第44章

CHAPTERXV

Laddie，thePrincess，andthePie“Owhistle，andI’llcometoyou，mylad。“

CandacewasbakingtheveryfirstbatchofrhubarbpiesfortheseasonandtheodourwassotemptingIcouldn’tkeepawayfromthekitchendoor。NowCandacewasasplendidcookaboutchickengizzards——theliverwasalwaysmother’s——doughnutsandtarts，butIneverreallydidbelieveshewouldcutintoafreshrhubarbpie，evenforme。AsIreachedforthegenerousbigpieceI

thoughtofLaddiepoorLaddie，plowingawayathisCrusaderfight，andnotahintofvictory。Nooneinthefamilylikedrhubarbpiebetterthanhedid。Iknewtherewasnousetoaskforaplate。

“Wait——ohwait！“Icried。

Irantothewoodshed，pulledashiningnewshinglefromabalestackedthere，andhelditforCandace。ThenIslippedaroundthehousesoftly。Ididn’twanttorunanyone’serrandsthatmorning。Ilaidthepieonthehorseblockandclimbedthecatalpacarefully，soasnottofrightenmyrobins。Theywerepartfather’stoo，becauserobinswerehisfavouritebirds；hesaidtheirsongthroughandafterrainwasthesweetestmusiconearth，andmostlyhewasright；sotheywerenotallmyrobins，buttheyweremostmineafterhim；andIownedthetree。I

huntedthebiggestleafIcouldsee，andwipeditcleanonmyapron，althoughitwasearlyformuchdust。Itcoveredthepienicely，becauseitwasthepropershape，andIheldthestemwithonehandtokeepitinplace。

IfIhadmadethatmorningmyselfIcouldn’thavedonebetter。

Itwassunny，springair，butitwasthatcool，spicykindthatkeepsyoustoppingeveryfewminutestoseejusthowfullyoucansuckyourlungswithoutbursting。Itseemedtowashrightthroughandthroughandmakeyouallover。Thelongeryoubreatheditthecleareryourheadbecame，andthebetteryoufelt，untilyouwouldbepossessedtotryandseeifyoureallycouldn’tfly。Itriedthatlastsummer，andknockedmyselfintojelly。You’dthinkoncewouldhavebeenenough，butthereIwasgoingdowntheroadwithLaddie’spie，andwantingwithallmyhearttotryagain。

SometimesIraced，butIwasalittleafraidthepiewouldshootfromtheshingleanditwaslikepullingeyeteethtogofastthatmorning。Ilovedthesoftwarmdust，thatwasworkingupontheroad。Spat！Spat！Ibroughtdownmybarefeet，alreadyscratchedandturningbrown，andlaughedtomyselfatthevelvetyfeelofit。Therewerelittlepuddlesyet，whereMayandIhad“dippedandfaded“lastfall，anditwasfuntowadethem。Theroadsideswerecoveredwithmeadowgrassandcloverthathadslippedthroughthefence。Onslendergreenblades，inspotafterspot，twinkledthedelicatebloomofblue-eyedgrass。

NeverinallthisworldwasourBigCreeklovelier。Itwentslipping，andwhispering，andlipping，andlappingoverthestones，tuggingattherushesandgrassesasitwashedtheirfeet；everythingbesideitwasinmassesofbloom，ablackbirdwasgleamingandpreeningoneverystone，asitplumedafteritsbath。Ohthere’snousetotry——itwasjustSPRINGwhenitcouldn’tpossiblybeanybetter。

Butevenspringcouldn’tholdmeverylongthatmorning，foryouseemyheartwasalmostsickaboutLaddie；andifhecouldn’thavethegirlhewanted，atleastIcoulddomybesttocomforthimwiththepie。IwasgoingalongbeingverycarefulthemoreIthoughtabouthowhewouldlikeit，soIwasnotwatchingtheroadsofaraheadasIusuallydid。IalwayskeptalookoutforPaddyRyan，Gypsies，orWhitmore’sbull。WhenIcametoanunusuallylevelplace，andtookalongglanceahead，myheartturnedrightoverandstoppedstill，andIlookedlongenoughtobesure，andthenrightoutloudsomeonesaid，“I’llDO

something！“andasusual，Iwastheonlyonethere。

FordaysI’dbeeninaferment，likethevinegarbarrelwhentheciderboils，ortheyeastjarwhenitsetstooclosetothestove。TohaveLaddieandthePrincessseparatedwasdreadful，andknowinghimasIdid，Iknewheneverreallywouldgetoverit。Ihadtriedtohelponce，andwhatIhaddonestartedthingsgoingwrong；nowonderIwasslowaboutdecidingwhattotrynext。ThatIwasgoingtodosomething，ImadeupmymindtheinstantLaddiesaidhewasnotmadatme；thatIwashispartner，andaskedmetohelp；butexactlyWHATwoulddoanygood，tookcarefulthought。

Herewasmychancecomingrightatme。Shewasfaruptheroad，ridingMaudlikeracing。Ibegantobreatheafterawhile，likeyoualwaysdo，nomatterhowyouareworkedup，andwithmybrainwhirling，Iwentslowlytowardher。HowwouldImanagetostopher？OrwhatcouldIsaythatwouldhelpLaddie？Iwasshaking，andthat’sthetruth；butthroughandoveritall，Iwaswatchinghertoo。Ionlywishyoumighthaveseenherthatmorning。Ofcoursethemorningwaspartofit。Amorninglikethatwouldmakeafencepostbetterlooking。HalfamileawayyoucouldseeshewastipsywithspringasIwas，orthesongsparrows，orthecrazybabblingoldbobolinksonthestakesandriders。Shemadesuchabrightsplashagainstthepinkfencerow，withherdarkh

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