ful 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 appetite. 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 reassured 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."

But that night whe