in, +before she could speak, he whispered, "Shut your eyes tight, Prudence. +And do not scold me, for I can't help it." Then he put his hands over +hers, and kissed her on the lips. They were both breathless after that. +Prudence lifted her lashes slowly, and gazed at him seriously. It was +she who spoke first. +</P> + +<P> +"I was never really kissed before," she whispered, "not really." +</P> + +<P> +Then they sat in silence until Fairy announced that supper was ready. +"But I won't promise it is eatable," she assured them, laughing. +</P> + +<P> +"I wish I could go to the table, too," said Prudence, looking at her +father wistfully, "I could lie on the old lounge out there." +</P> + +<P> +"And have your supper on a tray, of course. Can you carry her, father?" +</P> + +<P> +"I can!" volunteered Jerrold promptly. "I have done it." +</P> + +<P> +"I think between us we can manage. We'll try it." And Prudence +heroically endured the pain of being moved, for the sake of seeing +Jerrold at the table with her parsonage family. For to her surprise, she +realized that she could not bear that even a few minutes should pass, +when she could not see the manly young face with the boyish mouth and the +tender eyes! +</P> + +<P> +Prudence, at last, was aroused from her slumber. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap13"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XIII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +SHE ORDERS HER LIFE +</H3> + + +<P> +"Prudence, are you going to Aunt Grace's early in the summer, or late?" +demanded Fairy. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, let's not talk of that now. There's plenty of time." +</P> + +<P> +"No, there isn't. School will be out in a week, and Babbie wants to +give a house party and have our little bunch at his home for a few days +this summer. He wants to set the date, and I can't tell him when +because I do not know when you are going to auntie's." +</P> + +<P> +They sat around the breakfast table, Prudence and Fairy and their +father, talking of the summer. The twins and Connie had long since +excused themselves, and even now could be heard shouting gaily in the +field beyond the old red barn. +</P> + +<P> +Prudence looked restlessly from one to the other, when her sister +insisted upon an answer. +</P> + +<P> +"Why," she began, "I've about decided not to go to Aunt Grace's this +summer." +</P> + +<P> +Fairy rapped on the table with the spoon she held in her hand. "Don't +be silly! You have to go. You've never had a vacation in your life, +and father promised Aunt Grace on his reputation as a minister, didn't +you, papa?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I promised all right." +</P> + +<P> +"But, papa! I do not have to go, do I? A whole month,—oh, honestly, +I do not want to." +</P> + +<P> +"Why don't you? Last fall you were wild about it. Don't you remember +dreaming——" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, but that was last fall," said Prudence, smiling softly, and +unconsciously she lifted one hand to where a bulky letter nestled +inside her dress. "I didn't know I was going to sprain my ankle, and +be so useless. It may be two weeks yet before I can walk on it." +</P> + +<P> +"What has that got to do with it?" +</P> + +<P> +"Do you really prefer to stay at home, Prudence?" queried her father. +"The whole summer?" +</P> + +<P> +Prudence blushed most gloriously. "Oh, well," she began slowly. Then +she took the plunge recklessly. "Why, you see, father, Jerry lives +with his aunt in Des Moines,—he told you that, didn't he? And they +have quite a big house, and—he wants to take me and the twinnies to +Des Moines in the car for a week or ten days. And Fairy will take care +of you and Connie. And—if I can do that—I do not want any more +vacation. I couldn't bear to stay at auntie's a whole month, away from +you and the parsonage." She felt very guilty, for she did not add, as +she was thinking, "Besides, Jerry is coming every two weeks, and if I +were away, we would miss a visit!" +</P> + +<P> +Fairy laughed in an irritating, suggestive way, but Mr. Starr only +nodded. +</P> + +<P> +"I am sure you will not mind that, will you father? His aunt must be a +perfectly good and nice woman, and—such a long drive in the auto, +and—to see all over Des Moines." But Prudence paused guiltily, for +she did not add, "With Jerry!" although the words were singing in her +heart. +</P> + +<P> +"That will be very nice indeed, and of course I do not object. It will +be a forty years' delight and wonder to the twins! Yes, I will be glad +to have you go. But you can still have your month at Grace's if you +wish." +</P> + +<P> +"But I do not wish," protested Prudence promptly. "Honestly, father, +I'll write her the sweetest kind of a letter, but—oh, please do not +make me go!" +</P> + +<P> +"Of course, we won't make you go, you goose," said Fairy, "but I think +you are very foolish." +</P> + +<P> +"And you can go, Fairy," cried Prudence hospitably. "Aunt Grace loves +you so, and you've worked so hard all year, and,—oh, yes, it will be +just the thing for you." Prudence wished she might add, "And that will +let me out," but she hardly dare say it. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, when does your Des Moines tour come off? I must know, so I can +tell Babbie about the house party." +</P> + +<P> +"Let Babbie choose his own date. Jerry says we shall go whenever I +say—I mean whenever you say, father,—and we can decide later on. +Give Babbie first choice, by all means." +</P> + +<P> +That was the beginning of Prudence's golden summer. She was not given +to self-analysis. She did what seemed good to her always,—she did not +delve down below the surface for reasons why and wherefore. She hadn't +the time. She took things as they came. She could not bear the +thought of sharing with the parsonage family even the least ardent and +most prosaic of Jerrold's letters. But she never asked herself the +reason. It seemed a positive sacrilege to leave his warm, life-pulsing +letters up-stairs in a bureau drawer. It was only natural and right to +carry them in her dress, and to sleep with them under her pillow. But +Prudence did not wonder why. The days when Jerry came were tremulously +happy ones for her,—she was all aquiver when she heard him swinging +briskly up the ramshackle parsonage walk, and her breath was +suffocatingly hot. But she took it as a matter of course. The nights +when Jerry slept in the little spare bedroom at the head of the stairs, +Prudence lay awake, staring joyously into the darkness, hoping Jerry +was sound asleep and comfortable. But she never asked herself why she +could not sleep! She knew that Jerry's voice was the sweetest voice in +the world. She knew that his eyes were the softest and brightest and +the most tender. She knew that his hands had a thrilling touch quite +different from the touch of ordinary, less dear hands. She knew that +his smile lifted her into a delirium of delight, and that even the +thought of sorrow coming to him brought stinging tears to her eyes. +But why? Ah, Prudence never thought of that. She just lived in the +sweet ecstatic dream of the summer, and was well and richly content. +</P> + +<P> +So the vacation passed, and Indian summer came. And the girls went +back to their studies once more, reluctantly, yet unaccountably glad +even in their reluctance. It is always that way with students,—real +students. They regret the passing of vacation days, but the thought of +"going back to school" has its own tingling joys of anticipation. +</P> + +<P> +It was Saturday evening. The early supper at the parsonage was over, +the twins had washed the dishes, and still the daylight lingered. +Prudence and Jerry sat side by side, and closely, on the front porch, +talking in whispers. Fairy had gone for a stroll with the still +faithful Babbie. Connie and the twins had evidently vanished. Ah—not +quite that! Carol and Lark came swiftly around the corner of the +parsonage. +</P> + +<P> +"Good evening," said Lark politely, and Prudence sat up abruptly. The +twins never wasted politeness! They wanted something. +</P> + +<P> +"Do you mind if we take Jerry around by the woodshed for a few minutes, +Prue?" +</P> + +<P> +"I'll come along," said Prudence, rising. