Fairy was frankly amazed, and a little inclined to be amused.

“Ask the twins,” she said tersely, “I know nothing about it.”

At that moment, the luckless Carol went running through the hall.  Prudence knew it was she, without seeing, because she had a peculiar skipping run that was quite characteristic and unmistakable.

“Carol!” she called.

And Carol paused.

“Carol!” more imperatively.

Then Carol slowly opened the door,—­she was a parsonage girl and rose to the occasion.  She smiled winsomely,—­Carol was nearly always winsome.

“How do you do?” she said brightly.  “Isn’t it a lovely day?  Did you call me, Prudence?”

“Yes.  Do you know where the bottom of that chair has gone?”

“Why, no, Prudence—­gracious!  That chair!—­Why, I didn’t know you were going to bring that chair in here—­Why,—­oh, I am so sorry!  Why in the world didn’t you tell us beforehand?”

Some of the Ladies smiled.  Others lifted their brows and shoulders in a mildly suggestive way, that Prudence, after nineteen years in the parsonage, had learned to know and dread.

“And where is the chair-bottom now?” she inquired.  “And why did you take it?”

“Why we wanted to make——­”

“You and Lark?”

“Well, yes,—­but it was really all my fault, you know.  We wanted to make a seat up high in the peach tree, and we couldn’t find a board the right shape.  So she discovered—­I mean, I did—­that by pulling out two tiny nails we could get the bottom off the chair, and it was just fine.  It’s a perfectly adorable seat,” brightening, but sobering again as she realized the gravity of the occasion.  “And we put the cushion in the chair so that it wouldn’t be noticed.  We never use that chair, you know, and we didn’t think of your needing it to-day.  We put it away back in the cold corner of the sitting—­er, living-room where no one ever sits.  I’m so sorry about it.”

Carol was really quite crushed, but true to her parsonage training, she struggled valiantly and presently brought forth a crumpled and sickly smile.

But Prudence smiled at her kindly.  “That wasn’t very naughty, Carol,” she said frankly.  “It’s true that we seldom use that chair.  And we ought to have looked.”  She glanced reproachfully at Fairy.  “It is strange that in dusting it, Fairy—­but never mind.  You may go now, Carol.  It is all right.”

Then she apologized gently to the Ladies, and the conversation went on, but Prudence was uncomfortably conscious of keen and quizzical eyes turned her way.  Evidently they thought she was too lenient.

“Well, it wasn’t very naughty,” she thought wretchedly.  “How can I pretend it was terribly bad, when I feel in my heart that it wasn’t!”

Before long, the meeting was called to order, and the secretary instructed to read the minutes.

“Oh,” fluttered Miss Carr excitedly, “I forgot to bring the book.  I haven’t been secretary very long, you know.”