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+
+Project Gutenberg's At the Little Brown House, by Ruth Alberta  Brown
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: At the Little Brown House
+
+Author: Ruth Alberta  Brown
+
+Release Date: December 9, 2007 [EBook #23785]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AT THE LITTLE BROWN HOUSE ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Mary Meehan and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+
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+
+
+</pre>
+
+
+<div class="figcenter">
+<a href="images/cover.jpg"><img src="images/cover.jpg" alt=""/></a>
+</div>
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+
+
+<h1>AT THE LITTLE BROWN HOUSE</h1>
+
+<h2>BY RUTH ALBERTA BROWN</h2>
+
+<h3>Author of "Tabitha at Ivy Hall," "Tabitha's Glory," "Tabitha's
+Vacation," etc., etc.</h3>
+
+
+
+
+<h4>THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY<br />
+CHICAGO     AKRON, OHIO     NEW YORK<br />
+<i>MADE IN U.S.A.</i></h4>
+
+<h4><span class="smcap">Copyright</span>, MCMXIII<br />
+By THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY</h4>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+
+<div class="figcenter">
+<a name="frontis" id="frontis"></a>
+<img src="images/frontis.jpg" alt=""/>
+</div>
+
+<h3>"I should say it sounded like a plain robber story," said
+Faith bitterly, while Gail sat white-faced and silent with despair.</h3>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CONTENTS</h2>
+
+<!-- Autogenerated TOC. Modify or delete as required. -->
+<p>
+<a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I. A MORNING CALLER</a><br />
+<a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II. THE MINISTER'S RECEPTION</a><br />
+<a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III. SHOES AND STRAWBERRIES</a><br />
+<a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV. LITTLE FLOWER GIRLS</a><br />
+<a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V. SACKCLOTH AND ASHES</a><br />
+<a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI. THANKSGIVING DAY AT THE BROWN HOUSE</a><br />
+<a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII. PEACE SURPRISES THE LADIES' AID</a><br />
+<a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII. A MYSTERIOUS SANTA CLAUS</a><br />
+<a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX. FAITH'S AWAKENING</a><br />
+<a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X. COMPANY FOR SUPPER</a><br />
+<a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI. GARDENS AND GOPHERS</a><br />
+<a href="#CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII. THE RASPBERRY PATCH</a><br />
+<a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII. PEACE GETS EVEN</a><br />
+<a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV. PEACE, THE GOOD SAMARITAN</a><br />
+<a href="#CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV. PEACE COLLECTS DAMAGES</a><br />
+<a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI. THE STATE FAIR CAKE</a><br />
+<a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII. THE CIRCUS AND THE MISSIONARY</a><br />
+<a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII. THE HAND-ORGAN MAN</a><br />
+<a href="#CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX. HEARTBREAK</a><br />
+<a href="#CHAPTER_XX">CHAPTER XX. AT THE BROKER'S OFFICE</a><br />
+<a href="#CHAPTER_XXI">CHAPTER XXI. SURPRISES</a><br />
+</p>
+<!-- End Autogenerated TOC. -->
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>AT THE LITTLE BROWN HOUSE</h2>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I</h2>
+
+<h3>A MORNING CALLER</h3>
+
+
+<p>It was a glorious morning in early June; the dew still hung heavy on
+each grass blade and leaf, making rainbow tapestries that defy
+description, as the waking sunbeams stole into the heart of each round
+drop and nestled there; the fresh, cool air was sweet with the breath of
+a thousand flowers; a beautiful bird chorus filled the earth with
+riotous melody as the happy-hearted songsters flitted from tree to tree
+saying, "Good morning," to their neighbors. Through a mass of rosy
+clouds in the east, the sun struggled up over the hilltop and smiled
+down on the sleeping village of Parker as if trying to coax the dreamers
+to arise and behold the beauties of the dawning day. In the barn-yards
+of the little farms scattered around about the town roosters were
+crowing, hens were clucking, cattle lowing, and horses stamping and
+neighing, eager for their breakfast.</p>
+
+<p>Old Towzer, from his bed on the porch of the little brown house, almost
+bidden by tall maples and wide-spreading elms, stretched and yawned,
+perked up his ears, listened intently, then rose stiffly, shook his
+heavy coat and leisurely descending the steps, circled around the place
+to see whether anyone was yet astir. The door slammed at the green house
+on the farm adjoining, from the little red cottage across the fields
+came the sound of a busy ax, and down by the creek some early riser
+whistled merrily as he went about his morning work. All this old Towzer
+heard, and strolling back to his place on the porch, he looked up at the
+chamber window above him and barked sharply. The drawn curtain flew up
+with a flirt, a small, tousled head appeared behind the screen, and a
+childish voice in a loud whisper commanded, "Keep still, you old Towzer!
+It isn't time to wake Gail yet. We've got to get those flowers and she
+wouldn't let us if she knew."</p>
+
+<p>A second small face joined the first at the window, followed by still
+another, all blinking sleepily, but eager with excitement. "Oh, Peace,"
+whispered the oldest of the trio, in an awestruck voice, "isn't it a
+beau&mdash;ti&mdash;ful day? I've a notion to call&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Don't you dast!" quickly interposed the first speaker. "You know Gail
+never'd let us go. Just see how wet everything is!"</p>
+
+<p>"Did it rain?" asked the third child, the youngest of them all,
+critically examining the trees and porch-roof, and then lifting her
+great, blue eyes to the bluer sky above as if expecting to see her
+answer there.</p>
+
+<p>"No, goosie, it's just dew, but it must have been awful heavy. Get your
+clothes on, Allee, or Gail will wake before we are started. Aren't you
+ready, Cherry?"</p>
+
+<p>"'Most," came the muffled reply from the corner where a struggling
+tangle of clothes, hands and feet proclaimed that Cherry was hurrying.</p>
+
+<p>"Then come on; we will have to fly. I'll button your dress when we get
+outside, Allee. Never mind your other shoe, Cherry; you can put it on
+downstairs. Have you got your basket?" Giving her directions in sharp,
+imperative whispers, Peace led the way into the hall, leaped onto the
+banisters, boy-fashion, and slid quickly, quietly to the floor below,
+where she waited in a fever of impatience for her less daring sisters to
+creep backward down the creaking stairs. "Skip that one, it squeaks like
+fury&mdash;oh, Allee, what a racket! There, I knew you'd do it! Gail's awake.
+Sh! Girls!"</p>
+
+<p>They held their breath, huddled close in the darkest corner of the hall,
+and waited.</p>
+
+<p>"Peace!" again came the call from above.</p>
+
+<p>A happy inspiration seized the small culprit, and she snored vigorously.
+Cherry and Allee clapped both hands over their mouths to stifle their
+giggles, but Gail was evidently satisfied, for she did not repeat her
+summons; and after another moment of hushed waiting, the half-dressed,
+dishevelled trio tiptoed down the hall, cautiously unlocked the kitchen
+door and slipped out into the sweet freshness of the early day.</p>
+
+<p>There was a quick scampering of little feet down the walk, a subdued
+click of the gate, and the three children, holding hands, raced madly
+along the dusty road until a thick hedge of sumac and hazel bushes hid
+them from the little brown house. Then Peace slackened her gait
+somewhat, but did not cease running, and kept looking behind her as if
+still fearing pursuit or discovery.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, Peace," gasped Allee at last, stumbling blindly over sticks and
+stones as her older sisters dragged her along between them, "my dress is
+coming off, and my breath is all in chunks. Do we have to run the
+<i>whole</i> way?"</p>
+
+<p>Peace looked back at the small, perspiring figure, saw the plump
+shoulders from which the unbuttoned dress had slipped, caught a glimpse
+of flying shoestrings, rumpled stockings and naked legs, as the little
+feet were jerked unceremoniously over humps and hollows of the rough
+road-way, and stopped so abruptly that her companions were thrown
+headlong into the dust, creating such a commotion that a weary slumberer
+on the opposite side of the thicket was rudely startled out of his nap,
+thinking some great catastrophe had overtaken him. As he sat up and
+rubbed his eyes, looking around him in bewilderment for the cause of his
+sudden awakening, he heard an angry voice sputter shrilly, "Well, Peace
+Greenfield, I must say&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Don't stop to say it now," interrupted another childish voice. "I never
+meant to dump you over like that. You shouldn't have been running so
+fast. S'posing you had been a train and tumbled into the ditch! Reckon
+all your passengers would have got a good jolt. I stopped so's we could
+finish dressing. Cherry, where is your other shoe? You have run all the
+way down the road with only one on. Just look at your stockings!"</p>
+
+<p>"Where's yours? You haven't any stockings at all," retorted the first
+voice, still sharp with indignation.</p>
+
+<p>"In my pocket. I was afraid Gail would hear as 'fore we got gone. There,
+Allee, your dress is done. Fasten up your shoes while I put on my
+stockings. We'll have to hurry like mischief, 'cause I don't think Gail
+will go back to sleep again."</p>
+
+<p>There was a subdued rustling for a moment or two beyond the dense hedge,
+and then the listening man heard the sound of hurrying footsteps in the
+road, and the children vanished without his having caught a glimpse of
+them. But he was now thoroughly awake, and as soon as the steps died
+away in the distance, he rose from his bed among the leaves, shook out
+his gray blankets, rolled and strapped them into a bundle, threw them
+under the overhanging shrubbery, and slowly made way through the trees
+to a wide, sparkling creek, whose tumbling waters made sweet music in
+the woods.</p>
+
+<p>"What a glorious scene this is," he murmured aloud, gazing in rapt
+admiration at the wooded hills, the singing stream, the bright flowers.
+"Why can't we be content to live in such places instead of building
+great, smoky, sooty cities? You little creek, you sang me to sleep last
+night. Wish I could take you back home with me. What a pretty flower!
+Little bird, you will split your throat if you try to pour out all your
+melody at once. Better give us a little at a time. Of course you are
+happy! Who wouldn't be on such a wonderful day? Oh, what sentiments for
+a tramp! Campbell, have you forgotten what you are?"</p>
+
+<p>He was near the road now, and suddenly a baby voice piped shrilly, "Yes,
+here is the bridge and there is the sun. Oh, just look at the sun! It's
+way up high now. Ain't it big and fiery?"</p>
+
+<p>"S'posing it was a frying-pan," spoke up a second voice, which the
+startled tramp recognized as belonging to Peace; "and we could have all
+the buckwheat cakes it would cook. My! wouldn't that be nice?"</p>
+
+<p>They came slowly into view through the shrubbery,&mdash;three queer, dripping
+little figures, with hair flying, dresses wet and rumpled, shoes soaked
+and muddy, but literally loaded down with masses of late columbine and
+sweet wood violets. And they made a pretty picture with their bright,
+rosy faces and excited, sparkling eyes.</p>
+
+<p>The tramp, in the shadow of the trees, caught his breath sharply, then
+laughed to himself at Peace's supposition and Cherry's horrified
+exclamation, "Why, Peace Greenfield, what ever put such a crazy idea
+into your head?&mdash;supposing the sun was a frying pan?"</p>
+
+<p>"I bet it would make a good one, and I'll bet the cakes would be dandy,
+too! Um&mdash;m&mdash;m! I can smell 'em now. I am starving hungry, and it does
+take so long for the girls to cook pancakes in our little frying pan.
+Hurry up! It must be breakfast time already. I wish I had wings to fly
+home with. S'posing we were birds, we would be there in a jiffy."</p>
+
+<p>"Let's play we were," suggested Allee. "That will make the way seem
+shorter."</p>
+
+<p>"All right," the sisters assented; and with their great bouquets
+flapping wildly in the wind, the trio sped swiftly out of sight up the
+road, leaving the tramp again to his thoughts.</p>
+
+<p>"Pancakes! Makes me hungry, too. Guess I better wash and be moving on in
+search of a breakfast. I wonder if those youngsters live near here."</p>
+
+<p>He knelt beside the clear stream and ducked his head again and again in
+the cool water, finally drying his face on a clean handkerchief, and
+running his fingers through his bushy gray hair in place of a comb. His
+toilet done, he set out briskly down road the children had taken,
+whistling under his breath, and keeping a careful lookout for
+farmhouses on the way.</p>
+
+<p>At the first place he approached, the watchful housewife had loosed a
+vicious-looking bulldog, and the tramp wisely passed by without
+stopping. The next house was deserted, the door of the third place was
+slammed in his face before he could even make known his wants, and he
+was beginning to wonder if he must go breakfastless when a shrill,
+childish treble rang out clearly on the still morning air:</p>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"'The Campbells are comin' Oho, Oho,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">The Campbells are comin', Oho, Oho.'"<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>So sudden was the discordant burst of song, and so close by, that the
+tramp stopped in his tracks and stared in the direction of the voice.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, of all things! That announcement quite took my breath away!" he
+ejaculated, hurrying forward once more. "The voice sounds like 'S'posing
+Peace.' I wonder if it can be she."</p>
+
+<p>It was, indeed. Another rod and he found himself in front of a gate, on
+the high post of which was perched a diminutive, bare-legged girl in
+a soiled, damp frock, superintending the drying of three pair of
+mud-covered shoes arranged in a row on the picket fence, while she
+issued orders to the two sisters sitting in the middle of the gravel
+walk busily sorting flowers.</p>
+
+<p>"As true as you live, I don't believe these shoes will ever be dry by
+school time. S'posing we have to go barefooted, and this the last day of
+the term! Cherry, you've got too many columbines in that horn. They look
+pinched. Put some in Allee's boat."</p>
+
+<p>"Allee's boat?"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, she is fixing it for Miss Truesdale, even if she ain't a
+sure-enough scholar yet. Don't make such little, stingy bunches of
+violets. We picked plenty. I can't coax your toes to shine, Cherry. I'm
+scared that the blacking won't do any good. You shouldn't have worn your
+best ones."</p>
+
+<p>"I haven't any others. My old pair is all worn out, and&mdash;Why, who&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>Cherry had caught sight of the shabby figure at the gate, but before she
+could finish her sentence, Peace, following the direction of her eyes,
+wheeled about on her perch, surveyed the man with big, almost somber,
+brown eyes, and poured forth an avalanche of questions: "Are you a
+tramp? Do you want some work, or are you just begging? Can you chop
+wood? Do you know how to hoe? Are you hungry&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, miss, I'm hungry," the tramp managed to stammer. "Could you give
+me a bite to eat?"</p>
+
+<p>"Not unless you will work for it," was the firm reply. "We don't b'lieve
+in feeding beggars, but we are always glad to help the deserving poor."</p>
+
+<p>The man's shrewd, deep-set eyes twinkled with amusement at her grown-up
+tone and manner, but he answered with seeming meekness, "I will be only
+too glad to do anything I can for a breakfast&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"There's wood to be chopped. Gail ain't strong enough to do such work,
+and our man is lazy. Reckon we'll let him go as soon as the garden is in
+shape. There's a heap of vines to be trained up on strings 'round the
+porches, and there are all the flower beds to be weeded, this grass
+needs cutting, and the roof of the hen house has to be fixed so's it
+won't leak, the hoop has come off the rain-barrel, the back step is
+broken, and&mdash;oh, yes, there are three screens that we can't get on the
+windows, and Mike never finds time for them."</p>
+
+<p>Peace stopped for breath, and the tramp took advantage of the pause to
+say, "Which one of those jobs will you have me do?"</p>
+
+<p>"Which one?" echoed the child in round-eyed amazement. "Why, all of
+them, of course! You don't expect us to give you breakfast unless you do
+something to earn it, do you, after I've told you we never feed
+beggars?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, miss. I am willing to work. But you better find out what your ma
+wants me to do first, so I can begin."</p>
+
+<p>"Mamma's a ninvalid," Peace responded promptly. "But I will ask Gail.
+She will know, and, besides, she is cook here."</p>
+
+<p>She leaped nimbly to the ground and disappeared within doors, where some
+sort of an argument evidently waged warm and furious for a time, judging
+from the sound of voices heard in the garden. Finally Peace put in
+appearance again; not the jaunty, self-reliant young lady who had
+interviewed the tramp a few moments before, but a very sober-faced,
+dejected-looking child, who twisted her dress into knots with nervous
+fingers, and at length stammered in embarrassed tones, "Gail says you
+can have some breakfast if you will split a little wood for her first,
+but she says it is a nimposition to expect you to do all I said you
+should. I don't see why. There's a heap of work around here to be done
+and no one but Mike to do it. There! Faith told me not to say anything
+about not having any men on the place. Mike is only a boy, you know, and
+he doesn't b'long here. We haven't got any&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Peace Greenfield!" The voice was sharp with exasperation, and Peace
+retired hastily indoors once more, calling back over her shoulder,
+"You'll find the ax by the woodpile, if Mike hasn't got it in the
+meadow, or it isn't in the shed or the barn. I'll come out and tell you
+when to quit. Yes, Faith I <i>am</i> hurrying! Be sure you cut a lot,
+'cause&mdash;" The voice trailed away into indistinctness, and the tramp,
+with a smile on his lips, went to hunt up the missing ax; and soon
+sharp, ringing blows told the occupants of the house that he was hard at
+work.</p>
+
+<p>Rapidly the huge pile of heavy knots diminished in size, and just as
+rapidly the heap of split stove-wood grew, while the perspiration rolled
+in great beads down the worker's crimson face. At last he paused a
+moment to rest his back and wipe the moisture from his hot forehead, and
+as he drew his handkerchief down from his eyes he saw Peace standing
+before him, holding a platter in her extended arms while she surveyed
+the result of his labor with approving eyes.</p>
+
+<p>"You've done splendid!" she breathed, enthusiastically. "The last tramp
+who cut wood for us piled it up so it looked like there was an awful
+lot, but after he was gone we found he had heaped it around a big hole
+in the middle and there wasn't hardly any split. Faith said she bet you
+would do the same way, but I watched you from the window, while Cherry
+and me were washing the dishes, and you never tried to hide a hole in
+the middle at all. Here is your breakfast. Gail cooked it, else you
+wouldn't have got much. It is Faith's turn to get the meals today, but
+she is baking a cake for the minister's reception tonight, and is
+crosser'n two sticks, so Gail fixed it.</p>
+
+<p>"You see, we were all through breakfast when you got here, or you might
+have had more. I don't know, though,&mdash;Faith says if she had her way
+about it, she'd send every single tramp who comes here marching down the
+street with the enemy in pursuit. That means Towzer, but he wouldn't
+bite anyone. Faith is cross every time she makes a cake. You might have
+eaten in the kitchen if it hadn't been for that. She sends us all
+out-doors when she is baking, so's we won't make her cakes fall. She
+does make fine things, though! Um! but they are good! Never mind, the
+kitchen is hot anyway, but it's nice and cool out here under this maple.
+This is my maple. Papa built that bench for me and Allee before he went
+to heaven. You can sit on the ground and play the seat was your table,
+or you can sit in the seat and hold this platter in your lap. Which'll
+you do?"</p>
+
+<p>The tramp smiled broadly, relieved the small maid of her heavy load, and
+dropped wearily onto the wide bench, saying gratefully, "This will do
+nicely, thank you. What a fine breakfast you have brought me! Gail must
+be a good cook. Is she your sister?" As he spoke, he picked up an egg
+and carefully broke it on the edge of his plate.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, Gail's the oldest of us&mdash;Oh, Mr. Tramp, just see what you have
+done! I was afraid Gail hadn't given you breakfast enough and that you
+might get hungry before noon, so when she wasn't looking I put on a
+whole lot of extra toast and four eggs and some matches to cook them
+with, and you've gone and smashed a <i>raw</i> egg all over everything!"</p>
+
+<p>He stared in dismay at the broken yolk streaming over his creamed
+potatoes, and then, seeing the consternation in the big, brown eyes of
+his small hostess, he laughed heartily and said, "Never mind, little
+girl! I'm hungry enough for even raw eggs this morning. Doctors often
+make their patients eat such things. Here goes!"</p>
+
+<p>Peace watched him in silence a moment and then observed, "You don't look
+like any tramps we ever had here before. They always shovel in their
+food with their knives, but you use your fork. You can work, too. Why
+don't you get a job somewhere and earn some money instead of loafing
+around begging for your meals?"</p>
+
+<p>The man paused, with his fork half way to his mouth, surprised at the
+child's keen observations. Then he answered, lightly, "I do sometimes,
+but a feller can't work all the time, can he?"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, most folks have to, though I never could see why they all can't
+have vacations like we do at school. This is our last day until next
+fall."</p>
+
+<p>"Is that what you and the kids gathered the flowers for?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, and for the minister's reception tonight. We went early this
+morning 'fore the rest of the folks were up; and mercy, but didn't Faith
+scold when we got back! She said we ought all of us to be whipped and
+sent to bed. Faith is real ugly when she's making cakes. We did get
+awfully wet,&mdash;I had no notion it would be so bad. But we got the flowers
+anyway. We made some baskets yesterday out of birch bark and moss. Here
+comes Allee with them now. She doesn't go to school yet, but sometimes
+she visits with Cherry and me, and today is one of the times. Ain't the
+baskets pretty?"</p>
+
+<p>"Scrumptious!" was the admiring answer, as the man clumsily lifted one
+of the dainty boats filled with dog-tooth violets and drank in its
+perfume with the delight of a child. "What wouldn't city people give for
+these little nosegays from the woods! They would go like hot cakes."</p>
+
+<p>"What do you mean?" asked mystified Peace, failing to understand what
+connection her beloved flowers could have with hot cakes.</p>
+
+<p>"Why, in big cities, at almost any of the important business corners,
+you will see little boys and girls selling sweet peas and daisies
+and&mdash;yes, they sometimes sell cowslips and wood violets, but only in
+bunches&mdash;never in such cunning little baskets. Why, tucked down in that
+damp moss, your flowers will keep fresh for hours; while a bunch from a
+city flower-seller's stock withers as soon as it is taken out of water."</p>
+
+<p>"Would folks in Martindale buy them?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, indeed! They are a breath from the woods, and lots of people would
+be glad to get them. You see&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Peace Greenfield, it's time to start! Do you want to be late the last
+day of school?"</p>
+
+<p>"That's Cherry. I must go. I wish I could stop and talk some more. When
+you finish your breakfast, just take the dishes around to the kitchen
+steps, and&mdash;if you have time and want to do it&mdash;you might weed those
+flower gardens in the front yard and the onion patch behind the shed. If
+you don't, I'll have to, and you 'member I gave you some extra lunch
+that you wouldn't have got if it hadn't been for me&mdash;and a few matches.
+Promise you won't light a fire till you get a long way from our house,
+will you? Gail won't give tramps matches for fear they will set the
+buildings on fire. And say, the lawn-mower is right beside the front
+porch, if you should happen to want to cut the grass&mdash;just the little
+piece fenced in, you know. The rest is for hay. And the ball of twine
+for stringing up Hope's vines is stuck in the hole of the porch railing
+nearest the door&mdash;you can find it easy enough. The rain barrel is behind
+the house, and&mdash;yes, yes, Cherry, I am coming this very minute! I hope
+you have liked your nice breakfast, and will come some other time and
+split more wood for us. Good-bye, Mr. Tramp, I've <i>got</i> to go."</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II</h2>
+
+<h3>THE MINISTER'S RECEPTION</h3>
+
+
+<p>"Are you ready, Cherry?"</p>
+
+<p>"Almost," came the muffled reply from the stiffly-starched little figure
+sitting on the floor struggling with a broken shoe-string. "Why, Peace,
+where are <i>you</i> going?"</p>
+
+<p>"Where do you s'pose? To the reception, of course," answered that young
+lady, who had just entered the room, rigged out in an ancient, faded
+pink gown which had once been pretty, but was long since outgrown so
+that several inches of petticoat hung in display the whole way around
+the skirt, and the ruffs on the sleeves reached almost to the elbow. How
+she had ever squeezed herself inside the small garment was beyond
+comprehension, but there she stood, buttoned up and breathless, ready
+for the evening's social event.</p>
+
+<p>"Did Faith say you could go, and where in creation did you find that
+ridiculous old dress?" demanded Cherry, after an astonished survey of
+the grotesque figure in the doorway.</p>
+
+<p>"Faith doesn't have anything to say about it," was the emphatic retort,
+as the brown eyes snapped indignantly at her sister's criticism. "Didn't
+mother promise I could go to the next reception that the church had,
+and ain't this the next? Faith kept me home from Mr. Kane's farewell,
+but she can't make me stay away tonight."</p>
+
+<p>"Gail isn't going&mdash;" began Cherry, scenting the storm which was sure to
+follow this declaration from her younger sister; but Peace interrupted,
+"I am going just the same. Mother said I could!"</p>
+
+<p>"Have you asked her about it today?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, I haven't. She promised a long time ago, but it was a sure enough
+promise, and she always keeps her promises."</p>
+
+<p>"But&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"There ain't any 'but' about it. I'm going even if I have to walk all by
+myself. I'm 'most as big as you. Two years ain't much difference! Faith
+never kicks about your going, but she always tries to make me stay at
+home. She won't this time, though." The shapely little head shook so
+vigorously that each tight ring of short, brown hair bobbed
+emphatically.</p>
+
+<p>"But you <i>can't</i> go in that dress," remonstrated Cherry, still staring
+at the abbreviated gown and neglecting her own preparations. "It is
+hardly big enough for Allee any more. You've had that for three or four
+years."</p>
+
+<p>"It's the only thing I could find. My white one is <i>all</i> worn out, and
+that ugly green gingham has a long tear on the side which Gail hasn't
+mended yet."</p>
+
+<p>"But what will Faith say when she sees that rig? Why, Peace, it looks
+awful!"</p>
+
+<p>"I should say it did!" exclaimed a second voice from the hallway, and
+Faith, a tall, brown-eyed girl of about fifteen years, entered the door.
+"What in the world do you think you are doing, Peace Greenfield?"</p>
+
+<p>Peace blinked her somber eyes vigorously, for tears were very near the
+surface, but she swallowed back the lump in her throat and calmly
+answered, "I'm getting ready for the reception, same as you."</p>
+
+<p>"Indeed you're not! Gail isn't going, and you can stay right here at
+home with her and Allee."</p>
+
+<p>"That's what I did the last time, but you don't play that trick on me
+tonight. Mother said I could go to the next reception, and I am going."</p>
+
+<p>"She didn't mean this kind of a reception, and you can't go."</p>
+
+<p>"I will, I will! Oh, you are the crossest sister!" cried poor Peace,
+with tears of vexation streaming down over her cheeks. "You <i>always</i>
+spoil my good times! You <i>never</i> make Cherry stay at home&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"She is older&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Two years ain't much!"</p>
+
+<p>"She knows how to behave herself."</p>
+
+<p>"So do I! I'll be as good as gold&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"I've taken you on that promise before."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, Oh, Oh! I will go! I'm going straight to mother and ask her now."</p>
+
+<p>"Mother is worse tonight and can't be bothered. Stop your yelling, or
+she will hear you."</p>
+
+<p>"I want her to hear! I shall go! She said I might!" The storm was on in
+all its fury.</p>
+
+<p>"Hush!" interposed Cherry, running to her sobbing sister and trying to
+soothe her wild rebellion with gentle caresses. "I will stay home with
+you, Peace. I don't care much about going, anyway."</p>
+
+<p>"You can stay at home if you want to," declared the small rebel with
+emphasis, "but <i>I</i> am going!"</p>
+
+<p>"Children, children, what is all this racket about?" asked a gentle,
+grieved voice, suddenly, and the shamed-faced trio wheeled to find the
+pale, little, invalid mother standing in their midst.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, mother, mayn't I go? Faith says I can't, but you promised me when
+Mr. Kane went away that I could go to the next reception if I would make
+no more fuss about not going to his."</p>
+
+<p>"So I did, dear&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"But a reception for a new minister is no place for such little girls,
+mother," broke in Faith, petulantly.</p>
+
+<p>"The 'nouncements said to bring the <i>babies</i>"&mdash;involuntarily the mother
+smiled and the other sisters giggled. "I am lots bigger than a baby&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"You don't act it&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Faith!" The mother's face was as reproving as her voice, and the older
+girl's cheeks flushed crimson as she murmured humbly, "I am sorry,
+mother; but really, she does say such awful things. She is always
+talking. And just look at that dress!"</p>
+
+<p>"I thought it would be pretty&mdash;" began Peace, but at that moment she
+caught sight of her reflection in the mirror, and stopped so abruptly,
+with such a comical look of dismay and despair in her eyes, that the
+whole group burst out laughing. Peace joined in their merriment, and
+then soberly said, "I look like a chicken when the down is turning to
+feathers. What can I do about it? I <i>can't</i> stay at home!"</p>
+
+<p>"Where is your green dress?"</p>
+
+<p>"Gail hasn't mended it yet."</p>
+
+<p>Faith saw her opportunity and immediately compromised. "Peace, if I mend
+your dress for you so you can go, will you sit perfectly still all the
+evening and never say a word until you are spoken to?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, oh, yes, I'll promise!"</p>
+
+<p>The mother opened her lips to speak, but thought better of it, and with
+a smile in her eyes, withdrew, leaving the children to their final
+preparations.</p>
+
+<p>At length the torn dress was neatly mended and buttoned on the wriggling
+owner, the bright curls were given a second brushing and tied back with
+a band of pink ribbon from Faith's own treasures, and the sisters were
+on their way to the mother's room for a good-bye kiss when a fourth
+girl, looking very sweet in a fresh, blue gingham, rushed excitedly up
+the stairs and demanded, "Where did you say you put the cake, Faith?
+Gail can't find it."</p>
+
+<p>"Why, it's on the wash-bench under the pantry window, covered up with
+the big dishpan."</p>
+
+<p>"There is nothing under the dishpan but an empty plate."</p>
+
+<p>"Hope! You are fooling!"</p>
+
+<p>"Cross my heart and hope to die," was the solemn answer. "Gail looked
+and I looked. She says somebody must have stolen it."</p>
+
+<p>"The tramp!" cried Faith and Cherry in one voice.</p>
+
+<p>"Bet he didn't!" declared Peace, who had stood open-mouthed and silent
+during Hope's recital. "I gave him a great big lunch and&mdash;and some
+matches to make some more with&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," said Faith, bitterly grieved over the loss of the cake, "and kept
+him hanging around here all the morning, till we thought he never was
+going. I suppose he took the cake for his dinner."</p>
+
+<p>"I don't believe it! But he did weed those flower beds beau&mdash;ti&mdash;fully!"
+cried Peace, championing his cause. "And he strung Hope's vines just as
+even! And the lawn is all mowed, and there ain't a sprill of grass left
+in the onion patch, and the rain barrel is fixed up and the back step is
+mended, and&mdash;did he stop up the leaks in the hen house? I told him just
+where they were."</p>
+
+<p>"Perhaps you told him to pay for his breakfast, too," suggested the
+older girl, sarcastically. "We found a half dollar under his cup after
+he was gone."</p>
+
+<p>"A sure-enough half dollar?" asked Peace, too astonished to believe her
+ears.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, a sure-enough half dollar!"</p>
+
+<p>"Where is it? I want to see it for myself."</p>
+
+<p>"On the pantry shelf. Gail thought he might have left it there by
+mistake and would come back after it. But I don't."</p>
+
+<p>"Maybe he left it to pay for taking the cake," suggested Allee, who had
+joined the excited group in the hall.</p>
+
+<p>"He never took the cake," Peace asserted stoutly. "But I don't think he
+will ever come back for his money, either. He wouldn't have left it in
+the dishes if he hadn't meant it for us. His clothes had pockets in
+them, same as any other man's, and if he had any money, he would have
+kept it there and not carried it around in his hands. Wish he would come
+back, though. I'd ask him about the cake, just to show you he never took
+it."</p>
+
+<p>"See here, Peace Greenfield," cried Faith, with sudden suspicion, "do
+you know where that cake is?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, I don't! How should I know? But I don't believe that tramp took it.
+So there!"</p>
+
+<p>"I don't believe he was even a tramp. Suppose he was a bad man, who had
+done something terrible, and the police were after him&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, or s'pose he was a prince," Peace broke in, remembering her
+conversation with the gray, old man. "He might be one for all we know,
+but he didn't look like a bad man."</p>
+
+<p>"Suppose we stop supposing," laughed Hope, "and all hunt for the cake.
+Someone may have hid it just for fun. We've half an hour before we
+really must go to the church."</p>
+
+<p>"I don't care to go at all if that cake is gone," declared Faith,
+crossly. "Mrs. Wardlaw will begin to think I am lying to get out of
+helping with refreshments if I have to make excuses again tonight."</p>
+
+<p>"But you're on the program," protested the smaller girls.</p>
+
+<p>"I guess maybe we will find it somewhere," said Hope. "Come on and
+help." And they scattered in their search for the missing loaf.</p>
+
+<p>But, though they looked high and low, indoors and out, not a trace could
+they find of it, except the clean, empty plate under the dishpan; and in
+despair Peace climbed to her gatepost to ponder the question of whether
+tramp and cake had disappeared together or whether some local agent was
+the cause of its vanishing. "If it had been a nanimal," she said,
+thoughtfully, "it would have knocked the dishpan off the bench and
+broken the plate. It must have been a person. I'd think it was Hec
+Abbott, only&mdash;mercy! What in the world is this? Money! Sure as I'm
+alive!" Scrambling down from her perch, she raced for the house,
+shouting, "Gail, Faith, look what I've found, hitched to the gatepost!"</p>
+
+<p>The five sisters ran to meet her, and into Gail's hand she thrust a
+crumpled, green scrap.</p>
+
+<p>"Ten dollars!" gasped the astonished girl, examining the dingy bill with
+excited curiosity. "Someone must have lost it&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"And pinned it to the gatepost so's we could find it?" demanded Peace.
+"Well, I guess not! Bet that tramp left it. He surely must be a prince.
+What shall you do with it, Gail?"</p>
+
+<p>"Show it to mother and ask her advice," promptly answered the oldest
+girl, smiling down at the excited group of sisters; and they hurried
+away to the house with the precious find&mdash;all but Peace.</p>
+
+<p>A wild, daring thought had suddenly sprung into her active brain, and as
+her sisters vanished within doors, she flew madly up the road through
+the summer twilight towards the little village, clasping a shining half
+dollar tightly in her fist. In a surprisingly short time she returned,
+breathless but triumphant, bearing a huge paper sack in her arms, just
+as an anxious group came around the corner of the house.</p>
+
+<p>"Peace! Where have you been?" cried Gail in relief, as the panting form
+flew in at the gate.</p>
+
+<p>"We've been hunting all over the farm for you," added Faith, severely.</p>
+
+<p>"Thought you might be searching for some more money," laughed Hope.</p>
+
+<p>"What's in that big bag?" demanded Cherry.</p>
+
+<p>"Cakes!" gasped Peace, proudly. "Faith said Mrs. Waddler would be nasty
+if we didn't take something to eat this time, so I spent the tramp's
+half dollar for some of those marshmallow cakes with nuts on top. They
+are dandy good, and they cost a lot, but they weigh light, so you get a
+big bag full for fifty cents. Not many people have money enough to buy
+them very often, and Mrs. Waddler can't say a word about our bringing
+them instead of a cake. Have one, Gail and Allee, 'cause you aren't
+going to the reception. And take one up to mother. Maybe she'd like
+them, too."</p>
+
+<p>"But, Peace," Faith began, sharply, then stopped at a warning glance
+from Gail, and with sudden gentleness she took the bulky sack from the
+small sister's arms and started off for the church where the reception
+was to be held.</p>
+
+<p>They were somewhat late in arriving, and the little building was already
+well filled with a laughing, light-hearted crowd, gathered to welcome
+the new minister into their midst. Glancing hastily about her, Faith saw
+one empty chair in a dim corner, and pointing it out to Peace, she said,
+"Sit down over there, and remember not to talk except when you are
+spoken to. Above everything else, don't get to romping. Hope and Cherry
+are to help Miss Dunbar pass the cake, so they are needed in the
+kitchen. Remember, now!"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, I will," was the unusually meek reply, and Peace obediently curled
+herself up in the corner to watch proceedings, thankful to be one of the
+gay company, but wistfully wishing that she might join in the
+merrymaking. It wasn't so bad when the program hour came, for everyone
+sat down then and listened quietly to the music and speeches, but it was
+very lonely in the dim recess, where Peace was almost hidden from sight,
+and she longed to have someone to talk to. Everyone was so busy
+introducing themselves to the young minister and his pretty, sprightly
+little wife, or gossiping among themselves, that no one paid any
+attention to the somber, brown eyes peering so eagerly from the corner.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, dear," sighed Peace at length, "I might as well have stayed at home
+like Faith said, for not a single soul has said a word to me since I
+came in, and I don't s'pose I will even get a chance to speak to the new
+minister. My, but he's got an awfully pretty wife! Wish she would smile
+at me like that. There come the 'freshments. Like as not they'll skip
+me, off here by myself. If Cherry forgets, I'll shake her good when I
+get home. A piece of cake is dry eating when all the rest have lemonade,
+but I'd rather have that than nothing. There, that man is going to play
+again&mdash;Faith is pulling out the stops of the organ. Doesn't he look
+funny?"</p>
+
+<p>She laughed aloud at a sudden ludicrous fancy, and her laugh was echoed
+so close beside her that she nearly jumped out of her chair. Recovering
+herself, she whirled around to find the strong-faced young pastor
+looking down at her.</p>
+
+<p>"What do you find so funny to laugh at, hid away here in this dark
+corner?" he asked, in a cheery, hearty voice, as he drew up an old stool
+and sat down beside her.</p>
+
+<p>And, forgetting her fright in the friendly glance and tone of this new
+preacher, Peace giggled out, "I was just thinking s'posing we were all
+grasshoppers, how funny we'd look hopping around here instead of
+walking. We'd have to shake feet instead of hands, and if we wanted to
+go across the room all we'd have to do would be to take a big jump."</p>
+
+<p>For a fraction of a second the minister was dumb with amazement at the
+unexpected answer; then he threw back his head and laughed uproariously,
+as he gasped, "What ever put such a thought in that little noddle?"</p>
+
+<p>"That man with the big fiddle," was the prompt reply. "Doesn't he look
+like a grasshopper with that long-tailed coat and all that shirt front?
+If he just had feelers on his head, he'd be perfect. Don't you think
+so?"</p>
+
+<p>Again the young man laughed, for Peace's picture was not overdrawn&mdash;the
+tall, angular cellist in evening dress certainly did resemble a
+grasshopper. But, of course, it would never do for him to say so, and he
+sought to turn this unusual conversation by inquiring, "Aren't you one
+of the Greenfield girls? You look amazingly like two or three who have
+been introduced to me this evening. Isn't the organist a sister of
+yours?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, that's Faith."</p>
+
+<p>"And the blue-eyed one just coming in the door?"</p>
+
+<p>"That's Hope."</p>
+
+<p>"And there is a third one here somewhere, is there not?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, Cherry. Her real name is Charity, but that is such a long name for
+a little girl that we call her Cherry."</p>
+
+<p>He smiled at the diminutive maiden with her grown-up air, and said
+musingly, "Faith, Hope and Charity. Then you must be Mercy."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, mercy, no!" was the horrified exclamation. "That would be worse
+than ever! I am Peace. Faith says I ought to have been called 'War and
+Tribulation'&mdash;it would have been more 'propriate; but I am not to blame
+for my name, if it doesn't fit. I would have been something else if I'd
+had my way about it. Unless babies are named pretty names I think their
+folks ought to wait until they can pick out their own names. Grandpa
+named me&mdash;all of us but Gail and Allee. If I just hadn't been born for
+two weeks longer maybe I'd have had a pretty name, too, for grandpa died
+when I was only thirteen days old. You see, grandpa was a minister&mdash;papa
+used to be a minister, too&mdash;and he never had any other children but
+papa, so he didn't get a chance to do much naming in his own family.
+Papa named Gail; her real name is Abigail. And then grandpa came to live
+with us. He liked Bible names, so the rest of us were picked out of the
+Bible&mdash;except Allee, and she wasn't born then. Mamma named her."</p>
+
+<p>She paused for breath, and the amused, amazed preacher found opportunity
+to murmur, politely, "But I am sure you all have good names&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, yes, they are good enough! The trouble is, they don't fit, except
+Hope's. She is our sunbeam, always doing and saying something pretty,
+and <i>meaning</i> it, too. Now, Gail isn't a gale at all, but just the
+bestest kind of a sister; while Faith is usu'lly cross as two sticks
+unless things go just as she wants them; and Cherry doesn't stand around
+on corners d'livering <i>tracks</i> and worn-out clo's to the needy poor,
+like Charity always does in the pictures. But mine is the worst misfit.
+Still, I'm thankful it isn't any worse. Just s'posing I had Irene for a
+middle name&mdash;that's my favorite, and Olive is Hope's choice&mdash;then my
+'nitials would have spelled P. I. G. and hers H. O. G.; and the school
+children would never have called us anything else. I know, 'cause they
+call Nort Thomas Nettie. His whole name is Norton Edwin Thomas, but he
+always signed his 'nitials on his 'rithmetic papers, and the boys took
+to calling him Nettie. It makes it all the worse 'cause he is a regular
+sissy boy. Have you got any children?"</p>
+
+<p>"No."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, I s'pose you will have some day, and if I was you, I'd name them
+something pretty, or else wait till they got big enough to choose for
+themselves. And whatever you do, don't let your church people raise
+'em."</p>
+
+<p>"Wh&mdash;at?"</p>
+
+<p>"That's just what they'll <i>try</i> to do. They did with our family, and
+when they got us all spoiled, they said we were the worst children in
+town&mdash;that ministers' children always were. Why, Mrs. Waddler&mdash;her name
+is Wardlaw, but she is so big and fat that I call her Waddler&mdash;that's
+her over there feeding cake to that scrap of a man&mdash;he's her
+husband&mdash;well, she told Mrs. Grinnell once that I was possessed of seven
+devils. I asked mother what that meant, and she was dreadfully mad. It
+takes a lot to make mother mad, too. When we first moved here to Parker,
+Mrs. Wardlaw thought I was the cutest little girl she had ever seen&mdash;she
+told me so lots of times&mdash;but she doesn't any more. Now she says I am a
+hoy-ena&mdash;no, that isn't the word. It means tomboy, anyway. That is what
+Mr. Hardman calls me, too. He's the <i>imbecile</i> who lives on the farm
+next to our place."</p>
+
+<p>"The wh&mdash;at?"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, he is! He says so himself. He doesn't b'long to any church, and
+hardly ever goes, and he says r'ligion is all tommyrot."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, you mean infidel," suggested the pastor, trying hard not to laugh
+again.</p>
+
+<p>"Maybe. His name is really Hartman. I nicknamed him 'cause he won't let
+us have the hazelnuts in his pasture, and he stole my pet
+chicken,&mdash;leastwise, he let it stay in his flock so now I can't coax it
+back; and he chased us out of his apple trees one day when we were just
+climbing after one pretty red one way up high out of reach. We did knock
+off quite a few, but we never meant to carry them off with us. He
+doesn't like girls, and says if he had a family of six like us, he'd&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Are you six girls all there are?"</p>
+
+<p>"Isn't that enough? Seems to me it's a pretty big family. When I was
+little, Cherry and me used to pray that the angels would never bring any
+more babies to our family, 'cause the pieces of pie were getting awfully
+little, and, of course, they got littler every time there was another
+baby. But they brought us Allee anyway. That was just after mother's
+onliest uncle died and left her some money, and she made papa take it
+and buy our farm and bring us out here to live after he had been sick a
+long, long time with <i>tryfoid</i> fever, and had lost all his pretty
+hair."</p>
+
+<p>"Didn't you say your papa was a minister?"</p>
+
+<p>"I said he used to be."</p>
+
+<p>"What is he now?"</p>
+
+<p>"An angel."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh!"</p>
+
+<p>"You see, papa went right on acting like a preacher even after the bad
+people in Pendennis made him sick; and when Old Skinflint&mdash;I mean Mr.
+Skinner&mdash;most folks call him deacon, but I guess it's just 'cause he is
+so different from a truly deacon, and is always blaming the Lord for
+everything that happens&mdash;well, when he got cold and had pneumonia, papa
+helped take care of him. The deacon is so ugly that hardly anyone else
+would have anything to do with him; and one rainy night papa was soaked
+going up to Skinner's house, and he had to sit up 'most of the night in
+a cold room, 'cause the deacon wouldn't have anyone in his room where
+the fire was. So papa caught cold, too, and he never got well. The
+angels came and carried him away."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh!"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, and I heard Mrs. Abbott tell a lady one day that she thought
+mother would soon be an angel, too. Do you s'pose she will?" The big,
+brown eyes had suddenly grown wide with fear, and Peace piteously
+searched the strong face above her for some comforting assurance.</p>
+
+<p>Just a moment he hesitated, and then answered, tenderly, "We shall all
+be angels some day if we are good."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, mamma is good as gold! But two sure-enough angels in one family is
+too many, 'specially when it's the mother and father. Don't you think
+so?"</p>
+
+<p>Poor man! What could he say? But at that moment came a timely
+interruption in the shape of Miss Dunbar with a huge platter loaded with
+glasses of lemonade; and as she spied the two figures in the little
+recess, she exclaimed, "Why, Mr. Strong, we've been hunting all over the
+building for you. What an effective screen those brakes and columbines
+make! None of us thought of finding you here. Peace, you are very quiet
+this evening. Would you like some lemonade? Have you had refreshments,
+Mr. Strong? The committee is looking for you to make arrangements for
+Sunday's meetings."</p>
+
+<p>"I will be there in a moment, Miss Dunbar. Good-night, little Peace, I
+see your sisters beckoning to you. When the parsonage is ship-shape I
+want you to come and see us. Will you?"</p>
+
+<p>"You bet!" was the prompt and emphatic reply, as Peace skipped happily
+away to join her sisters, forgetting, in her gladness, that neither Hope
+nor Charity had brought her any cake to eat with her lemonade.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III</h2>
+
+<h3>SHOES AND STRAWBERRIES</h3>
+
+
+<p>"Cherry! Cherry Greenfield!" called Peace, imperatively, flapping a
+newspaper vigorously, as if to add emphasis to her summons.</p>
+
+<p>"Here," drawled a lazy voice from the great elm by the road. "What do
+you want? I am busy."</p>
+
+<p>"You are reading, that's what!" exclaimed her sister in disgust, as she
+came within sight of the slender, brown legs swinging among the
+thickly-leaved branches. "Shut up that book and listen to me. I've got
+some portentious"&mdash;she meant important&mdash;"news. Cameron's Shoe Store
+advertises shoes at forty-nine cents. That means a pair, doesn't it?
+They wouldn't sell them separately, would they,&mdash;'cepting to one-legged
+people? And the sale lasts the whole week."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, what of it?" asked Cherry, impatiently opening her book once
+more; but Peace had scrambled up into the leafy retreat by this time,
+and she thrust a ragged newspaper page into her sister's hands, crying,
+"What of it? Why, Charity Greenfield, you were saying just this morning
+that you'd have to have some new shoes pretty quick or go barefooted on
+Sundays. How would you like that? And mine are 'most worn out, too."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, I can't help it if we must have shoes. Gail says there won't be
+any extra money this month. It took all she had to pay up Mike, so she
+could let him go. Besides, this paper says they are canvas shoes. Those
+wouldn't last us any time. Faith says we ought to have cow-hide&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, that sounds just like her. She is always saying something cross.
+She ought to be thankful that we don't wear our shoes out any faster.
+S'posing we didn't have any summer so we could go barefooted, or
+s'posing we had as many legs as a spider, and had to buy a dozen pair of
+shoes each time. I guess <i>that</i> would take money! Aren't canvas shoes
+the things Nellie Banker had? Hers wore an awfully long time and she put
+them on every day, too."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, I don't see how that helps us any if we haven't got the money.
+Cameron's Shoe Store is in Martindale, too. Where did you get this
+paper?"</p>
+
+<p>"I've been helping Mrs. Grinnell shell peas, and she dumped the pods
+onto this scrap. When I saw 'shoes forty-nine cents,' I asked her if it
+meant sure-enough shoes for that little, and she said it did, and that
+any time we wanted to get things in town at a sale when she was going
+in, we could drive along with her."</p>
+
+<p>"But the money&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Can't we earn it? I heard Mr. Hardman tell the butcher that he needed
+someone to help pick his late strawberries, and he'll pay five cents a
+quart. We've often picked strawberries, and it isn't very hard
+work&mdash;just hot and mon-mon&mdash;I can't think of the rest of that word."</p>
+
+<p>"It's just as well," answered Cherry, with unconscious sarcasm. "'Twas
+likely wrong anyway. Do you mean to say you would pick berries for Mr.
+Hartman, when you hate him so?"</p>
+
+<p>"Why not&mdash;if he will have us? His money is just as good as any other
+man's, ain't it? Only he's mighty stingy."</p>
+
+<p>"That's just it! I don't believe you heard him right. He'll never pay
+five cents a quart for picking berries, Peace. Now, if it was Judge
+Abbott or Mrs. Grinnell&mdash;Why, strawberries are cheap!"</p>
+
+<p>"Not now, when they are 'most gone. And, besides, he told the butcher
+that one of the big hotels in Martindale pays him twenty cents a quart
+for all he will bring them. It's a special kind, you see, splendid big
+ones, that only rich folks can 'ford to eat."</p>
+
+<p>Cherry swung her feet thoughtfully as she read the alluring
+advertisement once more, and pondered the question of such importance to
+both little girls, but she ventured no reply.</p>
+
+<p>"Well?" said Peace, sharply, after some moments of impatient silence.</p>
+
+<p>"It's awfully hot to pick berries in the sun all day," yawned Cherry,
+fingering her book longingly.</p>
+
+<p>Peace snorted in disgust, and seizing the precious paper from her
+sister's lap, she swung nimbly to the ground and started off across the
+meadow on the other side of the fence.</p>
+
+<p>"Wait, Peace! Where are you going?" cried Cherry, scrambling off her
+perch, thoroughly awake now.</p>
+
+<p>"To pick me a pair of shoes in Mr. Hardman's strawberry patch," answered
+Peace, quickening her pace.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, don't hurry so fast. I'll go, too. But s'posing he won't let us
+pick berries for him?"</p>
+
+<p>"I ain't s'posing any such thing. We've picked strawberries before. Why,
+Allee knows how. Anyone with sense can do a thing like that!"</p>
+
+<p>"Is&mdash;are you going to take Allee along if he should give us the job?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, her shoes will last a long time yet. She doesn't need any new
+ones."</p>
+
+<p>By this time they had reached the long, low, green house on the farm
+adjoining theirs, and almost bumped into Mr. Hartman himself, as they
+dashed breathlessly around the corner in search of him.</p>
+
+<p>"Highty, tighty!" ejaculated the startled man, leaping aside to avoid a
+collision. "What are you young rapscallions doing over here? You better
+make tracks for home."</p>
+
+<p>"Ramscallion yourself," Peace burst out hotly, nursing a stubbed toe and
+winking rapidly to keep the tears back. "We've come to pick your
+strawberries."</p>
+
+<p>"You have, eh? Well now, what if I won't let you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Then we'll go home. Come, Cherry!" Grabbing her sister's hand, she
+marched angrily toward the road, but he called after her, "What will you
+pick berries for?"</p>
+
+<p>"Five cents a quart," she replied briefly, not looking around or
+slackening her gait in the least.</p>
+
+<p>He chuckled. "Huh! Your price is pretty steep."</p>
+
+<p>"'Pends upon how you look at it," she flung back at him. "You pay that
+to other folks, and we can pick as good as anyone. Mrs. Grinnell
+always&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Mrs. Grinnell's berries are only scrubs."</p>
+
+<p>"Scrubs have to be picked carefully so's not to squash them."</p>
+
+<p>He laughed outright, and Peace marched on with head high and cheeks
+aflame with anger.</p>
+
+<p>Before she had reached the road, however, he stopped her by saying,
+"What do you want to pick berries for this hot weather?"</p>
+
+<p>"For money. We want some shoes. Cameron's are selling canvas shoes for
+forty-nine cents a pair all this week, and Mrs. Grinnell is going in
+town Saturday, and we could drive with her&mdash;s'posing we could earn
+enough for the shoes."</p>
+
+<p>"Why don't your ma buy some?"</p>
+
+<p>"Mother's sick and Gail hasn't any money."</p>
+
+<p>"You've got a pretty little farm there&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"We can't wear farms on our feet," snapped Peace, moving off once more,
+but again he stopped them, for he was really in need of pickers in order
+to harvest his big crop of berries before they spoiled on the vines.
+"Well, now, I'll tell you, kids, I will try you at picking, and&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Pay us five cents a box?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, if you are good at the job. Come tomorrow morning."</p>
+
+<p>"We'll begin now. This is Thursday, and that sale lasts only till
+Saturday. It might rain tomorrow, and 'sides, it <i>might</i> take us more'n
+a day."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, suit yourselves," chuckled the man. "But be sure you do good work
+and don't eat up the berries."</p>
+
+<p>So the two small sisters were soon busily engaged in picking the
+luscious red fruit and packing it in quart boxes, while the sun poured
+mercilessly down upon them. But they pluckily stuck to their post until
+the day was done, trying to forget the heat and dust in planning their
+trip to the big city, which they had visited so seldom. However, two
+long, thankful sighs escaped their dry lips when at length Gail's horn
+tooted out the summons to the evening meal, and they hurried homeward as
+fast as their aching backs and tired feet would carry them, exultant
+though perspiring.</p>
+
+<p>"Gracious!" murmured Cherry plaintively, as she bathed her hot face at
+the pump, "I never knew before how many berries it took to make a
+quart."</p>
+
+<p>"It would take lots more if we were picking wild strawberries. They
+ain't bigger'n peas, but these are whoppers."</p>
+
+<p>"And covered thick with spiders&mdash;ugh! I feel them crawling all over me
+now. I believe I killed a million just this afternoon."</p>
+
+<p>Peace laughed. They didn't bother her. "Just s'posing those strawberries
+were bugs really, and when the hotel people ate them the bugs would
+bite. My, wouldn't you like to hear them holler?"</p>
+
+<p>"Why, Peace Greenfield!" cried Cherry in a shocked voice.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, Hope was reading yesterday about some place where snakes coil up
+and look just like springs of water, and when thirsty people bend over
+to drink, the snakes bite them. There <i>might</i> be bugs somewhere that
+looked like strawberries so folks would try to eat them. Course I
+wouldn't want them to hurt the people bad&mdash;just enough to make them jump
+good."</p>
+
+<p>"I would rather have strawberries look like pennies&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"I'd rather have them <i>be</i> pennies. Just think, if we could pick money
+off from strawberry vines! Everyone would start to raising strawberries,
+wouldn't they? And how rich we would be! Never mind, we picked ten
+boxes of berries this afternoon&mdash;that means a shoe apiece. We surely
+ought to get that many more by noon tomorrow. Let's begin early so's to
+pick as many as we can before it gets hot."</p>
+
+<p>So the morrow found them early in the field again, and by noon the
+second ten boxes were filled to the brim.</p>
+
+<p>"There!" breathed Cherry in relief, mopping her crimson face on her
+sleeve as she surveyed the fruit of their labor. "We are done. Now we
+can get our shoes all right tomorrow. Why, what are you doing, Peace?
+Are you crazy?" For Peace had snatched up some empty boxes from another
+crate and was making her way between the green rows again.</p>
+
+<p>"Nope," answered the perspiring little maid. "I am just going to pick
+some more."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, I'm not!" was the emphatic reply, as Cherry started after the
+dusty figure plodding down the field. "I am nearly cooked now, and
+hungry as a bear. Come on home! We have picked enough to pay for our
+shoes, goosie. Or do you want two pair?"</p>
+
+<p>Peace lifted her somber eyes from her self-appointed task and said
+briefly, "Yep&mdash;for Allee."</p>
+
+<p>"For Allee?" echoed astonished Cherry. "You told me yourself that she
+didn't need any new shoes."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, I didn't think she did, but last night I 'xamined her only pair
+and they look awfully scrubby. There isn't any more blacking in the
+house, and the ink I sopped onto them made them worse than ever.
+Besides, I&mdash;it would look mean to get us some shoes and not any for
+her."</p>
+
+<p>Without another word, Cherry gathered up an armful of empty boxes and
+dropped down by a new row of vines, picking silently, ploddingly until
+at last the third ten had been filled. Then she spoke, "Is this all, or
+are you going to earn shoes for Hope and Faith and Gail? Because the
+afternoon is pretty well gone and&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Three pair of shoes is all I am going to pick," interrupted Peace
+somewhat sharply, for she was hot and tired, and Cherry's tone seemed to
+imply criticism. "Help me tote these crates up to the house now and
+we'll get our pay."</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Hartman met them as they tugged the second crate, only half filled,
+up to the berry shed, and the spirit of mischief suddenly took
+possession of the usually stern, business-like farmer.</p>
+
+<p>"So you have picked all you want to, have you? Well, I am surprised to
+think you would give up so soon. Here, hand me that box! I want to see
+what kind of pickers you are." He hoisted the two crates to the corner
+of the fence surrounding one of his brooding pens, and pretended to
+examine each box critically, while the girls waited in anxious silence
+for his word of approval. "Hm!" he said at last, trying to frown, and
+succeeding so well that both little faces paled with misgiving. "Just as
+I expected! You don't know how to pick strawberries. You don't deserve a
+cent of pay. How much were you to get? Five cents a box?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir," whispered Peace, with lips so dry they could hardly form the
+words.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, I oughtn't to give you a penny, but I will be generous and live
+up to my part of the bargain. Five cents a box, was it? And there are
+two boxes and a half of fruit."</p>
+
+<p>His eyes were twinkling, but this Peace failed to notice, and she cried
+indignantly, "There are <i>thirty</i> boxes! We picked ten last night and
+twenty today."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, those little boxes! Five cents a big box, I meant. That would be
+ten cents and half a nickel over; but I will be good and give you
+fifteen cents for your work." He drew three battered coins from his
+pocket and dropped them into Peace's damp, dirty hand.</p>
+
+<p>She drew in her breath sharply, stared at the money for a moment in dumb
+amazement, then let it fly with all her might straight at Mr. Hartman's
+head, screaming in a frenzy of anger and disappointment, "You
+numscullion of a cheat! Do you s'pose you will ever get to heaven? There
+are your old berries! You can hire your chickens to pick them up! I'll
+never work for you again!" One shove of the crates, and the beautiful,
+tempting fruit lay in a scattered heap inside the chicken yard! And
+Peace, blinded by the hot tears of rage, was flying for home with
+dismayed Cherry close at her heels.</p>
+
+<p>It was Mr. Hartman's turn to stare, and stare he did, first at the
+spoiled fruit and then at the flying girls, too stunned to understand.