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, no," protested Lark, "we do not want you,—just Jerry, and only +for a little while." +</P> + +<P> +Prudence sniffed suspiciously. "What are you going to do to him?" she +demanded. +</P> + +<P> +"We won't hurt him," grinned Carol impishly. "We had intended to tie +him to a stake and burn him alive. But since you have interceded on +his behalf, we'll let him off with a simple scalping." +</P> + +<P> +"Maybe he's afraid to come," said Lark, "for there are two of us, and +we are mighty men of valor." +</P> + +<P> +"That's all right," Prudence answered defensively. "I'd sooner face a +tribe of wild Indians any day than you twins when you are +mischief-bent." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, we just want to use him a few minutes," said Carol impatiently. +"Upon our honor, as Christian gentlemen, we promise not to hurt a hair +of his head." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, come along, and cut out the comedy," Jerry broke in, laughing. +"I'll be back in two minutes, Prue. They probably want me to shoo a +chicken out of their way. Or maybe the cat has been chasing them." +</P> + +<P> +Once safely around the corner, the twins changed their tactics. +</P> + +<P> +"We knew you weren't afraid," said Lark artistically, "we were just +teasing Prudence. We know we couldn't hurt you." +</P> + +<P> +"Of course," emphasized Carol. "We want to ask a favor of you, that's +all. It's something we can't do ourselves, but we knew you could do +it, all right." +</P> + +<P> +Jerry perceived the drift of this argument. "I see! I'm paid in +advance for my service. What's the job?" +</P> + +<P> +Then the twins led him to the woodshed. This woodshed stood about +twenty feet from the back door of the parsonage, and was nine feet high +in front, the roof sloping down at the back. Close beside the shed +grew a tall and luxuriant maple. The lower limbs had been chopped off, +and the trunk rose clear to a height of nearly twelve feet before the +massive limbs branched out. The twins had discovered that by climbing +gingerly on the rotten roof of the woodshed, followed by almost +superhuman scrambling and scratching, they could get up into the leafy +secrecy of the grand old maple. More than this, up high in the tree +they found a delightful arrangement of branches that seemed positively +made for them. These branches must be utilized, and it was in the act +of utilizing them that they called upon their sister's friend for help. +</P> + +<P> +"Do you see this board?" began Lark, exhibiting with some pride a solid +board about two feet in length. +</P> + +<P> +"My eyesight is quite unimpaired," answered Jerry, for he knew his +twins. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, we found this over by the Avery barn. They have a big scrap +pile out there. We couldn't find anything around here that would suit, +so we looked, over there. It's just a pile of rubbish, and we knew +they wouldn't mind." +</P> + +<P> +"Else you would not have taken it, eh? Anything like apples, for +instance, is quite under the ban." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, indeed," smiled Lark. "We're too old to steal apples." +</P> + +<P> +"Of course," added Carol. "When we need our neighbor's apples, we send +Connie. And get nicely punished for it, too, I promise you." +</P> + +<P> +"Quite so! And this exquisite board?" +</P> + +<P> +"Well, we've found a perfectly gorgeous place up in the old tree where +we can make a seat. It's quite a ways out from the trunk, and when the +wind blows it swings splendidly. But it isn't very comfortable sitting +on a thin limb, and so we want a seat. It's a fine place, I tell you. +We thought you could nail this securely on to the limbs,—there are two +right near each other, evidently put there on purpose for us. See what +dandy big nails we have!" +</P> + +<P> +"From the Avery's woodshed, I suppose," he suggested, smiling again. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, they are quite rusty. We found them in a sack in an old barrel. +It was in the scrap heap. We're very good friends with the Averys, +very good, indeed," she continued hastily. "They allow us to rummage +around at will—in the barn." +</P> + +<P> +"And see this rope," cried Carol. "Isn't it a dandy?" +</P> + +<P> +"Ah! The Avery barn must be inexhaustible in its resources." +</P> + +<P> +"How suspicious you are, Jerry," mourned Lark. +</P> + +<P> +"I wish we were that way, instead of innocent and bland and trustful. +Maybe we would get rich, too. This is the first time I ever really +understood how you came to be a success in business." +</P> + +<P> +"But you are quite wrong this time," said Lark seriously. "Old Mr. +Avery gave me this rope." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, he did! Lark told him she was looking for a rope just exactly +like this one, and then he gave it to her. He caught the idea of +philanthropy right away. He's a very nice old gentleman, I tell you. +He's so trusting and unsuspicious. I'm very fond of people like that." +</P> + +<P> +"We thought when you had the board nicely nailed on, you might rope it +securely to the limbs above. They are in very good position, and that +will make it absolutely safe. Do you suppose you can do that, Jerry? +Do you get seasick when you climb high?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, no, high altitudes never make me seasick. I've a very good head +for such purposes." +</P> + +<P> +"Then suppose you get busy before it grows dark. We're in a great +hurry. And we do not want Connie to catch us putting it up. It'll be +such fun to sit up there and swing when the wind blows, and have poor +Connie down beneath wondering how we manage to stick on. She can't see +the seat from the ground. Won't it be a good joke on her?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, very,—-yes, indeed.—Well, let's begin.—Now, observe! I will +just loop this end of the rope lightly about my—er—middle. The other +end will dangle on the ground to be drawn up at will. Observe also +that I bestow the good but rusty nails in this pocket, and the hammer +here. Then with the admirable board beneath my arm, I mount to the +heights of—Say, twins, didn't I see an old buggy seat out in the barn +to-day? Seems to me——" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, Jerry!" The twins fairly smothered him. "Oh, you darling. You +are the nicest old thing.—Now we can understand why Prudence seems to +like you. We never once thought of the old buggy seat! Oh, Jerry!" +</P> + +<P> +Then they hastily brought the discarded seat from the barn, and with +the help of Jerry it was shoved up on the woodshed. From there, he +lifted it to the lowest limb of the old maple, and a second later he +was up himself. Then it was lifted again, and again he followed,—up, +and up, and up,—the loose end of the donated rope trailing loose on +the ground below. The twins promptly,—as promptly as possible, that +is,—followed him into the tree. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, yes, we'll come along. We're used to climbing and we're very +agile. And you will need us to hold things steady while you hammer." +</P> + +<P> +And Jerry smiled as he heard the faithful twins, with much grunting and +an occasional groan, following in his wake. +</P> + +<P> +It was a delightful location, as they had said. So heavy was the leafy +screen that only by lifting a branch here or there, could they see +through it. The big seat fitted nicely on the two limbs, and Jerry +fastened it with the rusty nails. The twins were jubilant, and loud in +their praises of his skill and courage. