Part 18 (1/2)

”Oh, yes,” laughed Fairy, ”I'm remembering that, all right.”

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.

”Be sure and leave quite a few st.i.tches in, Lark,” she whispered once.

”We want it to hang together until Babbie gets here.”

That was all. Presently Lark emerged, and their own door closed behind them.

”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.

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 s.h.i.+ning.”

”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.”

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.

Then they all three went to bed. To be sure it was ridiculously early, but they were all determined.

”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.

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 a.s.surance doubly sure?”

But the twins and Connie had disappeared.

”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.”

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.

”Asleep!” she cried. ”Ah, Fortune is kind. They are asleep. How I love these darling little twinnies,--in their sleep!”

An audible sniff from beneath the covers, and Fairy, smiling mischievously, went into the front room to prepare for her caller.

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.

”I'll call Fairy,” she said demurely.

”Tell her she needn't primp for me,” he answered, laughing. ”I know just how she looks already.”

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 pa.s.sed, 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.

”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.

”Shall I raise a window?” he suggested finally. ”It's rather--er--hot in here.”

”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!”