+The hot blood mounted to his forehead, he shook his fist in unreasoning
+anger and yelled, "Drat your pesky hides! Come back here and I'll tan
+you good! What do you mean by spoiling all that high-priced fruit? Oh,
+if I just had my hands on you now!"</p>
+
+<p>"You got only what you deserved, Dave Hartman," said a quiet voice
+behind him, and he whirled angrily toward his wife, who had come upon
+the scene unnoticed.</p>
+
+<p>"All I deserved! Twenty quarts of fruit spoiled! Four dollars' worth,
+Myra Ann!"</p>
+
+<p>"You should have been fair to the children and it never would have
+happened. They have worked hard and earned their money."</p>
+
+<p>"Fair! I meant to be fair. I was just fooling with them. If she hadn't
+been quicker'n greased lightning she would have got all that was coming
+to her."</p>
+
+<p>"How was she to know that? You looked so ferocious I don't wonder she
+took you at your word. The best thing you can do now is to rescue that
+fruit before the chickens have spoiled it entirely, and let me wash and
+can it. Then you better go over and pay the children for their work."</p>
+
+<p>"Pay the children a dollar and a half for spoiling four dollars' worth
+of strawberries? Well, I should say not! They will never get another
+cent out of me, no matter if they go barefooted all the rest of their
+days."</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV</h2>
+
+<h3>LITTLE FLOWER GIRLS</h3>
+
+
+<p>In the hot room, high up under the eaves of the little brown house,
+Peace sobbed out her anguish of soul, and then faced the problem of
+shoes with a dauntless spirit.</p>
+
+<p>"We'll <i>have</i> to have new ones when school begins again, and if we could
+just get some of these canvas things to wear during the summer, our old
+ones would last quite a while longer. Mercy, where does the money go?
+Seems as if there never was any to buy things we need with. Wish my
+tramp would come back and leave us another bill. Wish&mdash;why didn't I
+think of that before? The woods are full of flowers yet. I'll get Hope
+and Cherry to help me make a lot of birch bark baskets and then Allee
+and me will sell them in the city. My tramp said lots of folks would buy
+them if they got a chance. Oh, Cherry, let's go down to the creek and
+get some more bark. Tomorrow's Sunshine Club day and we will take Miss
+Dunbar some baskets for her flowers."</p>
+
+<p>Glad to distract Peace's thoughts from her great woe, Cherry agreed, and
+the two made a hurried trip to the woods for material, getting not only
+a big armful of bark, but also quite a bunch of moccasin flowers and
+tiger lilies, which they had chanced upon in an unexpected nook.</p>
+
+<p>"These will be lovely for tomorrow, and ought to sell better than the
+violets would, 'cause they aren't so common," said Peace, as she looked
+lovingly down at the mass of red, gold and pink.</p>
+
+<p>"Ought to what?" asked Cherry.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, dear, what have I said?" thought Peace in dismay; but quickly
+concealing her confusion, she replied, "They ought to look nice&mdash;make
+better dec'rations, 'cause these are the first I've seen this year."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh! I thought you said <i>sell</i>, and I wondered if you thought Miss
+Dunbar would pay us for them."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, mercy, no!" laughed Peace, and Cherry questioned no further.</p>
+
+<p>But she would have been surprised had she seen this young sister
+stealing out of the house the next morning with baskets and flowers in
+her arms, headed in the opposite direction from Miss Dunbar's village
+home. Once out of sight of the house, Peace broke into a wild run and
+never stopped until the old stone bridge was reached. Here Allee was
+waiting for her&mdash;a queer little figure in a faded blue gown of long,
+long ago, hatless, barefooted, but looking oh, so sweet, with her
+sparkling blue eyes and her mop of tangled yellow curls crowned with a
+wreath of fragrant clover blossoms. "How long you've been!" she greeted
+Peace. "I thought you would never come. Where's Cherry?"</p>
+
+<p>"I came as soon as I could," was the panting reply, as Peace dropped her
+burden on the grass and smoothed out a rumpled pink dress of as ancient
+a style as Allee's. "I had to help with the dishes, and then Faith made
+me take the milk to Abbott's so's Hope could do something for her. I
+didn't want Cherry. It takes such a long time to knock any sense into
+her head that we never would get into town today if she had to be
+coaxed. Besides, I thought if there were three of us, folks might think
+the whole family was out peddling, and maybe wouldn't buy like they
+would of just two. There, don't those boats look lovely? The only thing
+is, our basket won't hold as many as I hoped it would. I couldn't jam in
+but fifteen. That will be enough, though, if we can sell them at ten
+cents each. Oh, I've got a scheme! We will lay our flowers in the basket
+on the moss and hitch these horns on our dresses. I've got as many as
+ten pins in my dress which I don't need for anything else." While she
+spoke she emptied the birch bark boats of their brilliant cargo again,
+and deftly pinned the quaint devices to their gowns, so they dangled
+fantastically from their ribbon handles.</p>
+
+<p>"Now are we ready?" asked Allee, as the last flower was tucked carefully
+away in its bed of moss, and covered over with newspapers.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, and well have to hurry or miss the car. It's quite a ways through
+the woods to the track. I wish they would run clear into Parker, don't
+you?"</p>
+
+<p>They scrambled down the bank of the creek and scurried away through the
+trees to the little clearing where the city cars stopped at the end of
+the line.</p>
+
+<p>"There's a car just ready to start," panted Peace, and she waved her
+hand frantically at the conductor who was lustily shouting, "All
+aboard!" and jangling the bell to hurry up any belated passengers.</p>
+
+<p>"Nearly missed it, didn't you, kids?" he said genially, as they
+clambered up the steps and the car moved slowly away toward the city.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," breathed the older girl, settling her luggage on the seat and
+sitting down beside it. "I am very glad you waited for us. We're anxious
+to get down town while our flowers are fresh."</p>
+
+<p>"Going to sell 'em?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes. You better buy a basketful. You can have a horn or a boat, and
+choose your own kind of flowers. We've got pink and yellow
+lady's-slippers, tiger lilies, Johnny-jump-ups, baby's tears, and a few
+Jack-in-the-pulpits."</p>
+
+<p>As she made her explanation, she drew aside the paper protecting her
+precious blossoms, and the man exclaimed in delight, "The woods! My,
+aren't they scrumptious? I'll take a boat. What is your price?"</p>
+
+<p>"Ten cents."</p>
+
+<p>"Ten cents? Why, child, that isn't enough! Here's a quarter. Gimme
+lady's-slippers. And say, the motorman would like one, too. He's got a
+girl. Give him something swell&mdash;a little of everything. There, that's
+right! Stick a tiger lily right in the middle and plaster up the edges
+like you did mine. Whee! ain't that gorgeous? I'll bring you the dough
+right away." Snatching up the mass of vivid colors, he dashed up the
+length of the car, thrust his head into the motorman's vestibule, and
+after a moment's conversation came back and dropped a half-dollar into
+Peace's trembling hand, saying, "That's his contribution. It's worth it.
+Why, there ain't a florist in the city who can show such beauties!"</p>
+
+<p>"Mercy!" exclaimed the bewildered Peace, looking at her money and trying
+to figure out how much more was needed for her wants. "That means a pair
+of shoes and one over. Why, Allee, if everybody would just pay like
+that, we will get through quick, won't we? But I 'xpect lots of 'em will
+try to make us take only a nickel. Just s'posing we get enough money to
+buy shoes for the whole family! Wouldn't they be s'prised? Thank you,
+Mister Conductor, and thank the motorman, too. We would like to know his
+girl. Does she ever ride on his car and do you s'pose he would bring
+her over to play with us some day? We'd meet her at the end of the line.
+Or maybe she is too big for us."</p>
+
+<p>The conductor laughed in boyish delight, "Yes, I am afraid she is too
+big. In fact, she is quite a lady&mdash;" Here the car stopped for
+passengers, and their new friend went out on the platform where he
+stayed most of the time until they reached the heart of the city. But as
+he helped them off the car at the busy corner nearest Cameron's Shoe
+Store, he said, "If I was you, I would go right over there in the door
+of that big building. I think you can sell all the flowers you have."</p>
+
+<p>So they took up their stand as he had suggested, and waited for
+customers; but though many passers-by idly wondered at the odd little
+figures so overhung with birch bark trifles, no one stopped to inquire
+their business until a big, burly policeman, who had been watching the
+wistful, almost frightened little faces, strolled up to them and kindly
+asked, "Are you lost, little girls?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, sir," promptly responded Peace, jerking aside the cover of her
+basket and briskly beginning to fill one of the birch bark canoes
+hitched to Allee's dress. "We are selling flowers. Would you like a
+chance to buy some that grew in the real woods? We've got money enough
+now for three shoes, but we need three more to have enough to go around.
+They are only ten cents each unless you want to pay more, but we won't
+sell them for a nickel."</p>
+
+<p>Seeing the blue-coated officer talking with such odd little waifs, a
+crowd had quickly gathered about the trio, and a host of friendly voices
+echoed the policeman's hearty laugh at the jumbled recital.</p>
+
+<p>"I'll take one," shouted a fashionably dressed man, elbowing his way to
+the front. "Give me a horn and fill it up with those little pansies. I
+haven't seen any of them since I was a kid."</p>
+
+<p>"Those are Johnny-jump-ups," responded Peace gravely, detaching a horn
+from Allee's gown and heaping it up with the tiny flowers. "It's ten
+cents or more."</p>
+
+<p>He laughed. "How much does 'or more' mean?"</p>
+
+<p>"Much as you think they're worth. They came from the woods, you know."</p>
+
+<p>"And you think that makes them more valuable&mdash;worth more, I mean?" And
+he dropped a shining dollar into the small, brown hand.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, yes! City folks can't often get wild flowers, my tramp says, and
+they ought to be glad for a chance to pay high for them."</p>
+
+<p>The crowd shouted, and the policeman ventured to ask, "So you think lots
+of the woods, do you?"</p>
+
+<p>"You bet!" was the emphatic reply. "It's next best to heaven. Just
+s'posing the whole world was made up of these great, high, dirty
+houses, without any woods or flowers or trees anywhere. Wouldn't it be
+dreadful?" The dismal picture she painted was singularly effective, and
+other purchasers gathered around, clamoring for her wares.</p>
+
+<p>"I will give you a dime for one of those pink lady's-slippers," said a
+bent, old man.</p>
+
+<p>"Here's a quarter for a spray of those white blossoms," another voice
+broke in; and very quickly the fresh, beautiful, woodland flowers
+changed hands, while the pile of coins in Peace's lap grew amazingly.</p>
+
+<p>A little, ragged, wan-looking bootblack edged through the crowd, and
+stood with wistful eyes fixed on the rapidly diminishing bouquets,
+drinking in their beauty, and wishing with all his heart that one of
+them might be his. He fingered the few pennies in his pocket longingly,
+and finally, unable to curb his desire longer, he touched Peace's arm
+and timidly faltered, "Say, lady, will ye gimme one o' them red fellers
+for a cent? I&mdash;I'd like one mighty well, and I ain't got no more money
+to spare."</p>
+
+<p>Peace lifted her big eyes to the pale, drawn, wistful face of the boy,
+possibly as old as Cherry, but no older, and a great wave of pity swept
+through her heart. "You can have it for nothing. Here, take this whole
+bunch," she said, emptying her basket and thrusting the last handful of
+gorgeous bloom into his trembling hands. "I am sorry all the birch bark
+is gone, but I am sold out. You haven't any shoes, either. Cameron's are
+selling canvas shoes today at forty-nine cents a pair. We've got lots
+more'n enough money for Cherry and Allee and me&mdash;you can have this to
+get yourself some with." And before her interested audience could
+realize what she was doing, she had selected a silver dollar from the
+jingling mass in her apron, and pressed it into the bootblack's grimy
+fist, while he stood like one turned to stone, staring at the money,
+unable to believe his senses. Then he took a step toward the little
+flower girl, but a gentleman in the throng, deeply touched by the
+unusual scene, said, "Keep it, sonny, and thank the good God for such
+sweet spirits as hers. Here is another dollar to keep it company. Better
+run home now and take a little vacation. You are sick."</p>
+
+<p>Then how the men cheered! And to Peace's utter bewilderment, one tall,
+dignified old gentleman, whose face looked strangely familiar, slipped a
+shining gold coin into her hand and another into Allee's, saying
+reverently, "For the Peace which passeth understanding!"</p>
+
+<p>She sat in puzzled silence for a moment, gazing first at the glittering
+heap in her lap, and then at the sea of friendly faces about her, while
+the crowd waited in curious expectancy to hear what she had to say. Her
+lips opened once or twice as if to speak, then closed again; but at last
+she said simply, "You've paid lots better'n I thought you would, and
+not a single once has anyone tried to buy a boat for a nickel. I&mdash;I wish
+we could have brought you the whole woods, birds and all. You would have
+liked it better. I b'lieve I said 'thank you' to every one who has
+bought any flowers, but if I did forget, Allee hasn't. That was to be
+her part&mdash;just to say 'thank you,' so folks would know we had some
+manners and were glad to have you buy. But somehow, it feels
+here"&mdash;putting her hand over her heart&mdash;"as if that wasn't enough, and
+so we will sing you a little song&mdash;that is, Allee will sing, and I'll
+whistle. I can't really sing anything, Faith says, 'cept the tune the
+old cow died on. But Mike taught me how to whistle, and our minister
+says I do real well for a girl. I tried to think of some thankful song
+to sing, but I can't remember a one just now, so we'll sing a lullabye.
+Are you ready, Allee?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes."</p>
+
+<p>"Then begin!" Peace puckered her rosy lips, Allee opened her baby mouth,
+and this is the song they sang:</p>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"Baby-bye, bye-oh-bye,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Baby-bye, baby-bye,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Mother's darling, don't you cry,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Close your eyes for night is nigh;<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Baby-bye, oh, baby,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Baby-bye, oh, bye."<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>"Amen," said Peace reverently. "Now we are going to Cameron's Shoe Store
+for canvas shoes. What size do you s'pose a girl two years older'n I
+would wear? I forgot to ask Cherry."</p>
+
+<p>"The clerk will know," suggested someone; and the crowd went their
+separate ways with smiles on their lips, while the two odd, childish
+figures trudged around the corner to Cameron's Shoe Store to make their
+important purchases. An obliging young man fitted the little feet with
+the precious canvas slippers, and sent them away rejoicing with a pair
+for Cherry, promising to exchange them for others if they failed to fit.</p>
+
+<p>"Now we'll go home," said Peace, as they stepped out onto the sidewalk
+again. "Won't Gail and Faith be s'prised? I guess we've got 'most money
+enough left to get shoes for the whole family after all. Well, sir, if
+they haven't changed those cars since we went into the shoe store! We
+came down on a big yellow one that said, 'Twentieth Avenue North' on it,
+and here they are running two little bits of cars hitched together that
+say, 'Onion Depot!'" Peace employed the phonetic method of pronouncing
+words, and to her young eyes u-n-i-o-n was easily <i>onion</i>.</p>
+
+<p>"What are you going to do about it?" asked puzzled Allee.</p>
+
+<p>"Sit down here on the sidewalk and wait till they change them back
+again," was the reply; and Peace plumped herself down in a bunch on the
+curbing to watch for the yellow car which did not come. One hour dragged
+by,&mdash;two, three. Allee was getting restless. Dinner hour had long since
+passed, and she was very hungry. "It's getting pretty late, I guess,"
+she ventured at last. "When do you s'pose the car will come?"</p>
+
+<p>"I s'pect there's been a fire somewhere and stopped it. That happened
+once when Gail was in town."</p>
+
+<p>"Maybe we better start to walk, then," quavered the little voice. "I am
+tired of sitting here, and Gail will fret if we don't come pretty
+quick."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, perhaps we better&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Peace Greenfield! What on earth are you doing here?"</p>
+
+<p>The two children flew to their feet with a cry of relief, "Oh, Mrs.
+Grinnell, our car is never coming!"</p>
+
+<p>"No, I guess it won't on these tracks," she replied grimly, guessing
+from the children's appearance something of the truth. "Does your mother
+or Gail know you are here? Pile in and ride home with me. Like as not
+your folks are half crazy with fright."</p>
+
+<p>So the weary duet climbed thankfully into the buggy and were driven
+safely back to Parker, where they were met by four white-faced sisters
+and a swarm of anxious neighbors.</p>
+
+<p>"Got shoes for the whole outfit!" cried Peace by way of greeting; "and
+if Cherry's don't fit, the clerk said bring 'em back and he'd change
+'em. We've sold all our flowers, and one man gave each of us some funny
+yellow quarters&mdash;or I guess they are half dollars. It says on one side,
+'Five D.' and I suppose that means five dimes, doesn't it? Why, Gail,
+what are you crying for? I sh'd think you'd laugh to think there are
+three pair of shoes already bought, and money enough for the rest of
+you."</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V</h2>
+
+<h3>SACKCLOTH AND ASHES</h3>
+
+
+<p>Just at dusk one cold, rainy night late in August, a shabby, weary, wet,
+old man plodded through the dripping woods, across the stone bridge, and
+up the road toward Parker. He had come a long way through mud and
+moisture, and was very tired, yet the first three farmhouses he passed
+by with scarcely a glance. But as he neared the fourth one, he eagerly
+scanned the place as if familiar with its surroundings, and listened
+intently for the sound of voices, seeming disappointed at the result,
+for apparently not a creature was stirring indoors or out. Not even old
+Towzer came to challenge him as he unlatched the gate and approached the
+house, and not a ray of light shone out into the darkness from window or
+door, though it was yet early evening. The place was as silent as a
+grave. Puzzled, the man made a circuit of the cottage, but neither saw
+nor heard anything of the occupants.</p>
+
+<p>"I wonder what has happened," he thought to himself. "Guess I won't
+knock, it might scare them if they have gone to bed. Maybe they are away
+visiting. I will just slip into the barn and go to bed in the hay. Lucky
+I had a big dinner, I am not in the least hungry now, and if they are
+at home I can get breakfast here in the morning&mdash;I guess."</p>
+
+<p>He had tramped many long miles since dawn, trying to reach this town
+before nightfall, and was so worn out with his exertions that he fell
+asleep almost as soon as he had burrowed a comfortable bed in the
+sweet-scented hay, nor did he awake until the new day was several hours
+old. The sun was shining&mdash;he could tell that from the bright light in
+the barn, but it was not the sunshine which had awakened him.</p>
+
+<p>The first thing he was conscious of as he opened his eyes to unfamiliar
+surroundings was the sound of voices close by, and the patter of feet on
+the loose boards overhead. Cautiously he lifted himself on his elbow and
+looked about him, but at first he saw only an untidy confusion of garden
+tools, boxes, bags and other truck, piled promiscuously about wherever
+space would accommodate them. Then as his eyes became more accustomed to
+the light, he discovered a slender, brown-haired girl in a faded, dingy,
+calico gown huddled on top of a pile of empty grain sacks in the darkest
+corner of the barn. Her face was turned from him, but from her attitude
+and the sound of an occasional sniff, he judged that she had been
+crying. Her companion on the rafters overhead was out of range of his
+vision; but as she scrambled noisily over the loose board floor, which
+extended only half way across the building, he could catch a glimpse of
+red now and then, and once a bare, brown foot appeared in view, but that
+was all. Not daring to make his presence known for fear of frightening
+the two sisters, he drew silently back into his hiding place to await
+their departure.</p>
+
+<p>Sniff, sniff, sniff! The slender shoulders of the girl in the corner
+began to heave, and she buried her face deeper among the grain sacks.
+Silence on the rafters for a brief moment; then a voice said severely,
+"'F I was you, Faith Greenfield, I'd stop crying and go into the house
+and help Gail. She is trying to do the washing herself so's to save
+money."</p>
+
+<p>"'F I was you, Peace Greenfield," was the tart reply, "I'd try to mind
+my business once in a while, and not be forever poking my nose into
+other folks' affairs."</p>
+
+<p>"Guess this is my affair as much as 'tis yours!" answered Peace sharply,
+and the listener in the hay below fancied there was the suggestion of a
+sob in her voice.</p>
+
+<p>"It's none of your affair if I want to come out here by myself, but you
+can't even let me alone here. You are always snooping around to see what
+I am doing."</p>
+
+<p>"I am <i>not</i> snooping!" was the indignant denial. "I'm hunting eggs for
+breakfast, and I was here first, 'cause I saw you come in bawling."</p>
+
+<p>"Bawling!" Faith leaped to her feet in wild fury. "You know well enough
+why I am crying. You would be crying, too, if you cared like I do."</p>
+
+<p>"I can cry with my heart without stopping to cry with my eyes," Peace
+answered soberly. "I haven't time to sit down and bawl. Someone's got to
+run errands and help Gail. S'posing we all sat up and cried all the time
+like you are doing. Who would get breakfast and dinner and supper, I'd
+like to know? And who would 'tend to the work?"</p>
+
+<p>"Who wants any breakfast or dinner or supper? I am sure I don't! I
+haven't the heart to eat. I <i>can't</i> eat!"</p>
+
+<p>"Dr. Bainbridge told us we must, and so did Mr. Strong; and he told us
+to keep busy, too. It helps you to forget the ache if you work."</p>
+
+<p>"Forget! You don't care; that's why&mdash;" There was a sudden movement on
+the rafters above, and an egg came hurtling through the barn, smashing
+on the wall close by Faith's head&mdash;so close that a shower of little
+yellow spatters flew over her face and dress. "Peace Greenfield!"</p>
+
+<p>"You haven't got half what you deserve," said a tense, hard voice from
+above. "I ought to have slung the whole batch, even if we'd had to go
+without breakfast. I'd like to know how <i>you</i> can tell whether you care
+more than the rest of us. You think you are the only one that knows how
+to be sorry."</p>
+
+<p>There was a sudden silence&mdash;deep, ominous, it seemed to the man in the
+hay, and he ventured to peep out at the combatants, but all he saw was
+Faith standing rigid and white-faced in the corner. When she spoke, her
+voice was frigid in its intensity.</p>
+
+<p>"Come down from those beams, Peace Greenfield, and take the rest of
+those eggs to the house!"</p>
+
+<p>"I am coming down as fast as I can," began Peace's voice, equally
+frigid. Then there was a sound of ripping, a dreadful clatter, a dull
+thud, and Faith rushed forward with the agonized scream, "Oh, Peace,
+Peace, are you hurt? I am sorry I was ugly! You <i>do</i> care! Open your
+eyes, Peace! Oh-h-h-h!"</p>
+
+<p>The tramp started up in dismay, to behold Peace huddled in a heap at the
+foot of the ladder, with frantic Faith bending over her. Before he had
+stepped from the haymow, however, there was a rush of feet from without,
+and four frightened girls dashed into the barn, followed by a tall,
+young man in clerical garb; and the shabby figure slunk back into his
+hiding place without making his presence known.</p>
+
+<p>"What's the matter?"</p>
+
+<p>"How did it happen?"</p>
+
+<p>"Is she dead?"</p>
+
+<p>"Run for the doctor!" cried the excited voices.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, Gail, I've killed her, I've killed her!" sobbed Faith.</p>
+
+<p>"Stand back, girls," quietly commanded the minister, pushing the
+trembling quartette almost roughly aside. "Let me examine her. Perhaps
+she is only&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"I'm every bit all right," exclaimed Peace crossly, winking her brown
+eyes dazedly. "The fall <i>stunted</i> me, I guess. I lit on my head. So did
+the eggs. Mercy me! What a mess!"</p>
+
+<p>"But look at her face!" wailed frightened and penitent Faith. "She has
+turned black, and so have her hands!"</p>
+
+<p>She certainly <i>had</i> changed her color.</p>
+
+<p>At Faith's despairing cry, the victim of the fall raised one of her
+brown hands and looked at it fixedly; then said briefly, "That's ashes.
+It's on my face, too. It will wash off, won't it?"</p>
+
+<p>Without reply, the minister lifted her to her feet and drew her into the
+doorway where the sunlight fell upon her. The sisters looked at the
+grotesque picture, and exclamations of horror and dismay burst from
+their lips.</p>
+
+<p>"Peace, what have you done to yourself?"</p>
+
+<p>"Are you sick?"</p>
+
+<p>"What have you got on?"</p>
+
+<p>She presented a strange appearance, truly, draped in dirty, ragged
+burlap, with face, hands and hair covered with ashes, and smeared from
+head to foot with broken eggs and bits of eggshell.</p>
+
+<p>The tramp hid his face in the hay to stifle his chuckles, the minister
+covered his twitching lips with his hands, but the little group of
+sisters gazed at the apparition with only horror in their eyes.</p>
+
+<p>Then, to everyone's amazement, Peace began to cry. In an instant Gail
+had slipped her arms around her, and had drawn the brown head down on
+her shoulder, where for a moment the child sobbed heartbrokenly. Then,
+with a mighty gulp, she swallowed back her grief and explained, "I heard
+Hope reading about the people who put on ash-cloth and sashes&mdash;I mean
+sackcloth and ashes whenever any one of their family died, so's the
+angels would let the soul into heaven. No one did that when papa
+died&mdash;and we don't know whether he ever got to heaven or not&mdash;but he's a
+man and could take care of himself, s'posing he didn't get in. With
+mother it's different, though. She's a ninvalid, and I couldn't bear to
+think of her outside the gates all alone with none of us to take care of
+her&mdash;so I put on potato sacks&mdash;that's sackcloth, ain't it?&mdash;and ashes.
+The eggs got there by mistake. They were whole when I began to climb
+down that ladder."</p>
+
+<p>The picture was so ludicrous, the explanation so piteous, that between
+their wild desire to laugh and the stronger desire to cry, it was a
+hysterical group who closed in once more about the grotesque little
+figure, while the earnest-hearted, sympathetic young preacher swept away
+Peace's fears, and gave her the comfort and assurance she sought.</p>
+
+<p>"Sackcloth and ashes were merely outward signs of mourning for nations
+in ages past," he told her. "It didn't help anyone get into heaven. It
+didn't even show how great were their sorrow and grief; and when people
+came to realize that, they ceased to follow the custom. God knows how
+sorrowful we are, for He can read our very thoughts. It doesn't need
+sackcloth and ashes to carry our loved ones home, dear. They lived good,
+noble, true lives in His sight while they were here on earth, and now He
+has taken them home&mdash;inside the Gates&mdash;to live with Him always."</p>
+
+<p>"You are sure?" hiccoughed Peace.</p>
+
+<p>"Perfectly sure! The Bible tells us so."</p>
+
+<p>"Where? I want to see for myself."</p>
+
+<p>He drew a worn Testament from his pocket, turned to the Fourteenth
+Chapter of St. John, and slowly, impressively read those beautiful
+words, "In my Father's house are many mansions," explaining his
+understanding of the passage so clearly, so comfortingly that finally
+the tears were dried and the aching hearts soothed.</p>
+
+<p>At length the grief-stricken company repaired to the house for their
+belated breakfast, while the tramp, touched to the quick by the pathos
+of the scene he had just witnessed, made his way across the fields and
+through the woods, leaving only a crumpled ten-dollar bill among the
+grain sacks to tell of his visit.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI</h2>
+
+<h3>THANKSGIVING DAY AT THE BROWN HOUSE</h3>
+
+
+<p>"Gail!"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, dear."</p>
+
+<p>Peace stood at the kitchen window looking out into the winter twilight,
+heavy with falling snow, but as she spoke, she turned her back on the
+scene without, and walked over to the table where the oldest sister was
+busy kneading bread. "Are we going to have turkey for tomorrow? It's
+Thanksgiving Day, you know."</p>
+
+<p>"We can't afford turkey, Peace."</p>
+
+<p>"Chicken, then?"</p>
+
+<p>"No."</p>
+
+<p>"But we keep chickens ourselves, Gail! I'll kill one for you if it's
+just 'cause you can't chop its head off."</p>
+
+<p>A smile flashed across Gail's sweet, care-worn face. "It isn't that,
+dear. We can't spare any. All our extra roosters we used for broth
+when&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, I know," interrupted the smaller sister hastily. "But haven't we
+got a tough old hen that isn't good for anything else?"</p>
+
+<p>Again Gail smiled, but answered patiently, "I am afraid not, Peace. All
+our hens are laying now, and eggs mean money. We can't afford to kill
+them."</p>
+
+<p>"Can't we buy one?"</p>
+
+<p>"There is no money."</p>
+
+<p>"Have you used up all we made selling flowers?"</p>
+
+<p>"That went long ago."</p>
+
+<p>"And the bill we found in the barn?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, dear. We don't know whose that is, or where it came from. Someone
+may come along and claim it one of these days."</p>
+
+<p>"I don't see how anyone could have <i>lost</i> that money in the barn, Gail.
+It was <i>pinned</i> down to the grain sacks with a real pin. Folks don't
+carry bills around in their pockets with pins in them; and s'posing they
+did, if the bills dropped out of their pockets, they wouldn't up and pin
+<i>themselves</i> onto gateposts and grain sacks. Someone must have left them
+for us to use. First I thought it was my tramp, and that maybe he was a
+prince in disgust"&mdash;she meant disguise&mdash;"but now I think it was Mr.
+Strong, even if he did say he had nothing to do with it."</p>
+
+<p>"Peace! Did you ask him again, after I told you not to mention it?"</p>
+
+<p>"N-o, not ezackly. I just wrote it on a piece of paper and he did the
+same. You never said I mustn't <i>write</i> it, Gail."</p>
+
+<p>"What did you write?" asked Gail, faintly.</p>
+
+<p>"I just said&mdash;well, here's the paper. I kept it 'cause he is such a
+pretty writer."</p>
+
+<p>She drew a crumpled scrap out of her pocket, smoothed it out carefully,
+and passed it over to Gail. At the top of the page in Peace's childish
+scrawl were scribbled these words, "Didn't you reely put that muny in
+our barn?" Below, in Mr. Strong's firm, flowing handwriting, was the
+answer, "I reely didn't." "Are you purfickly shure you aint lying just
+to be plite?" was the next question. "Purfickly shure." "Cross your
+heart?" "Cross my heart."</p>
+
+<p>Silently Gail dropped the slip back onto the table and fell to moulding
+her biscuit vigorously, biting her lips to hide a telltale smile.</p>
+
+<p>Peace watched her for a time and then began again, "Are we going to have
+meat of any kind tomorrow?"</p>
+
+<p>"I am afraid not, dear."</p>
+
+<p>"What&mdash;what do you 'xpect to have?"</p>
+
+<p>"Just potatoes and cabbage and beets, I guess."</p>
+
+<p>"It will seem kind of hard to be thankful for such a dinner as that,
+won't it?" sighed Peace.</p>
+
+<p>"There are lots of people in the city who won't have that much&mdash;unless
+the churches and Associated Charities give them dinners."</p>
+
+<p>"I wish someone would give <i>us</i> a turkey. I could be lots thankfuller
+over a drumstick than over a cabbage leaf or a beet pickle."</p>
+
+<p>"That isn't the right spirit, dear," remonstrated Gail, wondering how
+she could clinch her argument with this small sister. "Thanksgiving Day
+was created so we might have a special day to thank the Lord for the
+blessings He has given us during the year&mdash;food and clothing and home
+and family."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, teacher told us all about that, but seems to me people ought to
+give thanks every day instead of saving them up for a whole year and
+praying them all in a lump."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, Peace! I didn't mean that. People do thank Him every day. Don't we
+always say grace when we sit down at the table? But Thanksgiving Day is
+a special time for giving thanks. It is in the fall after the crops are
+all in, and the barns are full of hay and grain, and the cellars filled
+with vegetables; and we thank Him for the good harvests."</p>
+
+<p>"S'posing the harvests ain't good? We didn't get much off from our farm
+this year. I am tired already of turnips and carrots."</p>
+
+<p>"What if we had no vegetables at all?"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, that would be worser, wouldn't it? I s'pose we ought to be glad
+for even that."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, dear; there is always something to give thanks for. Suppose you
+take a piece of paper and write out all the things you have to be
+thankful for this year."</p>
+
+<p>The idea was a novel one to Peace, and after a moment of debate, she
+searched out pencil and tablet, drew up an old hassock beside a chair,
+which she used as her table, and laboriously began to compile her list
+of thankfuls. She finished her task just as Gail announced the supper
+hour, and dropped the sheet, scribbled full of crooked letters, into the
+mending basket, where Gail found it that evening when the three little
+sisters were fast asleep in their beds. Hope was busy with her lessons
+and Faith sat listlessly in front of the wheezy organ, idly playing
+snatches of melody. So Gail spread the paper out on the table and read
+with reverent eyes what Peace had written from the depths of her heart:</p>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>"I am thankful cause my tramp didn't burn us up with his matches.</p>
+
+<p>"Dito (dito means I am thankful and its lots shorter to rite) cause
+of the muny pined to the gatepost and granesaks in the barn, but I'd
+be more thankful if Gale would spend it.</p>
+
+<p>"I am thankful cause Mr. Strong says our 2 angels got inside the
+gates all right.</p>
+
+<p>"Dito cause there ain't any more of us angels.</p>
+
+<p>"Dito cause Hector Abbott got licked for teezing lame Jenny
+Munn&mdash;his name just fits him.</p>
+
+<p>"Dito cause Mr. Strong is our preecher&mdash;he's got some sense.</p>
+
+<p>"Dito for his wife.</p>
+
+<p>"Dito for Towzer. He's a good dog.</p>
+
+<p>"Dito for all the rest of our family.</p>
+
+<p>"Dito cause we have some shoes to wear this winter.</p>
+
+<p>"Dito cause for carrots and beets and turnips and cabbige and
+potatoes. They don't take the place of turkey, but they are good
+vittles.</p>
+
+<p>"Dito for the hens that lay eggs so we cant kill them for
+Thanksgiving dinner.</p>
+
+<p>"Dito for the eggs. They meen muny, Gale says.</p>
+
+<p>"Dito for the hot biskits we are going to have for supper.</p>
+
+<p>"Dito cause this paper wont hold any more. My hand akes.</p>
+
+<p>"Amen. Peace Greenfield."</p></div>
+
+<p>For a long moment Gail sat with tear-dimmed eyes fixed on the queer list
+before her; then she reverently tucked the badly-written sheet away
+among her treasures, and in her heart offered up a little prayer of
+thanksgiving for the blessed gift of so many sisters.</p>
+
+<p>Thanksgiving Day dawned clear and cold upon a world of dazzling
+whiteness, and with the first ray of the sun, Peace flew out of bed,
+scrambling into her clothes with such eager haste that Cherry opened her
+eyes and demanded, "What are you hurrying for? The house is cold as a
+barn. Gail slept late this morning, and the fire can't be more than
+beginning to burn."</p>
+
+<p>"Huh, I don't care! It snowed last night, and I'm going out to shovel,"
+was the scornful reply. "If you want a chance to help, you will have to
+hurry."</p>
+
+<p>Allee scrambled out from the warm blankets, but Cherry snuggled down
+closer in the pillows with a contented grunt, and was soon lost in
+slumberland again, so the two youngest sisters had the whole
+snow-covered world to themselves when they stepped out into the winter
+morning with shovel and broom.</p>
+
+<p>"Whee! Isn't this fine!" cried Peace, whirling a cloud of feathery
+flakes off the porch with one sweep. "We won't need the shovel at all,
+the snow is so light."</p>
+
+<p>Beauty-loving Allee stopped awestruck on the threshold to drink in the
+glory of the winter dawn, saying slowly, "It is&mdash;it looks like&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Ice-cream," finished Peace. "S'posing it was ice-cream and we could
+have all we wanted. Wouldn't we be a sick crowd by night?"</p>
+
+<p>The startled sister pulled on her mittens and trudged down the steps to
+work, and in a few minutes, the porches and paths were swept clean.</p>
+
+<p>"Wish there was more to do," sighed Allee, when they had finished their
+chosen task, unwilling to go indoors even for breakfast.</p>
+
+<p>"Tell you what," cried Peace, from her perch on the gatepost. "Let's go
+down to the village and sweep paths for money. Perhaps we could earn
+enough to buy a chicken."</p>
+
+<p>"All right! Where will we go?"</p>
+
+<p>"Judge Abbott will pay us, I'm sure, and Mr. Strong would hire us, too,
+if he hasn't swept his own walks. Maybe Lute Dunbar isn't home yet and
+we can get their paths."</p>
+
+<p>Without further discussion they sped away to town, dragging their brooms
+behind them. But here disappointment awaited the small toilers, for at
+nearly every house some enterprising soul had already cleared away the
+light snow.</p>
+
+<p>"Lute Dunbar must be at home, I guess," sighed Peace, when she beheld
+the neat paths circling that house; "and Mr. Strong has swept his whole
+yard, looks like. Well, Judge Abbott's porch is all covered yet. Hector
+is lazy. We will try him."</p>
+
+<p>Marching up to the door, she knocked timidly, but to her dismay, no one
+answered, though three times she repeated the summons.</p>
+
+<p>"What shall we do, go back home?" asked Allee, visibly disappointed, for
+visions of roast chicken were very alluring to her.</p>
+
+<p>"No," answered Peace with sudden decision. "We'll sweep his paths and
+collect our pay when it is done."</p>
+
+<p>So again they fell to work making the snow fly briskly, and in a short
+time had cleared steps and walks, but apparently no one was yet stirring
+within doors.</p>
+
+<p>"Guess they are still in bed," suggested Allee. "We will have to come
+back later."</p>
+
+<p>"If we are going to have chicken for dinner we ought to get it as soon
+as possible, so's Gail can fix it, 'cause it takes hours to cook. I'm
+going to knock again and see if I can't wake someone. It's time they
+were up anyway. Rich folks do sleep an awful long time in the morning."</p>
+
+<p>Mounting the steps once more, she knocked loudly, with no result. A
+happy inspiration seized her, and picking up her broom, she tapped on
+the door with the handle. No one came.</p>
+
+<p>"I don't b'lieve that is loud enough," whispered Allee. "You'd better
+pound."</p>
+
+<p>"I think so myself," answered Peace, clutching the broom like a
+battering ram and giving the door three resounding thumps that shook the
+house from cellar to garret, and sounded like the booming of a cannon.</p>
+
+<p>"Try it again," urged impatient Allee, and again the broom struck the
+panels with thunderous force, once, twice&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>The door burst open with sudden fury, and an angry-faced man in a long
+bathrobe confronted the paralyzed children with the fierce demand, "What
+in creation do you want?"</p>
+
+<p>"It&mdash;it's time to get up," stammered Peace. "I mean, it&mdash;it snowed last
+night. I mean, we've swep' your walks off. We s'posed you'd be glad to
+pay us for our trouble."</p>
+
+<p>"Well!" ejaculated the man, too much surprised for further speech.</p>
+
+<p>"We've swep' real clean&mdash;better than Hector ever does."</p>
+
+<p>"Well!" repeated the Judge, an amused gleam in his eyes chasing away the
+angry frown. "How much do I owe you, Peace? You are Peace Greenfield,
+are you not?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir. A quarter will do, I think. The snow was very light, but
+you've got lots of porch and walk."</p>
+
+<p>"That's a fact, we have. Here is a quarter for you, and many thanks for
+your good work."</p>
+
+<p>"You are much obliged," she answered gravely, mixing her pronouns in her
+haste to slip the coin inside her damp mitten. "I wish you a merry
+Thanksgiving."</p>
+
+<p>With a whoop of delight she bounded down the steps, snatched Allee's
+hand, and rushed away up the street to the butcher shop for their
+chicken, never pausing for breath until she had dropped the money onto
+the counter before the astonished proprietor, who was making ready to
+close his shop for the day. "A quarter's worth of chicken, Mr. Jones,"
+she panted. "I was afraid you would be gone before we could collect from
+the Judge."</p>
+
+<p>"Sorry, Peace," answered the astonished man, "but I haven't any chickens
+as small as that."</p>
+
+<p>"Haven't you a cheap old hen?" she faltered, almost too disappointed to
+speak.</p>
+
+<p>"No, I am afraid not."</p>
+
+<p>"And you can't sell me a <i>piece</i> of chicken?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, we never do that, either."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, dear," sighed Allee. "We swep' that walk all for nothing!"</p>
+
+<p>But Peace's bright eyes had caught sight of a tall, wooden bucket on the
+counter, and now she demanded, "Is that oysters?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, jimdandies."</p>
+
+<p>"That's next best to chicken. I'll take a quarter's worth of them. We
+will have a Thanksgiving after all, Allee."</p>
+
+<p>Bearing the precious burden carefully in her arms, Peace was hurrying
+down the street toward home, followed by the happy Allee trailing the
+two old brooms, when they were halted by an excited, boyish voice,
+screaming lustily, "Peace, oh Peace! Wait a minute! I've got something
+for you."</p>
+
+<p>She stopped short in the snow and waited impatiently for the boy to
+overtake her, more interested in her bucket of oysters than in the
+prospect of a gift from him; but as he drew near, she saw he carried two
+white, furry bundles, and her eyes grew bright with anticipation.</p>
+
+<p>"Surely not your bunnies, Bryan?" she gasped.</p>
+
+<p>"Yep! We are going to move back to the city on Monday, and papa said I
+must leave these here. They will starve with no one to take care of
+them, and you always thought they were so pretty, I decided to give them
+to you&mdash;that is, if you want them."</p>
+
+<p>"Want them? Oh, Bryan, they are the cutest things! I like pets and never
+have had any all of my very own, 'cept the chicken Mr. Hardman stole.
+Give one to Allee, and I will carry the other. Tuck your broom under
+your arm, Allee, and give me mine. There! I'm awful glad you brought
+them to us, Bryan. We will take real good care of them."</p>
+
+<p>Once more the sisters trudged on their way, happily excited and eager to
+show their new possessions to the family at home.</p>
+
+<p>"Gobble, gobble, gobble!"</p>
+
+<p>Allee screamed, dropped her broom and almost let go of the little white
+rabbit in her fear. "Oh, Peace, he's after us again and we can't run!"</p>
+
+<p>"Maybe he won't touch us if we don't look at him," began the older
+sister; but the old gobbler, with ruffled feathers and wattles flaming,
+came straight toward them, and Peace stopped with a jerk.</p>
+
+<p>"Drop your bunny in my skirt, Allee, grab that broom and hit the gobbler
+over the head. Mr. Hardman said to do that whenever he bothered us and
+he would soon get tired of it." As she spoke she gathered her skirt up
+apron-fashion, and thrust both rabbits within the folds, while Allee
+snatched up the broom, according to instructions, and made ready for the
+attack.</p>
+
+<p>"Gobble, gobble, gobble!" The enemy advanced rapidly, but before he
+could strike either child the blue-eyed baby let the hard-wood stick fly
+with all her might over the fierce old head, and without another sound
+the monstrous bird crumpled up in the snow.</p>
+
+<p>"Mercy!" screamed Peace. "You've killed him! There, don't cry! Hold your
+coat for the rabbits while I tote this thing up to Hardman's house. I
+told you to hit him, but Mr. Hardman told us, too."</p>
+
+<p>Laying down her own burdens, she seized the heavy turkey by the neck and
+dragged it up the path to the door of the green house. "Here's your old
+bird," she chattered, when Mr. Hartman answered her knock. "He'll never
+gobble again! We hit him over the head, just as you told us to, and he
+laid right down and died. But we never meant to kill him. If you chop
+his head off right away, he will be good to eat yet, for we just now
+finished him. 'F I had the money, I'd pay for him, just so's we could
+have a Thanksgiving dinner over at our house, but I spent all I had for
+oysters, and, besides, I s'pose likely you would charge more'n a quarter
+for him. You told us to hit him, you know."</p>
+
+<p>With never a word of reply, the dazed man dragged the carcass into the
+house and shut the door, leaving Peace glaring indignantly after him.
+"Well, that's manners," she finally sputtered, and stamped angrily away
+to help Allee home with her load.</p>
+
+<p>"Here are some oysters," she announced, depositing the paper bucket on
+the kitchen table.</p>
+
+<p>"We earned them shoveling Judge Abbott's porches off. And here are Bryan
+Tenney's rabbits. He has given them to us for keeps."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, you can march them straight back," declared Faith, with energy.
+"Where do you expect to keep rabbits on this place?"</p>
+
+<p>"In a box of hay in the barn. We may keep them, mayn't we, Gail?"</p>
+
+<p>"They will die of cold," protested Faith.</p>
+
+<p>"We won't let them. There are lots of gunny sacks we can cover over the
+box until it gets warmer."</p>
+
+<p>"They will dig the whole farm up and spoil the garden when spring
+comes."</p>
+
+<p>Gail was perplexed. How could she refuse the children's eager eyes? Yet
+clearly they could not keep the little animals. There were scarcely
+enough vegetables in the cellar to last the family until the winter
+months were over, let alone feeding a pair of hungry rabbits.</p>
+
+<p>While she hesitated, Hope entered the room, and with a cry of rapture,
+she snatched up one pink-nosed bunny and hid her face in its fur,
+exclaiming, "Oh, you darlings! Are they yours, Peace? We will fix up
+that old, big box in Black Prince's stall and they will be as cosy as
+babies. What shall you call them?"</p>
+
+<p>"Winkum and Blinkum," was the prompt answer. "Their noses are never
+still. Shall we fix up the box right now?" The four younger sisters
+gathered up the rabbits and departed for the barn. The question was
+settled to their satisfaction, at least.</p>
+
+<p>In the meantime, at the Hartman house the gentle little wife was busily
+plucking the mammoth gobbler, while Mr. Hartman stood idly by the
+kitchen window, gazing out into the winter sunshine. But his thoughts
+were not idle, and when at length the great bird was stripped clean, he
+turned to the woman and said, "What are we going to do with the thing?
+If they had just killed it before we dressed one for ourselves&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Better take it over to them. It's too late to dispose of it to the
+butcher, and I am afraid they will have a pretty slim dinner. Mrs.
+Grinnell thinks they are badly pinched for money."</p>
+
+<p>"Sho, now, Myra Ann! It's just because they don't know how to manage.
+They've got one of the best farms in this part of the country."</p>
+
+<p>"It's mortgaged, and you have the mortgage."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, but with proper handling they ought to clear that off easily."</p>
+
+<p>"They had to sell Black Prince&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"And got a fancy price for him, too. That alone would pretty nearly have
+paid the mortgage. If they are hard up, it's their own fault."</p>
+
+<p>"Mrs. Grinnell is in position to know if anyone does. The mother's
+sickness must have been terribly costly, and now they are orphans. They
+are in a bad way, I feel sure, and this turkey would come in mighty
+handy."</p>
+
+<p>He offered no further arguments, but a few moments later, when Gail
+answered a knock at the kitchen door, she found their neighbor standing
+there with the turkey in his arms. Almost too surprised to understand,
+she accepted his offering, and he was gone before she could stammer out
+her thanks.</p>
+
+<p>Then how they bustled in the little brown house, preparing such a dinner
+as they had seldom eaten before, oyster dressing, creamed carrots,
+mashed potatoes, gravy, and&mdash;the height of extravagance&mdash;cake and
+custard, such as only Faith could make. Oh, but that was a dinner!
+Nevertheless, as the six hungry girls gathered around the table full of
+dainties their faces were sober at the sight of the two empty chairs in
+the corner, and each heart bled afresh for the mother who had left them
+only a few short months before.</p>
+
+<p>Seeing the shadow in the eyes of her sisters, and feeling depressed by
+the abrupt silence, Gail sought to make the sun shine again by
+remarking, "I am thankful for so many things, I hardly know which to put
+first; but I think I will call it friends. That will include them all."</p>
+
+<p>Faith dropped her eyes and made no attempt to speak.</p>
+
+<p>Perceiving this, Hope, with hardly a pause, began, "I am thankful for
+this beautiful day. The world was so spotless and white when we woke, it
+seemed like angels' wings had covered up all the sin."</p>
+
+<p>"I'm thankful we have enough to eat and wear," said Cherry. "There is a
+family with seven children just moved into that tumble-down old house on
+the next road, and they look starved to death, to say nothing of the
+rags and patches they wear."</p>
+
+<p>Peace was busily engaged in "being thankful over a drumstick," but as
+Cherry ceased speaking, she lifted her round eyes from her plate, and
+stopped chewing long enough to say, "I am thankful my nose doesn't
+twitch all the time like my rabbit's, that my ears don't grow out of the
+top of my head, and that I don't have to hop with both feet wherever I
+want to go."</p>
+
+<p>Five knives and forks fell to the table with a clatter, five napkins
+flew simultaneously to as many faces, and five voices shrieked out a
+chorus of mirth.</p>
+
+<p>It was Thanksgiving Day at the little brown house.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII</h2>
+
+<h3>PEACE SURPRISES THE LADIES' AID</h3>
+
+
+<p>"Girls, here are some eggs to be delivered," said Gail one snowy
+December day as Cherry and Peace came stamping in from school. "One
+basket goes to Judge Abbott's, and the other to Dr. Bainbridge's."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, Gail," cried two protesting voices, "this is the afternoon we were
+to gather evergreens in the woods for decorating the church. The bazaar
+begins tomorrow. You promised we might go."</p>
+
+<p>"I had forgotten," murmured Gail. "I am sorry, but the eggs must be
+delivered before night."</p>
+
+<p>"Why can't Hope go this once?"</p>
+
+<p>"She is taking care of the Edwards baby."</p>
+
+<p>"Where is Faith?"</p>
+
+<p>"In bed with a headache."</p>
+
+<p>"She <i>always</i> has a headache when there are errands to be done."</p>
+
+<p>"Peace!"</p>
+
+<p>"Those houses are the furthest apart in town. Dr. Bainbridge lives at
+one end of the street and the Judge at the other."</p>
+
+<p>"I am sorry, but eggs mean money, you know, and Christmas is coming."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, I s'pose we must," sighed Cherry.</p>
+
+<p>Peace's face brightened suddenly. "I'll tell you&mdash;let's each take a
+basket and see which can get there first. Then we'll meet at the church
+and go to the woods from there."</p>
+
+<p>"All right," agreed Cherry. "You take the Judge's and I'll take the
+Doctor's."</p>
+
+<p>So they snatched up their burdens and hurried merrily away, much to
+gentle Gail's relief, for she found it hard to disappoint these small
+sisters in their gala days.</p>
+
+<p>As far as the church the two went the way together, but here their paths
+divided, and they parted, calling back warnings to each other.</p>
+
+<p>"Be sure you wait at the church until I get there."</p>
+
+<p>"Be sure you hurry, for there isn't much time before dark, and the women
+have to finish dec'rating tonight."</p>
+
+<p>Then how they scampered down the snowy street, regardless of the frailty
+of the loads they bore!</p>
+
+<p>Peace's errand was soon done, and she was back at the little church in a
+surprisingly short time, but no Cherry was in sight anywhere; so she sat
+down on the steps to await her coming. It was snowing quite hard now,
+and the wind grew cold as the afternoon waned.</p>
+
+<p>"Seems 's if I should freeze sitting here," said the shivering child to
+herself after stamping her feet and flapping her arms like a Dutch
+windmill, in her efforts to get warm. "What can be keeping Cherry? She's
+an awfully long time tonight. I s'pose Mrs. Bainbridge has got a gabbing
+streak on and will keep her there the rest of the day listening to her.
+Cherry never can get away when folks begin talking to her. I ought to
+have gone there myself. Bet it wouldn't have taken me this long. My, but
+it's growing cold! I wonder if I can't get inside someway. I thought
+sure the ladies would be here before now, but I don't see anyone about."</p>
+
+<p>She jumped to her feet and tried the door. It was locked fast.</p>
+
+<p>"Maybe Mr. Strong is in his study and will let me stay there awhile."
+But the study door was also secure. "Well, the basement window ain't
+fastened, I know, 'cause 'twas only yesterday that Hec Abbott broke it
+with a snowball. I can crawl through that and go upstairs into the
+church."</p>
+
+<p>Scurrying around the building to the broken window, she crept cautiously
+through the sash, just big enough to admit her body; and dropped to the
+cement floor below. Considerably jarred&mdash;for the window was high in the
+wall&mdash;she gathered herself up and felt her way up the dark stairs to the
+main floor, relieved to find the hall door unlatched so she could step
+out into daylight once more.</p>
+
+<p>"Must have been someone here already," she exclaimed in surprise,
+"'cause the booths are all up and trimmed. Maybe they don't want any
+more evergreens. Well, I'll wait for Cherry and we will see then. P'raps
+some of the ladies are coming back, for the furnace is still burning."</p>
+
+<p>She made a tour of the church, admiring the pretty decorations, and
+amusing herself by climbing over the seats like a squirrel, while she
+waited for Cherry, who did not come. At length she grew tired, the rooms
+were warm and dim, and before she knew it she was becoming drowsy.</p>
+
+<p>"I'll just curl up in this old coat and rest a bit," she thought.
+"Cherry will make noise enough so I will hear when she comes." But
+before the belated sister reached the church Peace was fast asleep, and
+her ears were deaf to the trills and whistles outside. Thinking the
+younger girl had grown impatient at waiting and, regardless of her
+promise, had gone on to the woods, Cherry stopped only long enough to
+make sure that Peace was nowhere about the grounds before she hurried
+away to join her mates in evergreen gathering.</p>
+
+<p>How long Peace slept she did not know, but the sound of voices in heated
+debate roused her from her nap, and she heard Mrs. Wardlaw's sharp tones
+saying, "Well, I, for one, don't believe in getting her a suit for
+Christmas. She dresses better now than most of us can afford. We never
+had a minister's wife before who paraded the clothes she does."</p>
+
+<p>"But she came here a bride, practically," remonstrated a less
+aggressive, but just as decided a voice, which Peace recognized as Mrs.
+Bainbridge's. "They haven't been married two years yet. Brides always
+have more clothes than any other women. Nevertheless, they wear out, and
+it doesn't stand to reason that hers will last any longer than ours do."</p>
+
+<p>"She has worn at least three cloth suits since she came, besides all her
+summer finery, and two or three separate skirts. I suppose that is where
+all Brother Strong's salary goes. Stylish! Why, she is a veritable
+fashion plate!"</p>
+
+<p>"I don't see how you can say that, Mrs. Wardlaw. She certainly looks
+very neat and up to date in everything she puts on, but I can't see
+where there is any fashion plate about her. I call her a very sensible
+little woman, just the kind of a wife Brother Strong needs."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, I am not disputing how much sense she has, but I still declare
+that she has clothes enough now, without our furnishing her any more for
+Christmas."</p>
+
+<p>"That's all you know about it!" cried an indignant voice behind them,
+and both startled ladies turned hastily around to find a pair of
+flashing brown eyes glaring out from under the janitor's old coat in the
+corner, "If Mrs. Strong didn't know how to cut and sew, she would be a
+pretty ragged looking minister's wife by this time."</p>
+
+<p>Peace crawled out of her warm bed and shook an angry little finger
+accusingly at the women, who exclaimed in unison, "Peace Greenfield, how
+did you come here, and what do you want?"</p>
+
+<p>"I don't want anything. I clum in the window so's I wouldn't freeze
+while I was waiting for Cherry, and I guess I went to sleep. But I heard
+what you were saying, and it ain't so, Mrs. Waddler! Mrs. Strong hasn't
+got a lot of clothes. The parsonage burned up where they were last time,
+and 'most everything they had to wear was burned up, too. That pretty
+gray suit she had when they first came here she dyed brown after you
+upset a pot of coffee on it at the church supper that night. But the
+brown didn't color even, so she ripped it to pieces and dyed it black.
+It was all wearing out, too, so she had to put some trimming on the
+skirt to cover up the holes. I was over there and saw her do it myself.