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, Jerry," exclaimed Carol, with deep satisfaction, "it's such a +blessing to discover something really nice about you after all these +months!" +</P> + +<P> +"Now, we'll just——" +</P> + +<P> +"Hush!" hissed Lark. "Here comes Connie. Hold your breath, Jerry, and +don't budge." +</P> + +<P> +"Isn't she in on this?" he whispered. He could hear Connie making +weird noises as she came around the house from the front. She was +learning to whistle, and the effect was ghastly in the extreme. +Connie's mouth had not been designed for whistling. +</P> + +<P> +"Sh! She's the band of dark-browed gypsies trying to steal my lovely +wife." +</P> + +<P> +"I'm the lovely wife," interrupted Carol complacently. +</P> + +<P> +"But Connie does not know about it. She is so religious she won't be +any of the villain parts. When we want her to be anything real +low-down, we have to do it on the sly. She would no more consent to a +band of dark-browed gypsies than she would——" +</P> + +<P> +Connie came around the corner of the parsonage, out the back walk +beneath the maple. Then she gave a gleeful scream. Right before her +lay a beautiful heavy rope. Connie had been yearning for a good rope +to make a swing. Here it lay, at her very feet, plainly a gift of the +gods. She did not wait to see where the other end of the rope was. +She just grabbed what she saw before her, and started violently back +around the house with it yelling, "Prudence! Look at my rope!" +</P> + +<P> +Prudence rushed around the parsonage. The twins shrieked wildly, as +there was a terrific tug and heave of the limb beside them, and then—a +crashing of branches and leaves. Jerry was gone! +</P> + +<P> +It did look horrible, from above as well as below. But Jerry, when he +felt the first light twinge as Connie lifted the rope, foresaw what was +coming and was ready for it. As he went down, he grabbed a firm hold +on the branch on which he had stood, then he dropped to the next, and +held again. On the lowest limb he really clung for fifteen seconds, +and took in his bearings. Connie had dropped the rope when the twins +screamed, so he had nothing more to fear from her. He saw Prudence, +white, with wild eyes, both arms stretched out toward him. +</P> + +<P> +"O. K., Prue," he called, and then he dropped. He landed on his feet, +a little jolted, but none the worse for his fall. +</P> + +<P> +He ran at once to Prudence. "I'm all right," he cried, really alarmed +by the white horror in her face. "Prudence! Prudence!" Then her arms +dropped, and with a brave but feeble smile, she swayed a little. Jerry +took her in his arms. "Sweetheart!" he whispered. "Little sweetheart! +Do—do you love me so much, my dearest?" +</P> + +<P> +Prudence raised her hands to his face, and looked intensely into his +eyes, all the sweet loving soul of her shining in her own. And Jerry +kissed her. +</P> + +<P> +The twins scrambled down from the maple, speechless and cold with +terror,—and saw Prudence and Jerry! Then they saw Connie, staring at +them with interest and amusement. +</P> + +<P> +"I think we'd better go to bed, all three of us," declared Lark +sturdily. And they set off heroically around the house. But at the +corner Carol turned. +</P> + +<P> +"Take my advice and go into the woodshed," she said, "for all the +Averys are looking out of their windows." +</P> + +<P> +Prudence did not hear, but he drew her swiftly into the woodshed. Now +a woodshed is a hideously unromantic sort of place. And there was +nothing for Prudence to sit on, that Jerry might kneel at her feet. So +they dispensed with formalities, and he held her in his arms for a long +time, and kissed her often, and whispered sweet meaningless words that +thrilled her as she listened. It may not have been comfortable, but it +was evidently endurable, for it is a fact that they did not leave that +woodshed for over an hour. Then they betook themselves to the darkest +corner of the side porch,—and history repeated itself once more! +</P> + +<P> +At twelve, Jerry went up-stairs to bed, his lips tingling with the +fervent tenderness of her parting kiss. At one o'clock, he stood at +his window, looking soberly out into the moonlit parsonage yard. "She +is an angel, a pure, sweet, unselfish little angel," he whispered, and +his voice was broken, and his eyes were wet, "and she is going to be my +wife! Oh, God, teach me how to be good to her, and help me make her as +happy as she deserves." +</P> + +<P> +At two o'clock he lay on his bed, staring into the darkness, thinking +again the soft shy words she had whispered to him. And he flung his +arms out toward his closed door, wanting her. At three o'clock he +dropped lightly asleep and dreamed of her. With the first pale streaks +of daylight stealing into his room, he awoke. It was after four +o'clock. A little later,—just a few minutes later,—he heard a light +tap on his door. It came again, and he bounded out of bed. +</P> + +<P> +"Prudence! Is anything wrong?" +</P> + +<P> +"Hush, Jerry, not so loud!" And what a strange and weary voice. "Come +down-stairs, will you? I want to tell you something. I'll wait at the +foot of the stairs. Be quiet,—do not wake father and the girls. Will +you be down soon?" +</P> + +<P> +"In two minutes!" +</P> + +<P> +And in two minutes he was flown, agonizingly anxious, knowing that +something was wrong. Prudence was waiting for him, and as he reached +the bottom step she clutched his hands desperately. +</P> + +<P> +"Jerry," she whispered, "I—forgive me—I honestly— Oh, I didn't +think what I was saying last night. You were so dear, and I was so +happy, and for a while I really believed we could belong to each other. +But I can't, you know. I've promised papa and the girls a dozen times +that I would never marry. Don't you see how it is? I must take it +back." +</P> + +<P> +Jerry smiled a little, it must be admitted. This was so like his +conscientious little Prudence! +</P> + +<P> +"Dearest," he said gently, "you have said that because you were not +awake. You did not love. But you are awake now. You love me. Your +father would never allow you to sacrifice yourself like that. The +girls would not hear of it. They want you to be happy. And you can't +be happy without me, can you?" +</P> + +<P> +Suddenly she crushed close to him. "Oh, Jerry," she sobbed, "I will +never be happy again, I know. But—it is right for me to stay here, +and be the mother in the parsonage. It is wicked of me to want you +more than all of them. Don't you see it is? They haven't any mother. +They haven't any one but me. Of course, they would not allow it, but +they will not know anything about it. I must do it myself. And father +especially must never know. I want you to go away this morning before +breakfast, and—never come again." +</P> + +<P> +She clung to him as she said this, but her voice did not falter. "And +you must not write to me any more. For, oh, Jerry, if I see you again +I can never let you go, I know it. Will you do this for me?" +</P> + +<P> +"You've been up all night, haven't you, dearest?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes,—I remembered, and then I couldn't sleep." +</P> + +<P> +"What have you been doing all night? It is morning now." +</P> + +<P> +"I walked up and down the floor, and pounded my hands together," she +admitted, with a mournful smile. +</P> + +<P> +"You are nervous and excited," he said tenderly. "Let's wait until +after breakfast. Then we'll talk it all over with your father, and it +shall be as he says. Won't that be better?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, no. For father will say whatever he thinks will make me happy. +He must not know a thing about it. Promise, Jerry, that you will never +tell him one word." +</P> + +<P> +"I promise, of course, Prudence. I will let you tell him." +</P> + +<P> +But she shook her head. "He will never know. Oh, Jerry! I can't bear +to think of never seeing you again, and never getting letters from you, +and— It seems to kill me inside, just the thought of it." +</P> + +<P> +"Sit down here in my lap. Put your head on my shoulder, like that. +Let me rub your face a little. You're feverish. You are sick. Go to +bed, won't you, sweetheart? We can settle this later on." +</P> + +<P> +"You must go right away, or I can not let you go at all!" +</P> + +<P> +"Do you mean you want me to get my things, and go right now?