Part 24 (1/2)
”What did he say?”
”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 antic.i.p.ated great pleasure in seeing me in my new coat at church next Sunday.”
”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.”
When Connie had gone back to school, Prudence went straight to Mr.
Harold's bank. Flushed and embarra.s.sed, 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.”
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 pa.s.s 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!”
CHAPTER X
A BURGLAR'S VISIT
”Prue!”
A small hand gripped Prudence's shoulder, and again came a hoa.r.s.ely whispered:
”Prue!”
Prudence sat up in bed with a bounce.
”What in the world?” she began, gazing out into the room, half-lighted by the moons.h.i.+ne, and seeing Carol and Lark s.h.i.+vering beside her bed.
”s.h.!.+ s.h.!.+ Hus.h.!.+” whispered Lark. ”There's a burglar in our room!”
By this time, even sound-sleeping Fairy was awake. ”Oh, there is!” she scoffed.
”Yes, there is,” declared Carol with some heat. ”We heard him, plain as day. He stepped into the closet, didn't he, Lark?”
”He certainly did,” agreed Lark.
”Did you see him?”
”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.”
”You've been dreaming,” said Fairy, lying down again.
”We don't generally dream the same thing at the same minute,” said Carol stormily. ”I tell you he's in there.”
”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.”
And Prudence leaped out of bed and started for the door, followed by Fairy, with the twins creeping fearfully along in the rear.
”She was asleep,” muttered Carol.
”We didn't want to scare her,” added Lark.
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.