+She cut over her wedding dress to have something nice to wear last
+summer, and all those sep'rate skirts you talk about are some of her
+sister's old ones. She hasn't spent a cent for clothes since she bought
+her straw hat, and that cost two dollars and a half. Mr. Strong told me
+so, himself. He says she's a jewel of a wife and if there were more
+women like her in the world there would be more happier homes. That's
+just what he said. Ministers don't get paid enough to keep them in
+<i>victuals</i>, hardly. I know, 'cause I am part of a minister's family, if
+papa's church in Pendennis hadn't starved him out so he got sick and had
+to stop preaching, he might not be an angel now.</p>
+
+<p>"S'posing you was a minister's wife, how would you like to have folks be
+so stingy mean to you? Wouldn't you like nice clothes to wear and good
+things to eat? I was there for supper one night last week when you
+lugged in a jug of buttermilk, Mrs. Waddler, you know you did, when you
+had promised her fresh milk. I heard you promise. Do you s'pose she
+could use buttermilk in her coffee or make custard pie out of it? She
+had told Mr. Strong that she was going to make one for his supper, and
+he was 'most as disappointed as I was when she couldn't do it.</p>
+
+<p>"Deacon Skinflint sent her some fresh eggs, too, that were so old you
+could smell 'em before the shells were broken. I told her 'twas a mercy
+he hadn't sent her chiny nest eggs, and she <i>laughed</i>! If it had been
+you, Mrs. Waddler, you'd have jawed good!"</p>
+
+<p>Peace paused for breath. Mr. Strong and his adorable little wife were
+her idols, and she could not bear to hear them slandered in any way, but
+she had forgotten herself, her manners, everything, in the defense of
+her friends; and now, realizing how rude she had been to one of these
+women confronting her, she dropped her head in shamed silence, and
+nervously twisted the skirt of her coat about her trembling hands,
+waiting for the lecture she felt that she deserved.</p>
+
+<p>To her surprise, none came; but after an awkward pause, during which
+both women were doing some hard thinking, Mrs. Wardlaw said humbly,
+"Wouldn't you like to go to Martindale with us some day next week and
+help us select material for Mrs. Strong's new suit? Maybe you would know
+what she likes better than we do, Peace."</p>
+
+<p>Peace's eyes shone with delight, but she answered mournfully, "I can't,
+I am afraid, 'cause there's school every day but Saturday, and that's
+our Sunshine Club afternoon. I know what she likes best, though. I asked
+her once what kind of cloth made the prettiest suit, and she said she
+thought longcloth did&mdash;navy blue longcloth."</p>
+
+<p>"She means broadcloth," murmured Mrs. Bainbridge under her breath.</p>
+
+<p>"Of course," smiled Mrs. Wardlaw amiably. "So you think navy blue is
+what she would prefer?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, she likes blue, and it just matches her eyes. Hasn't she got the
+bluest eyes and the goldest hair? Just like Hope's and Allee's. A silk
+waist would be nice, too. She never had but one in her life."</p>
+
+<p>At this juncture a head was thrust through the hall door and an
+imperative voice called, "Mrs. Bainbridge, the children have come back
+just loaded down with greens. Come show us where you want them and we'll
+hang them before supper time."</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII</h2>
+
+<h3>A MYSTERIOUS SANTA CLAUS</h3>
+
+
+<p>"Merry Christmas, Gail, Faith, Hope, Charity, Allee! Merry Christmas,
+everyone! My stocking has <i>something</i> in it, I can see from here. Wake
+up! Wake up! I want to look at my presents!"</p>
+
+<p>A drop of something hot struck the tip of Gail's nose, and she opened
+her sleepy eyes to find a white-robed, shivering figure shaking her
+vigorously with one hand, while in the other was a tiny, flickering
+candle, which dribbled hot wax prodigally as it was tipped about with
+reckless abandon by the excited pleader.</p>
+
+<p>"What are you doing with that lighted candle?" demanded Gail, digging
+the wax off her nose and dodging another drop. "Put it out before you
+set the house on fire. It isn't morning yet. It can't be! I have hardly
+slept at all."</p>
+
+<p>"The clock struck a long time ago," insisted Peace with chattering
+teeth, "and I counted much as five."</p>
+
+<p>"Five o'clock!" protested Gail. "Oh, surely not! Well, if it is that
+time, I suppose you can get up. Seems awfully quiet for that hour,
+though." The older sister began the process of dressing, and in a few
+moments all six girls were gathered around the roaring fire in the
+kitchen, excitedly examining the contents of their stockings, which Gail
+had painstakingly filled with homemade gifts and a little cheap candy
+from the village store,&mdash;her one Christmas extravagance.</p>
+
+<p>"Mittens!" cried Peace, investigating the first package her excited hand
+drew forth. "You knit them, didn't you, Gail? I saw Mrs. Grinnell
+teaching you how. Mine are red. Have you got some, Cherry?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, blue; and Allee's are pink. Aren't they pretty?"</p>
+
+<p>"Just see my lovely knit slippers," cried Hope, throwing her arms about
+Gail's neck and hugging her with a vim. "Where did you get all the yarn,
+sister?"</p>
+
+<p>"I found a lot in the attic," replied the oldest girl, smiling happily
+at the children's appreciation of her labor; but she did not explain
+that a gorgeous, moth-eaten, old afghan had been raveled to provide all
+those pretty things.</p>
+
+<p>"What is in your stocking, Faith?"</p>
+
+<p>The girl held up a dainty white waist, but said never a word, for she
+recognized that Gail's patient fingers had re-fashioned for her one of
+the dear mother's hoarded treasures, and her heart was too full for
+utterance.</p>
+
+<p>"I've got some handkerchiefs," called Peace again, "and a ribbon&mdash;if I
+only had some hair to tie with it! It's too wide for a band, and that's
+all I can wear&mdash;here's an apple, a penwiper and some candy. You've got
+pretty nearly the same c'lection, haven't you, Cherry, and so have Hope
+and Allee. I wonder how Mrs. Grinnell happened to give me a hair-ribbon
+when she knows that my hair ain't long enough to tie back."</p>
+
+<p>"How do you know Mrs. Grinnell gave it to you?" demanded Gail, too
+astonished to reprove her.</p>
+
+<p>"I was in there one day when she had been to Martindale, and the ribbons
+happened to be on the table all unwrapped. This was one of them. Now,
+Gail, see what Santa Claus has brought you. There's at least one thing,
+'cause&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>Cherry clapped her hand over her younger sister's mouth, and began to
+giggle. So did Gail, when she drew forth from her stocking a bulky
+potato pig with toothpicks for legs, match-heads for eyes and a dry
+woodbine tendril for a tail.</p>
+
+<p>"Who in the world made that?" she laughed, tears close to the surface,
+for she had expected nothing this Christmas day.</p>
+
+<p>"Mr. Strong," gulped Peace, dancing with delight at her sister's evident
+surprise. "Look at his back! We put a saddle on the old porker. Isn't
+that cute? It's a spandy new dollar with this year's date on it. See?"</p>
+
+<p>Gail turned the curious animal over, and sure enough, there was a
+bright, shining Goddess of Liberty, skilfully sunk in the pig's potato
+back.</p>
+
+<p>Swallowing back the lump in her throat, which threatened to choke her,
+Gail whispered, "Where did you get it, dear? The money, I mean."</p>
+
+<p>"We took up a c'lection," was the startling answer.</p>
+
+<p>"A collection!" echoed Gail.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes. You know last Sunday was Home Mission day, and the money was to be
+sent to poor ministers' families on the pioneer&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"You mean frontier," corrected Hope.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, whatever ear it was," continued Peace, serenely; "and that made
+me wonder why folks never took up c'lections for poor ministers'
+families right here among them. I asked Mr. Strong about it, and he said
+we would take up another c'lection straight away, and buy a Christmas
+present for a 'hero minister's hero mother-daughter.' He made me learn
+those words; and we got a dollar in ten cent pieces without half trying.
+I 'spect we could have raised a fortune if we'd had more time, but this
+was on our way home from school yesterday. We couldn't find anything
+pretty enough to buy here at the village, and it was too late to go to
+Martindale for it, so we changed the dimes into a dollar and put it in
+the potato pig. He said it ought to be a shining white angel, but I told
+him right away that we had angels enough in this family already, and he
+better make a horse. That is what he tried to do, but it looked so much
+like a pig when he got done that I pulled off the string tail and mane
+and put on a pig's tail, and he said it did look better. You are to use
+the money for your very own self and&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>The clock began to strike. One&mdash;two&mdash;That was all.</p>
+
+<p>"Mercy me!" ejaculated Peace, staring at the accusing faces of her
+sisters. "I truly did hear that clock strike as much as five a long time
+ago."</p>
+
+<p>"No doubt you did," laughed sunny Hope. "It struck midnight and you woke
+up in the middle of the count."</p>
+
+<p>"Let's go back to bed," suggested Gail, anxious to be alone with her
+tumultuous thoughts; and to her surprise no dissenting voice was raised,
+although as she crept once more beneath the covers of her cot, she heard
+Peace say decidedly, "I sha'n't take off <i>my</i> clothes again. Once a day
+is enough for any <i>huming</i> being to dress. Do you s'pose Santa will come
+again while we sleep?"</p>
+
+<p>It was daylight before they woke from their second nap, and as Peace
+flew out of bed once more, she cried in delight, "Oh, it's snowing
+again! Now it will seem like Christmas sure! Let's clean off the walks
+before breakfast. Gail won't let us eat our candy yet."</p>
+
+<p>She made short work of her toilette, threw on her wraps and was out of
+doors almost before Cherry had opened her eyes; but the next moment she
+came stumbling back into the house with the wild yell "Girls, girls,
+Santa Claus did come again, and left a tre-men-jus big mince pie on the
+porch&mdash;I picked a teenty hole in the top to see for sure if 'twas
+mincemeat&mdash;and a bundle of something else. Hurry up, I can't wait to
+open it! Oh, the paper fell off, and it's shoes&mdash;tennis slippers in the
+winter! Think of it! That is worse than Mrs. Grinnell's hair-ribbon,
+ain't it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Peace!" cried Gail in shocked tones, entering the kitchen with the rest
+of the family at her heels. "You should be <i>grateful</i> for the presents
+people give you and not poke fun at them."</p>
+
+<p>"I am grateful, Gail, truly. I ain't poking fun at them, honest, though
+they <i>are</i> funny presents for this time of the year. I s'pose, maybe, my
+hair will get long enough for a ribbon sometime, though Mrs. Strong says
+it is too curly to grow fast. And when summer comes, we can wear these
+slippers, if they aren't too small. They look awful little already.
+These are marked for Allee, and here are mine, and those are Cherry's.
+There aren't any for the rest of you. I s'pose the pie is for you.
+You're lucky. I would rather have the pie than the shoes."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, Peace!"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, wouldn't you? There is someone at the front door."</p>
+
+<p>Gail disappeared through the hall to answer the knock, and Peace, with
+her new shoes in her hand, slipped out of the kitchen door. "Just as I
+thought," she muttered to herself. "Mr. Hardman brought them over. He
+thinks they will make up for that money he never paid us last summer,
+but they won't. He can just have his old shoes right back again!"</p>
+
+<p>Out to the barn she marched, hunted up a scrap of paper and a pencil
+left there for just such emergencies, laboriously scribbled a note,
+which she tied to the slippers, and deposited the bundle on the Hartman
+steps, where he found it when he came out to sweep paths. "Well, I
+swan," he exclaimed, half in anger, half amused, as he picked tip the
+rejected shoes, "if she hasn't trotted them slippers back! Peace, of
+course. Let's see what she says." Carefully he untied the little slip
+and read:</p>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>"Here are your shoes. Im greatful but this is the rong seesun for
+them. By summer they will be to small as they aint very big now. Ive
+got over wanting tenis shoes anyhow. The muny you owe us would have
+come in handier. Peace Greenfield."</p></div>
+
+<p>He tucked the note in his pocket, dropped the shoes on the kitchen
+mantle, and went chuckling about his morning work. Hardly had he
+finished his numerous tasks, when he was surprised to see Peace coming
+slowly up the path, with eyes down-cast and face an uncomfortable red.
+She knocked lightly, as if hoping no one would hear, and looked
+disappointed when he opened the door.</p>
+
+<p>"Merry Christmas, Peace. Come in, come right in," he said cordially,
+his eyes gleaming with, amusement. "What can I do for you this morning?"</p>
+
+<p>"Give me back the shoes I left on your porch," she answered, in tones so
+low he could hardly hear. "Gail said I must come over and get them and
+ipologize for being so rude. She says it is very rude to return
+Christmas presents like that. If you meant them for a present, why,
+that's different; but I thought likely it was our pay for picking
+strawberries last summer. Now, which was it, a present or our pay?" The
+old, independent, confident spirit asserted itself once more in the
+little breast, and Peace raised her eyes to his with disconcerting
+frankness.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, well," stammered the man, hardly knowing what to say. "Suppose
+they are a Christmas present, will you accept and wear 'em?"</p>
+
+<p>"When it comes summer time, if I haven't outgrown them. My feet are
+getting big fast."</p>
+
+<p>"But if they are in pay for the strawberry picking, you won't take them?
+Is that it?"</p>
+
+<p>"I s'pose I will have to take them after Gail's lecture," Peace sighed
+dismally, "but I'll never put 'em on&mdash;never!"</p>
+
+<p>Delighted with her candor and rebel spirit, he said, after a brief
+pause, "Well, now, I mean them for a Christmas present, Peace, and I'd
+like mighty well for you to wear them. If they are too small, come next
+summer, I will get them changed for you. Will you take them?"</p>
+
+<p>"Y&mdash;e&mdash;s."</p>
+
+<p>"And be friends?"</p>
+
+<p>Peace hesitated. "Friends are square with each other, ain't they?"</p>
+
+<p>"I reckon they are."</p>
+
+<p>"Then I don't see how we can be friends," she said firmly.</p>
+
+<p>"Why not?" His face was blank with surprise; and his wife, who had been
+a silent spectator of the scene, laughed outright.</p>
+
+<p>"'Cause you owe us a dollar and a half for picking strawberries last
+summer, and if you don't pay it, you ain't square with us, are you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, I swan!" he mumbled. Then he, too, laughed, and thrusting his
+hand into his pocket, drew out a handful of silver. "Here are six silver
+quarters, a dollar and fifty cents. That settles our account, doesn't
+it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes."</p>
+
+<p>"And I've treated you on the square?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes."</p>
+
+<p>"And you will come sit on my lap?"</p>
+
+<p>"I don't s'pose it will do any hurt," she answered grudgingly, for she
+had not yet adjusted herself to this new friendship with her one-time
+enemy, but she went to him slowly and permitted to lift her to his knee.</p>
+
+<p>"There, now," he said, settling her comfortably. "That's more like it!
+Now that I have settled my account with you, tell me what you are going
+to do about the money you owe me?"</p>
+
+<p>"Dave!" interposed little Mrs. Hartman, but he laughingly waved her
+aside.</p>
+
+<p>"What money that I owe you?" gasped poor Peace, the rosy color dying
+from her face.</p>
+
+<p>"Didn't you dump twenty boxes of my strawberries into the chicken yard
+last summer?"</p>
+
+<p>"Y&mdash;e&mdash;s."</p>
+
+<p>"Those berries sold for twenty cents a box. Twenty times twenty is four
+dollars. You spoiled four dollars' worth of berries, Peace Greenfield.
+Are you being square with me?"</p>
+
+<p>The child sat dumb with despair, and seeing the tragedy in the great,
+brown eyes, Mrs. Hartman again said, remonstratingly, "Dave!"</p>
+
+<p>"Hush, Myra Ann," he commanded. "This is between Peace and me. If we are
+to be friends, we must be square with each other, you know."</p>
+
+<p>There was a desperate struggle, and then Peace laid the shining quarters
+back in his hand, saying bravely, "Here's my first payment. I haven't
+the rest now, but if you will wait until I earn it, I'll pay it all
+back. I will have Hope figure up just how much I owe you, so's I will
+know for sure. Can you wait? Maybe you will let me pick strawberries
+next summer until I get it paid up. Will you? 'Cause what money I get
+this winter I'd like to give to Gail for a coat. She has to wear
+Faith's jacket now whenever she goes anywhere, and, of course, two
+people can't wear one coat at the same time."</p>
+
+<p>"No, they can't," he answered soberly, with a suspicion of a tremble in
+his voice. "Is that what you meant to do with this money?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes. Gail got a dollar for Christmas, and I thought this would 'most
+make enough to buy a good coat for her. She needs one dreadfully."</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Hartman slipped the money into the grimy fist again, cleared his
+throat and then said, "Now, I've got a plan. You keep this dollar and
+fifty cents for your work last summer, and when the strawberries are
+ripe again, we'll see about your picking some more to pay for the
+spoiled ones. Is that all right?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," cried Peace, giving a delighted little jump. "You aren't near
+bad, are you?"</p>
+
+<p>"I hope not," he replied with a queer laugh. "Can you give me a kiss, do
+you suppose?"</p>
+
+<p>"If you will skin me a rabbit," she answered promptly.</p>
+
+<p>"If I'll what?" he yelled in amazement, almost dropping her from his
+lap.</p>
+
+<p>"Skin me a rabbit. Winkum and Blinkum are starving to death&mdash;Faith says
+so&mdash;and they really don't seem as fat as when Bryan gave them to me; so
+if we can save them by eating them up, we better do it. Don't you think
+so?"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, now, that might be a good idea," he answered slowly, for he
+regarded rabbits as a nuisance, and was not anxious to see any such
+pests in his neighborhood. "Stewed rabbit makes a pretty good dish,
+too."</p>
+
+<p>"That's what I had heard. Will you skin them for me?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yep, any time you say so."</p>
+
+<p>"All right, I'll get them now and we will have them for dinner."</p>
+
+<p>She was off like a flash before he could say another word, returning
+almost immediately with the squirming rabbits in her apron, and he
+dressed them carefully. By the time the long process was finished her
+face was very sober, and she offered no objections when he claimed two
+kisses instead of one as his reward, but gathering up the hapless
+bunnies, she departed for home.</p>
+
+<p>"Here's our Christmas dinner, Gail," she announced, dumping her burden
+onto the cluttered kitchen table. "I wish it had been chicken, but Mr.
+Hartman says stewed rabbit is real good."</p>
+
+<p>"Where did you get these?" demanded Gail, surmising the truth.</p>
+
+<p>"They are Winkum and Blinkum. Mr. Hartman undressed them for me. I got
+my shoes back, and here's the strawberry money for your new coat, Gail."
+As clearly as possible she made her explanations, and went away to put
+up the tennis slippers, leaving dismayed Gail to face the unique
+situation.</p>
+
+<p>"What can I do?" she cried, almost in tears.</p>
+
+<p>"Get yourself a new coat, if you can find one for the price," answered
+Faith, listlessly scrubbing a panful of turnips for dinner.</p>
+
+<p>"I don't mean the coat. I had scarcely thought of the money. I mean the
+rabbits."</p>
+
+<p>"Cook them! People eat rabbits."</p>
+
+<p>"But these were pets."</p>
+
+<p>"They are dead now. You might as well use them as to throw them away. We
+have no turkey or chicken for dinner."</p>
+
+<p>Gail shivered, but obediently cut up the rabbits and put them on the
+stove to cook, mentally resolving not to eat a bite of them herself.</p>
+
+<p>The morning hours flew rapidly by, the dinner was done at last, and the
+hungry girls were scrambling into their chairs when Faith cried sharply,
+"Hope, you have set seven plates!"</p>
+
+<p>Instinctively each heart thought of the absent member, gone from them
+since the last Christmas Day, and Gail reached over to remove the extra
+dishes, when Hope stopped her by saying, "Teacher read us a beautiful
+poem of how some people always set a place for the Christ Child on His
+birthday, hoping that He would come in person to celebrate the day with
+them, and I thought it was such a pretty idea that&mdash;I&mdash;I&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, dear," said Gail gently. "We will leave the extra plate there."</p>
+
+<p>"It does seem queer, doesn't it, that we have big dinners on Christmas
+Day 'cause it is Christ's birthday, and then we never give Him a dish,"
+observed Peace, passing her plate for a helping.</p>
+
+<p>"Did the Christ Child come?" asked Allee eagerly. "In the story, I
+mean."</p>
+
+<p>"Not in the way they looked for Him," answered Hope. "But a little
+beggar child came. Some of the family were going to send it out into the
+kitchen to eat with the servants, but one little boy insisted that it
+should have the empty chair they had set for the Christ Child. So the
+ragged beggar was pushed up to the table and fed all he wanted. When the
+dinner was over, a great shining light filled the room and Christ
+appeared to tell them that in feeding the little beggar they had
+entertained Him. It was all written out in rhyme and was <i>so</i> pretty.
+What is the matter, Gail? You aren't eating anything."</p>
+
+<p>The other sisters paused to look at the older girl's plate, and Gail's
+sensitive face flushed crimson, but before she could offer any
+explanation, Peace abruptly dropped her knife and fork, pushed her
+dishes from her, and burst into tears.</p>
+
+<p>"Why, what ails you, child?" cried Faith, who herself had scarcely
+touched the dinner before her.</p>
+
+<p>"I can't be a <i>carnival</i> and eat my bunnies," sobbed Peace. "I'd as soon
+have a slab of kitten."</p>
+
+<p>"That's just the way I feel," said Cherry, and no one laughed at Peace's
+rendering of <i>cannibal</i>.</p>
+
+<p>In the midst of this scene there was a knock at the kitchen door, but
+before anyone could answer, Mrs. Grinnell rustled in, bearing in her
+arms a huge platter of roast turkey, which she set down upon the table
+with the remark, "It was that lonesome at home I just couldn't eat my
+dinner all by myself, so I brought it over to see if you didn't want me
+for company."</p>
+
+<p>"You aren't a ragged beggar," Peace spoke up through her tears, before
+the others had recovered from their surprise; "but I guess you'll do.
+You can have the chair we set for Jesus."</p>
+
+<p>Gail explained, while the platter of stewed rabbit was being removed,
+and once more dinner was begun. The turkey was done to a turn, the
+dressing was flavored just right and filled with walnuts and oysters,
+the vegetables had never tasted better, the biscuits were as light as a
+feather, Mrs. Strong's cranberry sauce had jelled perfectly, and the
+Hartman mince-pie was a miracle of pastry. The seven diners did the meal
+full justice, and when at last the appetites were satisfied, the table
+looked as if a foraging party had descended upon it.</p>
+
+<p>"That was quite a dinner," remarked Peace, as she pushed her chair back
+from the table. "If I had just known it was going to happen, Mr. Hartman
+needn't have skinned the rabbits. There is a whole platter full of
+Winkum and Blinkum left, and it's all wasted. Mercy me, what a shame!"</p>
+
+<p>She went out into the kitchen and surveyed the rejected delicacy with
+mournful eyes. Then a new idea occurred to her, and, with no thought of
+irreverence, she murmured to herself, "I don't believe the Christ Child
+would have cared whether He had turkey or rabbit for dinner. I'm going
+over and get that <i>passle</i> of half-starved German kids to eat this up."</p>
+
+<p>Throwing Gail's faded shawl over her head, she ran across the snowy
+fields to the old tumble-down house on the next road, where the new
+family lived. The children were at play in the yard&mdash;seven in all, and
+none of them larger than Hope&mdash;but at sight of her they came forward
+hand in hand, jabbering such queer gibberish that Peace could not
+understand a word.</p>
+
+<p>"Come over to my house and have some dinner," she invited them, but not
+one of them moved a step. "We've got a whole platter of stewed rabbit,"
+she urged, but they only stared uncomprehendingly. "Perhaps you have had
+your dinner. Are you hungry?"</p>
+
+<p>"Hungry," suddenly said the oldest boy, putting one hand to his mouth
+and the other on his stomach. "Ja, sehr hungrig."</p>
+
+<p>Peace was delighted with the pantomime method of making herself
+understood, and imitating his motions, she pointed to the little brown
+house and beckoned.</p>
+
+<p>"Ja, ja," cried the chorus of seven, their faces beaming with pleasure,
+"wir kommen." And they quickly followed her across the snow to the
+kitchen door.</p>
+
+<p>"Gail, I have brought the Christ Child," she announced, as she ushered
+the ragged, hungry brood into the house. "I thought it was a pity to
+waste all that salt and pepper you used in fixing up Winkum and Blinkum,
+so I invited these ragged beggars over to eat it up."</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Grinnell gasped her surprise and consternation. Faith exclaimed
+angrily, "Peace Greenfield!" But Gail, with never a chiding word, sprang
+to the table and began clearing away the soiled dishes, while Hope ran
+for clean plates; and in short order the seven little towheads were
+hovering around the platter of stewed rabbit and creamed potatoes,
+revelling in a feast such as they had never known before; nor did they
+stop eating until every scrap of food had vanished. Then they rose,
+bowing and smiling, and trying in their own tongue to thank their
+hostesses for the grand dinner.</p>
+
+<p>Peace was captivated with their quaint manners and reverent attitude,
+and when they had backed out of the door, she went with them to the
+gate, kissing her hand to them as they disappeared down the road, still
+calling over their shoulders, "Du bist das Christkind!"</p>
+
+<p>"I don't know what they are saying," she murmured, "but it makes me feel
+like flapping my wings and crowing." She leaped to her tall gatepost to
+give vent to her jubilant feelings, but tumbled quickly to the ground
+again without stopping to crow. "Abigail Greenfield!" she shouted,
+racing for the house. "See what was on the gatepost,&mdash;a nenvelope with
+money in it, and on the outside it says, 'Christmas greetings to the Six
+Sisters.' Now will you believe someone lost it? It ain't Mr. Strong's
+writing, though. Maybe the Christ Child brought it. Oh, Gail, do you
+s'pose He did?"</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX</h2>
+
+<h3>FAITH'S AWAKENING</h3>
+
+
+<p>"Do you know where Faith is?" asked Gail one Saturday morning in early
+spring, finding Hope busy at making the beds, which was the older
+sister's work.</p>
+
+<p>"She discovered a heap of old magazines somewhere about the place and is
+in the barn reading. Says her head aches too hard to work today,"
+answered Hope, with an anxious pucker in her usually serene forehead.</p>
+
+<p>"I don't know what to do with that girl," sighed Gail, as she adjusted
+her dustcap and picked up a broom. Her face looked so worried, and her
+voice sounded so discouraged that Hope paused in her task of plumping up
+the pillows to ask in alarm, "Do you think she is any worse than usual?"</p>
+
+<p>"She gets worse every day," answered Gail, somewhat sharply, and two
+tears rolled slowly down her pale cheeks.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, dearie, don't cry," coaxed Hope, dropping her pillows and throwing
+her arms about the heaving shoulders. "It will be better pretty soon.
+I'll do all of Faith's work. I only wish I were older."</p>
+
+<p>Peace waited to hear no more. She had gone upstairs for a clean apron
+before setting out for town with a basket of eggs and, unknown to the
+two sisters in the room across the hall, had heard all they said.</p>
+
+<p>"I didn't s'pose Faith was sick," she whispered with white lips as she
+flew down the path to the gate, swinging the heavy basket dangerously
+near the ground in her heedlessness. "I thought she was just lazy. She
+never does anything but mope around the house and read or play the
+organ, but I thought it was 'cause she didn't want to. S'posing she
+should die! Then we'd have three angels. Oh, dear, I don't see why one
+family should have so many! I wonder if there isn't something that will
+cure her. Gail hasn't called the doctor yet. I am going to ask him
+myself!"</p>
+
+<p>She slipped through the gate and sped up the road toward town, still
+musing over this new trouble, and so completely wrapped up in her
+thoughts that she did not even see her beloved Mr. Strong until he
+called to her, "Why, hello, Peace! Are you coming over to see our baby
+today! Elizabeth, will be glad to have you."</p>
+
+<p>Her face lighted up at sight of her friend, but she shook her head at
+his invitation, and soberly replied, as she hurried on, "I'd like to,
+but I can't this time. I must take these eggs to the doctor's house.
+Some other day I'll come and play with Baby Glen."</p>
+
+<p>Not to stop to discuss the welfare of the precious new baby at the
+parsonage was very strange for Peace, for she loved the beautiful boy as
+much as she did his parents, and was always eager to hear of his latest
+tricks, no matter how pressed for time she might be. But today she was
+too worried to think of even little Glen.</p>
+
+<p>Breathlessly she climbed the steps to Dr. Bainbridge's big house, just
+as the busy physician appeared in the doorway ready for his round of
+calls, and in her eagerness to stop him before he should climb into the
+waiting carriage, she quickened her pace to a run, tripped on the door
+mat, and tumbled headlong, eggs and all, into a drift of half-melted
+snow in the corner of the porch, announcing in tragic tones, "Dr. Eggs,
+I have brought you some Bainbridge, and here they are all spilled in the
+snow. It's lucky you aren't a very neat man, for if you had cleared off
+your porches the way you ought to, these eggs would likely have been
+everyone smashed. As 'tis, there is only one broken, and one more
+cracked. I'll bring another&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Are you hurt?" the doctor managed to stutter in an almost inaudible
+voice, so overcome with surprise was he at the avalanche of eggs and
+explanation.</p>
+
+<p>"No, and only two of the eggs are, either&mdash;Oh, don't go yet!" She
+scrambled hastily to her feet and laid a trembling, detaining hand on
+his coat sleeve, as she demanded in a shaky voice, "Is Faith real bad,
+do you think?"</p>
+
+<p>"If people had more faith&mdash;" he began jestingly; then stopped, seeing
+the real anxiety in the serious brown eyes, and asked gently, "What is
+troubling you, child?"</p>
+
+<p>"Faith, as usual. What is the matter with her? Gail cried about her this
+morning, and Hope said maybe she would get better pretty soon. They
+didn't know I heard. Is she real sick? I thought she didn't do any work
+'cause she was lazy&mdash;I mean 'cause she didn't want to. I didn't know she
+was sick. What d'sease has she got?"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, as near as I can make out," answered the doctor gravely, "she has
+a case of acute imagination. She thinks she is mourning, but she is too
+selfishly wrapped up in her own grief to see the sorrow of others. She
+has stepped out from under the burden of the home and let its full
+weight fall upon shoulders too slender to bear it. The sun doesn't shine
+for her any more, the birds don't sing, the flowers have lost their
+fragrance. What she needs is a good dose of common sense, but we don't
+seem to be able to administer it. If only we could put a cannon cracker
+under her chair, maybe it would rouse her. Oh, I was just speaking
+figuratively; I didn't mean the real article," he hastened to assure his
+small audience, as a gasp of horror escaped her.</p>
+
+<p>The doctor had waxed eloquent in his diagnosis of the case, and though
+Peace failed to understand half that he said, the grave, almost harsh
+look about his mouth and eyes struck terror to her heart, and she
+faintly faltered, "Is&mdash;do you think Faith will be an angel soon?"</p>
+
+<p>He looked at her in amazement. "No!" he thundered, and she shivered at
+his tone. "It will take ages to make an angel of Faith if she keeps on
+in the way she is going. Gail is the angel if ever there was one, and
+Hope's wings have sprouted, too&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh," moaned Peace, with wide, terrified eyes, "I don't want Gail and
+Hope to be angels! We need them here! We could spare Faith easier than
+them. Oh, Dr. Bainbridge, ain't two angels enough for one family?"</p>
+
+<p>The kindly old doctor suddenly understood, and patting the little hood,
+covered with bits of eggshell and particles of ice, he said
+remorsefully, "There, there, honey, I didn't mean that kind of angels! I
+mean just dear, good, blessed girls, such as make the world better for
+having been in it. There is no danger of their flying away to the other
+land just yet, my child; though goodness only knows what will become of
+Gail if Faith isn't waked up soon. I must go call on my sick folks now,
+little girl. I'd drive you home if I were going that way, but I am due
+this very minute at the opposite end of town. Don't you fret, but be an
+awfully good girl yourself and help Gail all you can. When Faith comes
+to her senses and goes to work at something, she will be all right."</p>
+
+<p>They parted, and Peace slowly wended her way home again, somewhat
+relieved, and yet considerably alarmed over the doctor's words. Down to
+the barn she wandered, and up the rickety ladder she climbed into the
+cobwebby loft. A figure moved impatiently at the far end of the loose
+boards, and as Peace's eyes became accustomed to the dim light, she saw
+it was Faith, curled up among a lot of ragged papers and coverless
+magazines, musty and yellow with age.</p>
+
+<p>"What are you ba&mdash;crying about!" asked Peace in awed tones, as the other
+girl sniffed suspiciously and then wiped her eyes, already red with
+weeping. She expected to be told to mind her business, but contrary to
+her expectations, Faith answered:</p>
+
+<p>"This is the <i>saddest</i> story,&mdash;all about a girl who loved one man and
+had to marry another."</p>
+
+<p>Peace's nose curled scornfully, and she said, with great contempt, "I
+don't see any use in bawl&mdash;crying about that. Those story people never
+lived. Real folks have more sense."</p>
+
+<p>But Faith had gone back to her magazine of sorrows, and never even heard
+this small sister's criticism. So Peace dropped down on a heap of
+sacking, propped her chin up with her elbows on her knees, and fell to
+studying the face opposite her, noting with alarm how thin it had grown,
+and how darkly circled were the brown eyes so like her own. Fear lest
+Dr. Bainbridge did not know how ill she really was gripped her heart,
+and she sighed heavily just as Faith finished her chapter and roused to
+search for the next number of the magazine.</p>
+
+<p>"What is the matter?" she demanded, looking at the sober little face
+with surprise.</p>
+
+<p>"Are you sick?" asked Peace in an awestruck whisper, ignoring her
+sister's question.</p>
+
+<p>"No. Why? My head aches some, but that is all."</p>
+
+<p>"I sh'd think it <i>would</i> ache," cried the child in sudden indignation.
+"Why did you poke up here where there ain't any window to read by?
+You'll be blind some day if you <i>amuse</i> your eyes like that. Teacher
+said so to all our class the day she found Tessie Hunt reading on the
+basement stairs. If you've got to read all the time, why don't you go
+out-doors or by a window? It's enough to make anyone's head ache the way
+you mope around reading all the time. Dr. Bainbridge says as soon as you
+get up and go to work you'll be all right."</p>
+
+<p>Faith's face flushed angrily and she demanded, with some heat, "What do
+you know about what Dr. Bainbridge says?"</p>
+
+<p>"I asked him a-purpose to see whether you were going to be an angel
+soon."</p>
+
+<p>For a moment Faith was too startled for reply, and then she asked
+curiously, with a queer flutter in her heart, "What did he say!"</p>
+
+<p>"He just howled, 'No&mdash;o!' as loud as he could shout, and after that he
+said, more quiet-like, that you'd never be an angel as long as you kept
+on the way you are going. He says you need a good, common dose of sense
+and a cannon under your chair. He said Gail and Hope are the angels, and
+when I cried and told him we could spare you easier'n we could them, he
+said that he didn't mean sure-enough angels which fly away and never
+come back, but good, <i>sensitive</i> blessings that make the world better.
+He says you've got a <i>cute minagination</i>, and when you wake up and help
+Gail bear the slender burden on your shoulders, everything will be all
+right."</p>
+
+<p>Profound silence reigned in the barn for what seemed an eternity to
+Peace, and then Faith burst forth hotly, "I never saw such a meddlesome
+child in all my born days, Peace Greenfield! What did you tell the
+doctor? Why did you chase to him in the first place? Do you want to get
+the whole neighborhood to gossiping about our affairs? I suppose you
+gave him the whole family history, from the time of Adam."</p>
+
+<p>"I never did!" Peace indignantly denied. "I don't know of any Adam 'mong
+our relations. I found Gail upstairs crying about you this morning, and
+Hope promised to do all your work. I couldn't see why Hope should do
+your work unless you were going to be an angel, so I went to the doctor
+about it, and that is why he told me. He said we must help Gail all we
+could&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Why don't you, then, instead of causing her trouble whenever you turn
+around? You are into something the whole time to fret and worry her.
+Don't talk about me until you are perfect yourself!"</p>
+
+<p>"I ain't perfect, but I <i>try</i> to help, and you know it. Don't I help
+Cherry with the dishes every single day, and dust the parlor and bring
+in wood, and hasn't Hope turned over setting the table to me?"</p>
+
+<p>"And don't you break half the dishes?"</p>
+
+<p>"I've broken only one plate and three cups, and I bought new ones out of
+my snow money, so there! When summer comes I'm going to pick
+strawberries for Mr. Hartman, and when I've paid up for those I spoiled
+last year, I'm going to give the rest of the money I earn to Gail to
+help her all I can. 'F I could make the lovely cakes you do, I'd go
+'round the streets peddling them."</p>
+
+<p>"If you were I, you'd do wonders," Faith broke in bitterly.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, Mrs. Abbott told me herself that if the village baker could cook
+like that she would get all her delicate things there instead of
+bothering the girl with them, 'cause, in a little subu'b like this, she
+can't get a cook and a second girl to stay at the same time, and a
+common hired girl doesn't know beans about cakes and nice cookery. Mrs.
+Lacy said she'd take a cake reg'lar every week if she could get such
+nice ones as yours; and the butcher&mdash;guess what the butcher asked me
+yesterday! I went in his shop on my way home from the minister's, and he
+asked me when we were going to break up housekeeping here."</p>
+
+<p>"What did you say?" cried Faith, as the meaning of his question dawned
+upon her, though Peace evidently had not understood.</p>
+
+<p>"I didn't know what he was driving at, so I asked him, and he said he
+had heard that we were going to leave this house and go to live with
+different people in town. He wanted to know if he could have Cherry,
+'cause he thinks she is so pretty. I told him he needn't joke with me
+like that, but he just laughed and <i>in</i>sured me that Mr. Strong was
+going to take Allee, and Dr. Bainbridge wanted Hope, and that you and
+Gail were to work in Martindale, and I was the broom of condemnation."</p>
+
+<p>"The what?" cried Faith in amazement.</p>
+
+<p>"The broom of con-dem-nation," repeated Peace slowly, seeing that she
+had made a blunder, but not understanding just wherein it lay. "It means
+when a lot of people want the same thing."</p>
+
+<p>"Perhaps you are trying to say 'bone of contention,'" suggested Faith,
+somewhat sarcastically.</p>
+
+<p>"Maybe 'twas. Anyway, he says Mr. Hardman wants me&mdash;but I don't want
+him, I can tell you that!"</p>
+
+<p>"I thought you had signed a treaty of peace and were friends now,"
+murmured the older girl, considerably amused at the child's belligerent
+attitude, in spite of her troubled thoughts.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, we are friends all right, but not bad enough so's I want to go live
+with him. Though I don't know as it would be any worse there than with
+Judge Abbott, and he's the other fellow who wants me. My, the way he
+glared at me Thanksgiving morning, when we shoveled the snow off his
+porch, scared me stiff! I thought he was going to make us shovel it back
+on again, but he didn't. And the time my snowball knocked Hector's teeth
+loose, I was sure he was going to 'rest me, but I couldn't help if Hec
+opened his mouth just in time to get that ball; and anyway, he deserved
+it, 'cause he was pulling Mamie Brady's red hair and calling her Carrots
+till she cried. I told the Judge that Hec needed to have more than just
+his teeth knocked loose, and he laughed and marched him home by the
+ear."</p>
+
+<p>"Peace, have you told Gail this?"</p>
+
+<p>"About Hec's teeth?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, about what Mr. Jones said to you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Not yet. I didn't think it was a very nice joke, so I never told anyone
+but you and the preacher. Mr. Strong said he'd see that the butcher
+didn't tease me any more."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, if I were you, I would forget all about it, but don't ever tell
+Gail. She might take it in earnest and feel badly about it."</p>
+
+<p>Peace eyed the older girl, as if trying to fathom her meaning, but
+Faith's face was like a mask, and after a brief pause, the child
+answered, "I don't mean to; but ain't I glad she can't guess all my
+thinks! Just s'posing everyone knew what everyone else was thinking,
+wouldn't some folks be scrapping all the time? Brains are queer things.
+I used to wish I could see one when it was doing its thinking, but I
+guess God knew his business when he put them inside our heads, where no
+one else can watch them."</p>
+
+<p>"Peace, Peace! Where are you?" called an excited voice from below, and
+the brown-eyed philosopher jumped up from her burlap couch with the
+shout, "Coming, Allee! I hope you find your senses pretty soon, Faith,
+for the doctor says when that happens you will be all right and not have
+any more headache."</p>
+
+<p>The faded red coat disappeared down the ladder, and Faith was left alone
+again. But she read no more. The sad story had lost its interest, and
+she cast aside the magazines without another glance. Was what Mr. Jones
+had told Peace true? Was there a possibility that the home must be
+broken up? Was the doctor right in his verdict? Did all the sisters feel
+that she could be spared the easiest? That was a fierce battle Faith
+waged with herself in the barn, but when it was ended a
+determined-faced girl rose from the dusty floor, descended the old
+ladder, and hurried away toward the village. It was noon before she
+returned, and the five sisters, anxious over her unusual absence, were
+just sitting down to a frugal dinner of mush and milk when she entered
+the door, looking excited and queer, but with a happier light in her
+eyes than had been there for months.</p>
+
+<p>The minute grace was said, Peace demanded suspiciously, "Where have you
+been all this time?"</p>
+
+<p>"Drumming up trade," was the startling answer. "I've got six regular
+cake customers, and several who promised to buy of me when they needed
+anything in my line."</p>
+
+<p>Faith was awake at last.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X</h2>
+
+<h3>COMPANY FOR SUPPER</h3>
+
+
+<p>"Cherry, do you know it's 'most night, and those girls aren't at home
+yet? They said they'd sure be here by four o'clock, and here 'tis five
+and they haven't come." Peace was plainly worried, and with a
+half-impatient sigh, Cherry closed her fascinating story book and joined
+her sister watching at the window for the belated girls who had gone in
+town with Mrs. Grinnell that morning.</p>
+
+<p>"P'r'aps the horse run away," suggested Allee.</p>
+
+<p>"They were coming back on the car, 'cause Mrs. Grinnell was to stay all
+night with her relations."</p>
+
+<p>"Then maybe the car run off the track."</p>
+
+<p>"That's just what I've been thinking. S'posing they don't come home
+tonight! What will we do for supper?"</p>
+
+<p>"Hope will get some when she comes home from Edwards'."</p>
+
+<p>"This is the day she stays so late. She won't get home until Mr. Edwards
+brings her, at almost bedtime."</p>
+
+<p>"Can't we help ourselves?"</p>
+
+<p>"'Course, if we wanted to, but that won't be supper for Gail and Faith
+when they get home all tired out."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, then, can't we <i>cook</i> a supper?"</p>
+
+<p>"What?"</p>
+
+<p>"Why&mdash;potatoes and&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Eggs, I s'pose you'll say. I'm tired of eggs. If we don't stop having
+them so often, we will all turn into Humpty-Dumpties. S'posing we were
+eggs and had to walk and act <i>so</i> careful or else get smashed.
+'Twouldn't take long to finish me, would it? I don't want eggs for
+supper. Let's have rice."</p>
+
+<p>"Is there any?"</p>
+
+<p>"A whole sackful."</p>
+
+<p>"Do you know how to cook it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Why, in water, of course, just like mush or oatmeal, only it takes
+longer to get soft."</p>
+
+<p>"Then maybe we better put it on to boil now. How much shall we cook?"</p>
+
+<p>"I don't know as I ever saw Gail measure it She just guesses at it; but
+I think we could each eat a big cupful, don't you?"</p>
+
+<p>"I'm hungry enough to eat two cupsful," said Allee.</p>
+
+<p>"P'r'aps 'twould be better to cook two for each of us. It's good cold,
+s'posing we shouldn't eat it all tonight."</p>
+
+<p>"Maybe that would be best," conceded Cherry; and the three embryo cooks
+repaired to the kitchen to get supper ready.</p>
+
+<p>"There is the rice and here is a cup. Hold the pan,
+Cherry, while I measure it out.
+One&mdash;two&mdash;three&mdash;four&mdash;five&mdash;six&mdash;seven&mdash;eight&mdash;nine&mdash;that makes a big
+hole in that bagful, doesn't it? Maybe nine will be enough. Do you think
+so?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," hesitated Cherry; "and besides, Hope won't be here for supper."</p>
+
+<p>"That's right! Then nine will be enough. Now we'll pour in the
+water,&mdash;lots, 'cause it boils away in cooking."</p>
+
+<p>"If Gail doesn't get here soon, how will we get any milk for our rice?"
+asked Allee, watching them. "Bossy hasn't been milked yet."</p>
+
+<p>Peace paused on her way to the stove with the heavy saucepan. "Why
+didn't we think of that before? Rice isn't good without plenty of milk
+and sugar. I don't like molasses on it."</p>
+
+<p>"Nor I," shivered Cherry.</p>
+
+<p>"Let's milk the cow ourselves," suggested the daring spirit.</p>
+
+<p>"We don't know how," protested the cautious one.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, that's easy! I've watched Gail lots of times, and all she does is
+pull hard like the janitor pulls the rope that rings the church bell.
+We've both of us rung that bell, Cherry. I'll do it if you are afraid."</p>
+
+<p>"I'm not afraid," Cherry declared, "but I don't think I know how. I'll
+watch you and see how you do it first."</p>
+
+<p>"Come on, then!"</p>
+
+<p>Away to the barn they hurried, and the process of milking began, with
+Peace astride the stool. But somehow Bossy resented being pulled like a
+bell-rope and the milk didn't come.</p>
+
+<p>"I don't see what is the matter," cried Peace impatiently, after a few
+moments' struggle. "Bossy never acts so with Gail. She has kicked me
+twice already, and here we are clear out of her stall. Allee, you hold
+her tail, she has slapped me in the face with it till I'm tired. Whoa,
+Boss, stand still! Maybe I don't jerk hard enough."</p>
+
+<p>Peace settled herself once more on the stool, righted the pail and gave
+a tremendous pull at two of the teats. There was a surprised moo from
+Bossy, her heels flew into the air, Peace was thrown backward from her
+seat, the pail whirled across the floor, and Bossy rushed out of the
+barn door, dragging little, tenacious Allee after her. Cherry screamed,
+Peace scrambled to her feet and raced madly after the terrified beast,
+shouting at the top of her lungs, "Let go, Allee! Whoa, Bossy!"</p>
+
+<p>Allee let go, but Bossy did not whoa until, with a wild plunge, she
+lurched against the stone watering trough, groaned and lay down with one
+leg doubled under her.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, she's broken her leg!" yelled Cherry, dancing up and down in
+fright. "What shall we do, what shall we do?"</p>
+
+<p>"Go into the house and see that the rice doesn't burn while I'm gone,"
+commanded Peace, after a hasty look at poor Bossy's leg, to make sure it
+was really broken; and away she flew up the street toward the village,
+muttering to herself, "Maybe he has closed his shop, though it isn't
+quite time, but I hope not. No, he hasn't, for there comes the doctor
+out of the door. Oh, Mr. Jones, what will you give for a cow, a
+broken-legged cow? I didn't stick her, 'cause I wasn't sure just how to
+do it, but her leg is just freshly broken, so she is good for meat. You
+bought Mr. Hartman's heifer when she broke her neck. Bossy's an awful
+nice cow, and we hate to lose her, but of course we'll have to kill her
+now. Bring your butcher knife and run! I don't want her to feel bad any
+longer'n she has to."</p>
+
+<p>"Hold your horses, Whirlwind, hold your horses a bit," cried the amazed
+butcher. "Now tell me what has happened."</p>
+
+<p>"You grab that knife and come along!" she shouted, almost frantic with
+grief and fear. "That cow can't be left with a broken leg." And seizing
+him by the hand she dragged him toward the door. The sight of the
+child's great distress touched the big man, and pausing only long enough
+to close his shop, he followed her flying feet down the road to the
+little brown house where poor Bossy lay.</p>
+
+<p>"There she is! Ain't her leg broken?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, and a bad break, too. She will have to go, kidlet. It's a shame,
+for she's a mighty fine looking critter. I'll give you fifteen dollars
+for her. Where is your oldest sister?"</p>
+
+<p>"In Martindale. Oh, don't wait for her to come back! I can't bear to
+have Bossy look at me like that! I broke her leg trying to milk her.
+She's worth a lot more'n fifteen dollars alive, but as meat I s'pose
+we'll have to let her go cheap. You can have her. Gail would say so too,
+if she was here. Give me the money and then stick her as soon as I get
+inside the house."</p>
+
+<p>The butcher hesitated, then counted out fifteen dollars in bills and
+handed them to the trembling, grief-stricken Peace, saying, "You
+couldn't get any more for her in the city, under the circumstances, I
+know. Butchers don't ordinarily buy milch cows for beef, and I shouldn't
+take her if she wasn't in first-class condition. If Gail ain't
+satisfied, send her up to the shop."</p>
+
+<p>Peace snatched the bills with shaking hands and disappeared up the path,
+calling back over her shoulder, "Stick her easy, Mr. Jones, and quick!
+I'm going upstairs and cry."</p>
+
+<p>But she didn't carry out her intention, for as she flung open the
+kitchen door, the pungent odor of something burning greeted her
+nostrils, and there stood Cherry beside the red-hot stove, dipping rice
+from one big saucepan into other kettles which Allee was bringing out of
+the pantry for her.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, Peace," she cried in relief, "I don't know what we will ever do
+with all this rice! It's sticking faster than I can scratch it up, it's
+boiled over the stove three times, and I've filled up four pans already.
+Give me another, Allee!"</p>
+
+<p>"It needs some more water," said Peace, catching up a dipper of cold
+water and pouring it into one sizzling pot. "Mercy, how it has grown
+since we put it on to cook! That kettleful won't burn now."</p>
+
+<p>"But it has turned yellow and smells dreadfully smoky," answered Cherry,
+sniffing at the discolored, unappetizing mess in the pan.</p>
+
+<p>Peace examined it critically, tasted it, made a wry face, and finally
+announced, "It's spoiled, I guess. Never mind, there is plenty of good
+rice left&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, Peace!" yelled Allee excitedly, dancing in the chair, where she
+stood trying to stir the heavy contents of another pan. "Something else
+is burning, sure! See the black smoke!"</p>
+
+<p>There was a knock at the door, but Peace was frantically tugging at the
+big kettle stuck fast to the stove cover, and without pausing in her
+task, she called crossly, "You will have to wait till we can get this
+rice 'tended to before we can see what you want, whoever you are. We are
+all busy in here."</p>
+
+<p>There was an audible chuckle from without, the knob turned, Cherry
+screamed, and a gray-haired, shabby, old man stood smiling at them from
+the steps. Peace scarcely looked at him as she succeeded in freeing the
+panful of smoking, blackened rice from the cover, but that quick glance
+had told her the visitor was a tramp, and she snapped sharply, "I s'pose
+you want a bite to eat. Well, I don't see how you are going to get it
+here! I've just killed the cow, and the rice has burned up. Cherry, stop
+stirring that mess and take it off! Can't you see it's smoking like a
+<i>chimbly</i>?"</p>
+
+<p>The tramp strode across the room, grabbed the teakettle and poured the
+boiling water into the pan, over which Allee had mounted guard, and
+which fortunately was on the back of the stove so it had not yet arrived
+at the burning point. He caught up one other, dumped about half its
+contents into a clean saucepan on the hearth, saturated it with water,
+threw in some salt, and set it back on the stove, at the same time
+removing a third kettle of burning rice and carrying it out of doors.</p>
+
+<p>"There!" he said, entering the kitchen again. "All the rice isn't
+spoiled. Now we will open the windows and let out this smoke, and we are
+all right. How did you come to cook so much?"</p>
+
+<p>"We were hungry, and thought we could eat a lot&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"But rice swells&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"We have found that out for ourselves," said Peace, blushing furiously
+at his quizzical grin. "It's the first time we ever cooked it alone."</p>
+
+<p>"Where are the sisters?"</p>
+
+<p>"Gail and Faith are in the city, and Hope hasn't come home from Edwards'
+house yet."</p>
+
+<p>"And you are hungry? Well, now, that is too bad. I'll tell you what I
+will do. You show me where you keep things and I will get supper, if you
+will permit me to share it with you. Tramps have to work here, you
+know&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, Mr. Tramp! You are my tramp that broke the raw egg all over your
+potato, aren't you?" cried Peace with undisguised joy. "And you never
+stole that cake, did you?"</p>
+
+<p>"What cake, child?"</p>
+
+<p>"The one Faith was baking the morning you ate breakfast here 'bout a
+year ago."</p>
+
+<p>"I never stole a cake in my life,&mdash;or anything else."</p>
+
+<p>"There, I knew it! I told them so at the time. Was it&mdash;have you lost any
+money around here?"</p>
+
+<p>"Money?" he echoed, his face the picture of innocence, as he deftly set
+the table and beat up an omelette. "I should say not! Why?"</p>
+
+<p>"'Cause we found some on the gatepost the night you were here, and I
+thought maybe you had lost it. No, I didn't think so, either. Gail
+thought you might have lost it." Into his ears she poured the whole
+story of the long, hard year.</p>
+
+<p>"And so you thought,&mdash;or Gail thought I had lost the money you found on
+the gatepost! Well, don't you think it would be a funny tramp who would
+have all that money with him!"</p>
+
+<p>Peace's face fell, and she slowly admitted, "Yes, I s'pose it would, but
+I thought maybe you might be a story-book prince. Those things <i>always</i>
+happen in books. But Gail won't use the money, 'cause she says someone
+might come along and claim it some day. When mamma was a little girl
+there was a queer old man lived in her town that people called crazy. He
+used to give pretty things to the children and then months later he'd go
+around and c'llect them and give them to someone else. Maybe that's the
+kind of a man who leaves the money on the gatepost. It has happened
+twice there, and once in the barn. Gail says we can't tell, and 'twould
+be terrible embracing"&mdash;she meant embarrassing&mdash;"if he should try to
+c'llect after we had spent the money."</p>
+
+<p>"That's a fact," agreed the tramp, "but I think she could spend the
+money without any such fears, because I think the fairies brought it."</p>
+
+<p>"Do you b'lieve in fairies?" cried Peace in shocked surprise.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, yes, and I always shall. I don't think the fairies fly around like
+butterflies, the way they are pictured in books. I believe they live in
+the hearts of men."</p>
+
+<p>"Then how could they bring money and pin it to the gatepost and grain
+sacks? They use sure-enough, every-day pins."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, maybe they whisper to some good friend that a little extra money
+would make things easier at the brown house, or the green one, or the
+gray one, and this friend, who has lots of money to spare&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"That's just the way I thought it all out," interrupted Peace eagerly.
+"But Mr. Strong hasn't lots of spare money. He is a minister, and they
+never have enough for themselves. Besides, he crossed his heart that he
+didn't know who put it there. The Dunbars aren't rich. Miss Truesdale
+can't afford it. Even Mrs. Grinnell couldn't do it. Judge Abbott has
+lots of money, but folks have to work for what they get out of him, and
+old Skinflint is so stingy that he <i>borrows</i> the city papers so's he
+won't have to buy them himself. Hec Abbott told me so. I can't think of
+a single soul who would give us the money."</p>
+
+<p>"Maybe this is a friend whom you don't know."</p>
+
+<p>"That's it, I guess. But I'd <i>like</i> awfully well to know them, and
+'specially whether we can really use the money for ourselves. Now that
+Bossy is gone, I don't know what we are going to do for milk. Mr. Jones
+paid fifteen dollars for her, but that won't buy a whole new one."</p>
+
+<p>"I think I know where you can get a fine cow for fifteen dollars. If you
+will give me the money I will call around by the place and have the man
+bring it to you the first thing in the morning. It is quite a piece from
+here, and maybe he wouldn't sell it to <i>you</i> for that price, but I know
+he would to <i>me</i>."</p>
+
+<p>Peace sat lost in thought, a bit of bread poised half way to her mouth.</p>
+
+<p>"Is it a good cow?" asked Allee, timidly.</p>
+
+<p>"The very best."</p>
+
+<p>"Gentle, like Bossy?" Cherry questioned.</p>
+
+<p>"Gentle as a lamb."</p>
+
+<p>"Does she give four gallons of milk a day?" Peace interrupted.</p>
+
+<p>"More, sometimes."</p>
+
+<p>"Is she pretty?"</p>
+
+<p>"Handsome as a picture."</p>
+
+<p>"Does she give good milk, with lots of cream? We make our own butter,
+you know."</p>
+
+<p>"She's a splendid butter cow."</p>
+
+<p>"Has she got brown eyes, like mine, and a curly tail, and two good
+horns&mdash;not too sharp? Will she eat sugar out of your hand and not drive
+folks out of the stall when they try to pet her?"</p>
+
+<p>"She is the finest cow I ever saw&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Then it's funny the man will sell her for; fifteen dollars," declared
+Peace, with sudden suspicion, studying the old man opposite her, but
+seeing only a sandy, untrimmed beard, a strong, honest face, with square
+jaws, and a pair of the kindest eyes she had ever looked into.</p>
+
+<p>"Not at all," said the man, chuckling to himself at the trap she had
+laid for him. "He wants to get rid of his herd, but doesn't need the
+money; though, of course, he wouldn't care to give the cows away."</p>
+
+<p>"Well," hesitated the brown-eyed girl, "I guess&mdash;I will have you order
+the cow for us. Gail won't feel so bad about losing Bossy if we can get
+another just as good. Here is the money. Do you have to go so soon? I
+would like to have you stay until the girls get here. Now, don't you
+forget about the cow!"</p>
+
+<p>"She will be here early tomorrow morning. Good-night, and many thanks
+for the supper." Out into the spring night walked the tramp, with the
+precious fifteen dollars in his pocket, and again the three children
+took up their vigil at the window, watching for the sisters from town.</p>
+
+<p>When at last Gail and Faith reached home, expecting to be met by tears
+and reproaches from three hungry maids, they were surprised to find
+supper spread on the table awaiting their coming, and to hear a strange
+tale of mishap and adventure that would have done credit to the age of
+Mother Goose or Robinson Crusoe.</p>
+
+<p>"Doesn't that sound like a fairy prince?" asked Peace, when the recital
+was ended. "But he says he isn't one."</p>
+
+<p>"I should say it sounded like a plain robber story," said Faith
+bitterly, while Gail sat white-faced and silent with despair. "What did
+you give him that money for! It's the last we will ever see of it. You
+are worse than <i>Jack and the Bean-Stalk</i>. You haven't even a handful of
+bean blossoms to show."</p>
+
+<p>"I've got a curl from Bossy's tail," said Peace indignantly, and then
+burst into tears, unable to bear the sight of Gail's drawn face any
+longer.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, and a robber on our trail. Supposing he comes tonight for the rest
+of the money you told him about. No, Cherry, I don't want any supper.