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes." She buried her face in his shoulder. "If—if you stay in your +room until breakfast time, I will lock you in, so you can not leave me +again. I know it. I am crazy to-day." +</P> + +<P> +"Don't you think you owe me something, as well as your father and +sisters? Didn't God bring us together, and make us love each other? +Don't you think He intended us for each other? Do you wish you had +never met me?" +</P> + +<P> +"Jerry!" +</P> + +<P> +"Then, sweetheart, be reasonable. Your father loved your mother, and +married her. That is God's plan for all of us. You have been a +wonderfully brave and sweet daughter and sister, I know. But surely +Fairy is old enough to take your place now." +</P> + +<P> +"Fairy's going to be a professor, and—the girls do not mind her very +well. And she isn't as much comfort to father as I am.—It's just +because I am most like mother, you see. But anyhow, I promised. I +can't leave them." +</P> + +<P> +"Your father expects you to marry, and to marry me. I told him about +it myself, long ago. And he was perfectly willing. He didn't say a +word against it." +</P> + +<P> +"Of course he wouldn't. That's just like father. But still, I +promised. And what would the girls say if I should go back on them? +They have trusted me, always. If I fail them, will they ever trust +anybody else? If you love me, Jerry, please go, and stay away." But +her arm tightened about his neck. "I'll wait here until you get your +things, and we can—say good-by. And don't forget your promise." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, very well, Prudence," he answered, half irritably, "if you insist +on ordering me away from the house like this, I can only go. But——" +</P> + +<P> +"Let's not talk any more about it, Jerry. Please. I'll wait until you +come down." +</P> + +<P> +When he came down a little later, with his suitcase, his face was white +and strained. +</P> + +<P> +She put her arms around his neck. "Jerry," she whispered, "I want to +tell you that I love you so much that—I could go away with you, and +never see any of them any more, or papa, or the parsonage, and still +feel rich, if I just had you! You—everything in me seems to be all +yours. I—love you." +</P> + +<P> +Her tremulous lips were pressed against his. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, sweetheart, this is folly, all folly. But I can't make you see +it. It is wrong, it is wickedly wrong, but——" +</P> + +<P> +"But I am all they have, Jerry, and—I promised." +</P> + +<P> +"Whenever you want me, Prudence, just send. I'll never change. I'll +always be just the same. God intended you for me, I know, and—I'll be +waiting." +</P> + +<P> +"Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!" she whispered passionately, sobbing, quivering +in his arms. It was he who drew away. +</P> + +<P> +"Good-by, sweetheart," he said quietly, great pity in his heart for the +girl who in her desire to do right was doing such horrible wrong. +"Good-by, sweetheart. Remember, I will be waiting. Whenever you send, +I will come." +</P> + +<P> +He stepped outside, and closed the door. Prudence stood motionless, +her hands clenched, until she could no longer hear his footsteps. Then +she dropped on the floor, and lay there, face downward, until she heard +Fairy moving in her room up-stairs. Then she went into the kitchen and +built the fire for breakfast. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap14"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XIV +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +SHE COMES TO GRIEF +</H3> + + +<P> +Fairy was one of those buoyant, warm-blooded girls to whom sleep is +indeed the great restorer. She slept soundly, sweetly, dreamlessly. +And every morning she ran down-stairs so full of animation and life +that she seemed all atingle to her finger-tips. Now she stood in the +kitchen door, tall, cheeks glowing, eyes sparkling, and smiled at her +sister's solemn back. +</P> + +<P> +"You are the little mousey, Prue," she said, in her full rich voice. +"I didn't hear you come to bed last night, and I didn't hear you +getting out this morning. I am an abominably solid sleeper, am I not? +Shall I get the maple sirup for the pancakes? I wonder if Jerry knows +we only use maple sirup when he is here. I'm constantly expecting +Connie to give it away. Why am I always so ravenously hungry in the +morning? Goodness knows I eat enough—Why, what is the matter?" For +Prudence had turned her face toward her sister, and it was so white and +so unnatural that Fairy was shocked. +</P> + +<P> +"Prudence! You are sick! Go to bed and let me get breakfast. Why +didn't you call me? I'm real angry at you, Prudence Starr! Here, get +out of this, and I will——" +</P> + +<P> +"There's nothing the matter with me. I had a headache, and did not +sleep, but I am all right now. Yes, bring the sirup, Fairy. Are the +girls up yet?" +</P> + +<P> +Fairy eyed her suspiciously. "Jerry is out unusually early, too, isn't +he? His door is open. I didn't hear him coming down so he must have +quite outdone himself to-day. He generally has to be called twice." +</P> + +<P> +"Jerry has gone, Fairy." Prudence's back was presented to view once +more, and Prudence was stirring the oatmeal with vicious energy. "He +left early this morning,—I suppose he is half-way to Des Moines by +now." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh!" Fairy's voice was non-committal. +</P> + +<P> +"Will you get the sirup now?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, of course.—When is he coming back?" +</P> + +<P> +"He isn't coming back. Please hurry, Fairy, and then call the others. +The oatmeal is ready." +</P> + +<P> +Fairy went soberly down cellar, and brought up the golden sirup. Then, +ostensibly to call her sisters, she hurried up the stairs. +</P> + +<P> +"Girls," she began, carefully closing the door of their room behind +her. "Jerry has gone, and isn't coming back any more. And for +goodness' sake, don't keep asking questions about it. Just eat your +breakfast as usual, and have a little tact." +</P> + +<P> +"Gone!" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes." +</P> + +<P> +"A lovers' quarrel," suggested Lark, and her eyes glittered greedily. +</P> + +<P> +"Nothing of the sort. And don't keep staring at Prue, either. And do +not keep talking about Jerry all the time. You mind me, or I will tell +papa." +</P> + +<P> +"That's funny," said Carol thoughtfully. "We left them kissing each +other like mad in the back yard last night,—and this morning he has +gone to return no more. They are crazy." +</P> + +<P> +"Kissing! In the back yard! What are you talking about?" +</P> + +<P> +Carol explained, and Fairy looked still more thoughtful and perturbed. +</P> + +<P> +She opened the door, and called out to them in a loud and breezy voice, +"Hurry, girls, for breakfast is ready, and there's no time to waste in +a parsonage on Sunday morning." Then she added in a whisper, "And +don't you mention Jerry, and don't ask Prudence what makes her so pale, +or you'll catch it!" +</P> + +<P> +Then she went to her father's door. "Breakfast is ready, papa," she +called clearly. She turned the knob softly, and peeped in. "May I +come in a minute?" Standing close beside him, she told him all she +knew of what had happened. +</P> + +<P> +"Prudence is ghastly, father, just ghastly. And she can't talk about +it yet, so be careful what you say, will you?" +</P> + +<P> +And it was due to Fairy's kindly admonitions that the parsonage family +took the departure of Jerry so calmly. +</P> + +<P> +"Fairy says Jerry took the morning train," said Mr. Starr, as they were +passing the cream and sugar for the oatmeal. "That is too bad! But it +is just the worst of being a business man,—one never knows when one +must be up and away. And of course, one can not neglect business +interests.