he twins were conducting a circus. And
when other girls played "catch" with dainty rubber balls, the twins
took unto themselves a big and heavy croquet ball,--found in the Avery
woodshed. To be sure, it stung and bruised their hands. What matter?
At any rate, they continued endangering their lives and beauties by
reckless pitching of the ungainly plaything.

One Friday evening after school, they were amusing themselves on the
parsonage lawn with this huge ball. When their father turned in, they
ran up to him with a sporting proposition.

"Bet you a nickel, papa," cried Carol, "that you can't throw this ball
as far as the schoolhouse woodshed!--By the way, will you lend me a
nickel, papa?"

He took the ball, and weighed it lightly in his hand. "I'm an
anti-betting society," he declared, laughing, "but I very strongly
believe it will carry to the schoolhouse woodshed. If it does not,
I'll give you five cents' worth of candy to-morrow. And if it does,
you shall put an extra nickel in the collection next Sunday."

Then he drew back his arm, and carefully sighted across the lawn.
"I'll send it right between the corner of the house and that little
cedar," he said, and then, bending low, it whizzed from his hand.

Lark screamed, and Carol sank fainting to the ground. For an instant,
Mr. Starr himself stood swaying. Then he rushed across the lawn. For
Prudence had opened the front door, and stepped quickly out on the walk
by the corner of the house. The heavy ball struck her on the forehead,
and she fell heavily, without a moan.

CHAPTER XV

FATE TAKES CHARGE

Four hours Prudence lay unconscious, with two doctors in close
attendance. Fairy, alert but calm, was at hand to give them service.

It is a significant thing that in bitter anguish and grief, Christians
find comfort and peace in prayer. Outsiders, as well as Christians,
pray in times of danger and mental stress. But here is the big
difference between the prayers of Christians and the prayers of
"others." "Others" pray, and pray, and pray again, and continue still
in the agony and passion of grief and fear. And yet they pray. But
Christians pray, and find confidence and serenity. Sorrow may remain,
but anguish is stilled.

Mount Mark considered this a unique parsonage family. Their
liveliness, their gaiety, their love of fun, seemed a little inapropos
in the setting of a Methodist parsonage.

"They ain't sanctimonious enough by half,