+Come and help me bolt the windows and fix things for the night. I wish
+Hope was here now."</p>
+
+<p>The supper remained untouched, the dishes were cleared away in silence,
+and as soon as Hope arrived the unhappy little household climbed
+wearily, fearfully upstairs to bed, where Peace sobbed herself to sleep,
+with faithful Allee's arms about her neck. But no robber came to disturb
+the brown house and at length even Gail and Faith drifted away to
+slumberland, in spite of this added trouble.</p>
+
+<p>In the dusk of early morning, while the world was still asleep, a heavy
+wagon drew up at the gate of the Greenfield cottage, unloaded its
+precious burden and drove rapidly away again; while Peace, in her
+restless tossing, dreamed that a gentle, brown-eyed cow stood in Bossy's
+stall, lowing for some breakfast. She awoke with a start, to hear a
+familiar, persistent mooing, and the tinkle of a bell in the barnyard,
+and, leaping out of bed, she rushed to the window with wildly beating
+heart. There in the yard, tied to the old watering-trough, stood a
+plump, pretty Jersey cow! Peace rubbed her eyes, pinched her arm to
+make sure she was not still dreaming, and then startled the whole house
+awake with a whoop of joy: "She has come, she has come! The cow has
+come! My tramp isn't a robber or a beanstalk at all!"</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI</h2>
+
+<h3>GARDENS AND GOPHERS</h3>
+
+
+<p>"Have you got any more corn or potatoes to drop, or onion sets to cover,
+or radishes and beans and turnips to plant, or wheat or barley to
+scatter, or&mdash;or anything else to do?" Peace panted breathlessly one warm
+Saturday afternoon late in May.</p>
+
+<p>"No," smiled Gail, looking tenderly down into the flushed, perspiring
+face. "You girls have worked faithfully all day, and now you can rest
+awhile. Mike is coming next week to finish the planting."</p>
+
+<p>"Can&mdash;may we fix our own gardens, then? Mr. Kennedy gave me a whole lot
+of seed the gove'nment sent him to plant, but he can't, 'cause he's
+going to Alaska."</p>
+
+<p>"Government seed! What kinds?"</p>
+
+<p>"Cucumbers and beets, and parsley and carrots and&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"But, child, we have all of those in our big garden now. I thought you
+wanted your little plot of ground for flowers?"</p>
+
+<p>"I do. One of these packages is sweet peas."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, dearie, I guess you have made a mistake. Mr. Kennedy wouldn't have
+any use for sweet pea seed."</p>
+
+<p>"Hope said that was the name on the package."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, then I suppose they are, though I never heard tell of the
+Kennedys raising flowers before. Sweet peas ought to be planted along a
+fence. We will have Mike dig a little trench just inside the front yard
+fence, and plant the peas there."</p>
+
+<p>Peace's face fell, but she offered no objections to the plan, and Gail
+straightway forgot all about it. Not so with the enthusiastic, youthful
+planter, however; and, while the older sister was bustling about the hot
+kitchen, the curly, brown head was bobbing energetically back and forth
+in the front yard, where she and Cherry were digging a trench as fast as
+they could turn the sod with an old broken spade and a discarded
+fire-shovel; while Allee followed in their wake, dropping the seed into
+the freshly-turned earth and carefully covering them again.</p>
+
+<p>"Mercy, but this yard is big!" sighed weary Peace, as she began digging
+along the third and last side. "Have you got enough left to stick in
+here, Allee?"</p>
+
+<p>"This is all," answered the blue-eyed toiler, displaying a handful of
+flat, black seed in her apron.</p>
+
+<p>"Those don't look like peas," cried Cherry, pausing to examine the
+queer-looking things. "All I ever saw were round."</p>
+
+<p>"Garden peas <i>are</i> round," answered Peace, with a knowing air, "but
+these are sweet peas, and they are flat."</p>
+
+<p>"Did you ever see any before?" demanded Cherry suspiciously, nettled by
+her sister's manner.</p>
+
+<p>"No&mdash;o, but doesn't the sack they were in say 'sweet peas?'"</p>
+
+<p>It certainly did, there was no disputing that fact, so Cherry discreetly
+remained silent, and began her vigorous shoveling once more.</p>
+
+<p>When the supper hour was announced the shallow, uneven trench was
+completed, the seeds all covered, and three dirty gardeners perched in a
+row on the fence, planning out the list of customers who would buy the
+sweet blossoms when the vines had matured.</p>
+
+<p>"There's the horn for supper," said Cherry.</p>
+
+<p>"And I know Mrs. Lacy will be glad to get them sometimes, 'cause she
+hasn't any flowers at all," continued Peace, ignoring the interruption.
+"That makes ten people."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, hurry up! I am hungry, and we'll have to wash before Gail will
+give us anything to eat," cried the tallest girl impatiently. "I'll race
+you to the pump."</p>
+
+<p>"You are late," Hope greeted them, when, after a noisy splashing and
+hasty wiping of faces, they entered the room. "Doesn't Allee's face look
+funny with that black streak around it where she didn't hit the dirt?
+What have you been doing to get so warm?"</p>
+
+<p>"Planting sweet peas," answered Allee.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, Peace! After I said we would have Mike dig a trench by the fence!"</p>
+
+<p>"You didn't say we <i>couldn't</i> plant them, Gail. We dug it so's to save
+Mike the trouble. Anyway, the seeds ought to be in the ground by this
+time if they are ever going to blossom this year, and Mike is so slow.
+We thought it was best not to wait. When do you s'pose they will come
+up?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, in about two or three weeks, maybe," Gail answered. "You better rub
+your arms well with liniment before you go to bed tonight, or you will
+be so lame tomorrow you can't move."</p>
+
+<p>The incident was closed, and the sweet peas forgotten until one day
+about three weeks later Hope called excitedly from the front yard,
+"Gail, Gail, come here! What ever are these plants coming up all along
+the fence? They are not sweet peas."</p>
+
+<p>Gail came, examined the fat sprouts and looked at Hope in comical
+dismay. "They are pumpkins or cucumbers or melons, and the whole front
+fence is lined with them!"</p>
+
+<p>"Poor Peace!" said Hope, when their laugh had ended. "She will be
+heartbroken. She made her fortune a dozen times over on the blossoms
+those vines are to bear."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," sighed Gail. "She has the happy faculty of trying to do one thing
+and getting some unexpected, unheard-of result. Poor little blunderbus!
+But what shall we do with these plants? There are enough to stock a
+ranch. We can't leave them here, and I don't think they will bear
+transplanting."</p>
+
+<p>"And so they ain't sweet peas at all!" exclaimed a disappointed voice
+behind them, and there stood Peace herself, contemplating her treasures
+with solemn eyes.</p>
+
+<p>"No, dear, they are pumpkins, I guess. What kind of seed did you plant?"</p>
+
+<p>"I planted sweet pea seed," came the mournful reply. "Leastways the sack
+said so. Hope read it herself."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, the sack was labelled plainly, but I never thought to examine the
+seed. What did they look like?"</p>
+
+<p>"They were black and flat."</p>
+
+<p>"Melons," said Gail. "Well, I would rather have melons than pumpkins,
+for we already have planted a lot of them. Still, it will spoil these to
+transplant them, so they might just as well have been pumpkins. It is a
+shame to have to throw them all away, though."</p>
+
+<p>Peace said nothing, but in bitterness of heart helped pull up all the
+green sprouts and throw them over the fence. Then she sat down beside
+the heap to mourn over her fallen aircastles.</p>
+
+<p>"Seems 's if I can't do anything like other folks," she sighed dismally.
+"I plant sweet peas and get melons. I wonder if melons wouldn't sell
+better than peas. Gail says these won't grow, but I am going to try them
+anyway."</p>
+
+<p>She filled her apron with the hapless plants and carried them away to
+her small garden plot behind the shed, where she patiently set out every
+one, regardless of the flower seeds already hid beneath the soil. And,
+strange to say, they grew,&mdash;at least many of them did, choking out the
+poppies and marigolds and balsams which finally climbed through the
+three inches of ground the zealous gardener had hid them under, and
+formed a thick tangle of promising vines.</p>
+
+<p>Then the gophers began their destructive work, tunnelling the little
+farm into a perfect labyrinth of underground passages, much to the
+dismay of the little household, so dependent upon the success of their
+crops. Traps were set, the holes were flooded, cats by the score were
+let loose in the fields, but still the little pests continued to dig, as
+if laughing at the futile attempts made to get rid of them. At length
+Gail sighed, "I am afraid we will have to resort to poisoned grain. I
+hate to, because I am so afraid the children will get into it, or
+something dreadful happen on account of it."</p>
+
+<p>"I don't see how either the youngsters or even the hens could get at it
+if it was put down the holes," said Faith. "Say nothing about it but fix
+up a mess and Hope and I will drop it some day when the children are
+away and the hens in their yard."</p>
+
+<p>So Gail mixed up a huge bucket full of poisoned grain, and while the
+younger trio were gathering flowers in the woods one afternoon, the
+other sisters sallied forth with their deadly bait, bent on
+exterminating their small foes.</p>
+
+<p>All might have gone well had not the smaller girls suddenly decided to
+play hare and hound, and it fell to Peace's lot to be the hare. With an
+apron full of gay dandelion blossoms for the trail, the active little
+body set out on a wide detour of the woods, across the bridge, up
+through the Hartman pasture land, reaching the barbed wire fence on
+their own little farm just in time to see Hope dropping a last handful
+of grain into a gopher hole before returning to the house with her empty
+pail.</p>
+
+<p>"Now what has she been doing?" thought Peace, peering out from a thicket
+of hazel bushes. "Oh, I know! I bet she is trying to poison the gophers,
+like Mr. Hartman did. I wonder if they will come up after the corn right
+away. I am going to watch. I'd like to see how it kills them."</p>
+
+<p>She carefully wriggled her way under the lower wire, and sat down in
+front of the nearest gopher mound, forgetting all about her dandelions,
+sisters, and play, in the prospect of witnessing the death of one of the
+enemy. But either Mr. Gopher was not at home, or else he suspected the
+presence of an unwelcome caller, for he did not come up in sight for
+even a nibble of the tempting corn; and at last, weary of her fruitless
+vigil, Peace cried aloud, "He prob'ly can get all he wants without
+letting me see him. I'm going to dig it all out on top, so he will
+<i>have</i> to come out in sight."</p>
+
+<p>She quickly scratched the poisoned bait out of the runway, scattered it
+liberally about, and settled back in her former position, with her eyes
+glued on the mouth of the tunnel; but still Mr. Gopher did not come.</p>
+
+<p>"You tiresome old thing!" she exclaimed impatiently, after what seemed
+hours of waiting. "I shan't watch for you another minute. I'll find
+another hole and see if they will do any better there." So from mound to
+mound she scurried, digging the grain up into view, and then watching
+for the appearance of the tenant&mdash;with no result.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, of all provoking people!" cried an indignant voice behind her,
+and there were Cherry and Allee crawling under the fence. "How long have
+you been sitting there like a bump on a log? You didn't drop enough
+dandelions, and we had an awful time following you. What on earth are
+you doing here? Let's go up to the pump for a drink. I am nearly burned
+up." Without giving the weary Peace a chance to answer her questions,
+she raced away through the pasture toward the house, dragging Allee with
+her; and the third girl, after one last, hopeless glance at the gopher
+hole, followed more slowly.</p>
+
+<p>Some time later Hope came tearing across the field, with hair flying,
+and her eyes filled with alarm, calling shrilly, "Gail, Faith, the hens
+have broken out of the yard and are eating the poisoned grain! There are
+more than a dozen down there now!"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, dear," cried Peace, with guilty conscience, "I scratched the corn
+out of the holes so's I could watch the gophers die. And I let the hens
+out, too, 'cause they looked so hot shut up in that mite of a yard after
+they have been running loose for so long."</p>
+
+<p>With despairing eyes, Gail looked down at the dying fowls, and not
+daring to trust herself to speak, she hurried away to the house to sob
+out her grief alone.</p>
+
+<p>Faith paused long enough to count the hapless hens, clutched the
+wretched culprit and shook her vigorously, then silently followed her
+older sister, leaving the heartbroken child alone with the victims of
+her curiosity.</p>
+
+<p>"Did you ever see my equal?" she said aloud, addressing herself. "You
+are the worst child that ever lived! You wash the labels off the spice
+boxes so Faith gets ginger instead of mustard in her salad dressing; you
+try to milk cows and break their legs instead; you spoil cakes and steal
+eggs and bother Gail and Faith till they are nearly crazy; and now
+you've taken to killing hens just to see how gophers die. Peace
+Greenfield, aren't you ashamed of yourself? Yes, I am, but there's no
+use in wasting those perfectly good hens&mdash;twenty of them&mdash;we had only
+forty in all. It's a wonder the rest of them didn't get a dose, too.
+Hope has got them locked up at last. There comes Cherry; I'll make her
+help. Oh, Cherry, here's a job for you!"</p>
+
+<p>"What is it? And why are the girls crying? They wouldn't tell me."</p>
+
+<p>"I've killed a lot of hens for them, playing hare and hound. That's the
+very last time I will ever be hare, Charity Greenfield! Help me undress
+these chickens. We'll have some for supper, and the rest we'll peddle to
+the town folks."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, Peace, I can't pull feathers! It makes me shiver every time a bunch
+comes out in my hands."</p>
+
+<p>"You will have to. You don't expect me to pick them all, do you? I guess
+the girls never thought of selling the hens, and I can't ask them to
+help now. We will get the ax and chop off their heads and then hang them
+in the crab-apple tree while we strip them. You really must help,
+Cherry. Gail says they pick better while they are warm."</p>
+
+<p>She hunted up the ax, and one by one hacked off poor biddies' heads; but
+when it came to the picking process, they found it was slow work for
+small, inexperienced fingers, and gave up in despair when the third nude
+body lay in the grass at their feet.</p>
+
+<p>"It is almost night, Peace, and we've picked three. What shall we do?
+'Twill take us hours to finish that whole bunch."</p>
+
+<p>"We'll sell them for as much as we can get, and see if the butcher won't
+take the rest with the feathers on. We can keep two or three for
+ourselves. Where is Allee's cart?"</p>
+
+<p>All that remained of the poison victims were loaded into the small
+wagon, and their strange pilgrimage through the village streets began.
+The picked fowls were readily disposed of, and one neighbor bought the
+largest of the feathered birds, but no one else wanted to bother with
+them, and it was only after much persuasion that the butcher consented
+to take six, at the fancy price of twenty-five cents each.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, that is better than nothing, though he wouldn't sell me one for
+that little last Christmas," sighed Peace, much disappointed at the
+result of their peddling. "Three dollars and fifty cents will buy quite
+a few chickens, and chickens make hens if you give them time. What do
+you s'pose Gail will say when we give her the money?"</p>
+
+<p>They were not long in finding out. The two red-eyed girls were busy in
+the kitchen when the children returned with the unsold hens in the
+wagon; and with fear and trembling, Peace laid the coins on the table,
+saying humbly, "Mrs. Munson took one, and Mrs. Bainbridge, and Mrs.
+Edwards and Mrs. Lacy, and the butcher bought six. That's all the hens
+we could sell. We left three here for supper and&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Peace Greenfield!" shrieked the horrified sisters in unison. "Did you
+sell those poisoned hens? You march straight upstairs to bed&mdash;and
+Cherry, too!" Then Gail flew one way and Faith the other, to collect the
+birds before the buyers had a chance to dish up the delicacy to adored
+families.</p>
+
+<p>When they had seen the last fowl safely disposed of, and were home once
+more, Gail said despairingly, "I don't know what in the world to do with
+that child!"</p>
+
+<p>"She needs a good, sound thrashing," answered Faith sharply. "She gets
+into more mischief in a day than a monkey would in a month."</p>
+
+<p>"She doesn't mean to," pleaded Gail. "Mother never believed in whipping.
+If it were mischief for mischief's sake, I could punish her, but her
+intentions are good&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Good intentions don't amount to much in her case. A good trouncing
+might make her think a little more."</p>
+
+<p>"I <i>can't</i> whip her, Faith, but I'll go up and lecture her good. I
+believe that will be more effective than harshness."</p>
+
+<p>So the perplexed mother-sister mounted the stairs to the chamber above,
+from which sounded a low murmur of voices, and she paused in the hallway
+to assemble her thoughts, when Peace's words, evidently in supplication,
+floated out through the open door: "And, O Lord, don't blame Gail for
+getting mad. It's the first time I can remember. She is usu'ly very
+good. S'posing she was a stepmother, like lame Jennie Munn's, wouldn't
+we have a time living with her, though? And I am truly sorry about the
+hens. Hope says we can't get many eggs now, 'cause half of the flock is
+gone, and if we keep all our customers we will have to do without eggs
+here at home. I don't mind that at all myself, 'cause I've eaten eggs
+and eggs till it makes me sick to hunt them now; but what will Faith do
+for her cakes? That's what is worrying me. It was so we could buy more
+live hens that Cherry and me sold the dead ones. We didn't know they
+would make people sick, and p'r'aps kill them, too. I am sorry the money
+had to go back and that the hens are just wasted now, but I 'xpect
+they'll make an elegant funeral tomorrow. So forgive Gail and keep her
+from getting mad any more, and forgive me and keep me from being bad any
+more, and make us 'happy children in a happy home.' Amen."</p>
+
+<p>Softly, silently, Gail stole down the stairs again, with her lecture
+unsaid.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII</h2>
+
+<h3>THE RASPBERRY PATCH</h3>
+
+
+<p>One hot, dusty afternoon in midsummer Faith trudged wearily up the road
+from the village, climbed the steps to the vine-covered piazza where
+Gail sat shelling peas, and dropped a handful of silver into her
+sister's lap, saying, "Three dollars clear from my cakes this week! Wish
+I could make that much every time. Mrs. Dunbar was perfectly delighted
+with my jelly roll, and has ordered another for next Saturday."</p>
+
+<p>"Isn't that fine!" smiled Gail. "You will have a bakery of your own some
+day if you keep on. I thought she would like the roll; it was the best I
+ever tasted."</p>
+
+<p>"I think I could find quite a few customers for them if I only had the
+jelly, but it costs so much to buy it, and all we have is that little
+bit of apple jelly you made last summer."</p>
+
+<p>"The crab-apple trees are loaded with mites of green apples,"
+volunteered Cherry from the lower step, where she was making
+cats-cradles with Allee.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, but they won't be ripe for weeks yet; and, besides, a sour jelly
+is best for jelly rolls."</p>
+
+<p>"Do blackberries make sour jelly?" asked Peace, pausing in her
+occupation of fitting paper sails to the empty pods Gail had dropped.
+"Cause the creek road is just lined with bushes."</p>
+
+<p>"They are better than crab-apples, but it will be days before they are
+ripe enough for use. I had thought of them, and investigated the bushes
+only yesterday. Mrs. Grinnell says raspberries are best for the
+purpose."</p>
+
+<p>"Lots of people around here have raspberries," said Peace.</p>
+
+<p>"And they want money for them, too."</p>
+
+<p>"Mr. Hardman doesn't pay any 'tention to his down in the pasture. I've
+helped myself there lots of times."</p>
+
+<p>"But his wife does. I saw her there this morning."</p>
+
+<p>Peace said no more, but, waiting until she saw their neighbor bring up
+his cows to be milked, she slipped through the fence onto his land and
+accosted him with the abrupt question, "How much will you take for the
+rest of your raspberries?"</p>
+
+<p>"What?"</p>
+
+<p>She repeated her inquiry, and after scratching his head meditatively, he
+exclaimed, as if to himself, "Another money-making scheme! If she don't
+beat the Dutch!"</p>
+
+<p>"This is a jelly-making scheme," returned Peace, with comical dignity.
+"There is no money in it."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh! Well, don't you know that raspberries are expensive?"</p>
+
+<p>"Most people's are, but you never paid any 'tention to yours, so I
+thought you would be glad to get rid of them for little or nothing."</p>
+
+<p>"Oho!" he teased. "Begging again!"</p>
+
+<p>"I'm not!" Peace denied hotly. "I'll pay for them if you don't charge
+too high."</p>
+
+<p>"How much will you pay?"</p>
+
+<p>"I haven't any money, but I'll pick on shares."</p>
+
+<p>"Share and share alike?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes; I'll keep half for my trouble, and you will get half for no
+trouble."</p>
+
+<p>Her method of figuring always amused him, and now he laughed outright,
+"Seems to me I am entitled to them all. They are my berries, you know."</p>
+
+<p>"Well," stormed Peace, "if that's the way you look at it, you can pick
+'em, too!"</p>
+
+<p>"Aw, don't get mad," he said soothingly. "I was just teasing. Of course
+you can pick all the raspberries you want. My wife said just this
+morning that the bushes were loaded, and she couldn't begin to handle
+them all herself. But&mdash;say&mdash;that reminds me&mdash;I've rented the pasture to
+old Skinner, and he's put his bull in there. You will have to watch your
+chance when the old critter is out, to pick your berries."</p>
+
+<p>"All right," cried Peace, expressing her elation by hopping about on one
+foot. "It's awfully nice of you to give us the berries you don't care
+to pick yourself, and we will see that the bull doesn't bother."</p>
+
+<p>She was half way across the field by the time she had finished speaking,
+eager to tell the good news to the girls; and before the dew was dry on
+the grass the next morning, three sunbonneted figures scampered down the
+road to Mr. Hartman's lower pasture, armed with big pails and Allee's
+red wagon, intent on picking all the berries they could for Faith's
+jelly.</p>
+
+<p>"We'll have to leave Allee's cart outside the fence," said Peace,
+climbing the high rails with astonishing agility and dropping nimbly
+down on the other side. "Do you see the Skinflint's bull anywhere?"</p>
+
+<p>"No," answered Cherry, taking a careful survey of the field from her
+perch on the top rail. "There isn't a thing stirring."</p>
+
+<p>"Then maybe we can pick all we want before the deacon brings him down.
+Hurry, and keep a sharp lookout for the old beast. My, but these bushes
+are stickery!"</p>
+
+<p>"I should say they are," Cherry agreed, ruefully eyeing her bleeding
+hands. "I don't believe it is going to be any fun picking raspberries.
+They are lots worse than blackberries."</p>
+
+<p>"S'posing we had been the prince who crawled through the hedge to wake
+Sleeping Beauty. I bet he got good and scratched up, but he kept right
+on and fin'ly kissed the princess awake."</p>
+
+<p>"There ain't any princess in these bushes," grumbled Cherry, pausing to
+suck a wounded thumb.</p>
+
+<p>"No, but there are <i>berries</i>, and they are more important than
+princesses. We couldn't make jelly out of a princess, but we can
+out&mdash;Mercy, what was that noise?"</p>
+
+<p>"It's the bull! Run, run! There it comes down the hill!" shrieked
+Cherry, standing as if rooted to the spot, and staring with horror at
+the angry animal tearing across the pasture toward them.</p>
+
+<p>"Run yourself, you ninny!" screamed Peace, giving the older girl a push,
+and then scrambling for the fence with Allee dragging by one arm behind
+her.</p>
+
+<p>There was no time to climb over, and the lower rail was too close to the
+ground for them to crawl under, but Peace did not linger to discuss the
+question. Grabbing the frightened baby by the heels, she thrust her
+between the slats, and gave her a shove that pitched her head first into
+a stagnant mudhole just outside the fence. Then pausing only long enough
+to see that Cherry was safely through, she followed, still clutching her
+now empty pail, and landing beside Allee in the mud.</p>
+
+<p>"Whew! What a smell!" she spluttered, righting herself and trying to dig
+her sister out of the pool. "And all on account of that miserable,
+cowardly bull! Why don't you take someone your own size to fight?" She
+shook her fist defiantly at the pawing, bellowing brute by the fence,
+and not satisfied with that method of expressing her anger, she flung
+the empty bucket at his head, crying in frenzy, "Take that, you old
+sinner! It b'longs to the berries you've already got."</p>
+
+<p>Her aim was truer than she had anticipated, and the pail fell with a
+rattling clatter over the beast's ugly-looking horns, frightening him so
+that for a brief moment he stood perfectly still. Then, with a snort of
+fear and fury, he set off across the field at a mad gallop, with the
+bucket still tossing on his head.</p>
+
+<p>Peace glared angrily after the retreating enemy, too indignant over her
+loss to think of their peril until Cherry quavered, "Hadn't we better
+run while we have a chance? Suppose he should batter the fence down."</p>
+
+<p>"No danger," Peace muttered shortly; but she picked herself up from the
+ground, where she was trying to scrape the ill-smelling mud off her
+shoes, and marched majestically up the road, trundling the cart behind
+her.</p>
+
+<p>"Where are you going?" cried Cherry, when they reached the first cross
+street. "Here's where we turn."</p>
+
+<p>"Turn, then! I'm going on to old Skinflint's house and tell him to keep
+that ugly bull out of Hartman's pasture until we get those raspberries
+picked."</p>
+
+<p>"With that nasty mud all over you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Mud and all," was the stubborn answer, and from force of habit, Cherry
+fell into step beside her again, tramping along in silence until the
+Skinner place was reached.</p>
+
+<p>It just happened that the old man himself was hurrying up the path from
+the barn as they approached, and Peace stopped him with an imperious
+wave of her hand, speaking straight to the point before he could even
+ask her what she wanted.</p>
+
+<p>"Your bull won't let us pick raspberries in the lower pasture. Mr.
+Hartman said we might, but just when we got our pails 'most full, that
+old thing had to come along and bunt at us. We skipped, but he made us
+lose all our berries. We'd like to have you tie him up or take him out
+until we can get those berries picked."</p>
+
+<p>The grouchy old fellow stood with open mouth, glaring at the
+mud-bespattered figures, as if he doubted his senses, and as Peace
+finished her speech, he laughed mirthlessly, screeching in his harsh,
+cracked, rasping voice, "I put that bull in pasture myself, and there he
+stays! I don't do any tying up, either. I rented that field and it's the
+same as mine for as long as I hire it. You can't have them berries at
+all. They are mine."</p>
+
+<p>"Mr. Hartman said we could have them," Peace insisted; "and I guess he
+wouldn't give away what didn't b'long to him. He may have rented the
+pasture to you, but he never rented the berries."</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly the old man changed tactics. "You can have all the berries you
+can get," he taunted, shaking a warning finger in their faces, "but that
+bull stays right there in that field!"</p>
+
+<p>"All right, old Skinflint!" roared Peace, forgetting everything else in
+her furious passion, and shaking an emphatic finger back at him. "Just
+'member that, will you? We'll get the berries in spite of your old
+<i>animule</i>!"</p>
+
+<p>She stamped out of the yard and down the road toward home once more,
+nursing her wrath and trying to think of some way whereby she might get
+the disputed fruit, for she well knew that the deacon would do all he
+could to prevent her now.</p>
+
+<p>Early the next morning she was at the pasture again, only to find the
+vicious enemy grazing close by, watching with wicked eyes every flirt of
+her dress, as if defying her to gather the luscious red berries hanging
+so temptingly near.</p>
+
+<p>The second day it was the same, and the third. It looked as if the enemy
+had conquered; but Peace was not to be easily defeated. She had set her
+heart on picking that fruit, and she meant to have it at any cost.</p>
+
+<p>The fourth morning, after reconnoitering and finding the bull still in
+undisputed possession of the field, an uncertain but daring thought
+dawned upon her busy brain, and when she returned home she casually
+asked Hope, "Didn't folks one time have bull fights in Africa?"</p>
+
+<p>"In Spain, you mean," answered the other, always ready to share her
+small store of knowledge. "Yes, they still have them, though it is very
+wicked."</p>
+
+<p>"How do they fight?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, I don't know exactly, but I think a man rides around a big ring on
+horseback, flying a red flag until the bull is terribly mad, and then he
+has to kill it with his dagger or get killed himself. It is terribly
+cruel, teacher says."</p>
+
+<p>"Why does the bull get mad at the flag?"</p>
+
+<p>"Because it is red, and they can't stand that color. Neither can turkey
+gobblers. Don't you remember you had on a red coat when Mr. Hartman's
+gobbler chased you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh," said Peace, much enlightened. She had received the information she
+sought, and was content.</p>
+
+<p>"So the flag has to be red, does it?" she mused, as she stealthily
+climbed the stairs to the tiny, hot, cobwebby attic, where all the
+cast-off clothing was stored against a rainy day. "I thought it was
+something like that, but I didn't know for sure. There's an old red
+dress that b'longed to me, and here is my old flannel petticoat. I don't
+b'lieve we will ever use this mess of cheesecloth again, either; it is
+so dreadfully streaked. But there is enough red in it yet."</p>
+
+<p>Gathering up an armful of worn-out garments, she crept down the stairway
+once more and slipped away to the lower pasture with her burden, where
+for the next half hour she might have been seen tying the scarlet strips
+to the fence rails in the corner farthest from the raspberry patch. When
+the last rag was fastened securely, she stepped back and viewed the
+result of her labor, sighing in deep satisfaction, "There are twenty-one
+hunks in all. It ought to take him a good long time to tear them all to
+pieces, and maybe if we work fast we can get most of the bushes stripped
+while he is banging his head down here."</p>
+
+<p>Hurrying home, she quietly summoned Cherry and Allee, and the trio set
+out once more on their berry-picking excursion, finding their enemy too
+busy in the far end of the field to interfere with them, just as Peace
+had hoped.</p>
+
+<p>"But he may come back here at any minute," argued Cherry, loth to enter
+the field. "I thought you said he was gone from the pasture."</p>
+
+<p>"I said from the <i>berries</i>. Don't stop to talk. As long as he doesn't
+hear us, we are all right. We will pick close to the fence, so we can
+get out quick. There must be <i>tons</i> of berries right here in this clump.
+Mercy, what a racket he makes!"</p>
+
+<p>Then how the nimble fingers flew, and how fast the deep-tinted fruit
+fell into the shining pails! But all the while the three pickers kept
+their eyes fastened on the grove of trees which hid the animal from
+sight, and three hearts pounded fearfully at every snort of the enraged
+brute.</p>
+
+<p>"Are you sure he is tied?" whispered cautious Cherry, after an unusually
+loud bellow had made her jump almost out of her shoes.</p>
+
+<p>"I didn't say he was tied. I said he wasn't apt to bother us this
+morning. Keep still and pick with all your might. One of the big pails
+in the wagon is full already."</p>
+
+<p>"But how do you know he will stay there if he isn't tied?" persisted
+Cherry, glancing apprehensively toward the trees again.</p>
+
+<p>"He is too busy to think of coming over here now," Peace assured her
+confidently, and that was all the satisfaction she could get, so she
+lapsed into silence, and worked like a beaver until the second big
+bucket was brimming over. Then the small taskmaster drew a deep breath
+of relief and said graciously, "Now we will go home. These ought to make
+quite a little jelly. We must have as much as twenty quarts. They don't
+take as long as strawberries."</p>
+
+<p>Thankfully the sisters crawled through the fence and triumphantly bore
+their precious burden homeward, still hearing in the distance the angry
+mutterings of Deacon Skinner's bull.</p>
+
+<p>"Just see the loads of berries we picked!" chorused three happy voices,
+as the rattling cart came to a standstill before the kitchen door.</p>
+
+<p>"Faith can have all the jelly she wants, and you can make the leftover
+seeds up in jam, can't you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Children!" cried Gail, white to the lips. "Have you been in that
+pasture with Mr. Skinner's ugly bull?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," they confessed, "but he never came near us."</p>
+
+<p>"I guess he didn't want to leave the grove," added Peace, marching
+complacently away to wash her berry-stained hands.</p>
+
+<p>"Don't you ever go there again," commanded the oldest sister, still
+trembling with fright at what might have happened to the daring berry
+pickers, but she never thought to question them any further, and Peace's
+prank remained a secret for a short time longer.</p>
+
+<p>The next day Deacon Skinner was early at the Hartman place, stalking
+angrily up to the low, green house, and, striding into the kitchen
+without the formality of knocking, demanded fiercely, "What do you mean
+by plastering your fence all over with red rags? Your pasture fence?
+I'll sue you for damages! My bull has lost one horn and is all battered
+to pieces, the rails are splintered, and it's a wonder he didn't get
+loose. Is that what you aimed at doing?"</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Hartman faced his accuser unflinchingly, saying, with quiet
+emphasis, "I don't know anything about the matter. The fence was all
+right yesterday morning, for I was down there myself to see, before I
+left for town. You don't know what you are saying when you threaten to
+sue."</p>
+
+<p>"But the fence is all tied up with red rags," blustered the angry
+fellow. "How comes that? You rented me the&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"I rented you the pasture, but I didn't rent you watch dogs and dragons
+to guard it. That is your own lookout. I had nothing to do with it, and
+it's no affair of mine if the village boys are up to their pranks."</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Hartman's air was convincing, and the deacon's wrath toward his
+neighbor cooled somewhat when he saw how groundless were his
+accusations. Nevertheless, his ire was thoroughly aroused, and he
+promised all sorts of punishment to the offenders when they were caught.
+"If 'twas the village boys, I'll warrant the Judge's youngster was at
+the head of it. I'll tan him till he can't stand when I get my hands on
+him," he muttered.</p>
+
+<p>"You better make sure of the guilty one before you thrash him,"
+suggested Mr. Hartman, dryly.</p>
+
+<p>"That Abbott boy and the Greenfield girl are the ringleaders in all the
+mischief&mdash;by George, she's the one that did it! She vowed she'd get
+those berries, bull or no bull. If she has touched those bushes, I'll&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"No, you won't," interrupted the other man, rising to his feet with an
+angry light in his eyes. "If that child went to you and asked about
+those bushes, you don't lay hands on her in any way."</p>
+
+<p>"She didn't ask. She came and told me to tie up the animal so she could
+pick raspberries."</p>
+
+<p>"And you refused."</p>
+
+<p>"I rented that field, and you had no business to promise her the
+berries."</p>
+
+<p>"If you wanted them, why didn't you say so? They were going to waste on
+the vines. You merely asked permission to put your animal in there for a
+month while you were repairing your corral."</p>
+
+<p>"I didn't want the berries, but&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"That is all I care to know. You can take your property out of my
+pasture at once. I won't rent to such a man as you. Sue if you like, and
+see what you will get in court."</p>
+
+<p>"Very well, Hartman," fumed the fiery-tempered old fellow. "But I will
+settle even with you yet. Just remember that note of Lowe's, will you?
+It's apt to be called to your attention pretty soon in a way you won't
+like, I reckon, and you won't get a second's more time on it, either.
+You will find it ain't so funny to set up against <i>me</i> in this
+neighborhood!"</p>
+
+<p>The irate man stormed out of the house, still shaking his fist
+threateningly, and Mr. Hartman, in a very disturbed state of mind,
+returned to his breakfast.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII</h2>
+
+<h3>PEACE GETS EVEN</h3>
+
+
+<p>"Peace, come here, I want to talk with you," called Mr. Hartman, leaning
+over the fence and beckoning to the child at work in her melon patch,
+measuring the mottled green fruit thickly dotted through the vines.</p>
+
+<p>"It's grown two inches since I measured it last," said the brown-eyed
+gardener to herself, leaving her task to see what the man wanted. "Here
+I am."</p>
+
+<p>"Do you know what kind of a mess you have got me into now?"</p>
+
+<p>Peace looked her surprise, and answered saucily, "You don't fool me any
+more, my friend. You've teased me so often that it is an old story now.
+I know just what to 'xpect when I meet you."</p>
+
+<p>At any other time he would have been delighted with this reply, but
+under the circumstances&mdash;for he was really much disturbed over her
+latest prank&mdash;her jaunty, don't-care air nettled him, and he said
+sharply, "<i>This</i> is no joking matter, Miss Greenfield, I can tell you
+that! Why did you tie red rags all over my pasture fence?"</p>
+
+<p>"So's to keep the deacon's bull busy. We couldn't get those berries any
+other way."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, I guess you succeeded. He broke one horn off and pretty near
+skinned himself, I judge. The only wonder is that he didn't tear the
+fence down and get loose."</p>
+
+<p>"As long as he didn't, I shouldn't care about his horns," answered Peace
+with provoking indifference. "The deacon said I could have all the
+berries I could get, and he didn't say how I was to get them, either. I
+thought and thought, and I couldn't see any way out but the red flags.
+It worked beau&mdash;ti&mdash;fully. We got two buckets chock-full!"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," groaned Mr. Hartman; "and got old Skinner red hot at me! I signed
+a note a year or two ago for a friend of mine, expecting by this time
+that he would be on his feet and able to take care of it, but he isn't,
+and I've got to settle. Where the money is coming from is more than I
+can tell. It took all my ready cash to build that new barn, and old
+Skinner is so blamed mad that he won't give me any more time. And all
+this fuss on account of those berries. Plague take the old bushes, and
+you, too, you little rascal!"</p>
+
+<p>Peace drew herself up haughtily and with eyes flashing fire, demanded,
+"Do you mean that?"</p>
+
+<p>"Every word. I'd just like the chance to give you a good trouncing."</p>
+
+<p>He was not in earnest, but he looked so harsh and stern that Peace for
+a moment trembled in her shoes. Then all her natural childish passion
+was aroused, and stamping her foot, she declared wrathfully, "I'll not
+be friends with you any longer. You said I could have the berries, and
+the deacon said I could have all I could get. You aren't being square
+with me, and I won't have anything more to do with you." She turned on
+her heel and flung herself indignantly across the garden to the road,
+leaving Mr. Hartman still leaning against the fence, lost in thought.</p>
+
+<p>The forest was her favorite retreat in times of trouble, but today the
+cool shadows and whispering trees did not soothe her, and after
+wandering about until the afternoon began to wane, she started for home,
+still wrathful and passionate, for she felt that Mr. Hartman had been
+very unfair in his treatment of her.</p>
+
+<p>While she was still some distance from the little brown house, a
+carriage drove up to their gate, and stopped, but she did not recognize
+the rig, nor could she make out who had alighted; and for the time
+being, her rage was lost in her greater curiosity. "Wonder who it can
+be," she said to herself. "It isn't the doctor's horse, nor the Judge's
+buggy, and that woman is too little for Mrs. Lacy or Mrs. Edwards. She's
+got a big bundle. Maybe it's the Salvation Army bringing us some old
+duds like they did the German family last week. But s'posing it was some
+rich aunt or grandmother we didn't know we had. It's awfully hard not to
+have any relations like other folks. I am going through old
+Cross-Patch's cornfield, 'stead of running clear around by the road."</p>
+
+<p>She crawled between the strands of barbed wire and ran swiftly down the
+rows of rustling, whispering, silken corn, thinking only of the
+unexpected visitors at home, until a big barn loomed up before her,
+shining in its newness. Then she stopped abruptly, having suddenly
+remembered her grievance.</p>
+
+<p>"He <i>isn't</i> square!" she cried. "I'd like to fight him good. I'll get
+even with you some day, Mr. Hardman! Bet he's going to paint his old
+barn. Here is a whole ocean of red paint in this pail, and there is a
+stack of brushes. I&mdash;I'm going&mdash;to tell&mdash;him what I think of him in red
+paint. Yes, sir, I'm going to do it this very minute!"</p>
+
+<p>All thought of the mysterious visitor at home had vanished, all thought
+of the consequences were stifled, and choosing the smallest brush in the
+heap beside the pail, she began daubing scrawly, tipsy letters across
+the new, white boards: <i>Mister Hardman isnt square</i>.</p>
+
+<p>"There!" she breathed, as the last straggling "r" was finished. "I'll
+bet that makes him mad, but maybe next time he won't blame me for his
+old fusses. He <i>said</i> I could have those raspberries."</p>
+
+<p>She dipped the brush into the paint once more, made a few little red
+spots below the printed letters, and labelled them <i>raspberries</i> for
+fear they might not otherwise be recognized. Then dropping the brush
+back where she had found it, she skipped off home, feeling an
+uncomfortable sense of guilt and shame in her heart for having wreaked
+her revenge in such a manner.</p>
+
+<p>At the gate Allee met her, shouting, "Mrs. Strong is here with the baby,
+and she's going to stay for supper. Elva Munson brought her in their new
+buggy. Come see Glen. We've hunted all over for you, and even blew the
+horn."</p>
+
+<p>The excited child danced up the path, and Peace followed, forgetting her
+mean prank in her pleasure at seeing her beloved friends. Nor did she
+remember any more about it until the next morning, when, seated on the
+shed-roof, under the overhanging boughs of a great elm, she saw Mr.
+Hartman striding angrily up the path to the kitchen door. Then her heart
+gave a great thump and seemed to sink clear to her toes, as she thought
+of her miserable method of getting even. Her passion had subsided during
+the night, and try as she would, she could now think of no justifiable
+excuse for her mean act.</p>
+
+<p>Gail answered the imperative knock, and Peace heard him demand
+wrathfully, "Where is Peace?"</p>
+
+<p>"Somewhere around the place. She was under the maple there at the
+corner a few moments ago. Is something wrong? Has she been annoying you
+again?"</p>
+
+<p>"Annoying me? She has daubed letters all over the back of my new barn. I
+shall have to paint the whole building now, and it isn't very funny
+business. If I had got hold of her when I first saw her work, I'd have
+given her a thrashing she wouldn't have forgotten in one while. You will
+whip that child like she deserves, or pay for the damage she has
+done,&mdash;one or the other, and I mean it, too!" Without waiting for her
+reply, he started down the path again, leaving Gail white-faced and
+distressed in the kitchen door.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as he was out of sight Peace slid from her perch to the ground
+below, deserting the corncob doll she had been dressing, and scurried
+away to the barn loft to face the new and undreamed-of situation. A
+licking or pay for the damage done! Why had she been so thoughtless and
+mean? She might have known that Gail would be the one to suffer. She
+hated herself, as she always did after her mischievous pranks, but that
+didn't help matters any. She must take her medicine. There was no money
+to settle for her wanton mischief; it would have to be the licking.</p>
+
+<p>"I wonder whether she'll use a shingle or her shoe," she thought
+nervously, making ready to descend and brave Gail's displeasure, when
+Cherry's head appeared on the ladder, and the older girl announced
+excitedly, "Now you've done it, Peace Greenfield! Mr. Hartman is as mad
+as a hornet about your painting his barn, and he says Gail must either
+whip you hard, or pay for it. There isn't any money to pay&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Then I s'pose I'll have to take the licking," answered Peace with a
+great show of indifference, though the pounding of her heart nearly
+stifled her.</p>
+
+<p>"But Gail says she can't lick you, and even Faith has backed out, though
+at first she said she would give it to you good."</p>
+
+<p>Here was an unlooked-for state of affairs&mdash;no money, and no one willing
+to use the rod, though she undoubtedly deserved it.</p>
+
+<p>"What are you going to do about it?" asked Cherry curiously.</p>
+
+<p>"Lick myself likely," retorted Peace sarcastically. "You better lug
+those eggs up to the doctor's. I've d'livered my bunch."</p>
+
+<p>Cherry vanished as quickly as she had come, and as the sound of her
+footsteps died away in the distance, Peace slid down the ladder. But
+instead of going to the house for an interview with Gail, she slipped
+through the garden, crawled under the fence, and presented herself at
+the door of the new barn where Mr. Hartman, still in a blaze of anger,
+was at work.</p>
+
+<p>"What do you want here, you tormented rascal?" he yelled in fury,
+shaking a hazel switch threateningly at her.</p>
+
+<p>"I came to get licked," she answered steadily, though quaking inwardly.</p>
+
+<p>"Wh-at?" he gasped in unbelieving amazement.</p>
+
+<p>"I heard what you said to Gail about paying or licking me, and she
+hasn't got any money to pay for my meanness, and she says&mdash;she says she
+can't whip me; so I've come to you for it."</p>
+
+<p>She really did not expect him to punish her in that manner, for
+ordinarily he was not a hard-hearted man; but in view of Peace's
+misdemeanor, Gail's hesitation angered him only the more, and catching
+the child by her shoulder, he gave her a dozen sharp, stinging lashes
+with his switch, then released her, thoroughly ashamed of himself.</p>
+
+<p>He expected her to cry and scream, but she bit her lips, blinked her
+brown eyes rapidly to keep the tears back, and stood like a statue until
+he dropped his stick. Then choking back the sobs in her throat, she
+faced him with the curt demand, "Give me a receipt, please."</p>
+
+<p>"A&mdash;a what?"</p>
+
+<p>"A receipt. Gail says we should never settle a bill without getting a
+receipt."</p>
+
+<p>"What do you want of a receipt?"</p>
+
+<p>"So's I can show Gail that this bill is settled."</p>
+
+<p>"Aha!" he mocked. "You are afraid Gail will repent and give you another
+thrashing, are you?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, I'm not! But I want to be sure you don't try to c'llect twice."</p>
+
+<p>He stared at her open-mouthed, too hurt for words; and she, unaware that
+she had deeply offended him, urged impatiently, as she rubbed her
+smarting shoulders, "Hurry up! Write it on a piece of paper, so's I can
+have it to keep always. Haven't you got any in your pocket?"</p>
+
+<p>Mechanically he searched his pockets, drew forth a scrap of an envelope,
+wrote the receipt she demanded, and handed it to her gravely. She
+accepted it as gravely, spelled it through, and turned to go, saying
+piously, "Thank you, Mr. Hardman. I hope you will get your reward in
+heaven." She meant this in all reverence, thinking only of the receipt
+he had given her, but he thought she was sarcastically referring to the
+whipping she had suffered at his hands; and with a queer tightening of
+his throat, he returned to his work, while she hurried homeward with her
+precious bit of paper.</p>
+
+<p>"Here is Mr. Hardman's receipt, Gail," she announced, briefly, entering
+the kitchen where the two older girls were still discussing the new
+problem.</p>
+
+<p>"Where did you get the money!" asked Faith severely.</p>
+
+<p>"I took the licking," was the short answer.</p>
+
+<p>"Took the licking! From whom!"</p>
+
+<p>"Mr. Hardman."</p>
+
+<p>"Do you mean to say that Mr. Hardman whipped you!"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, I do. I went over and told him to."</p>
+
+<p>"Did it hurt?" whispered Allee, with eyes brimming full of sympathy.</p>
+
+<p>"It might have been worse, s'posing he had used a piece of iron instead
+of a stick."</p>
+
+<p>Profound silence reigned in the little room. Then Gail said abruptly,
+"Come upstairs with me. I want to see you alone."</p>
+
+<p>Peace glanced apprehensively at the pale face, which looked unusually
+stern and severe, and said, "That is a sure-enough receipt, but if you
+don't b'lieve it, you can ask Mr. Hardman about it."</p>
+
+<p>"I am not doubting your story in the least," answered the big sister,
+smiling in spite of herself, "but I want to talk to you, dear."</p>
+
+<p>When Gail said "dear," she was never angry, so, without further
+hesitation, Peace followed her to the small room under the eaves,
+wondering what was coming next. Gail seated herself in the rickety chair
+by the window, and drawing the small girl down into her lap, she asked,
+"Now what is all this trouble about? Tell sister everything."</p>
+
+<p>So Peace related the story of the raspberries and her anger at their
+neighbor, which had led to the painting of the barn.</p>
+
+<p>"What did you write on the building?" questioned Gail when Peace paused
+at this point in her recital.</p>
+
+<p>"Just the truth. I said, 'Mr. Hardman isn't square.' Then, so's he would
+know what he wasn't square about, I made a lot of raspberries under the
+printing."</p>
+
+<p>"Peace! After Mr. Hartman has been so kind to us! What do you think of a
+little girl who will do a thing like that!"</p>
+
+<p>"At first I thought she was all right," answered the candid maiden. "But
+now I've changed my mind, and I guess she was pretty bad when she did
+it. Though he needn't have said what he did to me. He told me we could
+have the berries."</p>
+
+<p>"At the same time he warned you about Mr. Skinner's bull."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, and I warned Mr. Skinflint&mdash;I mean Mr. Skinner."</p>
+
+<p>"Mr. Skinner is a hot-tempered man, and I am afraid if the Hartmans owe
+him money, as you say, he will make it very uncomfortable for them."</p>
+
+<p>"Maybe I better go see old Skinflint&mdash;I mean Mr. Skinner&mdash;and tell
+him&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"No, indeed!" cried Gail in alarm. "You have done damage enough already.
+Promise me that you won't say anything to him about it, Peace."</p>
+
+<p>"I promise. I ain't anxious to see him anyway, only I thought if it
+would do any good I would go and tell him how it happened. I am awfully
+sorry now."</p>
+
+<p>"Then don't you think you better apologize to Mr. Hartman?"</p>
+
+<p>"Wasn't the licking a napology enough?"</p>
+
+<p>"The whipping only settled your account. It didn't say you were sorry.
+And it was wrong to tell him that you hoped he would get his reward in
+heaven."</p>
+
+<p>"Why?" cried Peace in genuine astonishment. "That's what the lame
+peddler woman always tells you when you buy a paper of needles or pins."</p>
+
+<p>"That is different. She means what she says. The words are no idle
+mockery to her. Every penny she can earn, helps her that much, and she
+is truly grateful&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"And I am truly grateful for my receipt, too! It isn't every man that
+would give me one. Old Skinner now&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, Peace!"</p>
+
+<p>"But, Gail, dear, I wasn't mocking him. I wanted him to know that I knew
+how much that receipt was worth. S'posing he hadn't written it, how
+would you have known that I had settled that fuss?"</p>
+
+<p>Gail gave up in despair. She never could argue with this small sister,
+who so sadly needed a mother's wisdom to keep her sweet and good; so she
+abruptly ended her lecture by gently insisting, "Mr. Hartman deserves
+your apology. What if he had made us pay for the damage you did, or had
+had you arrested? He was good to let you off with just a licking, Peace,
+even if you do think it was hard punishment. If you are going to be a
+bad girl, you must expect whippings."</p>
+
+<p>"I don't think he likes me any more. He may chase me home before I can
+apologize," suggested the unhappy culprit, with hanging head.</p>
+
+<p>"I guess not," smiled Gail behind her hand. "Try it and see."</p>
+
+<p>"Well," sighed miserable Peace, "I s'pose I must, then."</p>
+
+<p>She reluctantly descended the stairs again, and disappeared down the
+path toward the Hartman house, wishing with all her heart that the
+ground would swallow her up before she had to meet the enemy. Suddenly a
+way out of the dilemma presented itself. She searched hastily through
+her pockets for paper and pencil, and folding both among the clutter,
+she wrote her apology on a ragged, dirty scrap, and carried it to the
+green house, intending to leave it on the doorstep and hurry away, but
+as she peered cautiously around the corner of the shed she saw Mrs.
+Hartman sitting on the porch, and retreated, murmuring, "Oh, dear, I
+s'pose I'll have to say it to him after all. I <i>might</i> pin it to the
+barn door, or&mdash;maybe 'twould be better if I fastened it beside the
+painting. That's what I'll do!"</p>
+
+<p>She stole away to the barn, tacked the paper to the new boards, and was
+about to depart when her eyes chanced to fall upon her sprawling
+decorations of the previous day; and she halted, horrified at the
+glaring scarlet letters. "Mercy! How they look! No wonder Mr. Hartman
+gave me such a tre&mdash;men&mdash;jous switching. The paint is still here. I
+will cover it all up."</p>
+
+<p>The big brush did the work this time, and in a brief period a wide,
+brilliant stripe of red hid the uneven letters from sight. But somehow
+Mr. Hartman did not think the barn had been improved very much when he
+found it, and was wrathfully; setting out in search of the artist when
+the fluttering paper caught his eye.</p>
+
+<p>"She's a great one for notes," he muttered, jerking the scrawl down,
+half impatiently, half amused. "What does she say this time? Whew!"
+Involuntarily he whistled a long-drawn-out whistle, for this is what
+Peace had written:</p>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>"I ipolijize for painting your barn cause Gale says I otto and
+anyway I didn't know it was going to look so bad so Ive erased the
+letters with some more paint but I still feel the same way about
+the raspberries. Also I hope you don't get your reward in Heaven.</p>
+
+<p>Peace Greenfield.</p>
+
+<p>"P.s. Gale said I should come myself and say this but I thot it was
+safest to rite as long as youre still mad."</p></div>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV</h2>
+
+<h3>PEACE, THE GOOD SAMARITAN</h3>
+
+
+<p>Down the sloping hillside browned with the summer sun strolled Peace one
+afternoon late in August, gathering the purple foxgloves which waved
+invitingly in the breeze. It was one of those rare days of waning
+summer, clear, beautiful and cool, with just a hint of autumn haze in
+the air; and it cast its magic spell over the bare-headed, flower-laden
+maid, wandering dreamily through the crisp, crackling grass, with no
+particular destination in view, no particular thought in mind. She had
+set out an hour before with Cherry and Allee as her companions, but had
+wandered away from them without being aware of it, and was now some
+distance from home, still busy pulling the gorgeous stems of bloom,
+still unconscious of her loneness, still lost in her own realms of
+fancy.</p>
+
+<p>This Peace was one few people knew. Allee was most familiar with the
+brown-eyed dream-child, the little family at the parsonage were quite
+well acquainted with her, and occasionally Gail caught a fleeting
+glimpse of that hidden spirit, but to the rest of the little world in
+which she lived she was a bright-eyed, gay-hearted little romp, whose
+efforts to lend assistance to others were always leading her into
+mischief, oftentimes with unhappy results.</p>
+
+<p>So it is no wonder that busy Dr. Bainbridge was surprised when he
+discovered her in this strange mood as he came puffing and panting up
+the hill toward town, for she was so completely lost amid her dreams
+that she did not see him nor hear his brusque greeting until he stepped
+directly in her path and clutched her arm. Then she started as if
+suddenly awakened from a sleep, and exclaimed, "Why, Dr. Bainbridge,
+what do you mean by making me jump so? I nearly lost my skin! I never
+saw you at all. Where did you come from&mdash;the clouds?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, miss. If I had been there you would have seen me before this, for
+if ever anyone was walking in the clouds, it was you just this minute.
+Come along, I want you, dreamer. Can you do me a favor, a big one?"</p>
+
+<p>"'Pends upon what it is," answered Peace, thoroughly awake now.</p>
+
+<p>He laughed at the judicious tone of voice and the familiar cant of the
+curly brown head, and answered promptly, "I want you to play Good
+Samaritan for a little while, be nurse for one of my patients&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Nurse?" She looked at him with wide-open eyes, secretly wondering
+whether he knew what he was talking about.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, ma'am, nurse!" he thundered. "Annette Fisher is sick, very sick,
+and I have told her mother time after time that she must not be left
+alone, yet in spite of all my cautions, that red-headed ignoramus has
+taken the rest of the caboodle and gone off to town, leaving Annette all
+alone in the house until the father gets home tonight. The child's fever
+has been soaring sky-high for days, and I was just beginning to think I
+had it in control and could pull her through when that old
+termagant-gossip of a mother, who doesn't deserve to have chick or
+child, hikes off to spend the afternoon with relatives in the city for a
+chance to look up bargains at The Martindale. What are embroideries and
+dress goods compared with the life of a child? Won't she get a piece of
+my mind the next time I lay eyes on her?" So angry and indignant was the
+old doctor that he had wholly forgotten himself, and spoke as he would
+never have thought of doing under different circumstances.</p>
+
+<p>Peace brought him to the earth by agreeing heartily, "Well, I would 'f I
+was you, and I'd give her a good big piece, too. I'll nurse Annette if
+you want me to. Shall I give her a bath and dose her with medicine every
+few minutes, like we did mother? Does she need to be wrapped up in wet
+rags or painted with <i>irondye</i>? Or do you want me to feed her <i>grool</i>
+and broth?"</p>
+
+<p>"You don't have to do a single thing but stay with her and keep her
+from fretting until I can get someone from the village to go down there.
+I gave her a bath just now myself, and she has taken her medicine&mdash;all I
+want her to have for the present. She isn't to eat a thing, but she can
+drink all the milk she wants, and occasionally have a little water if
+she asks for it. Now remember, Peace. She is too sick to pay attention
+to much of anything, but sometimes she is fretful and talks a good deal.
+Try to be as quiet as possible yourself,&mdash;don't say things to excite
+her&mdash;don't speak at all unless she wants you to. Do you understand?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes."</p>
+
+<p>"I'll send someone down to relieve you the minute I can get anyone.
+Hurry along now, and don't forget what I have said."</p>
+
+<p>"All right," was the cheery response; and Peace, with a curious thrill
+of awe in her heart, sped down the hill as fast as her nimble feet could
+carry her.</p>
+
+<p>The door of the Fisher house stood open, so, without knocking to make
+her presence known, she stepped softly inside the hall, and crept up the
+stairs to the little, hot chamber, where thin-faced Annette lay burning
+with fever. The invalid was awake, tossing fretfully among her pillows,
+but the instant she saw Peace in the doorway her eyes brightened, and
+she called in a shrill, weak voice, "Is it really you, Peace, or has my
+head turned 'round again?"</p>
+
+<p>"It's really me. Dr. Bainbridge sent me up."</p>
+
+<p>"That's funny. He wouldn't let you or any of the other girls come when I
+asked for you before. Did you bring all those flowers for me?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," Peace answered readily, glancing down at the huge bouquet in her
+arms, which she had entirely forgotten. "Where shall I put them? No,
+don't try to tell me; I'll find a dish myself."</p>
+
+<p>"Would you please bring me a drink, too?" Annette asked hesitatingly.</p>
+
+<p>"Sure!"</p>
+
+<p>"Fresh from the well?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes."</p>
+
+<p>Peace disappeared down the creaking stairs again, returning quickly with
+a dripping dipper full of sparkling, ice-cold water from the well, and
+the sick child drank feverishly, sighing as she relinquished the cup,
+"That's awful good. If only it would stay cold all the time! But the
+next time I want a drink it is warm and horrid, and ma says she can't be
+always chasing to the well just to get me some water. Harry won't,
+either. Pa ain't here but a little while night and morning, and Isabel
+is too little to fetch it. Set the flowers here on the chair where I can
+see them good. When ma comes home she'll likely throw them out. She says
+she can't see the good of cluttering up the house with dishes of weeds
+like that."</p>
+
+<p>"Your mother is an old <i>turnacrank</i>,&mdash;Doctor says so," muttered Peace
+indignantly, as she tugged at the heavy jar of foxgloves she had
+arranged with artistic care.</p>
+
+<p>"What did you say?" asked Annette, querulously.</p>
+
+<p>Peace suddenly remembered the doctor's instructions. "I say I know how
+to keep water cold. Gail used to do it for mother on hot days. I'll wet
+a rag and wrap the dipper in that and set it in the window where the
+wind will blow on it."</p>
+
+<p>"Will that make it keep cool?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, as long as the rag is wet. There is quite a little wind today,
+too, and that helps."</p>
+
+<p>"Is it cool out-doors?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, dear! I wish I could go out under the trees. It is so hot in here
+cooped up like I am."</p>
+
+<p>Peace bit her tongue. How easy it was to forget the doctor's directions!
+Twice already she had said things which excited the poor, sick prisoner,
+whom she had been told to keep quiet. A happy inspiration leaped into
+her thought, and moving the jar of delicate blossoms closer to the bed,
+she slipped a spray into Annette's hand, saying, "S'pose we <i>minagine</i>
+these flowers are trees. They would make a lovely forest, wouldn't they?
+I often wish the trees had pretty flowers."</p>
+
+<p>"Apple trees have," said Annette thoughtfully.</p>
+
+<p>"That's so!" was the surprised ejaculation. "I forgot all about the
+fruit trees. All of them have flowers, but I like the apple-blossoms
+best, don't you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, they are so cool looking and so sweet and smelly."</p>
+
+<p>"That's what I like about them most. When I go to the moon I wear a
+dress made of apple-blossoms and&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"When you go to the moon?" repeated Annette, looking bewildered and
+wondering if the queer thoughts which the doctor called delirium were
+coming back to haunt her again.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, of course, I really don't go, but I like to s'pose what it would be
+like if I could go there. After Allee and me go to bed at night,
+sometimes the moon comes and shines in at our window and we talk to it.