—The oatmeal is unusually good this morning, Prudence." +This was nothing short of heroic on his part, for her eyes upon her +father's face were so wide and dark that the lump in his throat would +not stay down. +</P> + +<P> +That was the beginning of Prudence's bitter winter, when the brightest +sunshine was cheerless and dreary, 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. +</P> + +<P> +Fairy had tried to win her confidence, and had failed. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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? +</P> + +<P> +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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"But if he should come back now——" +</P> + +<P> +"It would be just the same. Don't worry about it, father. It's all +right." +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Is she all right?" he cried eagerly, almost before he was within +hailing distance. +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Starr did not mince matters. "Jerry," he said abruptly, "did you +and Prudence have a quarrel? She declines to tell me anything about +it, and after the conversations you and I have had, I think I have a +right to know what has happened." +</P> + +<P> +"Does she miss me? Does she seem sorry that I am away? Does——" His +voice was so boyish and so eager there was no mistaking his attitude +toward Prudence. +</P> + +<P> +"Look here, Jerry, I want to know. Why are you staying away?" +</P> + +<P> +"Won't Prudence tell you?" +</P> + +<P> +"No." +</P> + +<P> +"Then I can not. She made me promise not to tell you a word. But it +is not my fault, Mr. Starr. I can tell you that. It is nothing I have +done or said. She sent me away because she thinks it was right for her +to do so, and—you know Prudence! It is wrong, I know. I knew it all +the time. But I couldn't make her see it. And she made me promise not +to tell." +</P> + +<P> +In the end Mr. Starr went back to the parsonage no wiser than he left, +save that he now knew that Jerry was really not to blame, and that he +held himself ready to return to her on a moment's notice. +</P> + +<P> +The Ladies of the Methodist church were puzzled and exasperated. They +went to the parsonage, determined to "find out what's what." But when +they sat with Prudence, and looked at the frail, pathetic little +figure, with the mournful eyes,—-they could only sigh with her and go +their ways. +</P> + +<P> +The twins continued to play in the great maple, even when the leaves +were fallen, "It's a dandy place, I tell you, Prudence," cried Carol. +"Jerry didn't have time to put up the rope before Connie pulled him +down, but we've fixed it ourselves, and it is simply grand. You can go +up and swing any time you like,—unless your joints are too stiff! +It's a very serious matter getting up there,—-for stiff joints, of +course, I mean. Lark and I get up easy enough." +</P> + +<P> +For a moment, Prudence sat silent with quivering lips. Then she burst +out with unusual passion, "Don't you ever dare climb up in that tree +again as long as you live, twins! Mind what I say!" +</P> + +<P> +Lark looked thoughtfully out of the window, and Carol swallowed hard. +It was she who said gently, "Why, of course, Prue,—just as you say." +</P> + +<P> +For the first time, Prudence had dealt with them harshly and unfairly. +They knew it. There was neither sense nor justice in her command. But +they did not argue the point. They kept their eyes considerately away +from her, and buried themselves in <I>Julius Caesar</I>,—it must be +remembered the twins are sophomores now. Five minutes later Prudence +spoke again, humbly. +</P> + +<P> +"I beg you pardon, twins,—that was a perfectly idiotic thing for me to +say. Of course, you may play in the maple whenever you like. But be +careful. You couldn't save yourselves in falling as—as men can." +</P> + +<P> +"We won't play there if you want us not to," said Carol kindly. +</P> + +<P> +"I do want you to play there," she answered. "It's a very nice place, +and great fun, I know. I might try it myself if—my joints weren't so +stiff! Now, go on with your Latin." +</P> + +<P> +But Prudence did not pass under the maple for many weeks without +clenching her hands, and shuddering. +</P> + +<P> +The twins were not satisfied. They marveled, and wondered, and +pondered over the subject of Jerry's disappearance. Finally they felt +it was more than human flesh could stand. They would approach Prudence +on the subject themselves. But they bided their time. They must wait +until Fairy was safely out of the house. Fairy these days had an +infuriating way of saying, "That will do, twins. You'd better go and +play now." It enraged and distracted the twins almost to the point of +committing crime. +</P> + +<P> +They had made several artistic moves already. Professor Duke, of their +freshman biology class, had written Carol a gay long letter. And Carol +was enthusiastic about it. She and Lark talked of "dear old Duck" for +two weeks, almost without pausing for sleep. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm sure you would fall in love with him on the spot," Carol had said +to Prudence suggestively. +</P> + +<P> +Prudence had only smiled, evidently in sarcasm! +</P> + +<P> +"Jerry was very nice,—oh, very nice,—but you ought to see our little +Duck!" Carol rattled rashly. "I'm sure you wouldn't regret Jerry any +more if you could just get hold of Duckie. Of course, his being in New +York is an obstacle, but I could introduce you by mail." +</P> + +<P> +"I do not care for Ducks," said Prudence. "Of course, they look very +nice swimming around on the water, but when it comes to eating,—I'll +take spring chicken every time." +</P> + +<P> +Carol did not mention "Duck" again for three days. +</P> + +<P> +But there came a day when Fairy was out in the country. Connie had +gone driving with her father. The moment had arrived. The twins had +their plan of campaign memorized, and they sauntered in to Prudence +with a nonchalance that was all assumed. +</P> + +<P> +"Prudence," Lark began, "we're writing a book." +</P> + +<P> +"That's nice," said Prudence. Conversation languished. The subject +seemed exhausted. +</P> + +<P> +Carol came to the rescue. "It's a very nice book. It's a love-story, +and perfectly thrilling. Larkie does the writing, but I criticize and +offer suggestions." +</P> + +<P> +"That's kind of you." +</P> + +<P> +A pause. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm going to dedicate it to Carol,—To my beloved sister, to whose +kindness and sympathy, I owe all that I am,—or something like that," +Lark explained hopefully. +</P> + +<P> +"How proud Carol will be!" +</P> + +<P> +A long pause. +</P> + +<P> +"We're in a very critical place just now, though," Lark seemed to be +commencing at the beginning once more. "We have our heroine in a very +peculiar situation, and we can't think what to do with her next." +</P> + +<P> +"How sad." +</P> + +<P> +Another pause. +</P> + +<P> +"We thought maybe you could help us out." +</P> + +<P> +"I'm afraid not," Prudence smiled a little. "I haven't any +imagination. Ask Fairy. She's strong on love-stories." +</P> + +<P> +"Maybe if we explain the situation to you, you could give us a +suggestion. It is like this: The young people have had all kinds of +thrilling experiences, but they are not yet betrothed. But they are +just on the point of getting there,—and something crops up all of a +sudden! The hero goes dashing away, and returns no more. The heroine +lies upon her silken couch, weeping, weeping. And no one knows what to +do about it, because no one knows what has happened. What do you +suppose could have sent the lover away like that?" +</P> + +<P> +"Maybe he hasn't enough money for the heroine." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, yes,—he's very rich." +</P> + +<P> +"Maybe he is already married." +</P> + +<P> +"No, indeed. He's a bachelor." +</P> + +<P> +"Maybe he didn't love her, after all." +</P> + +<P> +Here Carol chimed in helpfully. "Oh, yes, he did, for we left him +kissing her all over the back yard, and he wouldn't have done that if +he hadn't loved her, you know." +</P> + +<P> +Prudence's eyes twinkled a little, but her smile was sad. +</P> + +<P> +"Now, what would you advise us to do?" inquired Lark briskly, feeling +instinctively that Carol had explained too much. +</P> + +<P> +Prudence rose slowly. "I think," she said very gently, "I think I +would burn the book if I were you, and pay a little more attention to +my studies." +</P> + +<P> +Then she went up-stairs, and Carol told Lark sympathetically that they +did not deserve an authoress in the parsonage when they didn't give her +any more encouragement than that! +</P> + +<P> +On the day before Christmas, an insured package was delivered at the +parsonage for Prudence. A letter was with it, and she read that first. +</P> + +<P CLASS="letter"> +"My dearest little sweetheart: I chose this gift for you long before I +had the right to do it. I was keeping it until the proper moment. But +the moment came, and went again. Still I want you to have the gift. +Please wear it, for my sake, for I shall be happy knowing it is where +it ought to be, even though I myself am banished. I love you, +Prudence. Whenever you send for me, I am ready to come. Entirely and +always yours. Jerry." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +With trembling fingers she opened the little package. It contained a +ring, with a brilliant diamond flashing myriad colors before her eyes. +And Prudence kissed it passionately, many times. +</P> + +<P> +Two hours later, she went quietly down-stairs to where the rest of the +family were decorating a Christmas tree. She showed the ring to them +gravely. +</P> + +<P> +"Jerry sent it to me," she said. "Do you think it is all right for me +to wear it, father?" +</P> + +<P> +A thrill of hopeful expectancy ran through the little group. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, indeed," declared her father. "How beautiful it is! Is Jerry +coming to spend Christmas with us?" +</P> + +<P> +"Why, no, father,—he is not coming at all any more. I thought you +understood that." +</P> + +<P> +An awkward silence, and Carol came brightly to the rescue. "It +certainly is a beauty! I thought it was very kind of Professor Duckie +to send Lark and me a five-pound box of chocolates, but of course this +is ever so much nicer. Jerry's a bird, I say." +</P> + +<P> +"A bird!" mocked Fairy. "Such language." +</P> + +<P> +Lark came to her twin's defense. "Yes, a bird,—that's just what he +is." +</P> + +<P> +Carol smiled. "We saw him use his wings when Connie yanked him out of +the big maple, didn't we, Lark?" Then, "Did you send him anything, +Prue?" +</P> + +<P> +Prudence hesitated, and answered without the slightest accession of +color, "Yes, Carol. I had my picture taken when I was in Burlington, +and sent it to him." +</P> + +<P> +"Your picture! Oh, Prudence! Where are they? Aren't you going to +give us one?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, Carol. I had only one made,—for Jerry. There aren't any more." +</P> + +<P> +"Well," sighed Lark resignedly, "it's a pretty idea for my book, +anyhow." +</P> + +<P> +From that day on, Prudence always wore the sparkling ring,—and the +women of the Methodist church nearly had mental paralysis marveling +over a man who gave a diamond ring, and never came a-wooing! And a +girl who accepted and wore his offering, with nothing to say for the +man! And it was the consensus of opinion in Mount Mark that modern +lovers were mostly crazy, anyhow! +</P> + +<P> +And springtime came again. +</P> + +<P> +Now the twins were always original in their amusements. They never +followed blindly after the dictates of custom. When other girls were +playing dolls, the twins were a tribe of wild Indians. When other +girls were jumping the rope, the twins were conducting a circus. And +when other girls played "catch" with dainty rubber balls, the twins +took unto themselves a big and heavy croquet ball,—found in the Avery +woodshed. To be sure, it stung and bruised their hands. What matter? +At any rate, they continued endangering their lives and beauties by +reckless pitching of the ungainly plaything. +</P> + +<P> +One Friday evening after school, they were amusing themselves on the +parsonage lawn with this huge ball. When their father turned in, they +ran up to him with a sporting proposition. +</P> + +<P> +"Bet you a nickel, papa," cried Carol, "that you can't throw this ball +as far as the schoolhouse woodshed!—By the way, will you lend me a +nickel, papa?" +</P> + +<P> +He took the ball, and weighed it lightly in his hand. "I'm an +anti-betting society," he declared, laughing, "but I very strongly +believe it will carry to the schoolhouse woodshed. If it does not, +I'll give you five cents' worth of candy to-morrow. And if it does, +you shall put an extra nickel in the collection next Sunday." +</P> + +<P> +Then he drew back his arm, and carefully sighted across the lawn. +"I'll send it right between the corner of the house and that little +cedar," he said, and then, bending low, it whizzed from his hand. +</P> + +<P> +Lark screamed, and Carol sank fainting to the ground. For an instant, +Mr. Starr himself stood swaying. Then he rushed across the lawn. For +Prudence had opened the front door, and stepped quickly out on the walk +by the corner of the house. The heavy ball struck her on the forehead, +and she fell heavily, without a moan. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap15"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XV +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +FATE TAKES CHARGE +</H3> + + +<P> +Four hours Prudence lay unconscious, with two doctors in close +attendance. Fairy, alert but calm, was at hand to give them service. +</P> + +<P> +It is a significant thing that in bitter anguish and grief, Christians +find comfort and peace in prayer. Outsiders, as well as Christians, +pray in times of danger and mental stress. But here is the big +difference between the prayers of Christians and the prayers of +"others." "Others" pray, and pray, and pray again, and continue still +in the agony and passion of grief and fear. And yet they pray. But +Christians pray, and find confidence and serenity. Sorrow may remain, +but anguish is stilled. +</P> + +<P> +Mount Mark considered this a unique parsonage family. Their +liveliness, their gaiety, their love of fun, seemed a little inapropos +in the setting of a Methodist parsonage. +</P> + +<P> +"They ain't sanctimonious enough by half," declared old Harvey Reel, +the bus driver, "but, by Jings! I tell you they are dandies!" +</P> + +<P> +But as a matter of fact, every one of the family, from Connie up, had a +characteristic parsonage heart. When they were worried, or frightened, +or grieved, they prayed. Fairy passing up the stairs with hot water +for the doctors, whispered to her father as he turned in to his own +room, "Keep on praying, father. I can't stop now, because they need +me. But I'm praying every minute between errands!" And Mr. Starr, +kneeling beside his bed, did pray,—and the stony despair in his eyes +died out, and he came from the little room quiet, and confident, and +calm. +</P> + +<P> +Connie had been unfortunate. In seeking a secluded corner to "pray for +Prudence," she had passed the door of the dungeon, and paused. A +fitting place! So she turned in at once, drawing the door after her, +but leaving it a couple of inches ajar. Then in the farthest and +darkest corner, she knelt on the hard floor, and prayed, and sobbed +herself to sleep. Fairy passing through the hall, observed the door +ajar, and gave it a slight push. The lock snapped into place, but +Connie did not waken. +</P> + +<P> +Lark remained loyally with Carol until consciousness returned