you?--I--I just thought it would be such a good joke on Prudence--with
father out of town."

The good joke was anything but funny now.

"They can't make us be Scientists if we don't want to," protested Lark.
"They can't. Why, I wouldn't be anything but a Methodist for anything
on earth. I'd die first."

"You can't die if you're a Scientist--anyhow, you oughtn't to. Millie
Mains told me--"

"It's a punishment on us for even looking at the book--good Methodists
like we are. I'll burn it. That's what I'll do."

"You'll have to pay for it at the library if you do," cautioned frugal
Carol.

"Well, we'll just go and tell Prudence it was a joke,--Prudence is
always reasonable. She won't--"

"She'll punish us, and--it'll be such a joke on us, Larkie. Even
Connie'll laugh."

They squirmed together, wretchedly, at that.

"We'll tell them we have decided it is false."

"They said we'd probably do that for their sakes."

"It--it was a good joke while it lasted," said Carol, with a very faint
shadow of a smile. "Don't you remember how Prudence gasped? She kept her
mouth open for five minutes!"

"It's still a joke," added Lark gloomily, "but it's on us."

"They can't put us out of the church!"

"I don't know. You know we Methodists are pretty set! Like as not
they'll say we'd be a bad influence among the members."

"Twins!"

The call outside their door sounded like the trump of doom to the
conscience-smitten twins, and they clutched each other, startled, crying
out. Then, sheepishly, they stepped out of the closet to find Fairy
regarding them quizzically from the doorway. She repressed a smile with
difficulty, as she said quietly:

"I was just talking to Mrs. Mains over the phone. She's going to a
Christian Science lecture to-night, and she said she wished I wasn't a
minister's daughter and she'd ask me to go along. I told her I didn't
care to, but said you twins would enjoy it. She'll be here in the car
for you at seven forty-five."

"I won't go," cried Carol. "I won't go near their old church."

"You won't go." Fairy was astonished. "Why--I told her you would be glad
to go."

"I won't," repeated Carol, with nervous passion. "I will not. You can't
make me."

Lark shook her head in corroborative denial.

"Well, that's queer." Fairy frowned, then she smiled.

Suddenly, to the tempest-tossed and troubled twins, the tall splendid
Fairy seemed a haven of refuge. Her eyes were very kind. Her smile was
sweet