+I don't care about the man-in-the-moon very much, though Allee likes
+him. She says he must be so lonely up there by himself all the time that
+she doesn't see how he can keep on smiling so. But I love the lady in
+the moon."</p>
+
+<p>"The lady in the moon?"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, we call her the moon lady. We like to think she is a beautiful,
+beau-ti-ful lady, with long, pale yellow hair that pretty nearly drags
+when she walks. It would drag if she didn't wear such big tails on her
+skirts. That's the kind of hair I wish I had instead of kinky, woolly
+curls. Hers isn't a bit curly, but just falls back from her face like
+Jennie Munn's after she has had it braided for a long time. And it
+trails out behind her like a&mdash;a cloud. Her dress is white stuff, and
+she never has it starched; it's just soft and shiny and swishy, and
+seems to b'long just to her. Oh, she is the prettiest lady, Annette!"</p>
+
+<p>"What color are her eyes?" asked the invalid, much interested in the
+picture Peace was drawing.</p>
+
+<p>"Blue, just like Hope's, only you don't think of them being blue when
+you look at the moon lady&mdash;they 'mind you of stars. I think they are
+stars, and she wears a star in her hair."</p>
+
+<p>"Does she have a house to live in?"</p>
+
+<p>"Not a house, but a palace, made of soft-looking, sparkly stones that
+flash like diamond dust, and inside it is white and still,&mdash;the kind of
+a still that makes you feel dreamy and nice. And there are fountains
+everywhere, with cool water splashing out of the top of them. They are
+made of white marble&mdash;the fountains are, I mean&mdash;and so are the
+<i>pillows</i> of the palace on the outside, where the moon lady walks in her
+garden."</p>
+
+<p>"Is there a garden in the moon?"</p>
+
+<p>"In my moon there is, and&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Ma says the moon is made of green cheese, and is full of maggots."</p>
+
+<p>"I heard that story, too, and I look for them first thing every time I
+go there, but I haven't found any yet. Big, white Easter lilies grow
+along the paths, and lilies-of-the-valley blossom the whole year round,
+and water lilies make the lake almost white sometimes."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, a lake, too! How nice!"</p>
+
+<p>"The moon lady's lake is the prettiest I ever saw. The water is always
+silv'ry, just like our lakes look when the moon shines down on them. You
+know, Annette, don't you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, the moon was shining one time when I went to Lake Marion with pa
+to hear the band, and we rowed around in a little boat and listened to
+the music."</p>
+
+<p>"That's just what the moon lady does when we go to see her, only her
+boats are green-pea pods, and the sails are apple-blossom petals. We
+don't have to row; the boats just float of themselves, and we pick water
+lilies or listen to the music&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"What kind of music?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, sometimes the moon lady sings by-low songs, and sometimes it's just
+the frogs singing in the bottom of the lake."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, do you like frogs' croaking?"</p>
+
+<p>"If I have been good I like it awfully well, but if I've made Gail or
+anyone sorry, I don't want to listen to the frogs, for they keep saying,
+'Don't do it again, don't do it again,' till it makes me mis'rable. The
+frogs in the moon never say such things, though, and I like to listen to
+them. Sometimes we call across the water to hear the echoes answer; and
+sometimes we let the moonbeams light on our hands and hair and dresses,
+and talk to them."</p>
+
+<p>"Talk to the moonbeams? How funny!"</p>
+
+<p>"Why, our moonbeams are lovely little fairies, with wings like
+dragon-flies, and shiny, silv'ry gowns; and whenever they get tired of
+flying about they settle down and glow like fireflies. They b'long to
+the moon lady and are nice fairies. They make sugar stars and moon-ice
+for us to eat."</p>
+
+<p>Peace clapped her hand abruptly over her mouth. Suppose Annette should
+ask for something to eat! But the sick child merely held the spray of
+foxgloves nearer her face and inquired, "What is that? Ice-cream?"</p>
+
+<p>"No; it's shaped like icicles and has kind of a sourish taste, either
+lemon or strawberry, and it doesn't melt until you get tired of it. Then
+it's all gone. And it's the same way with moonbeamade. Allee made up
+that name from lemonade. It is just a heap of foam that tastes like the
+north-west wind and is cool and nice."</p>
+
+<p>"S'posing things is a queer game, ain't it?" murmured Annette, drowsily.</p>
+
+<p>"It's lots of fun, and sometimes when we go to sleep we dream about
+them,&mdash;the places we visit in the moon and the&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"The water and lilies and fountains and cool things?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, or the mountains, where the fairies and goblins live, or the
+forests, which belong to the brownies and elves, or the valleys, where
+the sunbeams play, or the caves, where the wind-voices hide, or&mdash;I do
+b'lieve she's asleep. Yes, sir! Both eyes are tight shut, and she has
+dropped the foxglove she was holding so hard."</p>
+
+<p>Softly Peace dropped back into her former position upon the floor,
+hardly daring to breathe for fear of waking the little slumberer, for
+had not the doctor said she was a very sick child, and that she must be
+kept as quiet as possible?</p>
+
+<p>At thought of the doctor she began to wonder why he had not sent the
+woman from the village as he had promised to do. Already the sun was
+sinking low in the west, and no one had come to watch over the invalid.
+Perhaps he had forgotten, perhaps someone was dreadfully sick and he had
+been called away before he could find a nurse for Annette. Perhaps&mdash;the
+brown head nodded gently, the long, dark lashes fluttered slowly over
+the somber brown eyes, and Peace, too, was fast asleep, curled up
+against the narrow bed, where the sick child lay in a dreamless,
+refreshing slumber. The sunset faded from the sky, twilight deepened
+into dusk, and the stars came out in their pale glory, but both the Good
+Samaritan and her patient were unconscious of it all.</p>
+
+<p>In the little brown house among the maple trees great anxiety brooded.
+Peace had not come home with her sisters from their flower-gathering
+expedition, and no one in town had seen her. The whole neighborhood was
+aroused, and a search party was just being organized when the doctor's
+carriage drove up to the gate, and the physician, angry, dismayed and
+alarmed, hurried up the path as fast as his avoirdupois would permit,
+flung open the screen and called imperiously, "Miss Gail, girls, any of
+you! It's all my fault! Peace is down at the Fisher house watching over
+Annette. I sent her there this afternoon while I went after a woman to
+stay with the child, and have just this minute heard that Grandma Cole
+sprained her ankle on the way there and had to crawl back home again.
+Mrs. Fisher, the big idiot, is moseying up the road now, well satisfied
+with her bargains. I passed her and her tribe a piece back and stopped
+long enough to tell her what I thought of her. Now pile in and I'll take
+you back with me for that little sister of yours."</p>
+
+<p>He had caught up a little shawl from the hat-rack as he talked, and
+throwing this over Gail's shoulders, he bundled her out of the house and
+into his buggy before she had recovered from her astonishment at his
+outburst; and after a moment of furious riding behind the lively bay
+horse, she found herself stumbling up the dark stairs in the unlighted
+Fisher house, at the heels of the panting, puffing, wrathy doctor. From
+somewhere he produced a lamp, and soon the dim rays of light dispelled
+the gloom of the place, and she stood beside him, looking down into the
+pale face of Annette asleep among her pillows, and the rosy one of
+smiling Peace, huddled in an uncomfortable bunch on the floor.</p>
+
+<p>"What a picture!" murmured the doctor huskily, leaning over to touch the
+damp forehead and feel the pulse of his little patient. "This is the
+first natural sleep she has had for days. Bully for Peace! I confess I
+was worried about leaving her here in the first place. I was afraid she
+would fret Annette into a worse fever than she already had. I'd have
+gone crazy if I'd had any notion that the child must stay here all the
+afternoon, with only Peace to look after her. Excuse me if I seem more
+concerned about Annette's welfare than over Peace's long absence and
+your fright, Gail. I've had a big battle to pull her through, and I was
+wild when I found that fool mother had gone off and left her alone.
+Didn't expect to be gone long, and here it is <i>hours</i>! There, I won't
+storm any more, but we'll wake Peace up and take her home."</p>
+
+<p>He shook the child gently by the shoulder, and as the sleepy eyes
+fluttered open they saw only Gail bending over her. "It's all right,
+Gail," the child said softly, still remembering her charge. "Dr.
+Bainbridge asked me to be a good <i>sanatarium</i> over Annette while that
+<i>negrogrampus</i> of a mother was hunting bargains of embroid'ries and he
+was hunting a sure-enough nurse. Oh, there is the doctor himself! Is
+Annette all right? She talked a lot at first, but I told her about my
+moon lady, and pretty soon she went fast asleep."</p>
+
+<p>"Annette is doing splendidly, Dr. Peace, and I am tickled to death at
+the good work you've done. Run along with Gail now. I'll be down in a
+minute to drive you home."</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV"></a>CHAPTER XV</h2>
+
+<h3>PEACE COLLECTS DAMAGES</h3>
+
+
+<p>The hot summer was drawing to a close. Two weeks more and September
+would be ushered in, bringing with it the State Fair, always an event in
+the lives of the busy farmers of the State, and particularly of those
+around Martindale and Pendennis, as the fairgrounds were located midway
+between the two big cities.</p>
+
+<p>Peace had never attended a State Fair in all her short life, but she had
+heard it talked about so much by the residents of Parker that she was
+wildly excited when Faith decided to enter a cake in the cooking
+exhibit, and immediately she determined to visit the Fair in person and
+see her sister's handiwork fitly rewarded. However, when she made known
+this decision to the rest of the family Gail said quietly, "I am afraid
+you can't, dear. It costs fifty cents to enter the grounds, and even if
+they admit children at half price, that would mean twenty-five cents for
+each of you three youngest, and Hope would have to pay the full amount,
+as she is now in her 'teens. We can't afford to go this year."</p>
+
+<p>This was an item that Peace had not considered. Of course, if she went,
+the rest of the family were entitled to the same pleasure, and that
+would mean three half dollars and three quarters. She found her slate
+and laboriously added up the column of figures. "Two dollars and
+twenty-five cents! Mercy, that is a lot to spend just to go to the Fair
+for one day, isn't it? Oh, dear, why is it we always have to stop and
+think about the money? I wish dollars grew on trees, and all we had to
+do when we wanted any would be to go out and pick them. What fun we'd
+have! I do want to go to the Fair so much, though. If only there was
+some way to earn the money!"</p>
+
+<p>She wandered down to the melon patch, the pride of her childish heart,
+and sat down on one of the green balls to meditate on the subject.</p>
+
+<p>"I never saw the beat how your melons do grow," exclaimed a voice behind
+her, as Mrs. Grinnell, on her way to the brown house, paused to admire
+the tempting fruit. "If there was just some way of getting them into the
+city, you might make a pretty penny off them. Now, mine don't begin to
+be as big as yours, and there aren't half so many on the vines. That's a
+whopper you are sitting on. You ought to take it to the Fair&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Why, Mrs. Grinnell, do folks take <i>melons</i> to the Fair?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, indeed, every year. Why, I've seen lots there that weren't as big
+as yours. Of course it's the biggest that win the ribbons, and you might
+not stand a show, but there would be no harm trying. I am intending to
+enter my two mammoth pumpkins and that Hubbard squash, along with my
+corn."</p>
+
+<p>"Do you s'pose Gail would let me?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, I think so. I'll take it in with mine if you like. I am to lug
+Faith's cake."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, then I'll do it! These two whollipers. That one is almost as big as
+the one I play is my armchair. The rest are too little to have a chance,
+aren't they? Maybe they will be big enough by Fair time, though. They
+have two weeks more to grow in."</p>
+
+<p>"No telling what they will do in that time," laughed Mrs. Grinnell,
+moving briskly away up the path, leaving Peace still perched on top of
+the largest melon busily making her fortune from her small garden patch.</p>
+
+<p>"If only we hadn't sold Black Prince," she mourned, "we could just cart
+these melons into Martindale and make a whole lot on them. There, why
+didn't I think of that before? Mike peddles garden truck in the city,
+'most every day. I'll just have him tote these along. I've got&mdash;let me
+see&mdash;twelve, sixteen, seventeen, twenty-one good ones, besides my big
+fellows. I wonder if that will be enough. I'm going right over and see
+Mike now. He is at home today; I saw him."</p>
+
+<p>She skipped away through the garden to the O'Hara place, some distance
+below them, and finding the red-haired boy grinding an ax in the
+dooryard, she startled him by her breathless demand, "How much do
+watermelons sell for in the city?"</p>
+
+<p>"Shure an' it depinds on the size."</p>
+
+<p>"Mine are great big ones. Mrs. Grinnell says they ought to bring a
+pretty penny in Martindale."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, thin, I think maybe they'd be bringing a quarter."</p>
+
+<p>"Each one?"</p>
+
+<p>"Shure!"</p>
+
+<p>"And how much would that make if twenty-one were sold?"</p>
+
+<p>"Five dollars and a quarter," promptly answered Mike, who was quick at
+figures and proud of the accomplishment.</p>
+
+<p>"That would be enough," cried Peace in great glee. "All I need is two
+dollars and a quarter. Come on over to my house and pick them right
+away."</p>
+
+<p>"What?" yelled Mike, wondering if the child had gone crazy.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, I forgot! I haven't told you yet, have I? You can sell my melons in
+the city for me if you like and save me the trouble."</p>
+
+<p>The boy stared at her, transfixed by her complacent self-assurance.</p>
+
+<p>"Has the cat got your tongue?" Peace asked, when he did not speak.</p>
+
+<p>"No, but you have your nerve," he stuttered. "What d'ye take me for,&mdash;a
+dray horse?"</p>
+
+<p>"You've got a mule team, haven't you?" flared Peace, seeing no occasion
+for his anger. "And you peddle truck nearly every day. Then I don't see
+why you can't take my melons and sell them. Black Prince is gone, and we
+can't drive about any more ourselves."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, where do I come in? Melons take up a sight of wagon room, nothing
+said of the time it will take to sell them. And then you expict me to do
+it all for nothing!"</p>
+
+<p>"I&mdash;I hadn't thought about that," faltered Peace; and, sitting down on
+the windmill platform, she pulled a pencil stub from her pocket and
+began to do some figuring on the sole of her shoe.</p>
+
+<p>Mike watched her serious face in amusement, and grinned broadly when,
+after five minutes of vigorous scratching and hard thinking, she
+released her foot and said in her most business-like tones, "I'll tell
+you what I will do. If you can sell all those twenty-one melons at
+twenty-five cents each, you can have half the money for your trouble.
+That will still leave me enough to get our family inside the Fair. Will
+you do it?"</p>
+
+<p>Mike scratched his head thoughtfully and then replied, "I'll take a look
+at thim melons first."</p>
+
+<p>So she led him to the small patch and proudly displayed her treasures.
+"You see there are more than twenty-one melons on the vines. Those two
+big ones Mrs. Grinnell is going to tote along with her pumpkins to the
+Fair, and the little ones and the crooked fellers we'll eat at home; but
+there are twenty-one nice ones to sell."</p>
+
+<p>Mike expressed his admiration by the boyish exclamation, "Gee, ain't
+them bouncers? How 'd ye do it? Our'n don't amount to shucks this year."</p>
+
+<p>"That's what Mrs. Grinnell said about hers. I guess it's 'cause I know
+how to grow watermelons," answered Peace, with charming frankness. "Mr.
+Strong says that must be the reason. You see, I planted sweet-peas and
+these came up. Maybe it's a sweet-pea melon. Do you s'pose it is?"</p>
+
+<p>"I niver heard tell of such a thing," Mike soberly replied, "but maybe
+that's what's the matter."</p>
+
+<p>"Will you sell them for me?"</p>
+
+<p>Mike was busy thumping the green balls with his knuckles, and feeling of
+the stems, and when he had tested each in turn, he answered, "Yis, I'll
+sell thim for you, but ye'd better wait a week or two. They aren't ripe
+enough yit."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, dear," mourned the child, plainly disappointed. "The Fair begins in
+two weeks, and that is what I wanted the money for. Don't you think they
+will be ripe enough before that?"</p>
+
+<p>"Don't look as if they would," Mike replied firmly. "And green melons
+won't sell well. Besides, the longer they grow, the bigger they will
+be."</p>
+
+<p>"Then I suppose I must wait; but don't you tell the girls. I want to
+s'prise them if we can go, for they don't think we can."</p>
+
+<p>So, with many promises of secrecy, Mike departed, and Peace from that
+moment became a devoted slave of the melon patch.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as she was out of bed in the morning she flew down to the garden
+to exult over her treasures, and with the last gleam of the dying day
+she might be seen bending over the mottled fruit whispering encouraging
+messages to them, coaxing them to grow. Bucket after bucket of water she
+tugged from the well to pour on their thirsty roots, and load after load
+of fertilizer she dragged in Allee's little cart to spread over the
+ground in her eager desire to increase their size. But when Gail found
+her with soap and scrub-brush polishing off each precious ball, she was
+forced to curb her zealous gardening. However, the vines throve through
+all this heroic treatment, and it seemed to Peace that she could almost
+see the fruit grow in circumference. Each night she consulted Mike,
+convinced that they had ripened sufficiently during the day to be
+picked, but the boy steadfastly shook his head.</p>
+
+<p>At length, as the second week of anxious waiting was drawing to a close,
+Peace could endure the suspense no longer, and one warm afternoon, while
+her sisters were occupied with their various duties, she snatched the
+sharp bread-knife from the pantry shelf, and with Allee in tow, stole
+down to her garden plot.</p>
+
+<p>"What are you going to do?" whispered the blue-eyed tot, as if still
+fearful that she might be overheard at the house.</p>
+
+<p>"Try one of my melons and see if it isn't ripe. This feller will do, I
+guess. It is big, but not too big." She plunged the shining blade deep
+into the green rind, and as the two halves fell apart, disclosing the
+bright red heart thickly dotted with black and white seeds, she cried
+triumphantly, "There, I knew I was right! Just taste it, Allee. Ain't it
+sweet and nice? Let's lug it down to the hedge and eat it up."</p>
+
+<p>"That's a piggy," answered the smaller girl, smacking her lips over the
+delicious morsel.</p>
+
+<p>"We can 'ford to be pigs this once, I guess," Peace retorted. "If we
+take it up to the house they will want to know why we cut it, and we'll
+have to tell them about Mike and the Fair. You don't want them to know
+that, do you?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, but we are too little to eat it all ourselves."</p>
+
+<p>"Half a melon each ain't much. Why, Len Abbott must have eaten two whole
+ones at the church sociable the other night. Can you carry your half?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," panted the younger lass, bravely tugging at her heavy load.</p>
+
+<p>So, with much puffing, and many stops for breath, they dragged the
+fruit through the cornfield to the creek road, scrambled in behind the
+dense brush and blackberry vines, and began to dispose of the sweet,
+juicy center.</p>
+
+<p>"Let's eat one-half all up 'fore we begin the other," proposed Allee,
+who seemed to have some doubts as to the capacity of her stomach.</p>
+
+<p>"All right," Peace agreed. "The melon <i>does</i> look pretty big, and maybe
+we can't hold it all at one sitting. I'll push the other half under the
+bushes and cover my handkerchief over it to keep off the flies. What a
+lot of seed this one has! Let's save some for planting next year.
+S'posing each of these seeds was a ticket to the State Fairgrounds, we
+could all of us go every day and invite everyone else in town, pretty
+near. Hush! There's a team coming up the road. Let's peek and see if
+it's anyone we know."</p>
+
+<p>She drew aside the branches as she spoke, and two inquisitive,
+fruit-stained faces peered out of the opening just as a two-seated
+carryall drew up by the roadside, and a woman's voice said imperatively,
+"There is a cluster, Henry,&mdash;lovely berries. I thought they were all
+gone by this time."</p>
+
+<p>Henry leaped over the wheel to the ground, gathered a handful of
+dust-covered blackberries, and passed them up to the other three
+occupants of the rig, remarking, "It's a shame we can't find watermelons
+growing wild along the roadside. I am afraid if we have a melon social
+at the church tomorrow night we must patronize the groceryman for the
+fruit."</p>
+
+<p>"I am sorry to have caused you this wild-goose chase," said a meek voice
+from the back seat. "But last year we drove through this town when
+watermelon vines were the only things in sight."</p>
+
+<p>"That is everything in sight today," laughed Henry teasingly. "The
+trouble is, they don't bear any decent fruit. I'd give five dollars if
+anyone would show me twenty good, fair-sized watermelons&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"All right, sir!" exclaimed an eager voice at his feet. "Give me the
+five dollars, and I'll show you twenty-two!"</p>
+
+<p>The man jumped as if shot, the three ladies screamed, and even the
+horses started at the unexpected sound, or perhaps it was at sight of a
+tousled brown head wriggling excitedly through the thicket, followed by
+an equally tousled golden head.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, who are you?" stammered the startled young man, as the children
+gained their feet and stood shyly eyeing the city folks.</p>
+
+<p>"Two of the Greenfield kids," answered Peace. "We were just trying one
+of my melons when we heard what you said. We've got some fine ones in
+our garden, and I'll sell them cheap. They b'long to me. I planted
+sweet-pea seeds and they came up."</p>
+
+<p>The man roared, the young ladies giggled, and then one of them said
+sweetly, "Have you some of your melon left so we can see what it is
+like?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," responded Peace, diving into the brush and dragging forth the
+untouched half, covered with her dirty handkerchief. "Here it is. You
+can eat it. Allee and me are 'most full now. Oh, it's black with ants!
+Never mind, just brush them off; they won't change the taste any."</p>
+
+<p>But though the ladies admired the ripe red fruit, they seemed to have no
+appetite for it, and Henry was the only one of the party who sampled it.</p>
+
+<p>"It's lickum good," he announced, after the first mouthful. "Better have
+some, girls. No? Well, I shall lug this piece back with us for
+refreshments. Say, Curly-locks, are all your melons as big as that?"</p>
+
+<p>"Bigger&mdash;that is, most of them are. Mrs. Grinnell is going to take two
+in to the Fair, but there are twenty-one big ones besides. I mean
+twenty. This is the twenty-oneth."</p>
+
+<p>They laughed again, and Henry proposed, "Let's go over and see them
+anyway. If we can't find the melons, we can have a good time today at
+least."</p>
+
+<p>"Just as you say," chorused the girls; and bundling the soiled, sticky
+children into the carriage with them, they drove on to the little brown
+house.</p>
+
+<p>As the team drew up in front of the gate the group of workers on the
+porch started to their feet in surprise, but Peace called, "Go on with
+your sewing! This is my company! They are going to look at my twenty
+watermelons to see if they are any good; and then I am going to charge
+them five dollars for them."</p>
+
+<p>The laughing young people came up the walk to meet the embarrassed
+mistress of the house, and the situation was briefly explained. "Our
+League is planning for a lawn social tomorrow night," said one young
+lady.</p>
+
+<p>"Ice-cream and cake," added the second.</p>
+
+<p>"With watermelons for a side-dish," the young man put in.</p>
+
+<p>"And we thought we could get better melons if we came out here in the
+country to buy them," said the fourth member of the party.</p>
+
+<p>"The melon patch belongs to Peace," Gail told them. "We think she has
+some pretty good fruit. Come this way and see for yourself."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, what big ones!" cried the visiting quartette. "Surely you won't
+sell all these for five dollars?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, only twenty," answered Peace gravely. "You can't have the two
+biggest ones, and of course you don't want the crooked fellers. Mike
+says they will sell for twenty-five cents each in Martindale."</p>
+
+<p>So the twenty splendid melons were cut and loaded into the wagon, Peace
+was paid a spandy new five-dollar bill, and the visitors departed
+merrily. The child watched them out of sight, still holding fast to her
+money, and then turned to Gail, sighing contentedly, "Now we can go to
+the Fair! I've had an awful job getting rid of those things, but they
+are gone at last, and here is the money. I 'xpect Mike will be mad as
+hops, but he didn't know beans when he said they weren't ripe. I've
+raised melons enough so I know."</p>
+
+<p>"But, dearie," interrupted the oldest sister, "you mustn't spend your
+money so recklessly for our pleasure. It will take almost half of that
+five dollars just to pay our way into the grounds, and another dollar
+for carfare."</p>
+
+<p>"Then it's lucky Mike didn't sell the melons for me," said Peace, "or I
+'xpect we'd have had to walk. I sold those watermelons just so's we all
+could go to the Fair, Gail, and now you mustn't say no."</p>
+
+<p>"Then I won't," suddenly whispered the tired mother-sister, seeing the
+longing in the somber brown eyes, and realizing the child's unselfish
+love. "When is Mrs. Grinnell to take your big melons away?"</p>
+
+<p>"Tomorrow," she said. "The Fair begins Monday, you know."</p>
+
+<p>"Then you better go say good-bye to them now," teased Faith. "It is
+nearly supper time, and you will hardly have a chance in the morning."</p>
+
+<p>But Peace shook her head, declaring seriously, "There will be time
+enough. And if the melons don't win a prize, we'll bring them back home,
+Mrs. Grinnell says."</p>
+
+<p>When the morning dawned, however, and Peace ran eagerly down to visit
+her garden, she stopped in dismay at the sight which greeted her eyes.
+On the ground, strewn all over the patch, were broken, battered
+melon-rinds; and the two mammoth balls were gone.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, my darlings! my precious melons!" she cried in grief. "Someone has
+eaten them all up!" Throwing herself flat amid the wreck, she sobbed as
+if her heart would break, so overwhelmed by her loss that it never
+occurred to her to report the disaster to the rest of the family. It was
+too cruel!</p>
+
+<p>When the hot tears had relieved the little heart somewhat, she sat up
+and looked about her once more, saying, with quivering lips, "I don't
+s'pose they would have won a prize anyway, but it was hatefully mean of
+whoever took them. I'll bet Mike O'Hara did it to get even with me for
+selling the others to the city folks and keeping all the money myself!
+I'm going straight over and tell him what a nice kind of a gentleman he
+is."</p>
+
+<p>She bounced to her feet, started swiftly across the patch, caught her
+toe in a tough vine and fell sprawling on the ground again, rapping her
+head smartly on a small, unripe melon at the edge of the field. "Mercy!
+you're a hard-shelled old sinner!" she exclaimed, rubbing her bruised
+forehead and glaring at the offending fruit. "Well, no wonder! I hit a
+knife, as sure as you're alive! It ain't Mike's either. It's&mdash;Hector
+Abbott's! Why didn't I think of him before? Of course he is the
+<i>culvert</i>; but I'll bet he will wish he hadn't seen those melons when I
+get through with him."</p>
+
+<p>Burning with indignation, she sped away to the village, never pausing
+until the Judge's house was reached. As she approached the place she
+could see the family gathered around the breakfast table, set on the
+wide, screened porch; and forgetting to knock, she threw open the door
+and rushed in as if on the wings of the wind. Straight to Hector's chair
+she stalked, and before the surprised family could recover their breath,
+she clutched the unhappy youth by the hair and jerked him out of his
+seat, crying accusingly, "Hec Abbott, you disgraceful son of a judge!
+You stole my melons, my State Fair melons! You can't say you didn't,
+'cause I've found your knife in the garden! I s'pose it walked there,
+didn't it? Well, maybe it did, but <i>you</i> walked it! You can just settle
+for damages this very minute!"</p>
+
+<p>By this time the Judge had found his tongue, and loosening the angry
+fingers from his youngest son's luxuriant topknot, he demanded of Peace,
+"What do you mean by such actions? Where are your manners? Why didn't
+you knock? Who brought you up?"</p>
+
+<p>"Why didn't <i>Hec</i> knock when he came for my melons last night? Where are
+<i>his</i> manners? What did <i>he</i> mean by such actions? <i>You brung him up!</i>"</p>
+
+<p>Len Abbott choked over his coffee, Cecile hid her face in her napkin,
+and even the anxious mother smiled, but the Judge looked more ruffled
+than abashed, and he fairly thundered, "How do you know the knife is
+Hector's?"</p>
+
+<p>"Don't you s'pose I have seen it enough to know whose it is? Didn't I
+grab it from him the day he pretended to cut off Lola Hunt's ears? I cut
+his hand, too, but he deserved it! He's the meanest boy at school next
+to Jimmy Jones. Teacher took the knife away one time when he was
+skinning a frog, and I saw it then. Anyway, it's got his name on
+it,&mdash;not just his 'nitials, but his whole name. And there it is!"</p>
+
+<p>She held out the article for the Judge's inspection, and that worthy
+gentleman, seeing the look of guilt in his small son's face, pocketed
+it, saying whimsically to the wrathful accuser, "That is merely
+circumstantial evidence. He might yet be innocent of the charge."</p>
+
+<p>"He might," Peace retorted grimly; "but he ain't! Ask him!"</p>
+
+<p>The Judge turned gravely to the crimson-cheeked lad and asked severely,
+"Son, are you guilty or not guilty?"</p>
+
+<p>"Guilty," muttered the miserable culprit.</p>
+
+<p>"Didn't I tell you?" triumphed the girl.</p>
+
+<p>"What would you recommend as his sentence?" asked the Judge.</p>
+
+<p>"Sentence?" repeated Peace, with the uncomfortable feeling that she was
+being laughed at.</p>
+
+<p>"Punishment, I mean."</p>
+
+<p>"A good, sound thrashing that ain't all show and no hurt," was the harsh
+verdict.</p>
+
+<p>"Very well! I will administer it now. Len, hand me that strap. Hector,
+come here!"</p>
+
+<p>Leonard passed the strap to his father, the younger son shuffled across
+the porch to receive his sentence, and Peace stood breathlessly by,
+watching with frightened eyes. The Judge raised the strip of leather and
+brought it down with a resounding thwack across the boy's legs. He
+squirmed, let out a wild yell, and began to blubber. The strap rose and
+fell the second time, there was a second yell, and Peace, with blazing
+eyes and blanched face, flew in between man and boy, snatched the
+upraised strap and flung it clear across the room, screaming in fierce
+indignation, "Don't you touch him again! You're a pretty kind of a
+judge! Aren't you ashamed of yourself?"</p>
+
+<p>"You sentenced him yourself," stammered the surprised man.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, I'll let him off this time," she replied slowly, "but he will
+have to pay for those melons."</p>
+
+<p>"How much?"</p>
+
+<p>"A dollar each."</p>
+
+<p>"Whew! They are pretty expensive fruit, aren't they?"</p>
+
+<p>"I've put more'n a dollar's worth of trouble into getting them ready for
+the Fair, and now he's et up my blue ribbon."</p>
+
+<p>"Your blue ribbon?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, maybe those melons would have won a blue ribbon. Now I'll never
+know."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, well, that's too bad," sympathized the amused Judge. "Hector will
+have to pay for them, surely. Son, go get the money out of your bank."</p>
+
+<p>"I didn't eat all of them. Jimmy Jones and Ted Fenton and the Beldon
+boys helped," said Hector, wiping his eyes sullenly.</p>
+
+<p>"You can c'lect from them later," retorted Peace. "You were at the head
+of it, I know."</p>
+
+<p>"Get the money, son," repeated the father sternly, and the unhappy boy
+thought it wise to obey without further demur.</p>
+
+<p>When the two silver dollars were laid in her hand Peace smiled her
+relief, and with a curt "Thank you," turned to go, when to the utter
+amazement of the whole family, she whirled suddenly about and confronted
+Hector again, saying calmly, "While I am here, I might as well c'lect
+for that cake you stole more'n a year ago."</p>
+
+<p>"Cake?" echoed the group, while the boy's face grew scarlet with guilt
+once more.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, cake! We thought my tramp took it at first. Faith made it for the
+minister's reception and put it on the wash-bench under a dishpan to
+cool. 'Twas gone when she went to get it again. Hec stole it."</p>
+
+<p>"Hector, did you?"</p>
+
+<p>The boy nodded, too miserable to speak.</p>
+
+<p>"How much was that worth, Peace?"</p>
+
+<p>"It was bigger'n a fifty-cent one. I guess it will be seventy-five
+cents."</p>
+
+<p>"Get your bank and settle your account, Hector."</p>
+
+<p>And once more the boy was forced to obey.</p>
+
+<p>"There!" breathed Peace, closing her fingers over the added coins. "I
+guess we are square now. I just happened to think of the cake. Isn't it
+lucky I did? I wasn't quite sure he took it, but seeing that my tramp
+didn't do it, I knew it must be someone in town, and I couldn't think of
+anyone else mean enough. Good-bye!"</p>
+
+<p>She ran lightly down the steps and away toward home, chanting to
+herself, "He had to pay up, he had to pay up!" Suddenly she halted by
+the roadside and listened. "Yes, sir! That's Hec a-howling! I guess the
+Judge got hold of that strap again. Well, he deserves a good licking,
+but I'm glad I'm not there to see him dance."</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI"></a>CHAPTER XVI</h2>
+
+<h3>THE STATE FAIR CAKE</h3>
+
+
+<p>"What are you doing with all that torn-up paper, Peace?" asked Allee,
+finding her sister busy stripping old papers into tiny shreds up in the
+barn loft, after she had searched all over the place for her.</p>
+
+<p>"I want to make a map like Hope's class had to," answered Peace, pouring
+an apronful of scraps into a bucket of scalding water. "I asked her how
+she did it, and she said they drew the maps first, and then mixed up a
+lot of blotters in boiling water. I hunted all over the place for
+blotters, and couldn't find but four, so I'm trying these newspapers.
+They make an awful looking mess, but I guess they will work. You can
+tear paper if you want to."</p>
+
+<p>Allee took the hint, and accepting the magazine Peace offered her, she
+fell to pulling it to pieces, adding her mite to the mixture in the
+pail. "How many must you have?" she ventured to ask, after an hour at
+this monotonous occupation.</p>
+
+<p>"I guess this will be enough," answered the older girl, critically
+examining the nasty mess, and stirring it so energetically that a goodly
+portion of it flew out of the bucket into her lap.</p>
+
+<p>"Have you drawn a map?" Allee inquired, looking around the dingy loft in
+quest of such an article.</p>
+
+<p>"No&mdash;o, I can't seem to get a good one. The first time I tried, it
+looked like an elephant with two trunks, and the second time the
+Mississippi River came out of the middle of Florida. In this last
+picture, the land is so fat there isn't any room for the ocean. But I
+found two old g'ographies in that heap of trash, and Gail said I could
+have them. So I've pulled out all the maps of the United States that I
+could find, and now I'm ready to cut them out. Then we'll paste them
+onto that board and stick the paper <i>mush</i> on top."</p>
+
+<p>"Why do you want so many all alike?" asked the inquisitive little
+sister, watching the shining scissors snip in and out around capes and
+peninsulas with painstaking care. "I should think you would make a
+c'lection of different maps like Hope has in her book."</p>
+
+<p>Peace paused to consider the suggestion, and then answered, "Well,
+that's something I hadn't thought about. It would be better to have them
+all different, wouldn't it? I'll just hunt up some others that aren't
+alike. <i>This</i> United States one is too small, then; but maybe we can use
+it for something else. I'll finish cutting it out anyway, though we'll
+want the biggest we can get for our paper <i>mush</i>."</p>
+
+<p>She finished snipping it out as carefully as she could in view of the
+many ragged coasts of our country, and laid it aside, while she chose
+another larger one to be honored with the "<i>paper mush</i>" covering. It
+took a long time to complete all the maps selected&mdash;Europe, Asia,
+Africa, the Americas, and Australia&mdash;but at last they were finished; and
+Allee, the patient, joined in the sigh of satisfaction which escaped
+Peace's lips as she dropped the scissors from her cramped, tired hands.</p>
+
+<p>"Now we'll stick on the <i>mush</i>. Hold this map, Allee, so's it won't
+wiggle." She daubed on a great handful of the dirty gray pulp and tried
+to smooth it over the colored map surface, but evidently the paper had
+not soaked long enough, for it still held its own shape, and refused
+utterly to form the paste Peace had watched Hope handle with such ease
+and success.</p>
+
+<p>"It doesn't stay very well, does it?" remarked Allee.</p>
+
+<p>"No, it doesn't!" snapped Peace in exasperation. "I shall not bother
+with it any more. I'm tired of fooling with it when it acts like that.
+I'll throw it out and play with my corncob doll this morning."</p>
+
+<p>"Are you going to throw away all these nice maps that you have cut out,
+too?" asked Allee, as the angry girl flung down the wet newspaper scraps
+and started for the house.</p>
+
+<p>Peace paused, surveyed the gorgeously colored heap which she had spent
+so long a time in preparing, and answered, "Well, I'll keep them awhile,
+for maybe some day we may want them again." Gathering them up, she
+descended the ladder and marched off toward the kitchen, thoroughly out
+of patience with the whole world and with herself in particular.</p>
+
+<p>Through the open windows and door came savory smells of something
+cooking, and she quickened her steps, sniffing the air and saying,
+"Faith has been baking; maybe there are some dishes to lick. I wonder if
+she made any frosting. Mrs. Lacy always wants caramel, and I just love
+that."</p>
+
+<p>"Faith's cross like you are," warned Allee, following in her sister's
+steps, nevertheless.</p>
+
+<p>"Cakes always make her cross," answered Peace, ignoring her share of the
+compliment. "Gail says it makes her nervous thinking p'r'aps the oven
+will be too hot or too cool, or the dough not just right, or something.
+But Faith hardly ever gets so cross that she won't let us clean out the
+pans."</p>
+
+<p>They entered the room in search of the cooking dishes it was so often
+their privilege to scrape, but the warm kitchen was in spick and span
+order, with nothing of the kind in sight; and Allee suggested hopefully,
+"Maybe they are in the pantry."</p>
+
+<p>"And maybe Faith is, too," whispered Peace, cautiously opening the door
+and peeping within. "No, she ain't, but she has made four big cakes.
+My! Don't they look fine? One choc'late loaf, two caramel layers, and
+one white square one. Looks like a graveyard with them all set even in a
+row, doesn't it? There ought to be three frosting pans to lick."</p>
+
+<p>"I don't see a single any," remarked Allee, poking into every nook and
+cranny in hope of finding their treat. "I guess she licked them all
+herself."</p>
+
+<p>"That's too mean of her," cried Peace, joining in the hunt with no
+better success. "She could have saved those dishes for us as well as
+not. What have you found?"</p>
+
+<p>Allee at that moment had unearthed two mysterious little packages, and
+in trying to investigate one of them, she dropped it, and the bag's
+contents were scattered all over the floor.</p>
+
+<p>"Candies!" gasped Peace. "Sh! Don't cry! I'll help you pick them up.
+They must be for Minnie Eastman's birthday cake. I s'pose that is the
+white frosted one. The candies aren't hurt a mite, Allee. Stop
+snivelling. Let's see what is in that other sack. Sugar, green sugar!
+Looks poison, doesn't it? But it tastes all right. Oh, see what I've
+done! My little United States map fell right on top of the white cake."</p>
+
+<p>"It fits, too," gulped tearful Allee. "Looks as if it b'longed there."</p>
+
+<p>"It's going to b'long!" cried Peace with sudden decision. "I shall trace
+around it with this pointed knife and then fix it up like Hope does her
+<i>paper mush</i> maps. See, the frosting is soft enough to work easy."</p>
+
+<p>"You better not," Allen protested. "Faith might not like it."</p>
+
+<p>"Faith's tickled to death when she can find some new way of dec'rating
+her cakes, and as this is Minnie's birthday cake she'll be awfully
+pleased, 'cause she got the highest mark in geography of anyone in their
+room, Hope says."</p>
+
+<p>As she talked, she wielded the sharp knife with surprisingly good
+results in tracing the ragged outlines of the map in the soft icing, and
+even critical Allee was charmed when the paper was lifted, disclosing
+the knife marks. "You have to put all those blue lines in, too, don't
+you?" she asked. "How can you do that?"</p>
+
+<p>Peace pondered. "Those are rivers and these brown smudges are mountains.
+I asked Hope once. They all ought to go in, but I'm afraid I can't draw
+straight enough. Oh, I know what I'll do. Mrs. Strong uses pin-pricked
+patterns for stamping Glen's dresses. I'll try that." Carefully,
+laboriously, she pricked in the rivers, mountains and state boundaries,
+mistaking the latter for railroads; and then drew back to survey her
+work.</p>
+
+<p>"The pin marks don't show much, do they?" ventured Allee.</p>
+
+<p>"No, but I shan't leave them there anyway&mdash;not alone. We'll cover the
+railroads with these colored candies, and the rivers we'll make of
+green sugar. They are blue on the map, but green and blue ain't much
+different, anyway. We'll jam down the ocean and cover that with green,
+too. These curly choc'late candies will make good mountains, and by
+heaping up the frosting we dug out of the ocean we'll have islands and
+lighthouses. Now, ain't that elegant?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, my precious State Fair cake!" cried a dismayed voice behind them,
+and before either guilty decorator could face the angry sister, they
+were seized firmly by the shoulders, jerked through the doorway,
+vigorously shaken, each dealt a smart blow across their ears, and left
+dazed and tearful in the middle of the kitchen, while the avenger rushed
+sobbing upstairs.</p>
+
+<p>Neither culprit had recovered her breath when Gail was upon them, not
+the gentle sister they were accustomed to seeing, but a stern,
+indignant, justice-dealing judge.</p>
+
+<p>"Peace Greenfield," she said severely, "what have you done? Ruined the
+cake Faith has taken such pains with for the Fair!"</p>
+
+<p>"I&mdash;I thought it was Minnie's birthday cake. I&mdash;I just dec'rated it."</p>
+
+<p>"Just decorated it! What for? What business had you to touch it? That
+was pure mischief and nothing else. She intended making a spray of roses
+and green leaves on that cake and now you've spoiled it. Go sit down in
+your little chairs and stay there until noon. For fear you will forget
+about staying there, I shall tie you in."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, Gail, as if we were little kids!"</p>
+
+<p>"That is what you are when you meddle with things that don't belong to
+you. I have talked until I am tired. You don't pay a bit of attention,
+so I must punish you some other way. Next time I shall send you to bed.
+Perhaps I better do that today."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, Gail," sobbed miserable Peace, "I didn't mean to be bad, truly! I
+thought Faith would like some new way to dec'rate her cakes. I&mdash;please
+don't send us to bed! I'm awful sorry! Allee isn't to blame! She tried
+to make me leave it alone, didn't you, Babe?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," hiccoughed the equally penitent, but loyal young sinner, "and
+then I helped dig up the rivers and pile on the mountains!"</p>
+
+<p>Gail's face relaxed a little; a great tenderness for these little orphan
+sisters swept through her heart, and she felt herself relenting. Then
+Faith's tragic despair rose before her inner vision again, and she
+hardened her heart, drew out some stout cord from the cupboard drawer,
+and tied the humiliated duet into their rickety, worn-out old rockers,
+leaving them to their unhappy thoughts while she went back to her work
+upstairs.</p>
+
+<p>For a long time, it seemed to them, they sat jogging back and forth in
+the warm kitchen, mournfully dabbing their eyes and sniffing tearfully.
+Then Peace sat up, drew a deep, quivering breath, and said decisively,
+"I'm going to take that cake over to Mrs. Grinnell's&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Gail said we had to stay here until noon," quavered Allee.</p>
+
+<p>"She said we had to sit in these <i>chairs</i> till then," Peace corrected.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, that's the same thing. How can you go over to Mrs. Grinnell's and
+stay in your chair?"</p>
+
+<p>"Easy enough. I'll take it along. Gail didn't tie our hands."</p>
+
+<p>Allee gasped. "But you can't carry the cake, too!"</p>
+
+<p>"I'll put the cake in the big egg basket and you'll take hold on one
+handle and I the other. That will leave us each a free hand to hold onto
+our chairs with."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh!"</p>
+
+<p>"Will you do it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Course."</p>
+
+<p>With some difficulty they rose to their feet, made their way into the
+pantry once more and found the market basket; but it was another task to
+get the heavy cake into it, and they were almost in despair, when
+Peace's fertile mind found a solution to the problem.</p>
+
+<p>"It's 'cause my chair keeps slipping that I can't do it," she said,
+after several vain attempts to lift the cake. "I have only one hand to
+pick this heavy thing up with. Stick this piece of string through the
+back of my chair, Allee, and I'll tie it to the arms in front. There,
+that makes straps and holds the chair better. It cuts into your
+shoulders, though, doesn't it? Never mind, it won't be so bad when we
+get started and can hold onto the chairs. Are you ready? Don't make any
+noise, for Gail mustn't hear us."</p>
+
+<p>Slowly, cautiously, they tiptoed across the kitchen floor, let
+themselves out, and with wildly beating hearts hurried, as fast as the
+bumping chairs tied to their backs would permit, toward the tiny red
+cottage where Mrs. Grinnell lived all alone. Owing to their burdens,
+they made slow progress, and both conspirators expected any moment to
+hear Gail in pursuit. But it chanced that the busy housekeeper was too
+much occupied in the front chambers to discover their absence, and they
+reached the red house all out of breath, but without a mishap.</p>
+
+<p>"For the land sakes!" cried the plump, motherly woman, upsetting a pan
+of apples in her surprise. "What are you young ones playing now?"</p>
+
+<p>"This isn't exactly a play," Peace answered. "We've spoiled Faith's
+State Fair cake and now she ain't going to send it. I thought maybe you
+could tell us some way to fix it up." She set down the basket, lifted
+the paper covering and disclosed the queer, geographical decorations to
+the woman's astonished gaze.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, now, if that ain't the cutest!" exclaimed the worthy lady in
+genuine admiration. "Who'd ever have thought of putting the United
+States on a cake top but you, Peace Greenfield!"</p>
+
+<p>"I never <i>thought</i> of it," answered the child honestly. "The map fell
+there, it fitted and I scratched it in. Now it is spoiled for the Fair
+and Faith is bawling her eyes out."</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Grinnell looked keenly at the two sober, tear-stained faces before
+her, guessed the rest of the story, and rubbed her chin thoughtfully.
+Then she laughed in childish delight. "Why, I've got the finest scheme,
+you ducklings! We will just do a little juggling, and I think Faith will
+stand a better chance for the blue ribbon than she would with this white
+cake."</p>
+
+<p>"What do you mean?" faltered puzzled Peace.</p>
+
+<p>"Just this: I ordered a caramel layer of Faith for a little supper some
+of my people in the city are intending to give a niece of mine and her
+beau. They are to be married next week. She is a school teacher, and
+this cake will tickle her immensely. I'll just trot this in for the
+supper, and we'll take the caramel layer to the Fair. According to my
+notion of thinking, Faith's caramel cakes beat her others all hollow."</p>
+
+<p>"But&mdash;but&mdash;the caramel cakes haven't any red candy roses and green
+leaves on them," stammered Peace.</p>
+
+<p>"They don't need them," said Mrs. Grinnell, scornfully. "Goodness knows
+they are pretty enough plain, and as for taste&mdash;they are the finest I
+ever ate, and I used to be a pretty good cake-maker myself when the
+children were at home and my husband living. Now, not a word to Faith
+about this. Don't even tell Gail unless you have to. You better scamper
+for home now before you are missed."</p>
+
+<p>So they shambled back to the close kitchen, with the chairs still
+bumping and rubbing at every step, and were safely settled in their
+corner once more before Gail had finished her Saturday sweeping and
+dusting above. When she came downstairs to prepare their simple lunch
+and found the geographical cake missing from the pantry shelf, she
+thought Faith had disposed of it in some way, and consequently asked no
+questions, but released the sorry little sinners from their chairs, gave
+them their dinner and sent them off to play.</p>
+
+<p>When red-eyed Faith put in appearance late that afternoon, ready to
+deliver the other three cakes to her customers, she looked stealthily
+about for the ruined white mound, and not finding it, decided that Gail
+had hid it until her heavy disappointment should have eased somewhat;
+and she, too, asked no questions.</p>
+
+<p>At first she refused to accompany the sisters on their visit to the
+fairgrounds, but Peace's bitter misery softened her heart, and she went,
+though still too sorely grieved to enjoy much of the gay scenes and
+beautiful exhibits. However, all day long she studiously avoided the
+building where the cooked food was on exhibition, though Peace was wild
+to investigate its mysteries, and even Gail tried to persuade her to
+enter. Late in the afternoon, just as the oldest sister was proposing
+that they start for home, Cherry caught sight of a familiar figure
+entering the Horticultural Building, and raced after her with a yell of
+recognition, "Mrs. Grinnell, Mrs. Grinnell, we are all here!"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, well," exclaimed the woman, smiling into the flushed face at her
+elbow, "this is great luck. Come, all of you! I have found something I
+want you to see. You, most of all, Faith."</p>
+
+<p>She led them down one street and up another, into a white doorway before
+any of them had a chance to discover the name of the building, through a
+maze of aisles and a surging throng of weary sightseers, and paused in
+the cake department, pointed toward a blue-ribbon cake in one case, and
+said triumphantly, "Peace's geography cake was the hit of the evening
+last Saturday, but it took the caramel layer to win the prize, Faith!"</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII"></a>CHAPTER XVII</h2>
+
+<h3>THE CIRCUS AND THE MISSIONARY</h3>
+
+
+<p>"Oh, look, Allee! See the elephants and lions and giraffes and zebras on
+that poster. It's the cirkis as sure as I'm alive! Do you know I've
+always wanted to see the cirkis, and this is the first time I ever knew
+one to stop at Parker."</p>
+
+<p>"How do you know it will stop here?" asked skeptical Allee, who was just
+beginning to read, and found the long words on the billboard too much
+for her to master.</p>
+
+<p>"'Cause it says so. Parker, the eighteenth, Allee. Just think, that's
+only next Saturday! Just a week from today! Isn't it lucky it's on
+Saturday? Do you s'pose we can go?"</p>
+
+<p>"I 'xpect it will take money for that just like it does for everything
+else," answered the blue-eyed baby with a comically philosophical air;
+"and you know Gail never has any for such things as that."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, this is cheaper than most things, 'cause it says 'a-dults
+twenty-five cents, and children fifteen cents.' The Fair cost half a
+dollar for a-dults and twenty-five cents for children. If there is a
+chance to go to anything cheap, we better try hard to go, Allee, for
+that doesn't happen often."</p>
+
+<p>"Maybe Gail might not like to have us go even if we could get the
+money."</p>
+
+<p>"She does have some queer notions about places, doesn't she? At first
+she didn't want us to see that moving picture show at the church, but
+when Brother Strong went and took us, she thought it was all right.
+We'll ask about the cirkis before we tell her that it's coming, and
+maybe we can find out that way whether she would let us go."</p>
+
+<p>"I don't think we would have to ask much, 'cause she thinks cirkises are
+bad, and I don't b'lieve she would like to have us there."</p>
+
+<p>"What makes you so sure? I never have heard her say a thing about them."</p>
+
+<p>"She told Hope so the time Hope wanted to see '<i>Julio and Romiet</i>' when
+they studied it in school."</p>
+
+<p>"That wasn't a cirkis, that was a theatre, Allee. That's different. It
+takes painted people to play out the words in the theatre, but at the
+cirkis only real animals act, and do tricks that take brains to learn.
+Why, this picture shows a nelephant beating a drum. Now, elephants live
+in the <i>jumbles</i> of Africa, Hope says, and they don't have drums to beat
+there. Hunters go to their houses and catch them and teach them how to
+drum, 'cause they have brains enough to learn. Look at that lion with
+its mouth open and that woman with her head chucked clear inside. She
+must like to be licked better'n I do. It makes me shiver when Towzer
+sticks his big, hot tongue on my face. Ugh! S'posing the lion should
+shut his mouth and bite her head off, what do you guess she'd do?"</p>
+
+<p>"I guess they'd have to get another woman for the lion," answered Allee.
+"I don't b'lieve those animals really do those things, do you, Peace?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, I do. Why, that book of natural history that Hector lent us after
+he got licked for stealing the melons tells about the way hunters train
+them to act in cirkises. I'd like to see them awfully much myself."</p>
+
+<p>"Then let's ask Gail. She <i>might</i> have a little spare money."</p>
+
+<p>"No, I don't think she would. We'll have to earn the money ourselves,
+but I'm afraid she won't want us to go. That's what is bothering me. I
+tell you what let's do. We'll earn the money first and buy our tickets,
+and then I'm sure she will let us go. Shall we?"</p>
+
+<p>"Maybe that would be the best way. But how'll we earn the money? It's
+only a week from now, you said yourself, and that won't leave us much
+time to do anything, 'specially as school keeps 'most all day long.
+There ain't any strawberries to pick or blackberries to sell or snow to
+sweep or&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Let's give a nentertaimnent in our barn like Hec and the boys did last
+week in their carriage-shed. They charged a cent apiece, and earned
+more'n a quarter, Hec told me. And I know we could give a better
+entertainment than they did. You could sing and Cherry could speak.
+Perhaps we could coax Hope to read to us. She does it splendidly, though
+usu'ly she thinks she's too big to play with us any longer. I am pretty
+sure Hec would turn summersets for us. He has been quite respectable
+since that last licking the Judge gave him. Jimmy Jones would likely
+play the bones for us, too, if Hec asked him to. They don't make a
+pretty noise, but it's a sight to see his hands fly. Tessie is learning
+the fiddle and I know she'd be glad to show off, and so would Effie, if
+we could get our organ out into the barn."</p>
+
+<p>"And you can whistle," put in Allee, all excitement as Peace unfolded
+her brilliant plan. "You sound just like the birds, and Gail said only
+the other night that you did better than lots of people who have taken
+lessons. But do you s'pose she will let us have the organ? Do you s'pose
+she'll even let us have the barn? It is in an awful clutter, and I don't
+see where we could put the people who come."</p>
+
+<p>"I was wondering about that myself, but it won't do any harm to ask.
+There is Hec. We can find out from him right away if he will be one of
+our show."</p>
+
+<p>"Shall you tell him about the cirkis?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, not a word. We'll have that as just a secret among our two selves
+until we see how much money we can earn. See?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes."</p>
+
+<p>"Don't you tell a soul!"</p>
+
+<p>"Of course I won't!"</p>
+
+<p>"Hector, wait a minute! We want to see you. Say, will you be in a
+nentertainment me and Allee are getting up in our barn?"</p>
+
+<p>The boy looked somewhat surprised at this request, for Peace had been
+very slow in accepting his friendly advances, though he had showered her
+with every possible attention ever since the day of the double tragedy
+in their breakfast room, owing to certain forceful remarks made by his
+irate parent. Here was an opportunity not to be disregarded, but with a
+great show of indifference, he leisurely faced the two conspirators, and
+lazily drawled out, "What kind of an entertainment?"</p>
+
+<p>"One to make a little money," Peace answered briefly.</p>
+
+<p>"What for?"</p>
+
+<p>"'Cause I need it," was the very satisfactory reply.</p>
+
+<p>"How much do you expect to make?"</p>
+
+<p>"You said you got more'n a quarter, didn't you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yep. Twenty-eight cents."</p>
+
+<p>"Then I think we ought to get more'n fifty cents, 'cause we mean to have
+a <i>good</i> program."</p>
+
+<p>Hector felt as if a dash of cold water had suddenly struck his face, but
+he was quite accustomed to Peace's characteristics by this time, so did
+not resent her implied doubtful compliment, but asked, with somewhat
+more of interest in his manner, "Who's going to be in it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Tessie and Effie and Cherry and Allee&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"And Peace is to whistle," put in the small cherub with sisterly
+loyalty.</p>
+
+<p>"Aw, a girls' crowd! There ain't any boys in it."</p>
+
+<p>"You'll make one if you will turn summersets. And we thought you might
+get Jimmie to play the bones for us, and p'r'aps Lute Dunbar might bring
+over his accordian. I b'lieve Mike O'Hara would speak that Irish piece
+of his that makes folks laugh so much, and maybe we could get the
+minister to stand on his head. He does that elegant. Whenever I visit
+there, that's the first thing I ask him for, and he nearly always does
+it, too."</p>
+
+<p>"Whoop-ee!" shouted Hector, turning a handspring. "I know a <i>boy</i> that
+stands on his head, and he will do it any time I ask him to. Mr. Strong
+prob'ly wouldn't in front of a big crowd like you'd have in your barn.
+The Sherrars are coming down from Martindale Monday to stay a whole week
+with us, and Victor plays the cornet to beat the band. He's a little
+bigger'n us, but he will do anything for Cecile, and I'll get her to ask
+him. What'll you do for chairs at your place?"</p>
+
+<p>"I don't know," Peace confessed. "Maybe Gail won't even let us have
+the barn, but I think she will. We must give it this week, before
+next Saturday, I mean, 'cause that's the time we have to have the
+money&mdash;" She stopped abruptly, fearing that he would guess her secret,
+but he showed no trace of suspicion, so with freer breath she continued,
+"I'm going home now and see Gail. I think Wednesday or Thursday after
+school would be the best time, don't you? Then if it should rain, we
+would still have another day left before Saturday. It won't take us long
+to get ready, seeing we each do our part all alone."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," agreed Hector, with unusual readiness, "I think Wednesday will be
+all right, and I'll get up the tickets for you."</p>
+
+<p>"Goody! You might get them ready while I go see Gail. I'll be right
+back."</p>
+
+<p>She and Allee disappeared up the road in a cloud of dust and Hector
+repaired to his home to manufacture the bits of cardboard necessary for
+admission to the wonderful entertainment. It was an hour later that
+Peace appeared at the Judge's door and asked to see the young gentleman
+of the house, but it required no words from her to tell him that her
+errand had been fruitless.</p>
+
+<p>"She won't let you give the entertainment!" he said, the instant he saw
+her woe-begone face.</p>
+
+<p>"She doesn't care about the entertainment at all, but she won't let us
+have the barn, and here I've been and asked Effie and Tessie and Mike,
+and they all promised to take part. Oh, dear! I did want that money so
+bad!"</p>
+
+<p>"Are you sure Gail won't care if you give the entertainment?" Hector
+stood in considerable awe of the big girls at the little brown house,
+and he wanted to run no risks in the daring plan his own brain had
+suddenly evolved.</p>
+
+<p>"No, she doesn't care a single speck. She said we could give it in the
+orchard, but then anyone could come and look on without having to pay a
+cent, and I can't get my money at all."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, you can. We will give the entertainment in our carriage-shed if
+you'll divide the money with me, Peace. Course if I furnish the building
+I've a right to <i>part</i> of the money."</p>
+
+<p>"But half is quite a lot," demanded the girl with some hesitation. "See,
+I've <i>got</i> to make at least thirty cents for Allee and me, and I wanted
+fifteen cents more for Cherry."</p>
+
+<p>"We could have Cecile's old organ in the shed," said Hector, ignoring
+her objections for the moment; "and there is a big lantern hanging from
+the roof, so we could light it if it got dark before we were through. We
+had better light it anyway, I guess, and draw the curtains so no one
+outside can see. Then everyone who wants to hear the program will <i>have</i>
+to buy a ticket. If we get up such a swell entertainment, Peace, it is
+worth more'n a cent. Let's charge two for a nickel; then if we can get
+fifty people to come it will give us each quite a neat little pile out
+of it. What do you say?"</p>
+
+<p>"I&mdash;don't&mdash;think&mdash;many folks would buy at such a high price," said
+Peace, doubtfully, though the picture he drew was very alluring.</p>
+
+<p>"Why, of course they will for such a bang-up program as we'll give them.
