第30章

Isawitcominganddodgedagain，beforeIrememberedtheCrusaders。

“Allright！“Isaid。“Ifthat’sthewayyouaregoingtoact，Smarty，I’lllayalltheblameonyou；Iwon’thelpyouabit，andIdon’tcareifyouarewhippeduntilthebloodruns。“

ThenIwentoutofthebarnandslammedthedoor。ForaminuteI

feltbetter；butitwasashorttime。ISAIDthattobemean，butIdidcare。Icareddreadfully；Iwaspartlytoblame，andI

knewit。Comingaroundthebarn，ImetLaddie，andhesawinaflashIwasintrouble，sohestoppedandasked：“Whatnow，Chicken？“

“Comeintothebarnwherenoonewillhearus，“Isaid。

Sowewentaroundtheoutside，enteredatthedoorontheembankment，andhesatinthewheelbarrowonthethreshingfloorwhileItoldhim。IthoughtIfeltbadlyenough，butafterIsawLaddie，itgrewworse，forIrememberedwewereshortofmoneythatfall，thatthegoosewasafine，expensiveone，andhowproudmotherwasofher，andhowshe’dbegrieved，andthatwastroubleforsure。

“Runalongandplay！“saidLaddie，“anddon’ttellanyoneelseifyoucanhelpit。I’llhidethegoose，andseeifIcangetanotherintimetotaketheplaceofthisone，somotherwon’tbeworried。“

Iwalkedtothehouseslowly，butIwasafraidtoenter。Whenyouareallchokedup，peoplearesuretoseeit，andaskfoolquestions。SoIwentaroundtothegateandstoodtherelookingupanddowntheroad，andoverthemeadowtowardtheBigWoods；

andallatonce，inoneofthosehigh，regularbuglecalls，liketheymostlyscreaminspring，oneofPryors’ganderssplittheechoesforamile；maybefarther。

IwasacrosstheroadandslinkingdowninsidethemeadowfencebeforeIknewit。Therewasnothoughtorplan。IstartedforPryors’andwentstraightahead，onlyIkeptoutoflinewithourkitchenwindows。Itrampedthroughtheslush，ice，andcrossedfieldswhereIwasafraidofhorses；butwhenIgottothetopofthePryorbackyardfence，Istuckthere，forthebulldogswereloose，andcameravingatme。Iwasgoingtobeeatenalive，forIdidn’tknowthewordLaddiedid；andthosedogsclimbedafencelikeaperson；IsawthemthetimeLeonbroughtbackEvenSo。I

wasthinkingwhatapityitwas，aftereveryonehadgrownaccustomedtome，andhadbegunlovingme，thatIshouldbewastedfordogfeed，whenMr。Pryorcametothedoor，andcalledthem；theydidn’tmind，sohecametothefence，andcrossestyoueverheard，everybitasbadasthedogs，hecried：“Whosebratareyou，andwhatareyoudoinghere？“

Imeanttotellhim；butyoumusthaveaminuteafterathinglikethat。

“Godofmylife！“hefairlyfrothed。“Whatdidanybodysendadumbchildherefor？“

“Dumbchild！“Ididn’tcareifMr。PryordidwearaCrownofGlory。Itwasn’tgoingtodohimoneparticleofgood，unlesshewasfoundinthewayoftheLord。“Dumbchild！“Iwasnomoredumbthanhewas，untilhisbulldogsscaredmesomyheartgotalltangledupwithmystomach，mylungs，andmyliver。Thatmadememad，andtherewasnothingthatwouldhelpmetoloosenupandtalkfast，likelosingmytemper。Iwonderedwhatkindofafatherhehad。Ifhe’dbeenstoodagainstthewallandmadetorecite，“Speakgently，“asoftenasallofus，perhapshe’dhaverememberedtheversethatsays：

“Speakgentlytothelittlechild；

Itslovebesuretogain；

Teachitinaccentssoftandmild；

Itmaynotlongremain。“

Ishouldthinknot，ifithadanychanceatalltogetaway！I

wassoangrybythattimeImeanttotellhimwhatIthought。

Politeornotpolite，I’dtakeaswitchingifIhadto，butI

wasn’tgoingtostandthat。

“Youhaven’tgotanyGodinyourlife，“Iremindedhim，“andnoonesentmehere。IcametoseethePrincess，becauseI’minawfultroubleandIhopedmaybeshecouldfixupawaytohelpme。“

“YeGods！“hecried。HewouldsticktocallingonGod，whetherhebelievedinHimornot。“Ifitisn’tNimrod！Ididn’trecognizeyouinallthatbundling。“

Probablyhedidn’tknowit，butNimrodwasfromtheBibletoo！

Bybundling，hemeantmyhoodandcoat。Hehelpedmefromthefence，sentthebulldogsrolling——sureenoughhedidkickthem，andtheydidn’tlikeiteither——tookmyhandandledmestraightintothehouse，andthePrincesswasthere，andawomanwhowashermothernodoubt，andhesaid：“Pamela，hereisourlittleneighbour，andshesaysshe’sintrouble，andshethinksyoumaybeofsomeassistancetoher。Ofcourseyouwillbegladifyoucan。“

“Surely！“saidthePrincess，andsheintroducedmetohermother，soIbowedthebestIknew，andtookoffmywetmitten，dirtywithclimbingfences，toshakehandswithher。ShewassograciousandlovelyIforgotwhatIwentafter。ThePrincessbroughtaclothandwipedthewetfrommyshoesandstockin

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