Prudence Says So | Page 3

tin pan of
ours."
Carol smiled a little. "If she had written, 'Dear John: I can't by any
means live in a house with furniture like that of yours, so you'll have to
let me bring some of my own,'--wouldn't we have been furious? That
was what she meant all right, but she put it very neatly."
"Yes. 'I love some of my things so dearly,'" Lark quoted promptly,
"'and have lived with them so long that I am too selfish to part with
them. May I bring a few pieces along?' Yes, it was pretty cute of her."
"And do remember, girls, that you mustn't ask her to darn your
stockings, and wash your handkerchiefs, and do your tasks about the
house. It would be disgraceful. And be careful not to hint for things you
want, for, of course, Aunt Grace will trot off and buy them for you and
papa will not like it. You twins'll have to be very careful to quit
dreaming about silk stockings, for instance." There was a tinge of
sarcasm in Fairy's voice as she said this.
"Fairy, we did dream about silk stockings--you don't need to believe it
if you don't want to. But we did dream about them just the same!"
Carol sighed. "I think I could be more reconciled to Aunt Grace if I
thought she'd give me a pair of silk stockings. You know, Fairy,
sometimes lately I almost--don't like Aunt Grace--any more."

"That's very foolish and very wicked," declared Fairy. "I love her
dearly. I'm so glad she's come to live with us."
"Are you?" asked Connie innocently. "Then why did you go up in the
attic and cry all morning when Prudence was fixing the room for her?"
Fairy blushed, and caught her under lip between her teeth for a minute.
And then, in a changed voice she said, "I--I do love her, and--I am
glad--but I keep thinking ahead to when Prudence gets married,
and--and--oh, girls, Prudence was all settled in the parsonage when I
was born, and she's been here ever since, and--when she is gone it--it
won't be any home to me at all!"
Her voice rose on the last words in a way most pitifully suggestive of
tears.
For a moment there was a stricken silence.
"Oh, pooh!" Carol said at last, bravely. "You wouldn't want Prue to
stick around and be an old maid, would you? I think she's mighty lucky
to get a fellow as nice as Jerry Harmer myself. I'll bet you don't make
out half as well, Fairy. I think she'd be awfully silly not to gobble him
right up while she has a chance. For my own part, I don't believe in old
maids. I think it is a religious duty for folks to get married,
and--and--you know what I mean,--race suicide, you know." She
nodded her head sagely, winking one eye in a most intelligent fashion.
"And Aunt Grace is so quiet she'll not be any bother at all," added Lark.
"Don't you remember how she always sits around and smiles at us, and
never says anything. She won't scold a bit.--Maybe Carol and I will get
a chance to spend some of our spending money when she takes charge.
Prudence confiscates it all for punishment. I think it's going to be lots
of fun having Aunt Grace with us."
"I'm going to take my dime and buy her something," Connie announced
suddenly.
The twins whirled on her sharply. "Your dime!" echoed Carol.

"I didn't know you had a dime," said Lark.
Connie flushed a little. "Yes,--Oh, yes,--" she said, "I've got a dime. I--I
hid it. I've got a dime all right."
"It's nearly time," said Fairy restlessly. "Number Nine has been on time
for two mornings now,--so she'll probably be here in time for dinner.
It's only ten o'clock now."
"You mean luncheon," suggested Carol.
"Yes, luncheon, to be sure, fair sister."
"Where'd you get that dime, Connie?"
"Oh, I've had it some time," Connie admitted reluctantly.
"When I asked you to lend me a dime you said--"
"You asked me if I had a dime I could lend you and I said, No, and I
didn't, for I didn't have this dime to lend."
"But where have you had it?" inquired Lark. "I thought you acted
suspicious some way, so I went around and looked for myself."
"Where did you look?"
The twins laughed gleefully. "Oh, on top of the windows and doors,"
said Carol.
"How did you know--" began Connie.
"You aren't slick enough for us, Connie. We knew you had some funny
place to hide your money, so I gave you that penny and then I went
up-stairs very noisily so you could hear me, and Lark sneaked around
and watched, and saw where