+Mamma and Cecile and Mrs. Sherrar and Frances will go; and Nancy and
+Marie, the girls. That makes six right there. Of course we can't charge
+Victor anything if he takes part. I bet Miss Truesdale would buy a
+ticket, too. You ask her, or get Allee to. Allee is in her room now. The
+minister and his family are coming over some night for dinner while the
+Sherrars are here, and I'll get mamma to invite them Wednesday, and you
+tell them to come early enough for the program. They'll be glad to. Mr.
+Strong was here the day we boys had our time in the carriage shed, and
+he clapped and stamped the loudest of anyone."</p>
+
+<p>"Have you written the tickets yet?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, just cut them."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, that's good. We'll charge a nickel for two tickets, and give it
+in your shed next Wednesday. Get to work now. I've just thought of
+Montie Fry and his trick dog, and Dick Sullivan and his mouth-organ. I
+am going right over and see if they will take part."</p>
+
+<p>She was as good as her word, and when the following Wednesday afternoon
+arrived it would have been hard to tell which was the largest, the
+audience in the carriage shed, or the company of participants arranged
+on the platform which Leonard had built for just such gatherings; but
+every one of the fifty tickets had been sold, and late arrivals had to
+present cash, at the door, where Hector presided.</p>
+
+<p>The program, was certainly original and varied, if somewhat lengthy, and
+the audience was kept in a thrill of expectation from one number to the
+next, for Peace was a master hand at arranging her numbers, and
+instinctively had saved the best for the last. Just as she herself had
+taken her place in front of the motley gathering to give an exhibition
+of her whistling, the big door swung noiselessly, and the company from
+the great house arrived in a body,&mdash;the Judge's wife and daughter, their
+guests, the Sherrars, and the minister and his small family. They looked
+very much surprised to find the place crowded to its utmost capacity,
+but were even more astonished when, after a preliminary bar or so on the
+mouth-organ, Dick Sullivan began softly to play <i>The Blue-bells of
+Scotland</i>, and Peace's red lips took up the melody, whistling with
+beautiful accuracy and clearness, trilling through measure after measure
+with bird-like notes, following all of Dick's variations, and adding a
+few of her own under the inspiration lent by the presence of her beloved
+friends.</p>
+
+<p>"Cecile," exclaimed her friend Frances, "why didn't you tell me you had
+such a genius in your midst? I'd have been out here the first one to
+hear the whole program. Why, she looks like an angel, and her whistling
+is divine. Who is she?"</p>
+
+<p>"Peace Greenfield," answered Cecile, almost too amazed for speech, for
+this was the first time she herself had ever heard the young whistler.
+"Father calls her the dearest little nuisance in town. She is one of the
+most original pieces I ever saw in my life&mdash;always into mischief, and
+always trying to help someone. But truly, I had no idea she could
+whistle like that. Mr. Strong, what do you think of it?"</p>
+
+<p>"She is doing splendidly!" he whispered enthusiastically. "She is a
+regular genius at it. Why, a year ago she came to me and begged <i>me</i> to
+teach her."</p>
+
+<p>"So she is a pupil of yours?" asked Mrs. Sherrar, as much enchanted with
+the musician as were her young people.</p>
+
+<p>"Not exactly. I helped her what I could, but I think most of the credit
+belongs to Mike O'Hara and the birds in the woods. He set her to
+imitating them; and she is an apt mimic, you will find. Clap with all
+your might."</p>
+
+<p>The very rafters rang with the applause of the enthusiastic audience, as
+the small whistler took her seat among her mates on the platform, and
+she was forced to give another selection, and a third. Allee came to
+her aid in the fourth, and sang to a whistled accompaniment, but the
+applause was more tremendous and insistent than before; and poor, weary
+Peace rose to her feet for the fifth time, but instead of pouring forth
+the torrent of melody they expected, she faced the audience
+belligerently, and cried in exasperation, "My pucker is tired out and my
+throat aches. Do you 'xpect me to stand here all night? Victor Sherrar
+will play on his cornet now and then you can go home."</p>
+
+<p>"Mamma," whispered Frances, while her brother was rendering the closing
+number of the program, "I simply must have those two tots at my party
+next week. They will be a novelty and everyone is sure to like them.
+Cecile thinks I can borrow them all right, seeing that it is to be
+Saturday night."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, we'll see," smiled the mother indulgently, as the crowd broke up
+and departed, while Peace and Hector divided the spoils in the corner.
+"She surely is an interesting specimen, and it was worth ten times the
+money just to hear her squelch her audience. Where is Brother Strong?"</p>
+
+<p>He was interviewing the brown-eyed girl, who, with her money in hand,
+was about ready to follow her companions for home; and they clustered
+around the little group by Hector's table just in time to hear Peace's
+dismayed voice cry, "You're fooling! I didn't believe that of <i>you</i>.
+Why, Mr. Strong, I read it myself on the poster!"</p>
+
+<p>"Where? What poster?"</p>
+
+<p>"That big one up on the corner back of this house. Allee and me were
+picking gentians when we saw it. Didn't we, Allee?"</p>
+
+<p>"But, Peace, that was last year's sign. There hasn't been a circus in
+town this summer, and there isn't going to be. It is past circus time."</p>
+
+<p>"Are you sure?" she faltered, opening her fist and looking tragically at
+the pile of nickels and dimes she held.</p>
+
+<p>"Perfectly sure! They were to have been here last year just about this
+time, but it rained pitchforks, as you children say, and they didn't
+stop. That poster is ragged and faded with time. If you don't believe
+me, just come up to the corner and I'll show you the date."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, I b'lieve you! Ministers don't often tell lies; but I was just
+thinking of this heap of money I've earned all for nothing. Eighty cents
+was my share, and I thought that would take most of our family&mdash;s'posing
+Gail would let us go."</p>
+
+<p>The amused grown-ups smiled behind her back, but the preacher understood
+how disappointed she was, and taking her hand sympathetically in his, he
+drew her aside and whispered a few words in her ear which brought back
+the sparkle to her eyes and the happy glow to her face, as she exclaimed
+enthusiastically, "I'll do it! Sure! No, I won't tell a soul. Course
+Gail will let me. All right! Good-bye!"</p>
+
+<p>She was off like a shot down the road, and the pastor joined his hostess
+on the way to the house, with the irrelevant remark, "Dr. David Peak, a
+missionary to Africa, is to speak at our Sunday morning service. I hope
+we have a large attendance, as this will be a rare treat. It isn't often
+a little country church can secure so notable a speaker. Spread the good
+news all you can."</p>
+
+<p>Something in his voice made the Judge's wife say suggestively, "He is
+not to be the only unusual attraction, is he?"</p>
+
+<p>"The only one to be advertised," smiled the parson, and she understood.</p>
+
+<p>The following Sabbath day was glorious, bright, warm, and with the smell
+of fall in the air. The church was packed; pastor and people were at
+their best; and an expectant hush fell over the little audience when Mr.
+Strong took his seat after reading the weekly announcements. The organ
+began to play softly, necks were craned to catch a glimpse of the
+singer, and then a buzz of surprise filled the room. Peace, dressed all
+in white, and looking like a rosy cherub, had mounted to the organ loft
+where Faith was playing, and at the proper moment, she began to whistle
+a beautiful bird melody which surprised even those who had heard her the
+previous Wednesday. The whole audience sat spellbound. It seemed
+incredible that Peace,&mdash;little, blundering Peace, riotous, rebellious,
+happy-go-lucky Peace&mdash;had such a soul of melody bottled up within her.
+It was as if the songsters from the forest were suddenly let loose, and
+even her own sisters were amazed at her song.</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Strong had been wise when he chose that moment for Peace's music,
+for the whole congregation was in tune for the grand missionary plea
+which followed, when Dr. Peak rose to address them; and so inspired, and
+uplifted was the speaker himself that he preached as he never had done
+before, bringing his cause so close to the people that they were
+thrilled and fired with his enthusiasm.</p>
+
+<p>Parker was a well-to-do little village, built originally for the express
+purpose of permitting wealthy business men of the city to find peaceful
+retreat from the noisy metropolis, where, week in and week out, they
+spent the long days of labor. It had now somewhat outgrown this
+reputation, but still numbered many rich men among its inhabitants, and
+boasted of an unusually fine church for such a small place, although it
+was not noted for its spiritual zeal, and particularly was it lacking in
+its missionary spirit. These were difficulties which the ardent young
+preacher, Mr. Strong, had sought for many long months to overcome, and
+while the earnest missionary from Africa was pleading the cause of the
+heathen, the pastor praying with all his might for his own
+congregation.</p>
+
+<p>When the wonderful sermon was finished, and Mr. Strong saw the unusual
+interest in the faces before him, he determined to strike while the iron
+was hot, and though that Sunday was not scheduled for a missionary
+collection, he sprang to his feet and made an urgent plea for more funds
+for the grand and glorious cause.</p>
+
+<p>"Give from the depths of your heart," he urged. "Think of these millions
+of people needing the Gospel. Brother Peak has come direct from the
+field, he knows conditions better than anyone else can know them. He
+tells us they need more missionaries. How are they to get them? Through
+us in our civilized countries. We can't all go in person, but I don't
+think there is a soul here this morning but can give something to help a
+little. The ushers will now wait upon you. Who will be the first to
+give, and what shall it be,&mdash;yourself, time, m&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"My cirkis money!" cried a shrill voice from the organ loft, and there
+stood Peace, fishing coin after coin from the depths of her pocket and
+dropping them over the pulpit into the missionary's outstretched hand.
+"I earned it so's me and Allee and Cherry could go to the cirkis&mdash;that
+is, if Gail would let us&mdash;and then, come to find out, it was last
+summer, and on 'count of the rain it never stopped at all. Next best to
+seeing the cirkis is hearing what that man said about the little black
+babies in Africa,&mdash;that's where the cirkis animals come from, too,&mdash;and
+I couldn't help wondering how I'd feel s'posing I had to live there and
+be black and eat such horrible things and be boiled in a kettle to take
+the dirt off, and buy my wife for a junk of cloth and wear strings of
+beads for clo'es. Here's my eighty cents, Dr. Missionary, to buy them a
+little more Gospel, and when I'm grown up if there are still heathen
+living in that country, I b'lieve I'll come down and help."</p>
+
+<p>Whether it was the missionary's sermon, Mr. Strong's plea, or Peace's
+postscript that did the work, perhaps no one will ever know, but when
+the ushers brought their loaded baskets to the pulpit and the
+extraordinary collection was counted, it was found that over one hundred
+dollars had been raised for the missionary cause that morning in the
+Parker Church.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII"></a>CHAPTER XVIII</h2>
+
+<h3>THE HAND-ORGAN MAN</h3>
+
+
+<p>Hardly had the four younger girls disappeared across the fields on the
+way to school the next morning, when the Abbott carriage drew up in
+front of the little brown house, and Cecile and Frances hurried up the
+path to the door. Gail answered the imperative knock, and looked so
+surprised and pleased at the unexpected call that the Judge's daughter's
+face crimsoned with contrition and shame to think she had neglected this
+old-time friend so long.</p>
+
+<p>"Why, Cecile!" stammered Gail, glancing involuntarily from the girls'
+fresh, white suits to her own shabby print frock and rolled-up sleeves.
+"This is a great treat. Come right in! We are so glad to have you call.
+Don't apologize; you are more than welcome. But please excuse my
+appearance. It is Monday morning and Faith and I are washing."</p>
+
+<p>"Then don't you apologize, either," said Cecile, trying to laugh easily
+and failing utterly. "We should not have called at this outrageous hour,
+but Frances is to return to the city this afternoon, and she insisted
+upon coming to see about the children before she left."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh!" The bright light died from Gail's eyes, and the girls looked
+uncomfortable. So it was an errand after all and not a friendly call
+which brought them. "What is the matter with the children? Has Peace&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"No, oh, no, nothing has happened," Cecile began hastily, when Frances
+interrupted, "It was on my account. Your little whistler has captivated
+me completely&mdash;and mamma, too. We wanted to know if we might borrow them
+next Saturday, Peace and Allee, to help out in the program at a party I
+am giving that night. Oh, don't say no! I have set my heart on it. We
+will take the best care of them and bring them home early Sunday
+morning. We are coming out here for dinner at Mr. Strong's house that
+day, and of course must arrive in time for church service. Please say we
+can borrow them. I do want them <i>so</i> much!"</p>
+
+<p>"Dear me," exclaimed Cecile in mortification. "I haven't even introduced
+you two girls. No wonder you think I am crazy, Gail. This is my chum
+from Martindale, Miss Sherrar, Miss Greenfield&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"I'm Frances," again the radiant-faced stranger interrupted.</p>
+
+<p>"And I am Gail," smiled the other. "I have heard the Strongs speak of
+you often."</p>
+
+<p>"No oftener than we have heard them speak about you," Frances assured
+her. "We have known both of them for years, and ever since they took
+charge here in Parker we have heard lots about you."</p>
+
+<p>"No doubt. Mr. Strong is quite a champion of Peace's, and she certainly
+needs one. I am afraid I don't make much of a success in bringing up the
+little ones."</p>
+
+<p>"I think Peace is a perfect cherub&mdash;in looks."</p>
+
+<p>The trio laughed merrily, and Cecile added, "She means to be in actions,
+but nothing she ever does comes out the way she intended it to, and she
+keeps everyone guessing as to what she will do next. You ought to hear
+Daddy rave about her. He thinks she is the smartest child he ever saw."</p>
+
+<p>"I think she is the sweetest," said Frances, "she and Allee. They are
+both too cunning for anything. I simply must have them at my party.
+Won't you say they can come?"</p>
+
+<p>"They have nothing to wear for such a grand occasion," Gail hesitated,
+anxious to please, and yet not quite willing to trust two of the
+precious sisters with strangers for even a twenty-four hours.</p>
+
+<p>"That is easily remedied. I have some little cousins who are sure to
+have dresses that will fit. It is to be rather a dress-parade, I must
+admit, but you needn't worry on that account. Mamma knows how to fix
+them up in Sara's and Marion's clothes. We must have them. Mr. Strong
+will give us a good recommend, I know."</p>
+
+<p>Gail laughed. "There is no need of that at all. I am willing that they
+should go, only you can hardly blame me for hesitating a little, as this
+will be the first time either one has been away from home over night;
+and besides, Peace is such a blunderbus, I rather dread to let her go
+anywhere for fear she will get into trouble."</p>
+
+<p>"Now you oughtn't to feel that way at all," cried Frances gaily. "<i>I</i>
+was just such a child as she is, and see what a well-behaved young lady
+<i>I</i> have grown to be! But really, she has such a sweet disposition and
+great, tender heart, she will come out all right, I know. Mr. Strong
+says so, and he is a splendid character reader. Oh, of course, I suppose
+she has her bad days. We all do, but she is too much of a darling to
+stay bad long. You should hear your preacher sermonize about her. He
+says just as sure as she gets into mischief of any kind she comes to him
+and tells him all about it, cries over it, and goes away promising to be
+a better girl. Oh, I have lost my heart to her completely! We won't let
+her get into mischief of any kind, I promise. And I know she will enjoy
+herself."</p>
+
+<p>"Well," answered Gail, slowly, "they may go, if you wish them so badly.
+How&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Cecile will bring them when she comes Saturday morning, if you are
+willing. That will give us plenty of time to get everything fixed up
+properly. I thank you so much for your permission; and, Gail, though we
+must hurry away this morning, the next time I come out here for a visit,
+I shall run in to see you for a nice long chat. May I?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, if you just would!" cried gentle Gail impulsively, longing to take
+the bright face between her hands and kiss it. "We are too busy here to
+get out very much ourselves, but we do like company 'awfully bad,' as
+Peace used to say. I hope you come soon. The children will be ready for
+Cecile Saturday when she gets here. Good-bye, I am sorry you must go so
+soon. Come again, Cecile." The girls were gone, and Gail went back to
+her wash-tubs in a daze.</p>
+
+<p>Needless to say, the little girls were wild with excitement when told of
+the coming gala day, and Cherry was green-eyed with envy, though, like
+the well-behaved child she was, she never said a word to mar the
+beautiful time in store for the two more fortunate sisters. Long before
+Cecile arrived Saturday morning, the stiffly-starched duet stood on the
+steps, waiting in a fever of impatience; and by the time the Sherrar
+house in the great city was reached, both little girls were almost
+transported with joy. They nearly talked Cecile's head off, so eager
+were they to find out all about the grand party, and everything else of
+interest they could think of; so she was more than relieved to turn her
+lively charges over to Frances the minute that young lady put in
+appearance.</p>
+
+<p>"You little darlings!" the hostess exclaimed at sight of them. "Take
+them right upstairs, Sophy; mamma wants them at once. Cecile, you look
+tired out. Oh, yes, I can understand just how you feel for Sara and
+Marion were here all day yesterday, and what do you think? They haven't
+a thing suitable for us to borrow. Mamma says we'll have to go downtown
+and buy something ready-made for Peace and Allee. She is dressing now,
+and if you aren't too tired, I'm going to drag you along."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, I'm never too tired for gadding," replied Cecile with animation.
+"But I can't answer half the questions those chatterboxes ask, and this
+morning Allee was as bad as Peace. She wants to know if a chandelier
+crows and is just an ordinary rooster. Peace thinks those green-houses
+we pass on the car ought to be called 'white-houses,' because they are
+painted white. Just before we got off at our avenue she suddenly
+demanded to know for whom 'Vandrevort Street' was named. I couldn't
+think for the life of me what she meant until I remembered we cross
+Twenty-fourth Street, and the conductor was a foreigner who doesn't
+pronounce his words distinctly. She is possessed to know why, if the
+world is round, the houses on the other side don't fall off; and why,
+when we lift our feet to step, they always come down to the earth again
+instead of staying in the air. Why is it we can't pick ourselves up in
+our own arms; why don't women's shoes hook up like men's; what is the
+reason policemen's clothes are always blue and the grass is never
+anything but green; why don't mules look like horses and what makes them
+kick?"</p>
+
+<p>Cecile stopped for breath, and Frances screamed with delight. "Maybe we
+better stop and consult the doctor while we are in town," she suggested.</p>
+
+<p>"No, I guess that won't be necessary now, for I have resigned them to
+your tender mercies, and you must answer their questions after this. If
+you don't get enough of it, Frances Sherrar, before tomorrow morning&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Don't prophesy, Cecile! If they can hold a candle to Marion and Sara,
+I'll give you my opal ring."</p>
+
+<p>"I stand a pretty good chance of getting the ring, then," answered
+Cecile, half-laughing, half-serious; but at that moment Mrs. Sherrar
+hustled down the stairway, with the two children in her wake, and the
+merry group set out for town.</p>
+
+<p>"This is the corner, mamma," said Frances, as the car came to a
+standstill at one of the busiest streets; "and, oh, if there aren't Mrs.
+Tate and Lucy! I haven't seen them for an age. Hurry, mamma, you know
+you are as anxious to see them as I am."</p>
+
+<p>Peace and Allee found themselves bundled hurriedly down the steps,
+jerked through the surging crowd of people, teams and automobiles in
+street, and landed on the opposite corner breathless, but game.</p>
+
+<p>"Stay right here," they heard Mrs. Sherrar say; and the next instant the
+older members of the party were wholly absorbed with those
+unexpectedly-met friends. The children listened impatiently for a few
+moments, but finding the conversation very uninteresting, looked about
+them for other more congenial amusement.</p>
+
+<p>Just then a wheezy old hand-organ behind them began a familiar melody,
+and Peace beheld the player, a bent, white-haired, blind man, sitting in
+the shadow of a lamp-post on the edge of the curbing, slowly, patiently
+turning the crank of the little machine. She was at his side in an
+instant, staring into the sightless face with her great, brown, pitying
+eyes. His clothes were very shabby, his cheeks were pinched and pale;
+his cup, she noticed, stood empty on the top of the organ; his hands
+were terribly thin, and trembled as he played, so that he had to stop
+frequently between songs and rest.</p>
+
+<p>"Are you sick, Mr. Blind-man?" she asked before she was aware she had
+spoken her thoughts aloud.</p>
+
+<p>The white, unseeing eyes of the organist turned in the direction of the
+voice, and he answered with a show of cheerfulness, "Not now, little
+lady."</p>
+
+<p>"Then you have been?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, this is my first day out for two weeks."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, you poor man! It must tire you dreadfully to have to grind that box
+all day. Won't you let me try it awhile? I know I can do it all right.
+You can count your money while I play."</p>
+
+<p>"There ain't been any to count so far this morning," he murmured,
+unconsciously dropping his hand from the organ as the quaint,
+old-fashioned song was finished; and before he had a chance to
+remonstrate, Peace had seized the crank with both hands, and was
+grinding away with all her might. But, though the crank seemed to turn
+easily enough, the music came in jerks, and the blind player took
+possession of his organ the minute she had completed the last bar,
+saying gently, "I am afraid you don't know how to make the music, little
+one. But I thank you a thousand times for your great good-will. I shall
+soon be strong enough to play as well as I always have. The first day is
+a little hard. Tomorrow it will be better. We'll change the roll now,
+and give them another tune." He fumbled about the organ for a moment or
+two, and then the strains of <i>Annie Laurie</i> filled the air.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, I know that!" cried Peace, with animation. "Allee, you come and
+sing, while I whistle. We can do it lovely. Now begin again."</p>
+
+<p>Nothing loath to humor his strange, sympathetic little guests, he began
+the second time to grind out the wheezy notes of the beautiful,
+time-honored song, and Peace's red lips took up the accompaniment,
+while Allee's sweet, childish voice warbled the words:</p>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"Maxwellton braes are bonnie,<br /></span>
+<span class="i2">Where early fa's the dew,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">And it's there that Annie Laurie<br /></span>
+<span class="i2">Gied me her promise true&mdash;<br /></span>
+<span class="i2">Gied me her promise true,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Which ne'er forgot will be;<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">And for bonnie Annie Laurie<br /></span>
+<span class="i2">I'd lay me doon and dee."<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>Mrs. Sherrar wheeled in amazement at the sound; the girls broke off
+their animated conversation to stare at the quaint group on the corner;
+a crowd gathered quickly; and with sudden, characteristic impulsiveness,
+Peace caught up the battered tin cup from the old hand-organ, and held
+it out invitingly. Hand after hand plunged deep into scores of pockets;
+coin after coin rattled into the little dipper; the old man played
+eagerly, breathlessly; and the children sang again and again in response
+to the applause from the street.</p>
+
+<p>How long the impromptu concert might have continued no one knows, but
+through a break in the sea of faces surrounding them, Peace caught a
+glimpse of Mrs. Sherrar's portly form, and it reminded her suddenly of
+where she was and how she came to be there. Breaking off in the midst of
+her song, she thrust the heavy cup back into the owner's hands, bowed
+to the astonished throng, and cried shrilly, "He's been sick and can't
+play as much as he used to could, until he gets strong again; so he
+needs all the money he can get. Don't forget him when you go by again."</p>
+
+<p>Grabbing Allee by the arm, she whisked away to where her friends were
+waiting, fearful lest they might not approve of her impulsive action; so
+before they had a chance to speak a word either of blame or praise, she
+began, excusingly, "Just s'posing we all had our eyes punched out so's
+we couldn't see, and had to sit on street corners and grind out music
+all day long. Wouldn't it be terrible? I&mdash;I&mdash;thought&mdash;maybe it might
+help a little if we joined in the music, and it did. He's got a whole
+cupful of money, and now maybe he'll go home and rest a bit. He's been
+sick."</p>
+
+<p>Tears filled the eyes of the little company of grown-ups, and Frances,
+with an understanding heart, drew the childish figures close, saying
+tenderly, "For these bonnie little lassies I'd lay me doon and dee."</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX"></a>CHAPTER XIX</h2>
+
+<h3>HEARTBREAK</h3>
+
+
+<p>It was a wild, stormy, October night. The rain fell fitfully, and the
+howling wind raced madly through forest and over farmland, shrieking
+down chimneys, rattling windows and doors, whistling through every
+conceivable crack and crevice, and rudely buffeting any traveler who
+chanced to be abroad. In the brown house three rosy-cheeked little maids
+lay fast asleep in their beds in the tiny back chamber, blissfully
+unconscious of wind and rain; but in the room below Faith and Hope kept
+anxious vigil, awaiting Gail's return from the darkness and the storm.</p>
+
+<p>"I should have gone, too," croaked Faith, in a voice so hoarse she could
+scarcely speak above a whisper.</p>
+
+<p>"No, indeed," Hope declared. "You have a dreadful cold now; but I think
+she might have let me go. Towzer isn't enough company on such a night,
+and like as not he will get tired of waiting and come home without her.
+What was that? Oh, only the clock. Eleven! I had no idea it was so
+late."</p>
+
+<p>She rose from her chair and paced restlessly back and forth across the
+room, pausing at every turn to look first out of one window and then
+out of the other, as if trying to penetrate the inky blackness of the
+stormy night. The unlatched gate creaked dismally on its hinges;
+somewhere a door banged shut; and then an old bucket blew off the back
+porch and down the steps with a rattlety-clatter which made the two
+watchers within start and shiver.</p>
+
+<p>Peace heard it, too, and sat bolt upright in bed, not knowing what had
+awakened her, but trembling like a leaf with nervous fear. A terrific
+gust of wind roared around the corner, shaking the little brown house
+from rafter to foundation; the great elm trees tossed and groaned in
+sympathy, and the leafless vines over the porch beat a mournful tattoo
+against the walls.</p>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"Have you ever heard the wind go 'Yoooooo?'<br /></span>
+<span class="i2">'Tis a pitiful sound to hear!<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">It seems to chill you through and through<br /></span>
+<span class="i2">With a strange and speechless fear,"<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>chattered Peace, hardly conscious of what she was saying. The gate shut
+with a clang. "What's that? Sounded 's if&mdash;it <i>was</i> the gate banging
+and someone is coming up the steps! I wonder who it can be this time of
+night and in all this storm?"</p>
+
+<p>She listened intently for the visitor to knock. None came, but the front
+door was opened unceremoniously, a blast of wind tore through the house,
+and she heard two excited, relieved voices exclaim, "Oh, Gail! We
+thought you would never come. Take off your coat this minute! You are
+drenched!"</p>
+
+<p>"What on earth is Gail doing out of doors in this rain?" said Peace to
+herself. "She was sewing when I came up to bed. I'm going to find out."
+Tumbling out of her warm nest, she crept softly down the stairs, and
+slipped behind the faded drapery which served as door to the tiny hall
+closet, from which position she could watch the girls in the
+living-room, and hear much of what they were saying.</p>
+
+<p>The first words which greeted her ears as the curtain fell back in
+position with her behind it, were Faith's: "Oh, Gail, not Mr.
+<i>Skinner</i>!"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," answered the oldest sister in a strained, unnatural voice that
+struck terror to the little spy's heart, "Mr. Skinner!"</p>
+
+<p>"But I thought Mr. Hartman held the mortgage," Hope began in bewildered
+tones.</p>
+
+<p>"He did, dear," Gail answered. "I supposed he still held it; we paid the
+last interest money to him."</p>
+
+<p>"Then how&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Two years ago Mr. Hartman signed a note for old Mr. Lowe on the Liberty
+Road. The Lowes have always been considered wealthy people, and the two
+families have been close friends for years, so he thought there would be
+no trouble about the note; but when it fell due in July Mr. Lowe
+couldn't pay, and Mr. Hartman had to. He owns quite a little property,
+I guess, but all his ready money had gone into fixing up his buildings
+and putting up a new barn. Mr. Skinner wouldn't give an extension of
+time on the note, and said he would take nothing but cash payment or the
+mortgage on our farm. He has always wanted this place, it seems, and had
+expected to get it when papa bought it&mdash;you know the first owner was a
+great friend of our family&mdash;and there was some bad feeling over it. He
+never liked us, and Peace's prank with his bull settled everything. He
+was fairly insulting&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Did you go to see him?" chorused the sisters.</p>
+
+<p>"Surely. I thought there might be a <i>chance</i> of his extending the time
+on the mortgage, but&mdash;he wouldn't listen to me."</p>
+
+<p>"Then we must lose the farm?"</p>
+
+<p>"We have a month more before the mortgage is due, but I don't know where
+the money to pay is coming from. I am afraid&mdash;the farm&mdash;must go." She
+gasped out the words in such misery and despair that Peace found herself
+crying with the older sister across the hall.</p>
+
+<p>"What will become of us?" choked Hope after a long pause.</p>
+
+<p>"I&mdash;I don't know," murmured Gail, "unless you go to live with the
+neighbors until I can find something to do so I can get you all together
+again. It seems the village people have already talked this over among
+themselves."</p>
+
+<p>"Did Peace tell you after all?" demanded Faith.</p>
+
+<p>"No, I didn't! I never said a word!" cried Peace in great indignation,
+and the startled sisters beheld a frowzy head thrust from behind the
+closet drapery, and a pair of angry eyes glaring at them. "I won't go to
+live with the Judge nor Mr. Hardman, either. Len and Cecile tease me
+dreadfully, Hector I <i>predominate</i> with all my heart and I can't abide
+Mr. Hardman. He isn't square. He shouldn't have given old Skinflint the
+<i>mordige</i>. It b'longs to us. Oh, dear, I'll never pick raspberries
+again! That bull has made more fuss than any other person I know."</p>
+
+<p>Gail caught the shivering, sobbing child in her arms, wrapped a shawl
+around her, and sought to soothe her grief by saying gently, "There,
+there, honey, don't cry like that! You are shaking with cold. How long
+have you been in the closet, and why were you hiding there?"</p>
+
+<p>"I heard you come in and I <i>had</i> to see what was the matter. Oh, do say
+I won't have to go to the Judge or Mr. Hardman! I hate them both&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Peace," reproved Gail, "you mustn't speak so. I am sorry you have
+overheard anything about the matter. Mr. Hartman had a perfect right to
+sell the mortgage to Mr. Skinner, and under the circumstances we can't
+blame him. He wouldn't have done it if he could have helped it."</p>
+
+<p>"What I can't understand," interposed Faith, with a deep frown
+disfiguring her forehead, "is why he waited this long before telling
+us."</p>
+
+<p>"I guess he didn't relish breaking such news to us anyway, but he has
+been hoping right along that Mr. Lowe would be able to pay him for the
+note. Then he could buy back the mortgage, or loan us the money so we
+could meet it, which amounts to the same thing. Of course, it is barely
+possible that he will yet get the money in time, but we can't count on
+it at all. He was so broken up over the matter that he actually cried
+while he was talking to me."</p>
+
+<p>"I sh'd think he would!" stormed Peace, who could not yet understand how
+their neighbor had any excuse for selling the mortgage; neither did she
+understand just what sort of a thing a mortgage is, but that it had
+something to do with money and their farm was perfectly clear.</p>
+
+<p>"Isn't there someone we know who could loan us the money?" asked Hope,
+the hopeful, unwilling to accept the dark situation as it was presented.</p>
+
+<p>"I can't think of a soul. Most of father's close friends were ministers,
+and they wouldn't be able to help us. We have no relatives living. We
+haven't anybody&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"We have each other," whispered Hope; and Gail's clasp on the little
+form in her lap tightened convulsively as she wondered vaguely how much
+longer they could say those words.</p>
+
+<p>"We have Mr. Strong, too," reminded Peace. "Maybe he knows how the money
+could be paid."</p>
+
+<p>"I had thought of asking his advice, but of course it was too stormy
+tonight. We must wait until day."</p>
+
+<p>"If he can't help us, ask him if he won't take me," said Peace, in her
+most wheedlesome tones. "I would rather live with him than with anyone
+else in the world if we have to break up our house. I thought he would
+like to have me, too, but Mr. Jones said he wanted Allee."</p>
+
+<p>"Mr. Jones doesn't know anything about it. Don't fret, dearie! There may
+be lots of ways out of our trouble without our having to separate. I
+<i>hope</i> so. We have a month to think and plan; but if we must scatter for
+a time among our kind friends, I trust we will all go bravely and do our
+best to please."</p>
+
+<p>"But I <i>can't</i> go to the Judge's, Gail! He's a perfect fury, gets mad at
+nothing, and chaws his mustache and glares so ugly I always listen to
+see whether he's going to growl like Towzer."</p>
+
+<p>"He has the finest house in town," said Faith consolingly, "and a piano
+and a horse and buggy. He is going to have an automobile next summer."</p>
+
+<p>"I'd rather live with nice folks than with pianos and nautomobiles,"
+Peace interrupted. "I don't know what he wants of another girl, unless
+it is for Len and Hector to tease."</p>
+
+<p>"I thought you liked Len?"</p>
+
+<p>"He used to be nice, but since he's began going to scollege, he's
+horrid. He saw me yesterday morning in Cherry's dress, 'cause I tore my
+last clean one; and he bugged his two eyes out like he was awfully
+s'prised, and said, 'Mah deah child, yoah dress is too long! I don't
+like the looks of it.'" She mimicked the college dude's affected airs so
+perfectly that the three sisters shouted with laughter, forgetting for
+the moment their heavy burden of care.</p>
+
+<p>"What did you say?" asked Faith curiously, although in her heart she
+knew that Len must have met his match.</p>
+
+<p>"I looped my fingers up in circles like make-b'lieve eye-glasses, and
+said, 'Mah deah man, yoah hat is too tall and yoah pants ah too wide. I
+don't like the looks of them, but I am too p'lite to say so.'"</p>
+
+<p>Another shout of mirth made the rafters ring, and the trio laughed till
+they cried, much to Peace's surprise, for the scene she had just
+depicted had caused her much indignation, and she could see nothing
+funny about it. "If you don't be stiller you'll wake the children," she
+warned them in her most grandmotherly tones, and they sobered quickly,
+remembering the ghost of trouble hovering over the little house.</p>
+
+<p>For a long time they sat there in silence, each one busy with her own
+disturbed thoughts, unaware that the fire in the stove had died out, or
+that the chimes had long since struck midnight.</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly Gail lifted her eyes from the hole in the carpet, at which she
+had been staring unseeingly, glanced at the old clock on the wall, and
+exclaimed, "Girls, it's a quarter to one! Fly into bed, every one of
+you! School keeps tomorrow just the same. Try to lay aside this trouble
+at least for tonight and get a little sleep. In the morning I will speak
+to Mr. Strong about it&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"And remember to speak to God about it, too," murmured drowsy Peace,
+stumbling upstairs in front of the weary mother-sister.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX"></a>CHAPTER XX</h2>
+
+<h3>AT THE BROKER'S OFFICE</h3>
+
+
+<p>"This is Saturday morning, Gail, and Mrs. Grinnell says I can go to
+Martindale with her if you will let me," said Peace, a few days after
+their midnight conference. She might have added that she herself had
+asked for the invitation, but for reasons of her own she made no mention
+of this fact.</p>
+
+<p>Gail looked up from the pan of yeast she was "setting," and hesitatingly
+began, "Well&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"I've wiped the dishes and fed the hens and dusted the parlor&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"But I haven't swept the parlor yet," Gail protested.</p>
+
+<p>"I can't help that. I have dusted," Peace answered, firmly. "If I had
+waited until you got ready to sweep, Mrs. Grinnell would have been
+gone."</p>
+
+<p>Gail giggled in spite of her efforts to check the smile on her lips, and
+then soberly said, "But what about the eggs?"</p>
+
+<p>"I have delivered my bunch already."</p>
+
+<p>"Why, Peace, those baskets weren't full! What will Mrs. Abbott think?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, I fixed that all right. There wasn't time to do much hunting for
+our own eggs, so I borrowed the rest of Mrs. Hartman."</p>
+
+<p>"Peace Greenfield! What shall I do with you?" cried the older sister in
+utter discouragement, dropping her hands from her pan of mixing in a
+gesture of despair which scattered a cloud of flour over herself and the
+impatient pleader.</p>
+
+<p>"Let me go with Mrs. Grinnell," was the prompt reply. "I won't be in
+your way all day, then; and while I am gone, the hens will have laid
+enough eggs to pay back Mrs. Hartman. I borrowed only five. Twenty-eight
+hens ought to be able to lay that many before I get back. The eight
+biddies I bought with the rest of my melon money could do better than
+that, Gail. Please say I can go!"</p>
+
+<p>Perhaps it was the sight of the wistful little face, perhaps it was
+visions of a quiet day in which to attend to housework that won the
+desired permission; but at any rate Gail consented reluctantly, and
+Peace danced away to find the kind neighbor and report the sister's
+decision.</p>
+
+<p>"My, but I'm glad," she hummed to herself as she scrambled into her best
+dress and flew out of the door into the warm autumn sunshine. "I thought
+she wouldn't let me go, and then I couldn't get the money. Oh, I am so
+glad, so glad!"</p>
+
+<p>"Where are you going?" demanded a grieved voice, as Allee came through
+the barn door and caught a glimpse of her sister's best skirts under the
+flying coat.</p>
+
+<p>Peace stopped short in the path and thoughtfully sucked her finger as
+she eyed the dirty pinafore and wistful face of this pet of the family.</p>
+
+<p>"To Martindale," she said, briefly. "Come along! There isn't time to
+clean up. We'll hide you under the lap robe. Mrs. Grinnell won't care.
+Cherry, Oh, Cherry, tell Gail I have taken Allee with me! She ain't
+<i>very</i> dirty, and I'll keep her covered up out of sight. And now, Allee,
+don't you say a word to anyone about it, but I <i>begged</i> Mrs. Grinnell to
+take me. I want to get some money to buy back that <i>mordige</i> of ours
+from old Skinflint. Mind you keep it secret!"</p>
+
+<p>"I will," promised Allee readily, for with her Peace's very wish was
+law.</p>
+
+<p>"There is Mrs. Grinnell all harnessed and waiting. Hurry up! I had to
+bring Allee, Mrs. Grinnell, 'cause I wouldn't be at home to amuse her,
+and she might get into mischief," she explained as they arrived panting
+and breathless beside the big, roomy carriage, and she saw the
+questioning glance of the woman's eyes.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, I see," answered Mrs. Grinnell, smiling grimly. "But how about
+Gail? Does she know?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, yes, she knows by this time. I sent Cherry to tell her. There
+wasn't time to change her dress, so we will have to keep her covered up
+pretty well, 'specially as she's wearing her old play coat. Say, Mrs.
+Grinnell, do you know some people named Swift and Smart who live in
+Martindale?"</p>
+
+<p>"There is a firm of brokers by that name on Sixth Street. Why?" she
+demanded suspiciously, for when Peace asked such a question, it usually
+meant mischief brewing.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, I just wanted to know if there were really people called that or if
+Mr. Hardman was only teasing. He told me when I killed the hens that I
+better go there and borrow money to buy new ones with."</p>
+
+<p>"He was just tormenting you," the woman replied, severely. "I hope you
+weren't thinking of doing such a thing?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, no!" Peace exclaimed, the hopeful light in her eyes fading quickly.
+"Haven't I already bought eight good hens of O'Hara with my melon money?
+They lay better than our others do, too. That makes twenty-eight in all
+now. But I don't see why Mr. Hardman told me Swift &amp; Smart would give me
+the money."</p>
+
+<p>"He was playing smart himself, I guess. That firm is one of the biggest
+of its kind in the city. They buy mortgages and such things; they
+haven't time to spend on little loans."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh," said Peace, but the glad light came back to the somber brown eyes
+once more, and she bounced happily up and down on the leather cushion.
+"That name seemed such a funny one to me, I couldn't forget it. Swift &amp;
+Smart&mdash;I wonder if it fits?"</p>
+
+<p>"If it fits?" echoed her companion.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes. S'posing Mr. Swift was slower'n molasses in January and Mr. Smart
+was stupid as a stump, they would be as big misfits as I am, wouldn't
+they? Now if grandpa could just have known the kind of a girl I was
+going to be, I bet he never would have named me Peace. Faith says it
+would have been more 'propriate if he had called me Pieces. I was just
+thinking what if those <i>breakers</i> were the same way."</p>
+
+<p>"Brokers, my dear, not breakers. Well, I can't say how well the names
+fit, for I don't know them except by hearsay; but I judge they must be
+pretty smart whether they are slow or swift."</p>
+
+<p>Peace giggled gleefully as if she appreciated the pun, and said
+musingly, "I'd like to see for myself how well they fitted. The names
+sound so funny. Do you go near their store today?"</p>
+
+<p>"Why, yes, we are just across the street from it when we stop at
+Darnell's Dry Goods Store, but they have an office and not a store,
+child, and no one goes there unless they want to borrow money or
+something of that kind. Here we are at Peterson's. Will you come in
+while I do my trading?"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, no," stammered Peace, her face flushing crimson under her
+friend's searching gaze. "Allee is pretty dirty and we best sit right
+here, don't you think?"</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Grinnell hesitated, puzzled at this unusual resolve on the part of
+the children who liked nothing better than to wander through the big
+department stores and admire the pretty things; then she replied grimly,
+"Very well, but don't either one of you stir out of that buggy while I
+am gone."</p>
+
+<p>"No, we won't," they promised in angelic tones, and the woman left them,
+still perplexed and somewhat ill at ease. Fearing that some mischief was
+on foot she cut short her bargain-hunting tour in Peterson's store and
+hurried back to her charges, only to find them sitting silent and erect
+on the seat where she had left them, busy watching the bustling crowds
+in the streets.</p>
+
+<p>"Why," cried Peace, almost in dismay, "you weren't gone at all hardly!
+You must be a quick shopper."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, in this case," laughed the relieved woman, climbing into the rig
+and clucking at the horse, "but it may take me some time at the
+Martindale Dry Goods Store, and probably longer yet at Darnell's. Do you
+think you can wait patiently out here in the wagon?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, yes, it's lots of fun watching the people go by. There was one man
+back there so fat and <i>pusy</i> that we wondered what would happen s'posing
+he should stub his toe. I don't believe his head and feet <i>could</i> hit
+the sidewalk at the same time, and he'd just roll away like a ball,
+unless someone helped him up, wouldn't he?"</p>
+
+<p>Again Mrs. Grinnell laughed grimly as she remarked with some sarcasm,
+"What great sights you do see! You will be a genius one of these days,
+I'll warrant. This is the Martindale. Now don't get out of the buggy."</p>
+
+<p>"S'posing she says that at the next store," thought Peace to herself,
+but aloud she answered cheerily, "Don't you fret, Mrs. Grinnell." The
+busy woman was gone fully half an hour that time and Peace was jubilant,
+but she did not show her delight, and merely remarked, as Mrs. Grinnell
+gathered up the reins once more, "How little time it takes you to buy
+things! Gail and Faith tramp all day to find a pair of stockings, and
+then like as not get cheated. It is perfectly splendid watching the way
+folks crowd, better than seeing things in the store. I never knew before
+how much fun it is. You just ought to have seen that lady in the purple
+hat fool two men. One man was coming towards her and the other was just
+behind her when they got jammed in the doorway there. The front man
+jumped one way and the woman jumped the same way so he couldn't get by.
+He hopped back in his first place, and she hopped back in hers, and all
+the while the long feather on her hat was spearing the hind man in the
+eye, but he kept hopping the same way the others did. I thought I should
+screech before the woman got enough jumping and stood still so the men
+could get past, and didn't they look mad and scowly! Mercy, is this
+Darnell's? Well, you needn't worry about us one mite, but take all the
+time you want. The horse is as good as gold, and I'm keeping Allee's
+dirty dress out of sight."</p>
+
+<p>"I'll be back as soon as I can," promised Mrs. Grinnell when she could
+get in a word, and forgetting her usual parting admonition, she hurried
+sway through the crowd into the store.</p>
+
+<p>"Now," exclaimed Peace, all a-flutter the minute the broad back had
+disappeared, "let's see where Swift &amp; Smart live. There it is just
+across the street, but we'll have to hurry, 'cause there is no telling
+how soon she will be back. Here, wrap this lap robe around you to keep
+your clothes out of sight, and give me your hand. Mercy! I should think
+the p'lice would have certain streets for the nautomobiles and cars to
+go on instead of letting 'em all jumble up that way. We didn't get hit
+that time; don't wait for the next one to come, but run."</p>
+
+<p>Dragging poor, frightened, stumbling Allee and the trailing robe through
+the turmoil of the street, Peace managed to land on the opposite walk
+without mishap, but how she ever did it was a marvel to the big, brawny
+policeman shouting warnings to them as he tried in vain to reach the
+little figures dodging so recklessly under horses' noses, in front of
+flying automobiles and across the path of clanging bicycles.</p>
+
+<p>"Are we all here?" gasped the blue-eyed tot when Peace had set her on
+her feet once more and adjusted the dragging robe about her shoulders.</p>
+
+<p>"Course! What did you think we left behind? I know how to get across
+crowded streets. Here is the door. I wonder which is Smart and which is
+Swift,&mdash;there are three men in the room."</p>
+
+<p>She lifted the latch and boldly entered, then halted and took a careful
+survey of her surroundings.</p>
+
+<p>There were several desks in the office, all dreadfully littered with
+papers and books, and at one of these sat a short, bald-headed man,
+talking rapidly to a pretty, smiley-faced young girl, who scribbled
+queer little scratches in a tablet. Beside another desk in the opposite
+corner of the room were two men, both tall and gray and pleasant
+appearing, but so much absorbed in their conversation that they did not
+notice the children's entrance. Through a nearby door came the fitful
+clicking of some machine, and Peace could see a second girl seated at a
+table pounding a typewriter, while another man hurried to and fro from a
+row of shelves to a big iron box against the wall. None of them,
+however, paid any attention to their anxious little visitors, and Peace,
+after waiting impatiently until she feared Mrs. Grinnell would be back
+looking for them, stepped across the polished floor to the gray men in
+the corner, shook the nearest one by the sleeve, and demanded, "Are you
+Swift or Smart, or; both&mdash;I mean neither?"</p>
+
+<p>"Now, Mr. Campbell," the man was just saying, but at this interruption
+he broke off abruptly, glared at the small intruder and asked in quick,
+sharp tones, "What do you want?"</p>
+
+<p>"Some money," stammered Peace, much startled by his nervous,
+half-irritated manner.</p>
+
+<p>"Money! Well, I am afraid you have come to the wrong place," he said
+decisively, mistaking the children for beggars.</p>
+
+<p>"Why, I thought&mdash;" began Peace, with quivering lips.</p>
+
+<p>"Will a quarter be enough?" interrupted the other gray man, looking down
+into the troubled face with keen, kindly, gray eyes, which seemed
+strangely familiar to the child.</p>
+
+<p>"Now, Campbell!" expostulated the tall, nervous man. "They come here in
+swarms some days. You wouldn't be so ready with your cash if you had to
+deal with the number we do."</p>
+
+<p>Without reply, the man called Campbell drew a silver coin from his
+pocket and extended it toward trembling Peace, but she shook her head,
+gulping out, "It will take heaps more than that. Old Skinflint has got
+the <i>mordige</i> on our farm and won't give it up. I want money enough to
+buy it back, so's we can still go on living there."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh!" shouted the sharp-voiced man, while Mr. Campbell pocketed his
+silver again. "So you thought you would come here to get the money, did
+you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Mr. Hardman said you let people borrow money from you," whispered Peace
+miserably, wishing she had never left her seat in the carriage. "He told
+me that when I poisoned half our hens, but Mrs. Grinnell said you
+didn't bother with such little things; and anyway, I have bought eight
+new ones already, so we don't need hens so much as we do that <i>mordige</i>.
+Is your name Mr. Swift?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, I am the other fellow&mdash;Smart."</p>
+
+<p>"Hm, I thought it would be like that."</p>
+
+<p>"Like what?"</p>
+
+<p>"Why, that your names wouldn't fit. I told Mrs. Grinnell I bet Mr. Smart
+would be stupider than a stump and Mr. Swift would be slower than slow.
+Is that bald-headed man Mr. Swift?"</p>
+
+<p>For an instant the two men in the corner stared at her in sheer
+amazement, and then both burst into a great roar of laughter, which
+brought the whole office force to their feet. "Say, Swift, come meet
+this young mortgage raiser," called the nervous partner. "If you ever
+get conceited, just interview a child."</p>
+
+<p>The bald-headed man rose ponderously and joined the group, studying
+every feature of the children, as he demanded, in his most business-like
+tone, "What is your name?"</p>
+
+<p>"Peace Greenfield."</p>
+
+<p>"Where do you live?"</p>
+
+<p>"Almost at Parker."</p>
+
+<p>"Almost?"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, we have a farm and Parker isn't big enough to hold farms. It's a
+nice place, though."</p>
+
+<p>"How did you get here?"</p>
+
+<p>"Mrs. Grinnell brought us in her wagon."</p>
+
+<p>"Who is she?"</p>
+
+<p>"The lady what lives on the farm right back of ours."</p>
+
+<p>"Did she tell you to come and see us?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, no! She said not to, but she doesn't know anything about our
+<i>mordige</i>, so while she was in the store we hustled over after the
+money."</p>
+
+<p>"Who did send you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Why, nobody. We came all by ourselves."</p>
+
+<p>"Hm, I thought so. Is this <i>mordige</i> money to buy candy and dolls with?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, it ain't!" snapped Peace, thinking he was trying to tease her.
+"It's to keep old Skinflint from taking our farm away, so that we will
+have to live around at different places."</p>
+
+<p>"Where are your father and mother?"</p>
+
+<p>"The angels have got 'em."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh! Then you are orphans. Who takes care of you?"</p>
+
+<p>"We all of us take care of ourselves, but Gail is the play mother."</p>
+
+<p>"How many are there in your family?"</p>
+
+<p>"Seven with Towzer. He's a dog."</p>
+
+<p>They questioned her until the whole pitiful story was told, and then
+stood silently lost in thought, while Peace fidgeted impatiently,
+watching Old Gray across the street, expecting any minute to see Mrs.
+Grinnell put in appearance.</p>
+
+<p>Finally Mr. Swift said, jestingly, "What security have you to offer?"</p>
+
+<p>"Sickerity?" repeated Peace, wonderingly.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, when we loan money we have to have some security from the party.
+They must own some property or something of value to give us so if the
+money isn't paid back we won't lose anything."</p>
+
+<p>Peace pondered deeply, then drew off a small, worn, gold ring which had
+lost its "set," and laid it in the man's hand, saying, "That's all the
+prop'ty I've got except eight hens which I gave Gail for those I
+poisoned. It had a ruby in it once, but the old rooster picked it out
+and et it. I used to have two bunnies, too, but last Christmas the
+German kids ate Winkum and Blinkum all up."</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Swift smiled, but shook his head gravely, as he returned the ring.
+"I am afraid that won't be enough, Miss Greenfield," he began, when Mr.
+Smart cut him short, "What is the use of fooling any longer, Swift? She
+probably knows as much about such matters as your grandbaby. A kid her
+age knows a lot about business. Give her a nickel and send her packing."</p>
+
+<p>The genial Mr. Swift led the disappointed duet to the door and dismissed
+them with the words, "I am sorry, but we deal only with grown-up men and
+women. Call again when you are twenty-one."</p>
+
+<p>As the door closed behind them, however, the other tall, gray man, who
+had been a silent spectator of the scene, spoke reprovingly, "I think
+she has told you the truth, Smart. She is one of the youngsters I was
+just telling you about. I was afraid she would recognize me, but
+evidently she did not. I certainly shall investigate, for I am much
+interested. They have my wife and me by the heartstrings already and
+some of these days you may hear that a whole family has been adopted by
+the erratic Campbells. They are the children of that Pendennis minister
+who fought such a splendid fight in the Marble Avenue Church some years
+back, until he was forced to retire on account of his health. Well, I
+must be going. Good-day!" He stepped outside the office, and looked up
+and down the street for a glimpse of the children, but they were nowhere
+in sight; so he hailed a passing car, and was whirled rapidly away
+through the busy city.</p>
+
+<p>In the meantime, poor, disappointed Peace had jerked Allee back across
+the street, helped her into the buggy and had just got nicely settled
+when Mrs. Grinnell bustled out of Darnell's Department Store, ready for
+the homeward journey. She eyed the sober faces keenly for an instant,
+undecided whether the frowns were due to impatience at her long absence,
+or because of some childish quarrel, but soon forgot all about the
+matter in planning how she should make up her new print dress, so the
+return trip was made in absolute silence.</p>
+
+<p>But Peace had by no means given up hope in the matter of the mortgage
+and, feeling better after the warm dinner had been eaten, she wandered
+away to the barn to hatch some other impossible plan. Finding Hope in
+the loft sorting out rubbish to be burned, she threw herself on an old
+bench behind the building, where the bright sunlight shone invitingly,
+and here she was soon so completely wrapped up in her own thoughts that
+she did not hear the sound of approaching steps, and was startled when a
+firm hand caught her by the shoulder and a merry voice demanded, "Why so
+pensive, little maid? That face would scare the tramps away."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, Mr. Strong," she cried, catching his hand and pulling him down
+beside her, "we are in the worst fix you ever heard. I knocked old
+Skinflint's bull's horn off pawing red rags in the raspberry patch so
+Faith could have some sour jelly for her jelly rolls, and to pay me for
+that he won't give us back our <i>mordige</i>. Gail cried and Faith cried and
+we all cried. In a month we must break up this house and go to live with
+different people unless we can get some money somewhere. I tried this
+morning to borrow some in Martindale, but they wouldn't believe we
+needed it. I know we do, 'cause Gail said so the night I hid in the
+closet when she didn't know I was there."</p>
+
+<p>She paused for breath, and Mr. Strong said cheerily, "Yes, dear, I know
+all about it. Gail told me, but I think maybe everything is coming out
+all right in the end. Don't you fret! But if I were you, I wouldn't try
+any more to borrow the money&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"How are we to get it, then? Gail doesn't know of anybody."</p>
+
+<p>"Gail was meant for a little mother instead of a business woman. Now
+that she has asked some of us older folks for advice, I think we can
+manage matters beautifully. Gail is just a girl herself, you know. She
+understands the situation a little better now, but the burden is too
+heavy for her young shoulders. We must make it lighter, lots lighter.
+She wants to go to college, and Faith wants music lessons, and Hope
+ought to study drawing, and what would you like to study?"</p>
+
+<p>"Pigs! I want a pig farm," was the unexpected answer. "Ain't baby pigs
+the dearest things you ever saw?"</p>
+
+<p>His shout of derision stopped her, and she sat twisting her brown hands
+in hurt and embarrassed silence.</p>
+
+<p>Her mournful attitude brought the young preacher to his senses, and he
+pinched her cheek playfully, saying, "Oh, what a doleful face! See if we
+can't make it smile a little. No? Why, Peace, this is the way it looks.
+Supposing it should freeze that way." He drew his face down into a
+comically mournful grimace, and Peace laughed outright. "I heard that
+you won the prize at Annette's party for making the worst looking face,"
+he continued, "but I didn't suppose it was as bad as that."</p>
+
+<p>"That isn't half bad," cried Peace scornfully. "Why, I can make the
+ugliest faces you ever saw."</p>
+
+<p>"Bet you can't!"</p>
+
+<p>"Bet I can!"</p>
+
+<p>"Try it!"</p>
+
+<p>Peace promptly bulged out her eyes, turned up her nose, and drew down
+her mouth in a hideous grimace, following it up with other horrible
+distortions; and then exclaimed, "How do you like that?"</p>
+
+<p>"I can do as well myself," said the preacher.</p>
+
+<p>"I don't b'lieve it! Let's see you do it!"</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Strong laid aside his hat, rumpled up his shining black hair, and
+went through some fearful contortions of face, which almost paralyzed
+Peace for the moment. Then she screamed her delight, hopping about on
+one foot, and shouting boisterously, "You win, you win, Mr. Strong! If I
+can ever make faces like those, I shall be perfectly happy. Do you
+s'pose I am young enough to learn? It must have taken you all your life
+to do it so beautifully. Will you teach me how?"</p>
+
+<p>On the other side of the fence something moved in the thick brush, and
+there was a sound of a man's deep chuckle, but the two contestants in
+the art of making faces were too much occupied to notice anything of
+their surroundings, and the unknown watcher enjoyed this novel
+entertainment for some moments.</p>
+
+<p>At length the preacher said, "Well, Peace, I came over to see Gail.
