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.
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."
A week pa.s.sed, 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.
"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."
"Some of the trees are close to our fence, too," said Carol slowly.
"Very close."
Lark glanced up with sudden interest. "That"s so," she said. "And the wires on the fence are awfully loose."
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."
"Yes, and what"s more, she"s been getting off too easy the last few days. The time is nearly up."
"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.
"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."
"It"s criminal destruction, that"s what it is," declared Lark.
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.
"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."
"What!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Connie, startled out of her respect.
Carol frowned.
Connie hastened to modify her tone. "Did they say you might have them?" she inquired politely.
"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."
"But it"s stealing," objected Connie. "What will Prudence----"
"Damsel!" And Connie turned to obey with despair in her heart.
"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."
After she had gone, the twins lay back thoughtfully on the hay and stared at the cobwebby roof above them.
"It"s a good thing Prudence and Fairy are downtown," said Lark sagely.
"Yes, or we"d catch it," a.s.sented 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."
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?
"She"s an unearthly long time about it," exclaimed Lark, at last. "Do you suppose they caught her?"
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.
There were eight big tempting apples.
"Hum! Eight," said Carol sternly. "I said twelve."
"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.
But Carol rose. "Damsel, begone," she ordered. "When Skull and Crossbones feast, thou canst not yet share the festive board. Rise thee, and speed."
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."
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 amus.e.m.e.nt,--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.
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.
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.
"Are you sick, Prue?" she gasped.
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."
Connie followed her sister soberly, and the twins flashed at each other startled and questioning looks.
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 appet.i.te. 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.
"What is the matter? Has Connie been in mischief?"
"It"s worse than that," faltered Prudence, tears rushing to her eyes again.
"Why, Prudence! What in the world has she done?"
"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 rea.s.sured 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!"
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.
"She"s a little brick not to tell," whispered Lark.
"I"m going to give her that pearl pin of mine she always liked," said Carol in a hushed voice.
"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."