may be haunted for all we know," cried Carol
deliciously. "Just think, Connie, there may be seven ghosts camped on
the head of your bed, waiting----"

"Carol!"

When the family gathered for worship on that first Sabbath morning, Mr.
Starr said, as he turned the leaves of his well-worn Bible, "I think it
would be well for you girls to help with the morning worship now. You
need practise in praying aloud, and--so we will begin to-day. Connie and
I will make the prayers this morning, Prudence and Carol to-morrow, and
Fairy and Lark the next day. We will keep that system up for a while,
anyhow. When I finish reading the chapter, Connie, you will make the
first prayer. Just pray for whatever you wish as you do at night for
yourself. I will follow you."

Connie's eyes were wide with responsibility during the reading of the
chapter, but when she began to speak her voice did not falter. Connie
had nine years of good Methodist experience back of her!

"Our Father, who art in Heaven, we bow ourselves before Thy footstool in
humility and reverence. Thou art our God, our Creator, our Saviour.
Bless us this day, and cause Thy face to shine upon us. Blot out our
transgressions, pardon our trespasses. Wash us, that we may be whiter
than snow. Hide not Thy face from the eyes of Thy children, turn not
upon us in wrath. Pity us, Lord, as we kneel here prostrate before Thy
majesty and glory. Let the words of our mouths and the meditations of
our hearts, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our strength and our
Redeemer. And finally save us, an unbroken family around Thy throne in
Heaven, for Jesus' sake. Amen."

This was followed by an electric silence. Prudence was biting her lips
painfully, and counting by tens as fast as she could. Fairy was mentally
going over the prayer, sentence by sentence, and attributing each
petition to the individual member in the old church at Exminster to whom
it belonged. The twins were a little amazed, and quite proud. Connie
was an honor to the parsonage,--but they were concerned lest they
themselves should do not quite so well when their days came.

But in less than a moment the minister-father began his prayer. His
voice was a little subdued, and he prayed with less fervor and abandon
than usual, but otherwise things went off quite nicely. When he said,
"Amen," Prudence was on her feet and half-way up-stairs before the others
were fairly risen. Fairy stood gazing intently out