+Where can I find her?"</p>
+
+<p>"In the kitchen, most likely. Come along; I will hunt her up."</p>
+
+<p>The two strolled off toward the house, and a crouching figure in the
+hazel thicket followed them until they entered the kitchen door, when it
+dropped flat on the ground again and remained there alert and listening
+during the conference in the little brown house.</p>
+
+<p>When at last, as dusk was falling, the minister strode down the path to
+the gate, a shabby, gray-haired man emerged from the shadows along the
+roadside and hurried after him. Hearing footsteps so close by, the young
+man halted, expecting to see some of his parishioners or acquaintances
+of the village trying to overtake him, and was naturally somewhat
+startled when accosted by a stranger.</p>
+
+<p>"I beg your pardon," said Mr. Strong. "I thought it was someone who
+wanted me."</p>
+
+<p>"It is," replied the shabby man. "I take it that you are pastor of the
+Parker Church,&mdash;Mr. Strong, I believe?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir," answered the preacher, still a little bewildered.</p>
+
+<p>"My name is Donald Campbell&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"President Campbell of the University?" gasped Mr. Strong in surprise,
+involuntarily looking down at the stranger's threadbare clothes.</p>
+
+<p>"As you prefer. Oh, I am in disguise! I will make explanations as we
+walk along if you can give me a few moments of your time. I should like
+to interview you in regard to our late Brother Peter Greenfield's
+family."</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXI" id="CHAPTER_XXI"></a>CHAPTER XXI</h2>
+
+<h3>SURPRISES</h3>
+
+
+<p>"Why, Gail, what are you doing?" asked Faith one cold, dull November
+day, as she hurried into the kitchen from her village trip, and found
+the older sister picking two plump hens.</p>
+
+<p>"Can't you see?" smiled the girl, glancing up from her task with an
+excited, happy sparkle in her eyes.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, I can see, but what is the occasion? Has Peace made another raid
+on the hen-house with poison or rat-traps? I shouldn't suppose we could
+afford chicken unless by accident. Thanksgiving is more than two weeks
+off."</p>
+
+<p>"What day is tomorrow? Am I the only one who remembers?"</p>
+
+<p>"November tenth&mdash;your birthday! Oh, Gail, it had slipped my mind for the
+minute! No wonder you are getting up a celebration if everyone forgets
+like that."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, it isn't on account of the birthday, Faith; that just happened.
+It's the mortgage&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Of course, I knew it was due soon, but the relief at being able to get
+the money made me overlook the exact date, I guess. So that is the cause
+of your excitement!"</p>
+
+<p>"Partly, and then we are to have company for dinner, too."</p>
+
+<p>"Who?" demanded Faith, again surprised.</p>
+
+<p>"Mr. and Mrs. Strong and Glen and Mrs. Grinnell."</p>
+
+<p>"What in the world will we do with them all? Eight is a tight fit for
+our dining-room."</p>
+
+<p>"It will crowd us a little, but I have it all planned nicely. Glen must
+sit in his daddy's lap&mdash;he often does at home when they have company and
+haven't room at the table for his high-chair&mdash;and of course I will wait
+on the people, so there will be room for all."</p>
+
+<p>"Of course you <i>won't</i> wait on the people! What waiting there is to
+attend to I shall look after. You are mistress of this house. Oh, I
+can't help hugging myself every other minute to think Mr. Strong was
+able to get the money for the mortgage and we won't have to leave this
+dear little brown house after all."</p>
+
+<p>"Do you care so much?" asked Gail, with such a curious wistfulness in
+her voice that Faith stopped her ecstatic prancing to study the thin,
+flushed face.</p>
+
+<p>"I should say I do!" she exclaimed emphatically. "Someway, in these last
+six months it has grown ever so much dearer than I ever dreamed it
+could. I used to think I hated farm life, and it fretted me because we
+couldn't live in Pendennis or Martindale, and have things like other
+folks. I did want a piano so much, instead of a worn-out, wheezy old
+organ."</p>
+
+<p>"Wouldn't you still like all that?" questioned the older girl, keeping
+her eyes fixed on the half-picked fowl in her lap, as if afraid of
+betraying some delightful secret.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, yes, indeed! But I gave up thinking about such things a long time
+ago. The farm is all we have, and there is the mortgage to pay on that;
+so I just shut up my high-falutin notions, as Mrs. Grinnell calls them,
+and mean to be happy doing my part in the home. I have wasted too much
+time already."</p>
+
+<p>"You have done your part splendidly," cried Gail with brimming eyes,
+letting the chicken slip unnoticed from her hands as she threw one arm
+around Faith's waist; "and now that&mdash;" She bit her tongue just in time
+to keep the wonderful secret from tumbling off, and flushed furiously.</p>
+
+<p>"And now that what?" questioned the other girl, without the faintest
+trace of suspicion in her voice.</p>
+
+<p>"Now that this hard year is over, we are going to do a little
+celebrating even if we can't afford it," answered Gail, thinking
+rapidly. "Will you make a caramel cake for our dinner? Mrs. Grinnell is
+so fond of it, and I know it will hit the right spot with the minister.
+It was his suggestion that he tell&mdash;" Again she stopped in confusion.</p>
+
+<p>"About the mortgage money," Faith finished. "Well, he certainly has
+earned the right. We have a lot to thank him for. Do you know who is
+loaning the money, or is that still a secret from you, too?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, Mr. Strong told me, but he wants the privilege of telling the rest
+of you, so I promised to keep still."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh!" There was a long pause, during which both girls busied themselves
+with the chickens; and then Faith ventured the question, "Is it Judge
+Abbott?" Gail smilingly shook her head. "Nor Dr. Bainbridge?" Again the
+brown head shook. "Then it is Mrs. Grinnell. I thought of her in the
+first place&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"You are wrong again. All the money she has is tied up in her farm and
+in the house in Martindale."</p>
+
+<p>"Is it anyone in town?"</p>
+
+<p>"No."</p>
+
+<p>Faith was plainly puzzled. "Man or woman?"</p>
+
+<p>"Both," answered Gail after a slight hesitation.</p>
+
+<p>"Do I know them?"</p>
+
+<p>"About as well as I do."</p>
+
+<p>"Where do they live?"</p>
+
+<p>"In Martindale."</p>
+
+<p>"Who can it be?" pondered the girl.</p>
+
+<p>"You might guess all night and never get it right," laughed Gail. "You
+better give it up. Tomorrow is time enough for little girls to know."</p>
+
+<p>"For little girls to know what?" demanded Peace, as the noisy quartette
+burst breathlessly in from school.</p>
+
+<p>"What we are to have for dinner tomorrow night," answered Gail, glancing
+warningly at Faith.</p>
+
+<p>"Tomorrow night? We have dinner at noon."</p>
+
+<p>"Tomorrow we don't. We'll have lunch at noon and dinner in the evening."</p>
+
+<p>"Bet there's comp'ny coming!" shouted the smaller girls.</p>
+
+<p>"Who?" asked Hope, almost as much excited.</p>
+
+<p>"The minister and his family, and Mrs. Grinnell."</p>
+
+<p>"What for?" questioned Cherry, for company was rare at the little brown
+house.</p>
+
+<p>"Why, to eat up those chickens, of course," answered Peace. "Will there
+be enough to go around? Hadn't I better hack the head off from another?"</p>
+
+<p>"Don't you fret! Mike weighed the hens after he killed them, and one is
+a seven-pounder, and the other weighs eight. That surely ought to be
+enough to satisfy your appetites."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, I bony a drumstick! There'll be four this time."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, but suppose we have to wait," suggested Cherry. "The others may
+eat them all up."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, Gail, must we wait?" cried Peace in alarm, suddenly remembering how
+tiny the dining-room was.</p>
+
+<p>"No, dear, there will be room for all," answered the mother-sister. "But
+I shall expect all of you to be little ladies and not quarrel over
+drumsticks or wishbones. One's guests must always be served first, you
+know."</p>
+
+<p>"Isn't it too bad," sighed the child pensively, "that we can't be our
+own guests sometimes and have just the piece we want?"</p>
+
+<p>"You ought to be thankful to have any part of it," Faith spoke up. "If
+company wasn't coming, we shouldn't have killed the hens."</p>
+
+<p>"I <i>am</i> as thankful as I can be," answered Peace, brightening visibly.
+"Cherry, come help me scour the silver. I forgot it last night, and if
+comp'ny is coming, we want everything fine. Besides, the time goes
+faster when you're busy, and already I can hardly wait for tomorrow
+night to come. Seems 's if it never would get here with those roasted
+hens."</p>
+
+<p>But in due time the eventful night arrived, and with it the select
+company who were to join in the little celebration. With eager, shining
+eyes, Peace ushered in the guests, who chanced to come all together, and
+as she relieved them of their wraps and led them into the shabby parlor,
+she chattered excitedly.</p>
+
+<p>"You don't like drumsticks the best, do you, Mr. Strong? And neither
+does Mrs. Grinnell. I heard her say so lots of times. She likes the
+wings. I want something that ain't so skinny. That's why I always choose
+drumsticks. There are four in this affair&mdash;four drumsticks, I mean. You
+didn't think I meant comp'ny, did you? Each hen had two legs, you know;
+but there are nine people to eat, counting Glen, though, of course, he
+is too little for such things yet; and the drumsticks won't anywhere
+near go around, s'posing every one of you should want one. When we have
+only one hen, Cherry and Allee and me always fight over who is to have
+the drumsticks. Last time Gail settled it by eating one herself, and
+giving the other to Hope. That won't happen today, though, 'cause there
+is company."</p>
+
+<p>"Aren't you giving away family secrets?" interrupted Mrs. Grinnell,
+trying to look severe.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, no! You already know about it, and the minister ain't s'prised at
+anything. I just thought I'd speak about it, 'cause I've bonied one
+drumstick myself, if someone else doesn't eat them all up first. And
+say, folks, if any of you get a wishbone in your meat, will you save it
+for me? Cherry's making a c'lection and has six already. I haven't but
+the one I asked Mr. Hartman for, and they make the cutest penwipers for
+Christmas. Supper&mdash;dinner is 'most ready, I guess. Gail made <i>lots</i> of
+stuffing&mdash;dressing, I mean. And Faith's cake is just fine, and the
+custard pies are the beautifulest she ever made. They are all extra,
+'cause you are here. We don't often get such nice things to eat, but
+this is a special 'casion. When supper is over the rest of the girls
+will help me do the talking, but now they are every one busy except
+Allee and me, and Allee's getting dressed. There's someone at the door.
+I hope it ain't more comp'ny. S'posing it is, wouldn't that be the worst
+luck,&mdash;the very night we have roast chicken!"</p>
+
+<p>Before Peace could reach the door to see who was there, however, Mr.
+Strong swung it wide open, and reaching out into the dusk, drew in a
+sweet-faced, motherly, old lady with silvery hair, and the familiar
+tall, gray man of the broker's office, exclaiming in his hearty, boyish
+fashion, "Mrs. Campbell, Doctor, I am so glad you have come! I was
+beginning to fear you had missed the place."</p>
+
+<p>"Missed the place? Now, Brother Strong, I am insulted,&mdash;after the number
+of times I have been here! Good evening, ladies. Mother, I want you to
+meet Mrs. Strong and Mrs. Grinnell. Hello, Peace, where is&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Have you come for dinner?" demanded that young lady, with frigid
+dignity, wondering where she had seen that kindly face before, and
+secretly wishing they had delayed their coming until a more convenient
+time.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, I have," he answered decidedly, "and I am as hungry as a bear!"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, dear," thought Peace, "there goes a drumstick! Hungry folks always
+want them." But though her face lengthened, she did not voice such
+sentiments, and started for the kitchen, saying, "I must tell Gail, so's
+she'll set you a plate for sup&mdash;dinner. Is that lady going to stay?"</p>
+
+<p>"That lady is my wife. If you have any fault to find with us for
+dropping in unannounced, just scrap it out with Brother Strong, for he
+invited us."</p>
+
+<p>"<i>I'm</i> not finding fault," Peace answered haughtily, turning once more
+toward the door, "but there's no telling what Faith will do. I better
+warn them now."</p>
+
+<p>"And at the same time you might tell Abigail that someone in the parlor
+wants to see her," laughed the genial voice.</p>
+
+<p>Peace disappeared through the door like a flash, and they heard her
+shrill voice call, "Oh, Gail, Faith, there are some folks here for
+supper what weren't invited. Do you s'pose there is hen enough now? And,
+oh, yes, he wants to see you right away, Gail!"</p>
+
+<p>The oldest sister paused in the act of lifting the beautifully browned
+birds from their nest of dressing, dropped the carving set, shoved the
+pan back into the oven, and with flushed cheeks and glowing eyes,
+hurried for the parlor with such a buoyant step that the other sisters
+followed wonderingly. She paused an instant in the doorway, smiled at
+the little company within, and then straight to the white-haired lady
+she went, and kissed her, saying happily, "I have never seen you before,
+Mrs. Campbell, but I shall love you dearly."</p>
+
+<p>"Not that, Gail," tenderly answered the stranger, holding the tall girl
+close. "Call me Grandma."</p>
+
+<p>"And me Grandpa," added the gray man, drawing Gail out of the woman's
+arms and kissing her blushing cheek.</p>
+
+<p>"Now she'll give him a drumstick sure," sighed Peace; "and s'posing he
+should ask for four!"</p>
+
+<p>"This is Faith, the baker and my right-hand man," she heard Gail saying,
+"and Hope, our sunbeam; Charity, the scholar; and Peace, the&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Mischief-maker, heart captivator, and worth her weight in gold,"
+finished the familiar voice which Peace could not quite place in her
+memory. "Kiss me!"</p>
+
+<p>Passively she allowed him to embrace her as he had greeted the other
+sisters, and then squirming out of his arms, she backed into a corner,
+where she frowned impartially on the excited group, all talking at once,
+while she tried to puzzle out how this man could be "Grandpa" when all
+her own relatives had long since been carried away by the angels.</p>
+
+<p>"I'll bet he is a make-believe," she told herself; "and he's got them
+all fooled proper. Maybe he wants the farm, seeing old Skinflint didn't
+get it. I am going to ask Mrs. Grinnell. She had sense enough to run
+when the kissing began."</p>
+
+<p>Peace slipped noiselessly through the nearby door, and fled to the
+kitchen, where their kind neighbor was busy dishing up the forgotten
+dinner, demanding, "Is he really a grandpa we didn't know anything
+about, or is he a make-believe <i>frog</i>?"</p>
+
+<p>"Make-believe frog!" echoed matter-of-fact Mrs. Grinnell. "Do you mean
+fraud? Well, he certainly ain't a fraud, Peace Greenfield! He's a big
+man. Everyone in the state knows him, pretty near. He is Dr. Campbell of
+the University. 'Tisn't every little girl that can have an
+adopted&mdash;Peace, I am afraid you and Cherry will have to wait until the
+rest are through eating."</p>
+
+<p>"That's where you are mistaken," returned Peace with energy. "Gail said
+only last night that there was room for all."</p>
+
+<p>"But she wasn't expecting the Campbells for supper."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, dear, if that ain't always the way! Gail, must I wait?"</p>
+
+<p>Gail had just hurriedly entered the kitchen, fearful lest the forgotten
+dinner was spoiled, but seeing the great bowl of gravy on the table, and
+Mrs. Grinnell busy mashing the potatoes, she sighed in relief and
+stopped to answer, "I am afraid you must, dear."</p>
+
+<p>"After you said we wouldn't have to?"</p>
+
+<p>"I didn't look for Grandpa and Grandma Campbell until later, Peace. We
+can't ask <i>them</i> to wait."</p>
+
+<p>"Faith and Hope might for once. They <i>never</i> have to!"</p>
+
+<p>"Faith is to serve dinner, and Hope is needed at the table."</p>
+
+<p>"Which I s'pose means Cherry and me ain't needed," cried the
+disappointed child.</p>
+
+<p>"Peace! I am ashamed of such a little pig."</p>
+
+<p>"It ain't piggishness, Gail. I don't want a whole hen, I want just a
+drumstick," protested Peace, with two real tears in her eyes.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, dear, now we are in for a scene," sighed the older girl, anxious to
+avert the storm. "Now be reasonable, Peace. If you will wait like a good
+little girl, you shall have a drumstick. Look at Cherry,&mdash;she doesn't
+make a fuss at all. You will be sorry by and by if you cry and get your
+eyes all red."</p>
+
+<p>"Is there to be a s'prise?" asked Peace in animated curiosity.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, <i>such</i> a splendid one!"</p>
+
+<p>"I'm not going to cry, Gail. Those two tears just got loose 'fore I knew
+it. I will stay in the parlor with Cherry all right, but don't take too
+long a time eating dinner, and <i>don't</i> forget my drumstick."</p>
+
+<p>With this parting warning she flew back into the front room and
+announced, "Dinner is ready, folkses! Faith, tell them where to sit; and
+say, you all better eat fast, 'cause Gail says there is a big s'prise
+coming."</p>
+
+<p>Slamming the door behind them as they filed out into the dining-room,
+she sat down in the nearest chair and faced Cherry with a droll look of
+resignation, saying, "Well, Charity Greenfield, how do you like being
+one of the children and having to wait every time we have comp'ny? When
+I have a family of my own, I'll make the visitors do the waiting."</p>
+
+<p>"I don't mind it much," answered Cherry, serenely. "There is a heap of
+victuals cooked. Mrs. Grinnell said she guessed we must have been
+expecting a regiment."</p>
+
+<p>Peace sniffed the air hungrily, rose with deliberation from the rocker,
+tiptoed to the door, opened it a crack and peeked out at the merry
+diners. Then she let go of the knob with a jerk, wheeled toward Cherry
+and whispered, "Just as I 'xpected! That man <i>has</i> got a drumstick and
+he just gave Allee one. He's stuffing her for all he's worth. First
+thing we know, she will be sick."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, and you banged that door, too, so they must have heard you," said
+Cherry indignantly.</p>
+
+<p>"Maybe 'twill hurry them up. I don't see <i>how</i> I can wait."</p>
+
+<p>"Get a book and read. Then the time will seem shorter."</p>
+
+<p>Peace rocked idly back and forth a few turns, patching her companion in
+misery, who seemed so absorbed in her story that even the thoughts of no
+dinner did not disturb her; then she stalked over to the battered
+bookcase, drew out a big, green-covered book which evidently had been
+often read, for the binding was in rags, and sat down on the rug to
+digest its contents.</p>
+
+<p>"'Bright was the summer of 1296. The war which had desolated Scotland
+was then at an end,'" read Peace slowly, spelling out the long,
+unfamiliar words and finding it dry reading. She turned the yellowed
+pages rapidly in search of pictures, but found none. She skipped several
+lines and began again to read, "'But while the courts of Edward, or of
+his representatives, were crowded&mdash;' oh, dear, what does it mean? There
+ain't a mite of sense in using such long words. Cherry, what is this
+book about?"</p>
+
+<p>"'Scottish Chiefs?'" said the sister, looking up indifferently. "I don't
+know. Ask Hope. She had to read it last year when they studied English
+history."</p>
+
+<p>"I thought maybe 'twas about Indians. I didn't know other things were
+called chiefs. My, I can smell dinner awfully plain! They've been at it
+long enough to have finished, seems to me. I'm going to peek again."</p>
+
+<p>"You better not let that door slam," warned Cherry, "or Gail will be
+getting after you."</p>
+
+<p>"I don't intend to. It slipped the other time. There goes another
+drumstick!" she wailed dismally, forgetting to speak in whispers; and
+the amazed guests beheld a flushed, distressed face popped through the
+wide crack of the door, as rebellious Peace called in bitter
+indignation, "Remember, all the family haven't had dinner yet, and
+chickens don't grow on every bush!"</p>
+
+<p>"Peace!" gasped poor, mortified Gail.</p>
+
+<p>"Ha-ha-ha!" roared the minister, and President Campbell called after the
+little figure which had vanished behind the closed door once more, "That
+is right, Peace! You needn't stay in there another minute. Here is
+plenty of room for you and Cherry in my lap."</p>
+
+<p>The only answer was the sound of a choking sob from the adjoining room,
+and the college president started to his feet with remorse in his heart,
+pleading, "Let me get her! It's too bad to shut them off there to wait
+for us older folks to eat dinner. I know from experience."</p>
+
+<p>But Gail stopped him, saying firmly, "No, it was very naughty of her to
+do that, and she can't have any dinner at all now until she has
+apologized."</p>
+
+<p>"You are hard on her."</p>
+
+<p>"She must remember her manners. I resign my authority to you and Grandma
+in a few hours," she answered laughingly, "but until then she must mind
+me."</p>
+
+<p>"<i>Please</i> let me bring them out here with us, anyway," he urged. "She
+will apologize; and around the table is a good place for the big
+'s'prise' she is expecting."</p>
+
+<p>"Very well," she answered reluctantly.</p>
+
+<p>Excusing himself to the little dinner party, he disappeared behind the
+parlor door, whispered a few words to the conscience-stricken culprit in
+the corner, and in a surprisingly short time reappeared with two smiling
+little girls.</p>
+
+<p>Peace's eyes were red, and one lone tear stood on the rosy cheek, but
+she marched up to the table, bowed, and said with some embarrassment,
+but in all sincerity, "Ladies and gentlemen, I've already told Grandpa,
+and he said it was all right&mdash;I apologize. I s'pose you are hungry, same
+as I, and that's what has kept you busy eating for so long. I shouldn't
+have hollered at you from the door like I did, but if you wanted that
+drumstick as bad as I do, you'd have hollered, too. Now can I have my
+dinner? Cherry, you sit in half of Allee's chair. Faith, Hope will give
+you a piece of her place, and I am to have half of Grandpa's. That's all
+his plan, so come along, Faith. Please pass me my drumstick. You've
+already blessed it, haven't you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Peace!"</p>
+
+<p>"Now, Gail, please don't scold! This is the last day in the little brown
+house, you know&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"What!" burst forth, a chorus of dismayed voices.</p>
+
+<p>"Ain't that <i>mordige</i> settled yet?" demanded Peace.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, yes. I had a long talk with Mr. Strong, and we settled that
+question forever and all time, I hope. Nevertheless, you aren't going to
+stay here any longer."</p>
+
+<p>A hush fell over the five younger girls, though Gail was smiling happily
+with the rest of the little company, and even Baby Glen seemed to
+appreciate the situation, and cooed gleefully, as he pounded the table
+with his spoon.</p>
+
+<p>"It's just as I 'xpected," Peace blurted out at length. "I said I bet
+you wanted the farm yourself, seeing that old Skin&mdash;Mr. Skinflint didn't
+get it."</p>
+
+<p>He threw back his head and laughed loud and long; then the old face
+sobered, and he said, "No, it isn't that, Peace. We&mdash;Grandma and I&mdash;want
+you to come and live with us. Gail says yes. What is your answer?"</p>
+
+<p>"All of us?" whispered Hope in awestruck tones, remembering with fresh
+fear the midnight conference of a few weeks before.</p>
+
+<p>"All of you!"</p>
+
+<p>"Gail, too?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, indeed!"</p>
+
+<p>"Haven't you any children yourself?" asked Allee, not exactly
+understanding the drift of remarks.</p>
+
+<p>"No, dear. The angels came and took away our two little girlies before
+they were as big as you are."</p>
+
+<p>"But six is an awful many to raise at once," sighed Peace. "Do you think
+you can do it?"</p>
+
+<p>"I will try if you will come."</p>
+
+<p>"Do you live in Martindale?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes."</p>
+
+<p>"Is your house big enough?"</p>
+
+<p>"It has ten big rooms and an attic. Won't that do?"</p>
+
+<p>"Y&mdash;es. Do you lick?"</p>
+
+<p>"Do I lick?" he echoed in surprise.</p>
+
+<p>"When we are bad, you know."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh! Well, I can, but I don't very often. I am pretty easy to get along
+with; but folks have to mind. I am fond of <i>good</i> children."</p>
+
+<p>"I'm <i>usually</i> good. I have been bad today, but I am ever so sorry now.
+I always am when it's too late to mend matters. But I don't want you to
+think I am always such a pig and have to 'pologize for my dinner. Yes,
+I'll come to live with you, and of course the others will. Mrs. Grinnell
+says you are an awfully nice man."</p>
+
+<p>"I am sure I thank Mrs. Grinnell," he answered with twinkling eyes,
+bowing gravely to the embarrassed lady across the table.</p>
+
+<p>"But what I can't see is how you came to pick us out to take home with
+you,&mdash;<i>Mr. Tramp!</i>" She started to her feet in astonishment, having
+suddenly fitted the familiar face into its place in her memory.</p>
+
+<p>"At your service, ma'am."</p>
+
+<p>"Ain't you my tramp?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes."</p>
+
+<p>"Then you are just fooling about our going to live with, you."</p>
+
+<p>"Not at all. I mean every word of it. Ask Grandma, ask Brother Strong,
+ask Gail, any of them."</p>
+
+<p>"But what about the tramp?" she half whispered, still too dazed to
+understand.</p>
+
+<p>"That is rather a long story," he smiled, stroking the tight ringlets of
+brown on one side of him, and the bright, golden curls on the other. "A
+year ago last spring I tried to be ill&mdash;play sick, you know; and the
+doctor told me a vacation of tramping was what I needed to put me in
+tune again. Having some pet theories in regard to the tramp problem of
+this country, I decided to take his words literally, so I turned tramp
+myself&mdash;just for a little time, you see. That is how you saw me first. I
+told my wife it was a case of love at first sight, and I became so much
+interested in this brave little family that I have kept watch ever
+since.</p>
+
+<p>"Here was a family without any father and mother, and there were a
+father and mother without any family. You needed the one and we needed
+the other. But at first the way didn't seem clear. I was given to
+understand that you didn't want to be adopted, and as I found that Gail
+was legally old enough to take care of the family, I was just on the
+point of preparing to play guardian angel instead of grandfather, when I
+chanced upon some old church records telling about your own
+grandfather's death. It gave a brief account of his life, and I was
+astonished to find that I knew him well,&mdash;in fact, as my big brother."</p>
+
+<p>"Tell us about it," pleaded Hope, as he paused reminiscently.</p>
+
+<p>"When I was a little shaver my father was a seaman, captain of a ship;
+but his whole fortune consisted of his vessel, his wife and son. Mother
+and I often used to go with him on his trips, but for some reason he
+left me at home the last time he set sail, and he never came back. New
+Orleans was his port. Yellow fever broke out while he was there, and so
+far as I have been able to find out, every soul of his crew died of it.
+I had been left with a neighbor who had her hands full looking after her
+own children; so, when word came that my parents were both dead, she
+sent for the town officers, and told them I must go to the poor-farm. I
+was only about the size of Allee, here, but I knew that the poor-farm
+was a place much dreaded, and rather than be taken there, I tried to run
+away. Your grandfather found me. He was one of our nearest neighbors and
+knew me well, so when I sobbed out the whole terrible story into his
+sympathetic ears, he adopted me on the spot. He wasn't more than a
+dozen years old himself, but he had a heart big enough to take in the
+whole world, and when he had coaxed me home with him and told his mother
+about my misfortune, I knew I was safe. They would never send me away
+again. So Hiram Allen became my big brother, and the Allen home was mine
+for ten long years. Then an uncle of mine whom everyone had thought was
+dead put in appearance and took me to sea on a long voyage which covered
+the greater part of four years. When I returned, Mother and Father Allen
+were dead and the younger fry had gone West,&mdash;no one seemed to know
+where. Then and there I completely lost sight of them, and it was only
+by chance that I&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Grandpa's name wasn't Hi Allen," mused Faith aloud, with a puzzled look
+in her eyes. "It was Greenfield, just like ours."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes; that is one reason, I suppose, why I never found my big brother of
+my boyhood days. You see, he had a stepfather. His own parent was
+drowned at sea when he was a tiny baby, and his mother married again; so
+he was known all over the place as Hi Allen instead of Hi Greenfield,
+which was his real name. When he grew to manhood and entered the
+ministry he decided to take his own name. But, though I dimly remembered
+having heard people say that Mr. Allen wasn't Hi's own father, I never
+heard his real name spoken, to my knowledge, and I never once thought
+of the possibility of his assuming it in place of his stepfather's.</p>
+
+<p>"When I discovered your grandfather's identity only a few days ago, the
+way seemed suddenly open to me. Hi Allen had shared his home with me
+when I was an orphan; I would share my home with his little
+granddaughters, alone in the world and in trouble,&mdash;for by this time I
+had heard about the mortgage and the battle being fought in the little
+brown house to keep the family together. Mothering this big brood is too
+great a task for Gail. She needs mothering herself. We want to adopt
+you, mother and I. Will you let us; for the sake of the dear grandfather
+who did so much for me?"</p>
+
+<p>His face was so full of yearning tenderness that tears came to the eyes
+of the older members of the queer little party, and even the children
+had to swallow hard.</p>
+
+<p>"I have talked the matter over with Gail, and she agrees if the rest of
+you will consent. I am not a millionaire, but we are pretty well fixed
+in a material way and can give you a great many pleasures and advantages
+that the little town of Parker can never offer. There are fine schools
+in the city, and college for Gail. We have a piano and violin and all
+sorts of music, a horse and buggy, a big barn, and a splendid yard in a
+nice locality, with plenty of room for tennis or any other kind of
+gymnastics. Maybe some day there will be an automobile&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"I don't care about pianos and nautomobiles," interrupted Peace. "It's
+the kind of people you are that I am thinking about. Mrs. Grinnell says
+you're the president of a big college and everyone knows you. If that's
+so, you ought to be pretty nice, I sh'd think. <i>I</i> like you, anyhow, and
+I b'lieve you'll like us, too. But I'm an awful case, even when I don't
+mean to be. Maybe you would rather&mdash;didn't I&mdash;weren't you&mdash;I saw you in
+Swift &amp; Smart's store!"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, my lady! Twice in the city I have seen you and Allee, and both
+times I thought surely you knew me, but I don't believe you did."</p>
+
+<p>"No, I didn't. I 'member now. It was you who gave us that gold money
+when we were selling flowers. But you look different with new clothes on
+and a clean face."</p>
+
+<p>"Why, you little rascal! Wasn't my face clean when I came here to get
+something to eat?"</p>
+
+<p>"It might have been, but it was prickly looking with the mustache all
+over your chin, and I like you lots better this way. I almost didn't
+know you the night you got supper for us, either."</p>
+
+<p>"And the rice burned."</p>
+
+<p>"And I broke Bossy's leg and you sent us Queenie to take her place, and
+Faith said I was worse than Jack of the Bean Stalk, and&mdash;I bet you <i>are</i>
+the fellow that pinned the money to the gatepost and grain sacks! Now,
+aren't you?"</p>
+
+<p>"I am afraid I am."</p>
+
+<p>"You told me once before that you weren't."</p>
+
+<p>"No, I didn't. I just asked you if it wouldn't be a queer kind of
+<i>tramp</i> who could do such a thing. Isn't that what I said?"</p>
+
+<p>"Y&mdash;es," she finally acknowledged. Then the puzzled frown in her
+forehead smoothed itself away and she wheeled toward the oldest sister
+with the triumphant shout, "There, Gail, didn't I tell you he was a
+prince in disgus&mdash;disguise? Now ain't you sorry you didn't spend the
+money? She has got it all saved away yet. I must kiss you for that,
+Grandpa, even if it didn't do us any good." She threw her arms,
+drumstick and all, about his neck and gave him a greasy smack,
+immediately rubbing her lips with the back of one hand.</p>
+
+<p>"Aha! That's no fair," he protested. "You rubbed that off."</p>
+
+<p>"No, I didn't. I just rubbed it in. Thank you, I don't care for any pie
+tonight. Somehow this drumstick filled me up full. I can't eat a bite
+more. Have you been waiting all this time for me? Well, let's go back
+into the parlor then, and do the rest of our talking. I've sat on the
+tip edge of nothing until I am tired. There's more space in the front
+room."</p>
+
+<p>"Do you know, Peace Greenfield," cried Mr. Campbell, pretending to feel
+insulted at her intimation that he had not given her a large enough
+share of his chair, "the first time I ever called at your house, I
+found you sitting on the gatepost,&mdash;the <i>gatepost</i>, mind you,&mdash;about so
+square," measuring with his hands; "and just as I turned in from the
+road, you began to sing, 'The Campbells are coming, oho, oho!' What kind
+of a reception do you call that? And tonight you weren't even going to
+give me any supper."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh," she hastily assured him, "I didn't mean you by that song. I used
+to think that the Campbells were little striped bugs that eat up the
+cucumber plants, and the very morning that you came here for breakfast I
+found two in the garden. What are you laughing at? I know better now,
+but I truly didn't have a notion what your name was then. You must have
+known I didn't. But I am awfully glad you came and that you kept coming
+even when I was bad and made you work so hard. I am sorry, but never
+mind, I am <i>deformed</i> now."</p>
+
+<p>"Deformed, child? Where?"</p>
+
+<p>"Right here in my heart! I am going to be as good as gold all the time
+after this. I think the angels must have sent you. We've always wanted a
+first-class grandfather and grandmother, but we never 'xpected to get
+'em until we found our own inside the Gates some day. Just the same, I
+spoke to God about it, and He probably had the angels hunt you up. So I
+have <i>deformed</i> and now I'll be real good. I'm truly sorry I was such a
+selfish pig about wanting a drumstick tonight. I s'pose that's why the
+drumstick filled me up so quick and didn't leave any room for pie.
+Custard is my favorite."</p>
+
+<p>"Perhaps that is the reason," he agreed, quite as serious as she. "We
+always are happiest when we are unselfish. Now, let's forget all about
+the badness and just remember the goodness. I have some of the most
+splendid plans for what we shall do when I have my six girls at home
+with me. What beautiful times we shall have, mother!"</p>
+
+<p>"How can we ever thank them?" whispered bright-eyed Gail to Mrs. Strong,
+under cover of the lively conversation at the other end of the table.</p>
+
+<p>"By loving them," promptly answered the little woman, offering up a
+prayer of thanksgiving that the brave little orphan band had found such
+a beautiful home. "They are noble people and have hungered all their
+lives for just that very thing."</p>
+
+<p>"But love seems such a little thing to give for the blessings we shall
+enjoy from their hands."</p>
+
+<p>"Ah, my dear, that is where you are mistaken, Love is <i>everything</i>."</p>
+
+
+<p>THE END.</p>
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+<pre>
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's At the Little Brown House, by Ruth Alberta  Brown
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@@ -0,0 +1,8734 @@
+Project Gutenberg's At the Little Brown House, by Ruth Alberta  Brown
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: At the Little Brown House
+
+Author: Ruth Alberta  Brown
+
+Release Date: December 9, 2007 [EBook #23785]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AT THE LITTLE BROWN HOUSE ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Mary Meehan and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+                       AT THE LITTLE BROWN HOUSE
+
+                         BY RUTH ALBERTA BROWN
+
+Author of "Tabitha at Ivy Hall," "Tabitha's Glory," "Tabitha's
+Vacation," etc., etc.
+
+
+
+
+THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY
+CHICAGO     AKRON, OHIO     NEW YORK
+_MADE IN U.S.A._
+
+COPYRIGHT, MCMXIII
+By THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: "I should say it sounded like a plain robber story," said
+Faith bitterly, while Gail sat white-faced and silent with despair.]
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+
+       I. A MORNING CALLER
+
+      II. THE MINISTER'S RECEPTION
+
+     III. SHOES AND STRAWBERRIES
+
+      IV. LITTLE FLOWER GIRLS
+
+       V. SACKCLOTH AND ASHES
+
+      VI. THANKSGIVING DAY AT THE BROWN HOUSE
+
+     VII. PEACE SURPRISES THE LADIES' AID
+
+    VIII. A MYSTERIOUS SANTA CLAUS
+
+      IX. FAITH'S AWAKENING
+
+       X. COMPANY FOR SUPPER
+
+      XI. GARDENS AND GOPHERS
+
+     XII. THE RASPBERRY PATCH
+
+    XIII. PEACE GETS EVEN
+
+     XIV. PEACE, THE GOOD SAMARITAN
+
+      XV. PEACE COLLECTS DAMAGES
+
+     XVI. THE STATE FAIR CAKE
+
+    XVII. THE CIRCUS AND THE MISSIONARY
+
+   XVIII. THE HAND-ORGAN MAN
+
+     XIX. HEARTBREAK
+
+      XX. AT THE BROKER'S OFFICE
+
+     XXI. SURPRISES
+
+
+
+
+AT THE LITTLE BROWN HOUSE
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+A MORNING CALLER
+
+
+It was a glorious morning in early June; the dew still hung heavy on
+each grass blade and leaf, making rainbow tapestries that defy
+description, as the waking sunbeams stole into the heart of each round
+drop and nestled there; the fresh, cool air was sweet with the breath of
+a thousand flowers; a beautiful bird chorus filled the earth with
+riotous melody as the happy-hearted songsters flitted from tree to tree
+saying, "Good morning," to their neighbors. Through a mass of rosy
+clouds in the east, the sun struggled up over the hilltop and smiled
+down on the sleeping village of Parker as if trying to coax the dreamers
+to arise and behold the beauties of the dawning day. In the barn-yards
+of the little farms scattered around about the town roosters were
+crowing, hens were clucking, cattle lowing, and horses stamping and
+neighing, eager for their breakfast.
+
+Old Towzer, from his bed on the porch of the little brown house, almost
+bidden by tall maples and wide-spreading elms, stretched and yawned,
+perked up his ears, listened intently, then rose stiffly, shook his
+heavy coat and leisurely descending the steps, circled around the place
+to see whether anyone was yet astir. The door slammed at the green house
+on the farm adjoining, from the little red cottage across the fields
+came the sound of a busy ax, and down by the creek some early riser
+whistled merrily as he went about his morning work. All this old Towzer
+heard, and strolling back to his place on the porch, he looked up at the
+chamber window above him and barked sharply. The drawn curtain flew up
+with a flirt, a small, tousled head appeared behind the screen, and a
+childish voice in a loud whisper commanded, "Keep still, you old Towzer!
+It isn't time to wake Gail yet. We've got to get those flowers and she
+wouldn't let us if she knew."
+
+A second small face joined the first at the window, followed by still
+another, all blinking sleepily, but eager with excitement. "Oh, Peace,"
+whispered the oldest of the trio, in an awestruck voice, "isn't it a
+beau--ti--ful day? I've a notion to call--"
+
+"Don't you dast!" quickly interposed the first speaker. "You know Gail
+never'd let us go. Just see how wet everything is!"
+
+"Did it rain?" asked the third child, the youngest of them all,
+critically examining the trees and porch-roof, and then lifting her
+great, blue eyes to the bluer sky above as if expecting to see her
+answer there.
+
+"No, goosie, it's just dew, but it must have been awful heavy. Get your
+clothes on, Allee, or Gail will wake before we are started. Aren't you
+ready, Cherry?"
+
+"'Most," came the muffled reply from the corner where a struggling
+tangle of clothes, hands and feet proclaimed that Cherry was hurrying.
+
+"Then come on; we will have to fly. I'll button your dress when we get
+outside, Allee. Never mind your other shoe, Cherry; you can put it on
+downstairs. Have you got your basket?" Giving her directions in sharp,
+imperative whispers, Peace led the way into the hall, leaped onto the
+banisters, boy-fashion, and slid quickly, quietly to the floor below,
+where she waited in a fever of impatience for her less daring sisters to
+creep backward down the creaking stairs. "Skip that one, it squeaks like
+fury--oh, Allee, what a racket! There, I knew you'd do it! Gail's awake.
+Sh! Girls!"
+
+They held their breath, huddled close in the darkest corner of the hall,
+and waited.
+
+"Peace!" again came the call from above.
+
+A happy inspiration seized the small culprit, and she snored vigorously.
+Cherry and Allee clapped both hands over their mouths to stifle their
+giggles, but Gail was evidently satisfied, for she did not repeat her
+summons; and after another moment of hushed waiting, the half-dressed,
+dishevelled trio tiptoed down the hall, cautiously unlocked the kitchen
+door and slipped out into the sweet freshness of the early day.
+
+There was a quick scampering of little feet down the walk, a subdued
+click of the gate, and the three children, holding hands, raced madly
+along the dusty road until a thick hedge of sumac and hazel bushes hid
+them from the little brown house. Then Peace slackened her gait
+somewhat, but did not cease running, and kept looking behind her as if
+still fearing pursuit or discovery.
+
+"Oh, Peace," gasped Allee at last, stumbling blindly over sticks and
+stones as her older sisters dragged her along between them, "my dress is
+coming off, and my breath is all in chunks. Do we have to run the
+_whole_ way?"
+
+Peace looked back at the small, perspiring figure, saw the plump
+shoulders from which the unbuttoned dress had slipped, caught a glimpse
+of flying shoestrings, rumpled stockings and naked legs, as the little
+feet were jerked unceremoniously over humps and hollows of the rough
+road-way, and stopped so abruptly that her companions were thrown
+headlong into the dust, creating such a commotion that a weary slumberer
+on the opposite side of the thicket was rudely startled out of his nap,
+thinking some great catastrophe had overtaken him. As he sat up and
+rubbed his eyes, looking around him in bewilderment for the cause of his
+sudden awakening, he heard an angry voice sputter shrilly, "Well, Peace
+Greenfield, I must say--"
+
+"Don't stop to say it now," interrupted another childish voice. "I never
+meant to dump you over like that. You shouldn't have been running so
+fast. S'posing you had been a train and tumbled into the ditch! Reckon
+all your passengers would have got a good jolt. I stopped so's we could
+finish dressing. Cherry, where is your other shoe? You have run all the
+way down the road with only one on. Just look at your stockings!"
+
+"Where's yours? You haven't any stockings at all," retorted the first
+voice, still sharp with indignation.
+
+"In my pocket. I was afraid Gail would hear as 'fore we got gone. There,
+Allee, your dress is done. Fasten up your shoes while I put on my
+stockings. We'll have to hurry like mischief, 'cause I don't think Gail
+will go back to sleep again."
+
+There was a subdued rustling for a moment or two beyond the dense hedge,
+and then the listening man heard the sound of hurrying footsteps in the
+road, and the children vanished without his having caught a glimpse of
+them. But he was now thoroughly awake, and as soon as the steps died
+away in the distance, he rose from his bed among the leaves, shook out
+his gray blankets, rolled and strapped them into a bundle, threw them
+under the overhanging shrubbery, and slowly made way through the trees
+to a wide, sparkling creek, whose tumbling waters made sweet music in
+the woods.
+
+"What a glorious scene this is," he murmured aloud, gazing in rapt
+admiration at the wooded hills, the singing stream, the bright flowers.
+"Why can't we be content to live in such places instead of building
+great, smoky, sooty cities? You little creek, you sang me to sleep last
+night. Wish I could take you back home with me. What a pretty flower!
+Little bird, you will split your throat if you try to pour out all your
+melody at once. Better give us a little at a time. Of course you are
+happy! Who wouldn't be on such a wonderful day? Oh, what sentiments for
+a tramp! Campbell, have you forgotten what you are?"
+
+He was near the road now, and suddenly a baby voice piped shrilly, "Yes,
+here is the bridge and there is the sun. Oh, just look at the sun! It's
+way up high now. Ain't it big and fiery?"
+
+"S'posing it was a frying-pan," spoke up a second voice, which the
+startled tramp recognized as belonging to Peace; "and we could have all
+the buckwheat cakes it would cook. My! wouldn't that be nice?"
+
+They came slowly into view through the shrubbery,--three queer, dripping
+little figures, with hair flying, dresses wet and rumpled, shoes soaked
+and muddy, but literally loaded down with masses of late columbine and
+sweet wood violets. And they made a pretty picture with their bright,
+rosy faces and excited, sparkling eyes.
+
+The tramp, in the shadow of the trees, caught his breath sharply, then
+laughed to himself at Peace's supposition and Cherry's horrified
+exclamation, "Why, Peace Greenfield, what ever put such a crazy idea
+into your head?--supposing the sun was a frying pan?"
+
+"I bet it would make a good one, and I'll bet the cakes would be dandy,
+too! Um--m--m! I can smell 'em now. I am starving hungry, and it does
+take so long for the girls to cook pancakes in our little frying pan.
+Hurry up! It must be breakfast time already. I wish I had wings to fly
+home with. S'posing we were birds, we would be there in a jiffy."
+
+"Let's play we were," suggested Allee. "That will make the way seem
+shorter."
+
+"All right," the sisters assented; and with their great bouquets
+flapping wildly in the wind, the trio sped swiftly out of sight up the
+road, leaving the tramp again to his thoughts.
+
+"Pancakes! Makes me hungry, too. Guess I better wash and be moving on in
+search of a breakfast. I wonder if those youngsters live near here."
+
+He knelt beside the clear stream and ducked his head again and again in
+the cool water, finally drying his face on a clean handkerchief, and
+running his fingers through his bushy gray hair in place of a comb. His
+toilet done, he set out briskly down road the children had taken,
+whistling under his breath, and keeping a careful lookout for
+farmhouses on the way.
+
+At the first place he approached, the watchful housewife had loosed a
+vicious-looking bulldog, and the tramp wisely passed by without
+stopping. The next house was deserted, the door of the third place was
+slammed in his face before he could even make known his wants, and he
+was beginning to wonder if he must go breakfastless when a shrill,
+childish treble rang out clearly on the still morning air:
+
+    "'The Campbells are comin' Oho, Oho,
+    The Campbells are comin', Oho, Oho.'"
+
+So sudden was the discordant burst of song, and so close by, that the
+tramp stopped in his tracks and stared in the direction of the voice.
+
+"Well, of all things! That announcement quite took my breath away!" he
+ejaculated, hurrying forward once more. "The voice sounds like 'S'posing
+Peace.' I wonder if it can be she."
+
+It was, indeed. Another rod and he found himself in front of a gate, on
+the high post of which was perched a diminutive, bare-legged girl in
+a soiled, damp frock, superintending the drying of three pair of
+mud-covered shoes arranged in a row on the picket fence, while she
+issued orders to the two sisters sitting in the middle of the gravel
+walk busily sorting flowers.
+
+"As true as you live, I don't believe these shoes will ever be dry by
+school time. S'posing we have to go barefooted, and this the last day of
+the term! Cherry, you've got too many columbines in that horn. They look
+pinched. Put some in Allee's boat."
+
+"Allee's boat?"
+
+"Well, she is fixing it for Miss Truesdale, even if she ain't a
+sure-enough scholar yet. Don't make such little, stingy bunches of
+violets. We picked plenty. I can't coax your toes to shine, Cherry. I'm
+scared that the blacking won't do any good. You shouldn't have worn your
+best ones."
+
+"I haven't any others. My old pair is all worn out, and--Why, who--"
+
+Cherry had caught sight of the shabby figure at the gate, but before she
+could finish her sentence, Peace, following the direction of her eyes,
+wheeled about on her perch, surveyed the man with big, almost somber,
+brown eyes, and poured forth an avalanche of questions: "Are you a
+tramp? Do you want some work, or are you just begging? Can you chop
+wood? Do you know how to hoe? Are you hungry--"
+
+"Yes, miss, I'm hungry," the tramp managed to stammer. "Could you give
+me a bite to eat?"
+
+"Not unless you will work for it," was the firm reply. "We don't b'lieve
+in feeding beggars, but we are always glad to help the deserving poor."
+
+The man's shrewd, deep-set eyes twinkled with amusement at her grown-up
+tone and manner, but he answered with seeming meekness, "I will be only
+too glad to do anything I can for a breakfast--"
+
+"There's wood to be chopped. Gail ain't strong enough to do such work,
+and our man is lazy. Reckon we'll let him go as soon as the garden is in
+shape. There's a heap of vines to be trained up on strings 'round the
+porches, and there are all the flower beds to be weeded, this grass
+needs cutting, and the roof of the hen house has to be fixed so's it
+won't leak, the hoop has come off the rain-barrel, the back step is
+broken, and--oh, yes, there are three screens that we can't get on the
+windows, and Mike never finds time for them."
+
+Peace stopped for breath, and the tramp took advantage of the pause to
+say, "Which one of those jobs will you have me do?"
+
+"Which one?" echoed the child in round-eyed amazement. "Why, all of
+them, of course! You don't expect us to give you breakfast unless you do
+something to earn it, do you, after I've told you we never feed
+beggars?"
+
+"No, miss. I am willing to work. But you better find out what your ma
+wants me to do first, so I can begin."
+
+"Mamma's a ninvalid," Peace responded promptly. "But I will ask Gail.
+She will know, and, besides, she is cook here."
+
+She leaped nimbly to the ground and disappeared within doors, where some
+sort of an argument evidently waged warm and furious for a time, judging
+from the sound of voices heard in the garden. Finally Peace put in
+appearance again; not the jaunty, self-reliant young lady who had
+interviewed the tramp a few moments before, but a very sober-faced,
+dejected-looking child, who twisted her dress into knots with nervous
+fingers, and at length stammered in embarrassed tones, "Gail says you
+can have some breakfast if you will split a little wood for her first,
+but she says it is a nimposition to expect you to do all I said you
+should. I don't see why. There's a heap of work around here to be done
+and no one but Mike to do it. There! Faith told me not to say anything
+about not having any men on the place. Mike is only a boy, you know, and
+he doesn't b'long here. We haven't got any--"
+
+"Peace Greenfield!" The voice was sharp with exasperation, and Peace
+retired hastily indoors once more, calling back over her shoulder,
+"You'll find the ax by the woodpile, if Mike hasn't got it in the
+meadow, or it isn't in the shed or the barn. I'll come out and tell you
+when to quit. Yes, Faith I _am_ hurrying! Be sure you cut a lot,
+'cause--" The voice trailed away into indistinctness, and the tramp,
+with a smile on his lips, went to hunt up the missing ax; and soon
+sharp, ringing blows told the occupants of the house that he was hard at
+work.
+
+Rapidly the huge pile of heavy knots diminished in size, and just as
+rapidly the heap of split stove-wood grew, while the perspiration rolled
+in great beads down the worker's crimson face. At last he paused a
+moment to rest his back and wipe the moisture from his hot forehead, and
+as he drew his handkerchief down from his eyes he saw Peace standing
+before him, holding a platter in her extended arms while she surveyed
+the result of his labor with approving eyes.
+
+"You've done splendid!" she breathed, enthusiastically. "The last tramp
+who cut wood for us piled it up so it looked like there was an awful
+lot, but after he was gone we found he had heaped it around a big hole
+in the middle and there wasn't hardly any split. Faith said she bet you
+would do the same way, but I watched you from the window, while Cherry
+and me were washing the dishes, and you never tried to hide a hole in
+the middle at all. Here is your breakfast. Gail cooked it, else you
+wouldn't have got much. It is Faith's turn to get the meals today, but
+she is baking a cake for the minister's reception tonight, and is
+crosser'n two sticks, so Gail fixed it.
+
+"You see, we were all through breakfast when you got here, or you might
+have had more. I don't know, though,--Faith says if she had her way
+about it, she'd send every single tramp who comes here marching down the
+street with the enemy in pursuit. That means Towzer, but he wouldn't
+bite anyone. Faith is cross every time she makes a cake. You might have
+eaten in the kitchen if it hadn't been for that. She sends us all
+out-doors when she is baking, so's we won't make her cakes fall. She
+does make fine things, though! Um! but they are good! Never mind, the
+kitchen is hot anyway, but it's nice and cool out here under this maple.
+This is my maple. Papa built that bench for me and Allee before he went
+to heaven. You can sit on the ground and play the seat was your table,
+or you can sit in the seat and hold this platter in your lap. Which'll
+you do?"
+
+The tramp smiled broadly, relieved the small maid of her heavy load, and
+dropped wearily onto the wide bench, saying gratefully, "This will do
+nicely, thank you. What a fine breakfast you have brought me! Gail must
+be a good cook. Is she your sister?" As he spoke, he picked up an egg
+and carefully broke it on the edge of his plate.
+
+"Yes, Gail's the oldest of us--Oh, Mr. Tramp, just see what you have
+done! I was afraid Gail hadn't given you breakfast enough and that you
+might get hungry before noon, so when she wasn't looking I put on a
+whole lot of extra toast and four eggs and some matches to cook them
+with, and you've gone and smashed a _raw_ egg all over everything!"
+
+He stared in dismay at the broken yolk streaming over his creamed
+potatoes, and then, seeing the consternation in the big, brown eyes of
+his small hostess, he laughed heartily and said, "Never mind, little
+girl! I'm hungry enough for even raw eggs this morning. Doctors often
+make their patients eat such things. Here goes!"
+
+Peace watched him in silence a moment and then observed, "You don't look
+like any tramps we ever had here before. They always shovel in their
+food with their knives, but you use your fork. You can work, too. Why
+don't you get a job somewhere and earn some money instead of loafing
+around begging for your meals?"
+
+The man paused, with his fork half way to his mouth, surprised at the
+child's keen observations. Then he answered, lightly, "I do sometimes,
+but a feller can't work all the time, can he?"
+
+"Well, most folks have to, though I never could see why they all can't
+have vacations like we do at school. This is our last day until next
+fall."
+
+"Is that what you and the kids gathered the flowers for?"
+
+"Yes, and for the minister's reception tonight. We went early this
+morning 'fore the rest of the folks were up; and mercy, but didn't Faith
+scold when we got back! She said we ought all of us to be whipped and
+sent to bed. Faith is real ugly when she's making cakes. We did get
+awfully wet,--I had no notion it would be so bad. But we got the flowers
+anyway. We made some baskets yesterday out of birch bark and moss. Here
+comes Allee with them now. She doesn't go to school yet, but sometimes
+she visits with Cherry and me, and today is one of the times. Ain't the
+baskets pretty?"
+
+"Scrumptious!" was the admiring answer, as the man clumsily lifted one
+of the dainty boats filled with dog-tooth violets and drank in its
+perfume with the delight of a child. "What wouldn't city people give for
+these little nosegays from the woods! They would go like hot cakes."
+
+"What do you mean?" asked mystified Peace, failing to understand what
+connection her beloved flowers could have with hot cakes.
+
+"Why, in big cities, at almost any of the important business corners,
+you will see little boys and girls selling sweet peas and daisies
+and--yes, they sometimes sell cowslips and wood violets, but only in
+bunches--never in such cunning little baskets. Why, tucked down in that
+damp moss, your flowers will keep fresh for hours; while a bunch from a
+city flower-seller's stock withers as soon as it is taken out of water."
+
+"Would folks in Martindale buy them?"
+
+"Yes, indeed! They are a breath from the woods, and lots of people would
+be glad to get them. You see--"
+
+"Peace Greenfield, it's time to start! Do you want to be late the last
+day of school?"
+
+"That's Cherry. I must go. I wish I could stop and talk some more. When
+you finish your breakfast, just take the dishes around to the kitchen
+steps, and--if you have time and want to do it--you might weed those
+flower gardens in the front yard and the onion patch behind the shed. If
+you don't, I'll have to, and you 'member I gave you some extra lunch
+that you wouldn't have got if it hadn't been for me--and a few matches.
+Promise you won't light a fire till you get a long way from our house,
+will you? Gail won't give tramps matches for fear they will set the
+buildings on fire. And say, the lawn-mower is right beside the front
+porch, if you should happen to want to cut the grass--just the little
+piece fenced in, you know. The rest is for hay. And the ball of twine
+for stringing up Hope's vines is stuck in the hole of the porch railing
+nearest the door--you can find it easy enough. The rain barrel is behind
+the house, and--yes, yes, Cherry, I am coming this very minute! I hope
+you have liked your nice breakfast, and will come some other time and
+split more wood for us. Good-bye, Mr. Tramp, I've _got_ to go."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II
+
+THE MINISTER'S RECEPTION
+
+
+"Are you ready, Cherry?"
+
+"Almost," came the muffled reply from the stiffly-starched little figure
+sitting on the floor struggling with a broken shoe-string. "Why, Peace,
+where are _you_ going?"
+
+"Where do you s'pose? To the reception, of course," answered that young
+lady, who had just entered the room, rigged out in an ancient, faded
+pink gown which had once been pretty, but was long since outgrown so
+that several inches of petticoat hung in display the whole way around
+the skirt, and the ruffs on the sleeves reached almost to the elbow. How
+she had ever squeezed herself inside the small garment was beyond
+comprehension, but there she stood, buttoned up and breathless, ready
+for the evening's social event.
+
+"Did Faith say you could go, and where in creation did you find that
+ridiculous old dress?" demanded Cherry, after an astonished survey of
+the grotesque figure in the doorway.
+
+"Faith doesn't have anything to say about it," was the emphatic retort,
+as the brown eyes snapped indignantly at her sister's criticism. "Didn't
+mother promise I could go to the next reception that the church had,
+and ain't this the next? Faith kept me home from Mr. Kane's farewell,
+but she can't make me stay away tonight."
+
+"Gail isn't going--" began Cherry, scenting the storm which was sure to
+follow this declaration from her younger sister; but Peace interrupted,
+"I am going just the same. Mother said I could!"
+
+"Have you asked her about it today?"
+
+"No, I haven't. She promised a long time ago, but it was a sure enough
+promise, and she always keeps her promises."
+
+"But--"
+
+"There ain't any 'but' about it. I'm going even if I have to walk all by
+myself. I'm 'most as big as you. Two years ain't much difference! Faith
+never kicks about your going, but she always tries to make me stay at
+home. She won't this time, though." The shapely little head shook so
+vigorously that each tight ring of short, brown hair bobbed
+emphatically.
+
+"But you _can't_ go in that dress," remonstrated Cherry, still staring
+at the abbreviated gown and neglecting her own preparations. "It is
+hardly big enough for Allee any more. You've had that for three or four
+years."
+
+"It's the only thing I could find. My white one is _all_ worn out, and
+that ugly green gingham has a long tear on the side which Gail hasn't
+mended yet."
+
+"But what will Faith say when she sees that rig? Why, Peace, it looks
+awful!"
+
+"I should say it did!" exclaimed a second voice from the hallway, and
+Faith, a tall, brown-eyed girl of about fifteen years, entered the door.
+"What in the world do you think you are doing, Peace Greenfield?"
+
+Peace blinked her somber eyes vigorously, for tears were very near the
+surface, but she swallowed back the lump in her throat and calmly
+answered, "I'm getting ready for the reception, same as you."
+
+"Indeed you're not! Gail isn't going, and you can stay right here at
+home with her and Allee."
+
+"That's what I did the last time, but you don't play that trick on me
+tonight. Mother said I could go to the next reception, and I am going."
+
+"She didn't mean this kind of a reception, and you can't go."
+
+"I will, I will! Oh, you are the crossest sister!" cried poor Peace,
+with tears of vexation streaming down over her cheeks. "You _always_
+spoil my good times! You _never_ make Cherry stay at home--"
+
+"She is older--"
+
+"Two years ain't much!"
+
+"She knows how to behave herself."
+
+"So do I! I'll be as good as gold--"
+
+"I've taken you on that promise before."
+
+"Oh, Oh, Oh! I will go! I'm going straight to mother and ask her now."
+
+"Mother is worse tonight and can't be bothered. Stop your yelling, or
+she will hear you."
+
+"I want her to hear! I shall go! She said I might!" The storm was on in
+all its fury.
