Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-06-27
at them wildly. And again the doc

at them Wildly. And again Ihe door
slammed.
Carol picked up the insulted badge
and studied it thoughtfully. Lark
spoke first.
1T occurs to me, Fair Gwendolyn,
that we would do well to keep this
little scene from the ears Of the just
and righteous Prudence"
Right, as always, Brave knight"
was the womanly retort. And the
twins betook themselves to the hay
NOW in thoughtful mood.
A little later, when Prudence and
Fairy came laughing into the down
stairs hall, white faced Constance
met them. Look" she said, holding
out pear, divided into three parts,
just like Gaul. "Mr Arnold gave me
this pear, and here's a piece for. each
OF you, l..
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?"
Constance looked up sternly. Il Of
fered 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 this baby sister.
Tell Prue about it, Constance" she
said. But Constance shook her head.
1T can't be talked about. Go on
and eat your pear. 1t is good"
"Was it all right" questioned Pru-
dence. did the twins play fair, Con-
nie?"
eyes, said Constance. 1T was all
right. Don't talk about It,"
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 an
other two weeks Of pledgedom, and
the desecrated ribbon with it's drop Of
blood reposed once more on her am
bilious breast
For three days her service was sore
indeed, for the twins informed her,
with sympathy, that she must be pun
ished for insubordination. But after
that, we'll be just as easy on you as
anything, Connie" they told her. 80
don't you get sore now. In three
days we'll let up on you"
A week passed, ten days, and
twelve. Then came 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 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 inter
est. 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.
ITS 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. Lets call
her up here" This was done at once
and the unfortunate Constance walked
reluctantly toward the barn, her fas-
cinating 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" con-
tinued Carol, pending the arrival of
the little pledge. "The chickens are
pecking at them and running them"
Its criminal destruction, that's
what it is declared Lark.
! Connie stood before them respect.
fully. as they had instructed her to
stand. The twins hestiated, each Sc
. cretly hoping the other would voice
the order. But Lark as usual was
obliged to be the spokesman.