"Lark!" she called softly. Lark stopped abruptly, and something fell to the floor.
"Lark!"
There was a muttered exclamation from without, and Lark began fumbling rapidly around on the floor talking incoherently to herself.
"Lark!"
The Ladies smiled, and Miss Carr, laughing lightly, said, "She is an attentive creature, isn't she?"
Prudence would gladly have flown out into the hall to settle this matter, but she realized that she was on exhibition. Had she done so, the Ladies would have set her down forever after as thoroughly incompetent,—she could not go! But Lark must come to her.
"Lark!" This was Prudence's most awful voice, and Lark was bound to heed.
"Oh, Prue," she said plaintively, "I'll be there in a minute. Can't you wait just five minutes? Let me run up-stairs first, won't you? Then I'll come gladly! Won't that do?"
Her voice was hopeful. But Prudence replied with dangerous calm:
"Come at once, Lark."