to her. +As soon as she was able to walk, the two went silently to the barn, and +climbed into the much-loved haymow. There they lay flat on the hay, +faces downward, each with an arm across the other's shoulder, praying +fervently. After a time they rose and crept into the house, where they +waited patiently until Fairy came down on one of her numerous errands. +</P> + +<P> +"Is she better?" they whispered. And Fairy answered gently, "I think +she is a little better." Then the twins, in no way deceived, went back +to the haymow again. +</P> + +<P> +Fairy prepared a hasty supper, and arranged it on the kitchen table. +She drank a cup of hot coffee, and went in search of her father. "Go +and eat, dadsie," she urged. But he shook his head. +</P> + +<P> +"I am not hungry, but send the girls to the table at once." +</P> + +<P> +On their next trip into the house, Fairy stopped the twins. "Get +Connie, and eat your supper. It's just a cold lunch, and is already on +the kitchen table. You must help yourselves,—I can't come now." +</P> + +<P> +The twins did not speak, and Fairy went hurriedly up the stairs once +more. +</P> + +<P> +"I do not think I can eat," said Carol. +</P> + +<P> +"I know I can't," was Lark's reply. +</P> + +<P> +"Won't Fairy make us? She'll tell papa." +</P> + +<P> +"We'd better take away about half of this food, and hide it. Then she +will think we have already eaten." +</P> + +<P> +This novel plan was acted upon with promptitude. +</P> + +<P> +"Where's Connie? She ought to eat something. We must make her do it." +</P> + +<P> +"She probably cried herself to sleep somewhere. We'd better let her +alone. She'll feel much better asleep and hungry, than awake and sorry +for Prue." +</P> + +<P> +So the twins went back to the haymow. When it grew dark, they slipped +into the kitchen, and huddled together on, the woodbox beside the +stove. And down to them presently came Fairy, smiling, her eyes +tear-brightened. +</P> + +<P> +"She is better!" cried Carol, springing to her feet. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said Fairy, dropping on her knees and burying her face in Lark's +lap, as she still sat on the woodbox. "She's better. She is better." +Lark patted the heaving shoulders in a motherly way, and when Fairy +lifted her face again it was all serene, though her lashes were wet. +</P> + +<P> +"She is conscious," said Fairy, still on her knees, but with her head +thrown back, and smiling. "She regained consciousness a little while +ago. There is nothing really serious the matter. It was a hard knock, +but it missed the temple. When she became conscious, she looked up at +father and smiled. Father looked perfectly awful, twins, so pale, and +his lips were trembling. And Prudence said, 'Now, father, on your word +of honor, did you knock me down with that ball on purpose?' She spoke +very low, and weak, but—just like Prudence! Father couldn't say a +word, he just nodded, and gulped. She has a little fever, and the +doctors say we may need to work with her part of the night. Father +said to ask if you would go to bed now, so you can get up early in the +morning and help us. I am to stay with Prudence to-night, but you may +have to take turns in the morning. And you'll have to get breakfast, +too. So father thinks you would better go to bed. Will you do that, +twinnies?" +</P> + +<P> +"Will we!" And Carol added, "Will you kiss Prudence good night for us, +and tell her we kept praying all the time? Prudence is such a great +hand for praying, you know." +</P> + +<P> +Fairy promised, and the twins crept up-stairs. It was dark in their +room. +</P> + +<P> +"We'll undress in the dark so as not to awake poor little Connie," +whispered Lark. "It's nice she can sleep like that, isn't it?" +</P> + +<P> +And the twins went to bed, and fell asleep after a while, never +doubting that Connie, in her corner of the room, was already safe and +happy in the oblivion of slumber. +</P> + +<P> +But poor Connie! She had not wakened when Fairy closed the dungeon +door. It was long afterward when she sat up and began rubbing her +eyes. She did not know where she was. Then she remembered! She +wondered if Prudence— She scrambled to her feet, and trotted over to +the dungeon door. It was locked, she could not turn the knob. At +first, she thought of screaming and pounding on the door. +</P> + +<P> +"But that will arouse Prudence, and frighten her, and maybe kill her," +she thought wretchedly. "I'll just keep still until some one passes." +</P> + +<P> +But no one passed for a long time, and Connie stretched her aching +little body and sobbed, worrying about Prudence, fearful on her own +account. She had no idea of the time. She supposed it was still +early. And the parsonage was deathly quiet. Maybe Prudence had died! +Connie writhed in agony on the hard floor, and sobbed bitterly. Still +she would not risk pounding on the dungeon door. +</P> + +<P> +Up-stairs, in the front room, Prudence was at that time wrestling with +fever. Higher and higher it rose, until the doctors looked very +anxious. They held a brief consultation in the corner of the room. +Then they beckoned to Mr. Starr. +</P> + +<P> +"Has Prudence been worrying about something this winter?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes." +</P> + +<P> +"Has she been grieving, and fretting for something?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, she has." +</P> + +<P> +"It is that young man, isn't it?" inquired the family doctor,—a +Methodist "member." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes." +</P> + +<P> +"Can you bring him here?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes,—as soon as he can get here from Des Moines." +</P> + +<P> +"You'd better do it. She has worn herself down nearly to the point of +prostration. We think we can break this fever without serious +consequences, but get the young man as soon as possible. She can not +relax and rest, until she gets relief." +</P> + +<P> +So he went down-stairs and over the telephone dictated a short message +to Jerry. "Please come,—Prudence." +</P> + +<P> +When he entered the front bedroom again, Prudence was muttering +unintelligible words under her breath. He kneeled down beside the bed, +and put his arms around her. She clung to him with sudden passion. +</P> + +<P> +"Jerry! Jerry!" she cried. Her father caressed and petted her, but +did not speak. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I can't," she cried again. "I can't, Jerry, I can't!" Again her +voice fell to low mumbling. "Yes, go. Go at once. I promised, you +know.—They haven't any mother.—I promised. Jerry! Jerry!" Her +voice rang out so wildly that Connie, down in the dungeon, heard her +cries and sobbed anew, relieved that Prudence was living, frightened at +the wildness of her voice. "Oh, I do want you—more than anybody. +Don't go!—Oh, yes, go at once. I promised.—Father needs me." And +then a piercing shriek, "He is falling! Connie, drop that rope!" She +struggled up in the bed, and gazed wildly about her,—then, panting, +she fell back on the pillows. +</P> + +<P> +But Mr. Starr smiled gently to himself. So that was the answer! Oh, +foolish little Prudence! Oh, sweet-hearted little martyr girl! +</P> + +<P> +Hours later the fever broke, and Prudence drifted into a deep sleep. +Then the doctors went downstairs with Mr. Starr, talking in quiet +ordinary tones. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, she is all right now, no danger at all. She'll do fine. Let her +sleep. Send Fairy to bed, too. Keep Prudence quiet a few +days,—that's all. She's all right." +</P> + +<P> +They did not hear the timid knock at the dungeon door. But after they +had gone out, Mr. Starr locked the door behind them, and started back +through the hall to see if the kitchen doors were locked. He +distinctly heard a soft tapping, and he smiled. "Mice!" he thought. +Then he heard something else,—a faintly whispered "Father!" +</P> + +<P> +With a sharp exclamation he unlocked and opened the dungeon door, and +Connie fell into his arms, sobbing piteously. And he did the only wise +thing to do under such circumstances. He sat down on the hall floor +and cuddled the child against his breast. He talked to her soothingly +until the sobs quieted, and her voice was under control. +</P> + +<P> +"Now, tell father," he urged, "how did you get in the dungeon? The +twins——" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, no, father, of course not, the twins wouldn't do such a thing as +that. I went into the dungeon to pray that Prudence would get well. +And I prayed myself to sleep. When I woke up the door was locked." +</P> + +<P> +"But you precious child," he whispered, "why didn't you call out, or +pound on the door?" +</P> + +<P> +"I was afraid it would excite Prue and make her worse," she answered +simply. And her father's kiss was unwontedly tender as he carried her +upstairs to bed. +</P> + +<P> +Prudence slept late the next morning, and when she opened her eyes her +father was sitting beside her. +</P> + +<P> +"All right this morning, father," she said, smiling. "Are the girls at +school?" +</P> + +<P> +"No,—this is Saturday." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, of course. Well, bring them up, I want to see them." +</P> + +<P> +Just then the distant whistle of a locomotive sounded through the open +window, but she did not notice her father's sudden start. She nodded +up at him again, and repeated, "I want to see my girls." +</P> + +<P> +Her father sent them up to her at once, and they stood at the foot of +the bed with sorry faces, and smiled at her. +</P> + +<P> +"Say something," whispered Carol, kicking Lark suggestively on the +foot. But Lark was dumb. It was Carol who broke the silence. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, Prudence, do you suppose the doctors will let me come in and watch +them bandage your head? I want to begin practising up, so as to be +ready for the next war." +</P> + +<P> +Then they laughed, and the girls realized that Prudence was really +alive and quite as always. They told her of Connie's sad experience, +and Prudence comforted her sweetly. +</P> + +<P> +"It just proves all over again," she declared, smiling, but with a sigh +close following, "that you can't get along without me to look after +you. Would I ever go to bed without making sure that Connie was safe +and sound?" +</P> + +<P> +Down-stairs, meanwhile, Mr. Starr was plotting with Fairy, a willing +assistant. +</P> + +<P> +"He'll surely be in on this train, and you must keep him down here +until I get through with Prudence. I want to tell her a few things +before she sees him. Bring him in quietly, and don't let him speak +loudly. I do not want her to know he is on hand for a few minutes. +Explain it to the girls, will you?" +</P> + +<P> +After sending the younger girls down-stairs again, he closed the door +of Prudence's room, and sat down beside her. +</P> + +<P> +"Prudence, I can't tell you how bitterly disappointed I am in you." +</P> + +<P> +"Father!" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I thought you loved us,—the girls and me. It never occurred to +me that you considered us a bunch of selfish, heartless, ungrateful +animals!" +</P> + +<P> +"Father!" +</P> + +<P> +"Is that your idea of love? Is that——" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, father!" +</P> + +<P> +"It really did hurt me, Prudence. My dear little girl, how could you +send Jerry away, breaking your heart and his, and ours, too,—just +because you thought us such a selfish lot that we would begrudge you +any happiness of your own? Don't you think our love for you is big +enough to make us happy in seeing you happy? You used to say you would +never marry. We did not expect you to marry, then. But we knew the +time would come when marriage would seem beautiful and desirable to +you. We were waiting for that time. We were hoping for it. We were +happy when you loved Jerry, because we knew he was good and kind and +loving, and that he could give you all the beautiful things of +life—that I can never give my children. But you thought we were too +selfish to let you go, and you sent him away." +</P> + +<P> +"But father! Who would raise the girls? Who would keep the parsonage? +Who would look after you?" +</P> + +<P> +"Aunt Grace, to be sure. We talked it over two years ago, when her +husband died. Before that, she was not free to come to us. But she +said then that whenever we were ready for her, she would come. We both +felt that since you were getting along so magnificently with the girls, +it was better that way for a while. But she said that when your +flitting-time came, she would come to us gladly. We had it all +arranged. You won't want to marry for a year or so, yet. You'll want +to have some happy sweetheart days first. And you'll want to make a +lot of those pretty, useless, nonsensical things other girls make when +they marry. That's why I advised you to save your burglar money,—so +you would have it for this. We'll have Aunt Grace come right away, so +you can take a little freedom to be happy, and to make your plans. And +you can initiate Aunt Grace into the mysteries of parsonage +housekeeping." +</P> + +<P> +A bright strange light had flashed over Prudence's face. But her eyes +clouded a little as she asked, "Do you think they would rather have +Aunt Grace than me?" +</P> + +<P> +"Of course not. But what has that to do with it? We love you so +dearly that we can only be happy when you are happy. We love you so +dearly that we can be happy with you away from us,—just knowing that +you are happy. But you—you thought our love was such a hideous, +selfish, little make-believe that——" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, father, I didn't! You know I didn't!—But—maybe Jerry won't +forgive me now?" +</P> + +<P> +"Why didn't you talk it over with me, Prudence?" +</P> + +<P> +"I knew you too well, father. I knew it would be useless. +But—doesn't it seem wrong, father, that—a girl—that I—should love +Jerry more than—you and the girls? That he should come first? +Doesn't it seem—wicked?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, Prudence, it is not wicked. After all, perhaps it is not a +stronger and deeper love. You were willing to sacrifice him and +yourself, for our sakes! But it is a different love. It is the love +of woman for man,—that is very different from sister-love and +father-love. And it is right. And it is beautiful." +</P> + +<P> +"I am sure Jerry will forgive me. Maybe if you will send me a paper +and pencil—I can write him a note now? There's no use waiting, is +there? Fairy will bring it, I am sure." +</P> + +<P> +But when a few minutes later, she heard a step in the hall outside, she +laid her arm across her face. Somehow she felt that the wonderful joy +and love shining in her eyes should be kept hidden until Jerry was +there to see. She heard the door open, and close again. +</P> + +<P> +"Put them on the table, Fairy dearest, and—leave me for a little +while, will you? Thank you." And her face was still hidden. +</P> + +<P> +Then the table by the bedside was swiftly drawn away, and Jerry kneeled +beside her, and drew the arm from her face. +</P> + +<P> +"Jerry!" she whispered, half unbelievingly. Then joyously, "Oh, +Jerry!" She gazed anxiously into his face. "Have you been sick? How +thin you are, and so pale! Jerry Harmer, you need me to take care of +you, don't you?" +</P> + +<P> +But Jerry did not speak. He looked earnestly and steadily into the +joyful eyes for a moment, and then he pressed his face to hers. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR><BR> + +<hr class="full" noshade> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PRUDENCE OF THE PARSONAGE***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 18413-h.txt or 18413-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/8/4/1/18413">http://www.gutenberg.org/1/8/4/1/18413</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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