+
+"Hush!" interposed Cherry, running to her sobbing sister and trying to
+soothe her wild rebellion with gentle caresses. "I will stay home with
+you, Peace. I don't care much about going, anyway."
+
+"You can stay at home if you want to," declared the small rebel with
+emphasis, "but _I_ am going!"
+
+"Children, children, what is all this racket about?" asked a gentle,
+grieved voice, suddenly, and the shamed-faced trio wheeled to find the
+pale, little, invalid mother standing in their midst.
+
+"Oh, mother, mayn't I go? Faith says I can't, but you promised me when
+Mr. Kane went away that I could go to the next reception if I would make
+no more fuss about not going to his."
+
+"So I did, dear--"
+
+"But a reception for a new minister is no place for such little girls,
+mother," broke in Faith, petulantly.
+
+"The 'nouncements said to bring the _babies_"--involuntarily the mother
+smiled and the other sisters giggled. "I am lots bigger than a baby--"
+
+"You don't act it--"
+
+"Faith!" The mother's face was as reproving as her voice, and the older
+girl's cheeks flushed crimson as she murmured humbly, "I am sorry,
+mother; but really, she does say such awful things. She is always
+talking. And just look at that dress!"
+
+"I thought it would be pretty--" began Peace, but at that moment she
+caught sight of her reflection in the mirror, and stopped so abruptly,
+with such a comical look of dismay and despair in her eyes, that the
+whole group burst out laughing. Peace joined in their merriment, and
+then soberly said, "I look like a chicken when the down is turning to
+feathers. What can I do about it? I _can't_ stay at home!"
+
+"Where is your green dress?"
+
+"Gail hasn't mended it yet."
+
+Faith saw her opportunity and immediately compromised. "Peace, if I mend
+your dress for you so you can go, will you sit perfectly still all the
+evening and never say a word until you are spoken to?"
+
+"Yes, oh, yes, I'll promise!"
+
+The mother opened her lips to speak, but thought better of it, and with
+a smile in her eyes, withdrew, leaving the children to their final
+preparations.
+
+At length the torn dress was neatly mended and buttoned on the wriggling
+owner, the bright curls were given a second brushing and tied back with
+a band of pink ribbon from Faith's own treasures, and the sisters were
+on their way to the mother's room for a good-bye kiss when a fourth
+girl, looking very sweet in a fresh, blue gingham, rushed excitedly up
+the stairs and demanded, "Where did you say you put the cake, Faith?
+Gail can't find it."
+
+"Why, it's on the wash-bench under the pantry window, covered up with
+the big dishpan."
+
+"There is nothing under the dishpan but an empty plate."
+
+"Hope! You are fooling!"
+
+"Cross my heart and hope to die," was the solemn answer. "Gail looked
+and I looked. She says somebody must have stolen it."
+
+"The tramp!" cried Faith and Cherry in one voice.
+
+"Bet he didn't!" declared Peace, who had stood open-mouthed and silent
+during Hope's recital. "I gave him a great big lunch and--and some
+matches to make some more with--"
+
+"Yes," said Faith, bitterly grieved over the loss of the cake, "and kept
+him hanging around here all the morning, till we thought he never was
+going. I suppose he took the cake for his dinner."
+
+"I don't believe it! But he did weed those flower beds beau--ti--fully!"
+cried Peace, championing his cause. "And he strung Hope's vines just as
+even! And the lawn is all mowed, and there ain't a sprill of grass left
+in the onion patch, and the rain barrel is fixed up and the back step is
+mended, and--did he stop up the leaks in the hen house? I told him just
+where they were."
+
+"Perhaps you told him to pay for his breakfast, too," suggested the
+older girl, sarcastically. "We found a half dollar under his cup after
+he was gone."
+
+"A sure-enough half dollar?" asked Peace, too astonished to believe her
+ears.
+
+"Yes, a sure-enough half dollar!"
+
+"Where is it? I want to see it for myself."
+
+"On the pantry shelf. Gail thought he might have left it there by
+mistake and would come back after it. But I don't."
+
+"Maybe he left it to pay for taking the cake," suggested Allee, who had
+joined the excited group in the hall.
+
+"He never took the cake," Peace asserted stoutly. "But I don't think he
+will ever come back for his money, either. He wouldn't have left it in
+the dishes if he hadn't meant it for us. His clothes had pockets in
+them, same as any other man's, and if he had any money, he would have
+kept it there and not carried it around in his hands. Wish he would come
+back, though. I'd ask him about the cake, just to show you he never took
+it."
+
+"See here, Peace Greenfield," cried Faith, with sudden suspicion, "do
+you know where that cake is?"
+
+"No, I don't! How should I know? But I don't believe that tramp took it.
+So there!"
+
+"I don't believe he was even a tramp. Suppose he was a bad man, who had
+done something terrible, and the police were after him--"
+
+"Yes, or s'pose he was a prince," Peace broke in, remembering her
+conversation with the gray, old man. "He might be one for all we know,
+but he didn't look like a bad man."
+
+"Suppose we stop supposing," laughed Hope, "and all hunt for the cake.
+Someone may have hid it just for fun. We've half an hour before we
+really must go to the church."
+
+"I don't care to go at all if that cake is gone," declared Faith,
+crossly. "Mrs. Wardlaw will begin to think I am lying to get out of
+helping with refreshments if I have to make excuses again tonight."
+
+"But you're on the program," protested the smaller girls.
+
+"I guess maybe we will find it somewhere," said Hope. "Come on and
+help." And they scattered in their search for the missing loaf.
+
+But, though they looked high and low, indoors and out, not a trace could
+they find of it, except the clean, empty plate under the dishpan; and in
+despair Peace climbed to her gatepost to ponder the question of whether
+tramp and cake had disappeared together or whether some local agent was
+the cause of its vanishing. "If it had been a nanimal," she said,
+thoughtfully, "it would have knocked the dishpan off the bench and
+broken the plate. It must have been a person. I'd think it was Hec
+Abbott, only--mercy! What in the world is this? Money! Sure as I'm
+alive!" Scrambling down from her perch, she raced for the house,
+shouting, "Gail, Faith, look what I've found, hitched to the gatepost!"
+
+The five sisters ran to meet her, and into Gail's hand she thrust a
+crumpled, green scrap.
+
+"Ten dollars!" gasped the astonished girl, examining the dingy bill with
+excited curiosity. "Someone must have lost it--"
+
+"And pinned it to the gatepost so's we could find it?" demanded Peace.
+"Well, I guess not! Bet that tramp left it. He surely must be a prince.
+What shall you do with it, Gail?"
+
+"Show it to mother and ask her advice," promptly answered the oldest
+girl, smiling down at the excited group of sisters; and they hurried
+away to the house with the precious find--all but Peace.
+
+A wild, daring thought had suddenly sprung into her active brain, and as
+her sisters vanished within doors, she flew madly up the road through
+the summer twilight towards the little village, clasping a shining half
+dollar tightly in her fist. In a surprisingly short time she returned,
+breathless but triumphant, bearing a huge paper sack in her arms, just
+as an anxious group came around the corner of the house.
+
+"Peace! Where have you been?" cried Gail in relief, as the panting form
+flew in at the gate.
+
+"We've been hunting all over the farm for you," added Faith, severely.
+
+"Thought you might be searching for some more money," laughed Hope.
+
+"What's in that big bag?" demanded Cherry.
+
+"Cakes!" gasped Peace, proudly. "Faith said Mrs. Waddler would be nasty
+if we didn't take something to eat this time, so I spent the tramp's
+half dollar for some of those marshmallow cakes with nuts on top. They
+are dandy good, and they cost a lot, but they weigh light, so you get a
+big bag full for fifty cents. Not many people have money enough to buy
+them very often, and Mrs. Waddler can't say a word about our bringing
+them instead of a cake. Have one, Gail and Allee, 'cause you aren't
+going to the reception. And take one up to mother. Maybe she'd like
+them, too."
+
+"But, Peace," Faith began, sharply, then stopped at a warning glance
+from Gail, and with sudden gentleness she took the bulky sack from the
+small sister's arms and started off for the church where the reception
+was to be held.
+
+They were somewhat late in arriving, and the little building was already
+well filled with a laughing, light-hearted crowd, gathered to welcome
+the new minister into their midst. Glancing hastily about her, Faith saw
+one empty chair in a dim corner, and pointing it out to Peace, she said,
+"Sit down over there, and remember not to talk except when you are
+spoken to. Above everything else, don't get to romping. Hope and Cherry
+are to help Miss Dunbar pass the cake, so they are needed in the
+kitchen. Remember, now!"
+
+"Yes, I will," was the unusually meek reply, and Peace obediently curled
+herself up in the corner to watch proceedings, thankful to be one of the
+gay company, but wistfully wishing that she might join in the
+merrymaking. It wasn't so bad when the program hour came, for everyone
+sat down then and listened quietly to the music and speeches, but it was
+very lonely in the dim recess, where Peace was almost hidden from sight,
+and she longed to have someone to talk to. Everyone was so busy
+introducing themselves to the young minister and his pretty, sprightly
+little wife, or gossiping among themselves, that no one paid any
+attention to the somber, brown eyes peering so eagerly from the corner.
+
+"Oh, dear," sighed Peace at length, "I might as well have stayed at home
+like Faith said, for not a single soul has said a word to me since I
+came in, and I don't s'pose I will even get a chance to speak to the new
+minister. My, but he's got an awfully pretty wife! Wish she would smile
+at me like that. There come the 'freshments. Like as not they'll skip
+me, off here by myself. If Cherry forgets, I'll shake her good when I
+get home. A piece of cake is dry eating when all the rest have lemonade,
+but I'd rather have that than nothing. There, that man is going to play
+again--Faith is pulling out the stops of the organ. Doesn't he look
+funny?"
+
+She laughed aloud at a sudden ludicrous fancy, and her laugh was echoed
+so close beside her that she nearly jumped out of her chair. Recovering
+herself, she whirled around to find the strong-faced young pastor
+looking down at her.
+
+"What do you find so funny to laugh at, hid away here in this dark
+corner?" he asked, in a cheery, hearty voice, as he drew up an old stool
+and sat down beside her.
+
+And, forgetting her fright in the friendly glance and tone of this new
+preacher, Peace giggled out, "I was just thinking s'posing we were all
+grasshoppers, how funny we'd look hopping around here instead of
+walking. We'd have to shake feet instead of hands, and if we wanted to
+go across the room all we'd have to do would be to take a big jump."
+
+For a fraction of a second the minister was dumb with amazement at the
+unexpected answer; then he threw back his head and laughed uproariously,
+as he gasped, "What ever put such a thought in that little noddle?"
+
+"That man with the big fiddle," was the prompt reply. "Doesn't he look
+like a grasshopper with that long-tailed coat and all that shirt front?
+If he just had feelers on his head, he'd be perfect. Don't you think
+so?"
+
+Again the young man laughed, for Peace's picture was not overdrawn--the
+tall, angular cellist in evening dress certainly did resemble a
+grasshopper. But, of course, it would never do for him to say so, and he
+sought to turn this unusual conversation by inquiring, "Aren't you one
+of the Greenfield girls? You look amazingly like two or three who have
+been introduced to me this evening. Isn't the organist a sister of
+yours?"
+
+"Yes, that's Faith."
+
+"And the blue-eyed one just coming in the door?"
+
+"That's Hope."
+
+"And there is a third one here somewhere, is there not?"
+
+"Yes, Cherry. Her real name is Charity, but that is such a long name for
+a little girl that we call her Cherry."
+
+He smiled at the diminutive maiden with her grown-up air, and said
+musingly, "Faith, Hope and Charity. Then you must be Mercy."
+
+"Oh, mercy, no!" was the horrified exclamation. "That would be worse
+than ever! I am Peace. Faith says I ought to have been called 'War and
+Tribulation'--it would have been more 'propriate; but I am not to blame
+for my name, if it doesn't fit. I would have been something else if I'd
+had my way about it. Unless babies are named pretty names I think their
+folks ought to wait until they can pick out their own names. Grandpa
+named me--all of us but Gail and Allee. If I just hadn't been born for
+two weeks longer maybe I'd have had a pretty name, too, for grandpa died
+when I was only thirteen days old. You see, grandpa was a minister--papa
+used to be a minister, too--and he never had any other children but
+papa, so he didn't get a chance to do much naming in his own family.
+Papa named Gail; her real name is Abigail. And then grandpa came to live
+with us. He liked Bible names, so the rest of us were picked out of the
+Bible--except Allee, and she wasn't born then. Mamma named her."
+
+She paused for breath, and the amused, amazed preacher found opportunity
+to murmur, politely, "But I am sure you all have good names--"
+
+"Oh, yes, they are good enough! The trouble is, they don't fit, except
+Hope's. She is our sunbeam, always doing and saying something pretty,
+and _meaning_ it, too. Now, Gail isn't a gale at all, but just the
+bestest kind of a sister; while Faith is usu'lly cross as two sticks
+unless things go just as she wants them; and Cherry doesn't stand around
+on corners d'livering _tracks_ and worn-out clo's to the needy poor,
+like Charity always does in the pictures. But mine is the worst misfit.
+Still, I'm thankful it isn't any worse. Just s'posing I had Irene for a
+middle name--that's my favorite, and Olive is Hope's choice--then my
+'nitials would have spelled P. I. G. and hers H. O. G.; and the school
+children would never have called us anything else. I know, 'cause they
+call Nort Thomas Nettie. His whole name is Norton Edwin Thomas, but he
+always signed his 'nitials on his 'rithmetic papers, and the boys took
+to calling him Nettie. It makes it all the worse 'cause he is a regular
+sissy boy. Have you got any children?"
+
+"No."
+
+"Well, I s'pose you will have some day, and if I was you, I'd name them
+something pretty, or else wait till they got big enough to choose for
+themselves. And whatever you do, don't let your church people raise
+'em."
+
+"Wh--at?"
+
+"That's just what they'll _try_ to do. They did with our family, and
+when they got us all spoiled, they said we were the worst children in
+town--that ministers' children always were. Why, Mrs. Waddler--her name
+is Wardlaw, but she is so big and fat that I call her Waddler--that's
+her over there feeding cake to that scrap of a man--he's her
+husband--well, she told Mrs. Grinnell once that I was possessed of seven
+devils. I asked mother what that meant, and she was dreadfully mad. It
+takes a lot to make mother mad, too. When we first moved here to Parker,
+Mrs. Wardlaw thought I was the cutest little girl she had ever seen--she
+told me so lots of times--but she doesn't any more. Now she says I am a
+hoy-ena--no, that isn't the word. It means tomboy, anyway. That is what
+Mr. Hardman calls me, too. He's the _imbecile_ who lives on the farm
+next to our place."
+
+"The wh--at?"
+
+"Well, he is! He says so himself. He doesn't b'long to any church, and
+hardly ever goes, and he says r'ligion is all tommyrot."
+
+"Oh, you mean infidel," suggested the pastor, trying hard not to laugh
+again.
+
+"Maybe. His name is really Hartman. I nicknamed him 'cause he won't let
+us have the hazelnuts in his pasture, and he stole my pet
+chicken,--leastwise, he let it stay in his flock so now I can't coax it
+back; and he chased us out of his apple trees one day when we were just
+climbing after one pretty red one way up high out of reach. We did knock
+off quite a few, but we never meant to carry them off with us. He
+doesn't like girls, and says if he had a family of six like us, he'd--"
+
+"Are you six girls all there are?"
+
+"Isn't that enough? Seems to me it's a pretty big family. When I was
+little, Cherry and me used to pray that the angels would never bring any
+more babies to our family, 'cause the pieces of pie were getting awfully
+little, and, of course, they got littler every time there was another
+baby. But they brought us Allee anyway. That was just after mother's
+onliest uncle died and left her some money, and she made papa take it
+and buy our farm and bring us out here to live after he had been sick a
+long, long time with _tryfoid_ fever, and had lost all his pretty
+hair."
+
+"Didn't you say your papa was a minister?"
+
+"I said he used to be."
+
+"What is he now?"
+
+"An angel."
+
+"Oh!"
+
+"You see, papa went right on acting like a preacher even after the bad
+people in Pendennis made him sick; and when Old Skinflint--I mean Mr.
+Skinner--most folks call him deacon, but I guess it's just 'cause he is
+so different from a truly deacon, and is always blaming the Lord for
+everything that happens--well, when he got cold and had pneumonia, papa
+helped take care of him. The deacon is so ugly that hardly anyone else
+would have anything to do with him; and one rainy night papa was soaked
+going up to Skinner's house, and he had to sit up 'most of the night in
+a cold room, 'cause the deacon wouldn't have anyone in his room where
+the fire was. So papa caught cold, too, and he never got well. The
+angels came and carried him away."
+
+"Oh!"
+
+"Yes, and I heard Mrs. Abbott tell a lady one day that she thought
+mother would soon be an angel, too. Do you s'pose she will?" The big,
+brown eyes had suddenly grown wide with fear, and Peace piteously
+searched the strong face above her for some comforting assurance.
+
+Just a moment he hesitated, and then answered, tenderly, "We shall all
+be angels some day if we are good."
+
+"Oh, mamma is good as gold! But two sure-enough angels in one family is
+too many, 'specially when it's the mother and father. Don't you think
+so?"
+
+Poor man! What could he say? But at that moment came a timely
+interruption in the shape of Miss Dunbar with a huge platter loaded with
+glasses of lemonade; and as she spied the two figures in the little
+recess, she exclaimed, "Why, Mr. Strong, we've been hunting all over the
+building for you. What an effective screen those brakes and columbines
+make! None of us thought of finding you here. Peace, you are very quiet
+this evening. Would you like some lemonade? Have you had refreshments,
+Mr. Strong? The committee is looking for you to make arrangements for
+Sunday's meetings."
+
+"I will be there in a moment, Miss Dunbar. Good-night, little Peace, I
+see your sisters beckoning to you. When the parsonage is ship-shape I
+want you to come and see us. Will you?"
+
+"You bet!" was the prompt and emphatic reply, as Peace skipped happily
+away to join her sisters, forgetting, in her gladness, that neither Hope
+nor Charity had brought her any cake to eat with her lemonade.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III
+
+SHOES AND STRAWBERRIES
+
+
+"Cherry! Cherry Greenfield!" called Peace, imperatively, flapping a
+newspaper vigorously, as if to add emphasis to her summons.
+
+"Here," drawled a lazy voice from the great elm by the road. "What do
+you want? I am busy."
+
+"You are reading, that's what!" exclaimed her sister in disgust, as she
+came within sight of the slender, brown legs swinging among the
+thickly-leaved branches. "Shut up that book and listen to me. I've got
+some portentious"--she meant important--"news. Cameron's Shoe Store
+advertises shoes at forty-nine cents. That means a pair, doesn't it?
+They wouldn't sell them separately, would they,--'cepting to one-legged
+people? And the sale lasts the whole week."
+
+"Well, what of it?" asked Cherry, impatiently opening her book once
+more; but Peace had scrambled up into the leafy retreat by this time,
+and she thrust a ragged newspaper page into her sister's hands, crying,
+"What of it? Why, Charity Greenfield, you were saying just this morning
+that you'd have to have some new shoes pretty quick or go barefooted on
+Sundays. How would you like that? And mine are 'most worn out, too."
+
+"Well, I can't help it if we must have shoes. Gail says there won't be
+any extra money this month. It took all she had to pay up Mike, so she
+could let him go. Besides, this paper says they are canvas shoes. Those
+wouldn't last us any time. Faith says we ought to have cow-hide--"
+
+"Yes, that sounds just like her. She is always saying something cross.
+She ought to be thankful that we don't wear our shoes out any faster.
+S'posing we didn't have any summer so we could go barefooted, or
+s'posing we had as many legs as a spider, and had to buy a dozen pair of
+shoes each time. I guess _that_ would take money! Aren't canvas shoes
+the things Nellie Banker had? Hers wore an awfully long time and she put
+them on every day, too."
+
+"Well, I don't see how that helps us any if we haven't got the money.
+Cameron's Shoe Store is in Martindale, too. Where did you get this
+paper?"
+
+"I've been helping Mrs. Grinnell shell peas, and she dumped the pods
+onto this scrap. When I saw 'shoes forty-nine cents,' I asked her if it
+meant sure-enough shoes for that little, and she said it did, and that
+any time we wanted to get things in town at a sale when she was going
+in, we could drive along with her."
+
+"But the money--"
+
+"Can't we earn it? I heard Mr. Hardman tell the butcher that he needed
+someone to help pick his late strawberries, and he'll pay five cents a
+quart. We've often picked strawberries, and it isn't very hard
+work--just hot and mon-mon--I can't think of the rest of that word."
+
+"It's just as well," answered Cherry, with unconscious sarcasm. "'Twas
+likely wrong anyway. Do you mean to say you would pick berries for Mr.
+Hartman, when you hate him so?"
+
+"Why not--if he will have us? His money is just as good as any other
+man's, ain't it? Only he's mighty stingy."
+
+"That's just it! I don't believe you heard him right. He'll never pay
+five cents a quart for picking berries, Peace. Now, if it was Judge
+Abbott or Mrs. Grinnell--Why, strawberries are cheap!"
+
+"Not now, when they are 'most gone. And, besides, he told the butcher
+that one of the big hotels in Martindale pays him twenty cents a quart
+for all he will bring them. It's a special kind, you see, splendid big
+ones, that only rich folks can 'ford to eat."
+
+Cherry swung her feet thoughtfully as she read the alluring
+advertisement once more, and pondered the question of such importance to
+both little girls, but she ventured no reply.
+
+"Well?" said Peace, sharply, after some moments of impatient silence.
+
+"It's awfully hot to pick berries in the sun all day," yawned Cherry,
+fingering her book longingly.
+
+Peace snorted in disgust, and seizing the precious paper from her
+sister's lap, she swung nimbly to the ground and started off across the
+meadow on the other side of the fence.
+
+"Wait, Peace! Where are you going?" cried Cherry, scrambling off her
+perch, thoroughly awake now.
+
+"To pick me a pair of shoes in Mr. Hardman's strawberry patch," answered
+Peace, quickening her pace.
+
+"Oh, don't hurry so fast. I'll go, too. But s'posing he won't let us
+pick berries for him?"
+
+"I ain't s'posing any such thing. We've picked strawberries before. Why,
+Allee knows how. Anyone with sense can do a thing like that!"
+
+"Is--are you going to take Allee along if he should give us the job?"
+
+"No, her shoes will last a long time yet. She doesn't need any new
+ones."
+
+By this time they had reached the long, low, green house on the farm
+adjoining theirs, and almost bumped into Mr. Hartman himself, as they
+dashed breathlessly around the corner in search of him.
+
+"Highty, tighty!" ejaculated the startled man, leaping aside to avoid a
+collision. "What are you young rapscallions doing over here? You better
+make tracks for home."
+
+"Ramscallion yourself," Peace burst out hotly, nursing a stubbed toe and
+winking rapidly to keep the tears back. "We've come to pick your
+strawberries."
+
+"You have, eh? Well now, what if I won't let you?"
+
+"Then we'll go home. Come, Cherry!" Grabbing her sister's hand, she
+marched angrily toward the road, but he called after her, "What will you
+pick berries for?"
+
+"Five cents a quart," she replied briefly, not looking around or
+slackening her gait in the least.
+
+He chuckled. "Huh! Your price is pretty steep."
+
+"'Pends upon how you look at it," she flung back at him. "You pay that
+to other folks, and we can pick as good as anyone. Mrs. Grinnell
+always--"
+
+"Mrs. Grinnell's berries are only scrubs."
+
+"Scrubs have to be picked carefully so's not to squash them."
+
+He laughed outright, and Peace marched on with head high and cheeks
+aflame with anger.
+
+Before she had reached the road, however, he stopped her by saying,
+"What do you want to pick berries for this hot weather?"
+
+"For money. We want some shoes. Cameron's are selling canvas shoes for
+forty-nine cents a pair all this week, and Mrs. Grinnell is going in
+town Saturday, and we could drive with her--s'posing we could earn
+enough for the shoes."
+
+"Why don't your ma buy some?"
+
+"Mother's sick and Gail hasn't any money."
+
+"You've got a pretty little farm there--"
+
+"We can't wear farms on our feet," snapped Peace, moving off once more,
+but again he stopped them, for he was really in need of pickers in order
+to harvest his big crop of berries before they spoiled on the vines.
+"Well, now, I'll tell you, kids, I will try you at picking, and--"
+
+"Pay us five cents a box?"
+
+"Yes, if you are good at the job. Come tomorrow morning."
+
+"We'll begin now. This is Thursday, and that sale lasts only till
+Saturday. It might rain tomorrow, and 'sides, it _might_ take us more'n
+a day."
+
+"Well, suit yourselves," chuckled the man. "But be sure you do good work
+and don't eat up the berries."
+
+So the two small sisters were soon busily engaged in picking the
+luscious red fruit and packing it in quart boxes, while the sun poured
+mercilessly down upon them. But they pluckily stuck to their post until
+the day was done, trying to forget the heat and dust in planning their
+trip to the big city, which they had visited so seldom. However, two
+long, thankful sighs escaped their dry lips when at length Gail's horn
+tooted out the summons to the evening meal, and they hurried homeward as
+fast as their aching backs and tired feet would carry them, exultant
+though perspiring.
+
+"Gracious!" murmured Cherry plaintively, as she bathed her hot face at
+the pump, "I never knew before how many berries it took to make a
+quart."
+
+"It would take lots more if we were picking wild strawberries. They
+ain't bigger'n peas, but these are whoppers."
+
+"And covered thick with spiders--ugh! I feel them crawling all over me
+now. I believe I killed a million just this afternoon."
+
+Peace laughed. They didn't bother her. "Just s'posing those strawberries
+were bugs really, and when the hotel people ate them the bugs would
+bite. My, wouldn't you like to hear them holler?"
+
+"Why, Peace Greenfield!" cried Cherry in a shocked voice.
+
+"Well, Hope was reading yesterday about some place where snakes coil up
+and look just like springs of water, and when thirsty people bend over
+to drink, the snakes bite them. There _might_ be bugs somewhere that
+looked like strawberries so folks would try to eat them. Course I
+wouldn't want them to hurt the people bad--just enough to make them jump
+good."
+
+"I would rather have strawberries look like pennies--"
+
+"I'd rather have them _be_ pennies. Just think, if we could pick money
+off from strawberry vines! Everyone would start to raising strawberries,
+wouldn't they? And how rich we would be! Never mind, we picked ten
+boxes of berries this afternoon--that means a shoe apiece. We surely
+ought to get that many more by noon tomorrow. Let's begin early so's to
+pick as many as we can before it gets hot."
+
+So the morrow found them early in the field again, and by noon the
+second ten boxes were filled to the brim.
+
+"There!" breathed Cherry in relief, mopping her crimson face on her
+sleeve as she surveyed the fruit of their labor. "We are done. Now we
+can get our shoes all right tomorrow. Why, what are you doing, Peace?
+Are you crazy?" For Peace had snatched up some empty boxes from another
+crate and was making her way between the green rows again.
+
+"Nope," answered the perspiring little maid. "I am just going to pick
+some more."
+
+"Well, I'm not!" was the emphatic reply, as Cherry started after the
+dusty figure plodding down the field. "I am nearly cooked now, and
+hungry as a bear. Come on home! We have picked enough to pay for our
+shoes, goosie. Or do you want two pair?"
+
+Peace lifted her somber eyes from her self-appointed task and said
+briefly, "Yep--for Allee."
+
+"For Allee?" echoed astonished Cherry. "You told me yourself that she
+didn't need any new shoes."
+
+"Well, I didn't think she did, but last night I 'xamined her only pair
+and they look awfully scrubby. There isn't any more blacking in the
+house, and the ink I sopped onto them made them worse than ever.
+Besides, I--it would look mean to get us some shoes and not any for
+her."
+
+Without another word, Cherry gathered up an armful of empty boxes and
+dropped down by a new row of vines, picking silently, ploddingly until
+at last the third ten had been filled. Then she spoke, "Is this all, or
+are you going to earn shoes for Hope and Faith and Gail? Because the
+afternoon is pretty well gone and--"
+
+"Three pair of shoes is all I am going to pick," interrupted Peace
+somewhat sharply, for she was hot and tired, and Cherry's tone seemed to
+imply criticism. "Help me tote these crates up to the house now and
+we'll get our pay."
+
+Mr. Hartman met them as they tugged the second crate, only half filled,
+up to the berry shed, and the spirit of mischief suddenly took
+possession of the usually stern, business-like farmer.
+
+"So you have picked all you want to, have you? Well, I am surprised to
+think you would give up so soon. Here, hand me that box! I want to see
+what kind of pickers you are." He hoisted the two crates to the corner
+of the fence surrounding one of his brooding pens, and pretended to
+examine each box critically, while the girls waited in anxious silence
+for his word of approval. "Hm!" he said at last, trying to frown, and
+succeeding so well that both little faces paled with misgiving. "Just as
+I expected! You don't know how to pick strawberries. You don't deserve a
+cent of pay. How much were you to get? Five cents a box?"
+
+"Yes, sir," whispered Peace, with lips so dry they could hardly form the
+words.
+
+"Well, I oughtn't to give you a penny, but I will be generous and live
+up to my part of the bargain. Five cents a box, was it? And there are
+two boxes and a half of fruit."
+
+His eyes were twinkling, but this Peace failed to notice, and she cried
+indignantly, "There are _thirty_ boxes! We picked ten last night and
+twenty today."
+
+"Oh, those little boxes! Five cents a big box, I meant. That would be
+ten cents and half a nickel over; but I will be good and give you
+fifteen cents for your work." He drew three battered coins from his
+pocket and dropped them into Peace's damp, dirty hand.
+
+She drew in her breath sharply, stared at the money for a moment in dumb
+amazement, then let it fly with all her might straight at Mr. Hartman's
+head, screaming in a frenzy of anger and disappointment, "You
+numscullion of a cheat! Do you s'pose you will ever get to heaven? There
+are your old berries! You can hire your chickens to pick them up! I'll
+never work for you again!" One shove of the crates, and the beautiful,
+tempting fruit lay in a scattered heap inside the chicken yard! And
+Peace, blinded by the hot tears of rage, was flying for home with
+dismayed Cherry close at her heels.
+
+It was Mr. Hartman's turn to stare, and stare he did, first at the
+spoiled fruit and then at the flying girls, too stunned to understand.
+The hot blood mounted to his forehead, he shook his fist in unreasoning
+anger and yelled, "Drat your pesky hides! Come back here and I'll tan
+you good! What do you mean by spoiling all that high-priced fruit? Oh,
+if I just had my hands on you now!"
+
+"You got only what you deserved, Dave Hartman," said a quiet voice
+behind him, and he whirled angrily toward his wife, who had come upon
+the scene unnoticed.
+
+"All I deserved! Twenty quarts of fruit spoiled! Four dollars' worth,
+Myra Ann!"
+
+"You should have been fair to the children and it never would have
+happened. They have worked hard and earned their money."
+
+"Fair! I meant to be fair. I was just fooling with them. If she hadn't
+been quicker'n greased lightning she would have got all that was coming
+to her."
+
+"How was she to know that? You looked so ferocious I don't wonder she
+took you at your word. The best thing you can do now is to rescue that
+fruit before the chickens have spoiled it entirely, and let me wash and
+can it. Then you better go over and pay the children for their work."
+
+"Pay the children a dollar and a half for spoiling four dollars' worth
+of strawberries? Well, I should say not! They will never get another
+cent out of me, no matter if they go barefooted all the rest of their
+days."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV
+
+LITTLE FLOWER GIRLS
+
+
+In the hot room, high up under the eaves of the little brown house,
+Peace sobbed out her anguish of soul, and then faced the problem of
+shoes with a dauntless spirit.
+
+"We'll _have_ to have new ones when school begins again, and if we could
+just get some of these canvas things to wear during the summer, our old
+ones would last quite a while longer. Mercy, where does the money go?
+Seems as if there never was any to buy things we need with. Wish my
+tramp would come back and leave us another bill. Wish--why didn't I
+think of that before? The woods are full of flowers yet. I'll get Hope
+and Cherry to help me make a lot of birch bark baskets and then Allee
+and me will sell them in the city. My tramp said lots of folks would buy
+them if they got a chance. Oh, Cherry, let's go down to the creek and
+get some more bark. Tomorrow's Sunshine Club day and we will take Miss
+Dunbar some baskets for her flowers."
+
+Glad to distract Peace's thoughts from her great woe, Cherry agreed, and
+the two made a hurried trip to the woods for material, getting not only
+a big armful of bark, but also quite a bunch of moccasin flowers and
+tiger lilies, which they had chanced upon in an unexpected nook.
+
+"These will be lovely for tomorrow, and ought to sell better than the
+violets would, 'cause they aren't so common," said Peace, as she looked
+lovingly down at the mass of red, gold and pink.
+
+"Ought to what?" asked Cherry.
+
+"Oh, dear, what have I said?" thought Peace in dismay; but quickly
+concealing her confusion, she replied, "They ought to look nice--make
+better dec'rations, 'cause these are the first I've seen this year."
+
+"Oh! I thought you said _sell_, and I wondered if you thought Miss
+Dunbar would pay us for them."
+
+"Oh, mercy, no!" laughed Peace, and Cherry questioned no further.
+
+But she would have been surprised had she seen this young sister
+stealing out of the house the next morning with baskets and flowers in
+her arms, headed in the opposite direction from Miss Dunbar's village
+home. Once out of sight of the house, Peace broke into a wild run and
+never stopped until the old stone bridge was reached. Here Allee was
+waiting for her--a queer little figure in a faded blue gown of long,
+long ago, hatless, barefooted, but looking oh, so sweet, with her
+sparkling blue eyes and her mop of tangled yellow curls crowned with a
+wreath of fragrant clover blossoms. "How long you've been!" she greeted
+Peace. "I thought you would never come. Where's Cherry?"
+
+"I came as soon as I could," was the panting reply, as Peace dropped her
+burden on the grass and smoothed out a rumpled pink dress of as ancient
+a style as Allee's. "I had to help with the dishes, and then Faith made
+me take the milk to Abbott's so's Hope could do something for her. I
+didn't want Cherry. It takes such a long time to knock any sense into
+her head that we never would get into town today if she had to be
+coaxed. Besides, I thought if there were three of us, folks might think
+the whole family was out peddling, and maybe wouldn't buy like they
+would of just two. There, don't those boats look lovely? The only thing
+is, our basket won't hold as many as I hoped it would. I couldn't jam in
+but fifteen. That will be enough, though, if we can sell them at ten
+cents each. Oh, I've got a scheme! We will lay our flowers in the basket
+on the moss and hitch these horns on our dresses. I've got as many as
+ten pins in my dress which I don't need for anything else." While she
+spoke she emptied the birch bark boats of their brilliant cargo again,
+and deftly pinned the quaint devices to their gowns, so they dangled
+fantastically from their ribbon handles.
+
+"Now are we ready?" asked Allee, as the last flower was tucked carefully
+away in its bed of moss, and covered over with newspapers.
+
+"Yes, and well have to hurry or miss the car. It's quite a ways through
+the woods to the track. I wish they would run clear into Parker, don't
+you?"
+
+They scrambled down the bank of the creek and scurried away through the
+trees to the little clearing where the city cars stopped at the end of
+the line.
+
+"There's a car just ready to start," panted Peace, and she waved her
+hand frantically at the conductor who was lustily shouting, "All
+aboard!" and jangling the bell to hurry up any belated passengers.
+
+"Nearly missed it, didn't you, kids?" he said genially, as they
+clambered up the steps and the car moved slowly away toward the city.
+
+"Yes," breathed the older girl, settling her luggage on the seat and
+sitting down beside it. "I am very glad you waited for us. We're anxious
+to get down town while our flowers are fresh."
+
+"Going to sell 'em?"
+
+"Yes. You better buy a basketful. You can have a horn or a boat, and
+choose your own kind of flowers. We've got pink and yellow
+lady's-slippers, tiger lilies, Johnny-jump-ups, baby's tears, and a few
+Jack-in-the-pulpits."
+
+As she made her explanation, she drew aside the paper protecting her
+precious blossoms, and the man exclaimed in delight, "The woods! My,
+aren't they scrumptious? I'll take a boat. What is your price?"
+
+"Ten cents."
+
+"Ten cents? Why, child, that isn't enough! Here's a quarter. Gimme
+lady's-slippers. And say, the motorman would like one, too. He's got a
+girl. Give him something swell--a little of everything. There, that's
+right! Stick a tiger lily right in the middle and plaster up the edges
+like you did mine. Whee! ain't that gorgeous? I'll bring you the dough
+right away." Snatching up the mass of vivid colors, he dashed up the
+length of the car, thrust his head into the motorman's vestibule, and
+after a moment's conversation came back and dropped a half-dollar into
+Peace's trembling hand, saying, "That's his contribution. It's worth it.
+Why, there ain't a florist in the city who can show such beauties!"
+
+"Mercy!" exclaimed the bewildered Peace, looking at her money and trying
+to figure out how much more was needed for her wants. "That means a pair
+of shoes and one over. Why, Allee, if everybody would just pay like
+that, we will get through quick, won't we? But I 'xpect lots of 'em will
+try to make us take only a nickel. Just s'posing we get enough money to
+buy shoes for the whole family! Wouldn't they be s'prised? Thank you,
+Mister Conductor, and thank the motorman, too. We would like to know his
+girl. Does she ever ride on his car and do you s'pose he would bring
+her over to play with us some day? We'd meet her at the end of the line.
+Or maybe she is too big for us."
+
+The conductor laughed in boyish delight, "Yes, I am afraid she is too
+big. In fact, she is quite a lady--" Here the car stopped for
+passengers, and their new friend went out on the platform where he
+stayed most of the time until they reached the heart of the city. But as
+he helped them off the car at the busy corner nearest Cameron's Shoe
+Store, he said, "If I was you, I would go right over there in the door
+of that big building. I think you can sell all the flowers you have."
+
+So they took up their stand as he had suggested, and waited for
+customers; but though many passers-by idly wondered at the odd little
+figures so overhung with birch bark trifles, no one stopped to inquire
+their business until a big, burly policeman, who had been watching the
+wistful, almost frightened little faces, strolled up to them and kindly
+asked, "Are you lost, little girls?"
+
+"No, sir," promptly responded Peace, jerking aside the cover of her
+basket and briskly beginning to fill one of the birch bark canoes
+hitched to Allee's dress. "We are selling flowers. Would you like a
+chance to buy some that grew in the real woods? We've got money enough
+now for three shoes, but we need three more to have enough to go around.
+They are only ten cents each unless you want to pay more, but we won't
+sell them for a nickel."
+
+Seeing the blue-coated officer talking with such odd little waifs, a
+crowd had quickly gathered about the trio, and a host of friendly voices
+echoed the policeman's hearty laugh at the jumbled recital.
+
+"I'll take one," shouted a fashionably dressed man, elbowing his way to
+the front. "Give me a horn and fill it up with those little pansies. I
+haven't seen any of them since I was a kid."
+
+"Those are Johnny-jump-ups," responded Peace gravely, detaching a horn
+from Allee's gown and heaping it up with the tiny flowers. "It's ten
+cents or more."
+
+He laughed. "How much does 'or more' mean?"
+
+"Much as you think they're worth. They came from the woods, you know."
+
+"And you think that makes them more valuable--worth more, I mean?" And
+he dropped a shining dollar into the small, brown hand.
+
+"Oh, yes! City folks can't often get wild flowers, my tramp says, and
+they ought to be glad for a chance to pay high for them."
+
+The crowd shouted, and the policeman ventured to ask, "So you think lots
+of the woods, do you?"
+
+"You bet!" was the emphatic reply. "It's next best to heaven. Just
+s'posing the whole world was made up of these great, high, dirty
+houses, without any woods or flowers or trees anywhere. Wouldn't it be
+dreadful?" The dismal picture she painted was singularly effective, and
+other purchasers gathered around, clamoring for her wares.
+
+"I will give you a dime for one of those pink lady's-slippers," said a
+bent, old man.
+
+"Here's a quarter for a spray of those white blossoms," another voice
+broke in; and very quickly the fresh, beautiful, woodland flowers
+changed hands, while the pile of coins in Peace's lap grew amazingly.
+
+A little, ragged, wan-looking bootblack edged through the crowd, and
+stood with wistful eyes fixed on the rapidly diminishing bouquets,
+drinking in their beauty, and wishing with all his heart that one of
+them might be his. He fingered the few pennies in his pocket longingly,
+and finally, unable to curb his desire longer, he touched Peace's arm
+and timidly faltered, "Say, lady, will ye gimme one o' them red fellers
+for a cent? I--I'd like one mighty well, and I ain't got no more money
+to spare."
+
+Peace lifted her big eyes to the pale, drawn, wistful face of the boy,
+possibly as old as Cherry, but no older, and a great wave of pity swept
+through her heart. "You can have it for nothing. Here, take this whole
+bunch," she said, emptying her basket and thrusting the last handful of
+gorgeous bloom into his trembling hands. "I am sorry all the birch bark
+is gone, but I am sold out. You haven't any shoes, either. Cameron's are
+selling canvas shoes today at forty-nine cents a pair. We've got lots
+more'n enough money for Cherry and Allee and me--you can have this to
+get yourself some with." And before her interested audience could
+realize what she was doing, she had selected a silver dollar from the
+jingling mass in her apron, and pressed it into the bootblack's grimy
+fist, while he stood like one turned to stone, staring at the money,
+unable to believe his senses. Then he took a step toward the little
+flower girl, but a gentleman in the throng, deeply touched by the
+unusual scene, said, "Keep it, sonny, and thank the good God for such
+sweet spirits as hers. Here is another dollar to keep it company. Better
+run home now and take a little vacation. You are sick."
+
+Then how the men cheered! And to Peace's utter bewilderment, one tall,
+dignified old gentleman, whose face looked strangely familiar, slipped a
+shining gold coin into her hand and another into Allee's, saying
+reverently, "For the Peace which passeth understanding!"
+
+She sat in puzzled silence for a moment, gazing first at the glittering
+heap in her lap, and then at the sea of friendly faces about her, while
+the crowd waited in curious expectancy to hear what she had to say. Her
+lips opened once or twice as if to speak, then closed again; but at last
+she said simply, "You've paid lots better'n I thought you would, and
+not a single once has anyone tried to buy a boat for a nickel. I--I wish
+we could have brought you the whole woods, birds and all. You would have
+liked it better. I b'lieve I said 'thank you' to every one who has
+bought any flowers, but if I did forget, Allee hasn't. That was to be
+her part--just to say 'thank you,' so folks would know we had some
+manners and were glad to have you buy. But somehow, it feels
+here"--putting her hand over her heart--"as if that wasn't enough, and
+so we will sing you a little song--that is, Allee will sing, and I'll
+whistle. I can't really sing anything, Faith says, 'cept the tune the
+old cow died on. But Mike taught me how to whistle, and our minister
+says I do real well for a girl. I tried to think of some thankful song
+to sing, but I can't remember a one just now, so we'll sing a lullabye.
+Are you ready, Allee?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"Then begin!" Peace puckered her rosy lips, Allee opened her baby mouth,
+and this is the song they sang:
+
+    "Baby-bye, bye-oh-bye,
+    Baby-bye, baby-bye,
+    Mother's darling, don't you cry,
+    Close your eyes for night is nigh;
+    Baby-bye, oh, baby,
+    Baby-bye, oh, bye."
+
+"Amen," said Peace reverently. "Now we are going to Cameron's Shoe Store
+for canvas shoes. What size do you s'pose a girl two years older'n I
+would wear? I forgot to ask Cherry."
+
+"The clerk will know," suggested someone; and the crowd went their
+separate ways with smiles on their lips, while the two odd, childish
+figures trudged around the corner to Cameron's Shoe Store to make their
+important purchases. An obliging young man fitted the little feet with
+the precious canvas slippers, and sent them away rejoicing with a pair
+for Cherry, promising to exchange them for others if they failed to fit.
+
+"Now we'll go home," said Peace, as they stepped out onto the sidewalk
+again. "Won't Gail and Faith be s'prised? I guess we've got 'most money
+enough left to get shoes for the whole family after all. Well, sir, if
+they haven't changed those cars since we went into the shoe store! We
+came down on a big yellow one that said, 'Twentieth Avenue North' on it,
+and here they are running two little bits of cars hitched together that
+say, 'Onion Depot!'" Peace employed the phonetic method of pronouncing
+words, and to her young eyes u-n-i-o-n was easily _onion_.
+
+"What are you going to do about it?" asked puzzled Allee.
+
+"Sit down here on the sidewalk and wait till they change them back
+again," was the reply; and Peace plumped herself down in a bunch on the
+curbing to watch for the yellow car which did not come. One hour dragged
+by,--two, three. Allee was getting restless. Dinner hour had long since
+passed, and she was very hungry. "It's getting pretty late, I guess,"
+she ventured at last. "When do you s'pose the car will come?"
+
+"I s'pect there's been a fire somewhere and stopped it. That happened
+once when Gail was in town."
+
+"Maybe we better start to walk, then," quavered the little voice. "I am
+tired of sitting here, and Gail will fret if we don't come pretty
+quick."
+
+"Well, perhaps we better--"
+
+"Peace Greenfield! What on earth are you doing here?"
+
+The two children flew to their feet with a cry of relief, "Oh, Mrs.
+Grinnell, our car is never coming!"
+
+"No, I guess it won't on these tracks," she replied grimly, guessing
+from the children's appearance something of the truth. "Does your mother
+or Gail know you are here? Pile in and ride home with me. Like as not
+your folks are half crazy with fright."
+
+So the weary duet climbed thankfully into the buggy and were driven
+safely back to Parker, where they were met by four white-faced sisters
+and a swarm of anxious neighbors.
+
+"Got shoes for the whole outfit!" cried Peace by way of greeting; "and
+if Cherry's don't fit, the clerk said bring 'em back and he'd change
+'em. We've sold all our flowers, and one man gave each of us some funny
+yellow quarters--or I guess they are half dollars. It says on one side,
+'Five D.' and I suppose that means five dimes, doesn't it? Why, Gail,
+what are you crying for? I sh'd think you'd laugh to think there are
+three pair of shoes already bought, and money enough for the rest of
+you."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+SACKCLOTH AND ASHES
+
+
+Just at dusk one cold, rainy night late in August, a shabby, weary, wet,
+old man plodded through the dripping woods, across the stone bridge, and
+up the road toward Parker. He had come a long way through mud and
+moisture, and was very tired, yet the first three farmhouses he passed
+by with scarcely a glance. But as he neared the fourth one, he eagerly
+scanned the place as if familiar with its surroundings, and listened
+intently for the sound of voices, seeming disappointed at the result,
+for apparently not a creature was stirring indoors or out. Not even old
+Towzer came to challenge him as he unlatched the gate and approached the
+house, and not a ray of light shone out into the darkness from window or
+door, though it was yet early evening. The place was as silent as a
+grave. Puzzled, the man made a circuit of the cottage, but neither saw
+nor heard anything of the occupants.
+
+"I wonder what has happened," he thought to himself. "Guess I won't
+knock, it might scare them if they have gone to bed. Maybe they are away
+visiting. I will just slip into the barn and go to bed in the hay. Lucky
+I had a big dinner, I am not in the least hungry now, and if they are
+at home I can get breakfast here in the morning--I guess."
+
+He had tramped many long miles since dawn, trying to reach this town
+before nightfall, and was so worn out with his exertions that he fell
+asleep almost as soon as he had burrowed a comfortable bed in the
+sweet-scented hay, nor did he awake until the new day was several hours
+old. The sun was shining--he could tell that from the bright light in
+the barn, but it was not the sunshine which had awakened him.
+
+The first thing he was conscious of as he opened his eyes to unfamiliar
+surroundings was the sound of voices close by, and the patter of feet on
+the loose boards overhead. Cautiously he lifted himself on his elbow and
+looked about him, but at first he saw only an untidy confusion of garden
+tools, boxes, bags and other truck, piled promiscuously about wherever
+space would accommodate them. Then as his eyes became more accustomed to
+the light, he discovered a slender, brown-haired girl in a faded, dingy,
+calico gown huddled on top of a pile of empty grain sacks in the darkest
+corner of the barn. Her face was turned from him, but from her attitude
+and the sound of an occasional sniff, he judged that she had been
+crying. Her companion on the rafters overhead was out of range of his
+vision; but as she scrambled noisily over the loose board floor, which
+extended only half way across the building, he could catch a glimpse of
+red now and then, and once a bare, brown foot appeared in view, but that
+was all. Not daring to make his presence known for fear of frightening
+the two sisters, he drew silently back into his hiding place to await
+their departure.
+
+Sniff, sniff, sniff! The slender shoulders of the girl in the corner
+began to heave, and she buried her face deeper among the grain sacks.
+Silence on the rafters for a brief moment; then a voice said severely,
+"'F I was you, Faith Greenfield, I'd stop crying and go into the house
+and help Gail. She is trying to do the washing herself so's to save
+money."
+
+"'F I was you, Peace Greenfield," was the tart reply, "I'd try to mind
+my business once in a while, and not be forever poking my nose into
+other folks' affairs."
+
+"Guess this is my affair as much as 'tis yours!" answered Peace sharply,
+and the listener in the hay below fancied there was the suggestion of a
+sob in her voice.
+
+"It's none of your affair if I want to come out here by myself, but you
+can't even let me alone here. You are always snooping around to see what
+I am doing."
+
+"I am _not_ snooping!" was the indignant denial. "I'm hunting eggs for
+breakfast, and I was here first, 'cause I saw you come in bawling."
+
+"Bawling!" Faith leaped to her feet in wild fury. "You know well enough
+why I am crying. You would be crying, too, if you cared like I do."
+
+"I can cry with my heart without stopping to cry with my eyes," Peace
+answered soberly. "I haven't time to sit down and bawl. Someone's got to
+run errands and help Gail. S'posing we all sat up and cried all the time
+like you are doing. Who would get breakfast and dinner and supper, I'd
+like to know? And who would 'tend to the work?"
+
+"Who wants any breakfast or dinner or supper? I am sure I don't! I
+haven't the heart to eat. I _can't_ eat!"
+
+"Dr. Bainbridge told us we must, and so did Mr. Strong; and he told us
+to keep busy, too. It helps you to forget the ache if you work."
+
+"Forget! You don't care; that's why--" There was a sudden movement on
+the rafters above, and an egg came hurtling through the barn, smashing
+on the wall close by Faith's head--so close that a shower of little
+yellow spatters flew over her face and dress. "Peace Greenfield!"
+
+"You haven't got half what you deserve," said a tense, hard voice from
+above. "I ought to have slung the whole batch, even if we'd had to go
+without breakfast. I'd like to know how _you_ can tell whether you care
+more than the rest of us. You think you are the only one that knows how
+to be sorry."
+
+There was a sudden silence--deep, ominous, it seemed to the man in the
+hay, and he ventured to peep out at the combatants, but all he saw was
+Faith standing rigid and white-faced in the corner. When she spoke, her
+voice was frigid in its intensity.
+
+"Come down from those beams, Peace Greenfield, and take the rest of
+those eggs to the house!"
+
+"I am coming down as fast as I can," began Peace's voice, equally
+frigid. Then there was a sound of ripping, a dreadful clatter, a dull
+thud, and Faith rushed forward with the agonized scream, "Oh, Peace,
+Peace, are you hurt? I am sorry I was ugly! You _do_ care! Open your
+eyes, Peace! Oh-h-h-h!"
+
+The tramp started up in dismay, to behold Peace huddled in a heap at the
+foot of the ladder, with frantic Faith bending over her. Before he had
+stepped from the haymow, however, there was a rush of feet from without,
+and four frightened girls dashed into the barn, followed by a tall,
+young man in clerical garb; and the shabby figure slunk back into his
+hiding place without making his presence known.
+
+"What's the matter?"
+
+"How did it happen?"
+
+"Is she dead?"
+
+"Run for the doctor!" cried the excited voices.
+
+"Oh, Gail, I've killed her, I've killed her!" sobbed Faith.
+
+"Stand back, girls," quietly commanded the minister, pushing the
+trembling quartette almost roughly aside. "Let me examine her. Perhaps
+she is only--"
+
+"I'm every bit all right," exclaimed Peace crossly, winking her brown
+eyes dazedly. "The fall _stunted_ me, I guess. I lit on my head. So did
+the eggs. Mercy me! What a mess!"
+
+"But look at her face!" wailed frightened and penitent Faith. "She has
+turned black, and so have her hands!"
+
+She certainly _had_ changed her color.
+
+At Faith's despairing cry, the victim of the fall raised one of her
+brown hands and looked at it fixedly; then said briefly, "That's ashes.
+It's on my face, too. It will wash off, won't it?"
+
+Without reply, the minister lifted her to her feet and drew her into the
+doorway where the sunlight fell upon her. The sisters looked at the
+grotesque picture, and exclamations of horror and dismay burst from
+their lips.
+
+"Peace, what have you done to yourself?"
+
+"Are you sick?"
+
+"What have you got on?"
+
+She presented a strange appearance, truly, draped in dirty, ragged
+burlap, with face, hands and hair covered with ashes, and smeared from
+head to foot with broken eggs and bits of eggshell.
+
+The tramp hid his face in the hay to stifle his chuckles, the minister
+covered his twitching lips with his hands, but the little group of
+sisters gazed at the apparition with only horror in their eyes.
+
+Then, to everyone's amazement, Peace began to cry. In an instant Gail
+had slipped her arms around her, and had drawn the brown head down on
+her shoulder, where for a moment the child sobbed heartbrokenly. Then,
+with a mighty gulp, she swallowed back her grief and explained, "I heard
+Hope reading about the people who put on ash-cloth and sashes--I mean
+sackcloth and ashes whenever any one of their family died, so's the
+angels would let the soul into heaven. No one did that when papa
+died--and we don't know whether he ever got to heaven or not--but he's a
+man and could take care of himself, s'posing he didn't get in. With
+mother it's different, though. She's a ninvalid, and I couldn't bear to
+think of her outside the gates all alone with none of us to take care of
+her--so I put on potato sacks--that's sackcloth, ain't it?--and ashes.
+The eggs got there by mistake. They were whole when I began to climb
+down that ladder."
+
+The picture was so ludicrous, the explanation so piteous, that between
+their wild desire to laugh and the stronger desire to cry, it was a
+hysterical group who closed in once more about the grotesque little
+figure, while the earnest-hearted, sympathetic young preacher swept away
+Peace's fears, and gave her the comfort and assurance she sought.
+
+"Sackcloth and ashes were merely outward signs of mourning for nations
+in ages past," he told her. "It didn't help anyone get into heaven. It
+didn't even show how great were their sorrow and grief; and when people
+came to realize that, they ceased to follow the custom. God knows how
+sorrowful we are, for He can read our very thoughts. It doesn't need
+sackcloth and ashes to carry our loved ones home, dear. They lived good,
+noble, true lives in His sight while they were here on earth, and now He
+has taken them home--inside the Gates--to live with Him always."
+
+"You are sure?" hiccoughed Peace.
+
+"Perfectly sure! The Bible tells us so."
+
+"Where? I want to see for myself."
+
+He drew a worn Testament from his pocket, turned to the Fourteenth
+Chapter of St. John, and slowly, impressively read those beautiful
+words, "In my Father's house are many mansions," explaining his
+understanding of the passage so clearly, so comfortingly that finally
+the tears were dried and the aching hearts soothed.
+
+At length the grief-stricken company repaired to the house for their
+belated breakfast, while the tramp, touched to the quick by the pathos
+of the scene he had just witnessed, made his way across the fields and
+through the woods, leaving only a crumpled ten-dollar bill among the
+grain sacks to tell of his visit.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI
+
+THANKSGIVING DAY AT THE BROWN HOUSE
+
+
+"Gail!"
+
+"Yes, dear."
+
+Peace stood at the kitchen window looking out into the winter twilight,
+heavy with falling snow, but as she spoke, she turned her back on the
+scene without, and walked over to the table where the oldest sister was
+busy kneading bread. "Are we going to have turkey for tomorrow? It's
+Thanksgiving Day, you know."
+
+"We can't afford turkey, Peace."
+
+"Chicken, then?"
+
+"No."
+
+"But we keep chickens ourselves, Gail! I'll kill one for you if it's
+just 'cause you can't chop its head off."
+
+A smile flashed across Gail's sweet, care-worn face. "It isn't that,
+dear. We can't spare any. All our extra roosters we used for broth
+when--"
+
+"Yes, I know," interrupted the smaller sister hastily. "But haven't we
+got a tough old hen that isn't good for anything else?"
+
+Again Gail smiled, but answered patiently, "I am afraid not, Peace. All
+our hens are laying now, and eggs mean money. We can't afford to kill
+them."
+
+"Can't we buy one?"
+
+"There is no money."
+
+"Have you used up all we made selling flowers?"
+
+"That went long ago."
+
+"And the bill we found in the barn?"
+
+"No, dear. We don't know whose that is, or where it came from. Someone
+may come along and claim it one of these days."
+
+"I don't see how anyone could have _lost_ that money in the barn, Gail.
+It was _pinned_ down to the grain sacks with a real pin. Folks don't
+carry bills around in their pockets with pins in them; and s'posing they
+did, if the bills dropped out of their pockets, they wouldn't up and pin
+_themselves_ onto gateposts and grain sacks. Someone must have left them
+for us to use. First I thought it was my tramp, and that maybe he was a
+prince in disgust"--she meant disguise--"but now I think it was Mr.
+Strong, even if he did say he had nothing to do with it."
+
+"Peace! Did you ask him again, after I told you not to mention it?"
+
+"N-o, not ezackly. I just wrote it on a piece of paper and he did the
+same. You never said I mustn't _write_ it, Gail."
+
+"What did you write?" asked Gail, faintly.
+
+"I just said--well, here's the paper. I kept it 'cause he is such a
+pretty writer."
+
+She drew a crumpled scrap out of her pocket, smoothed it out carefully,
+and passed it over to Gail. At the top of the page in Peace's childish
+scrawl were scribbled these words, "Didn't you reely put that muny in
+our barn?" Below, in Mr. Strong's firm, flowing handwriting, was the
+answer, "I reely didn't." "Are you purfickly shure you aint lying just
+to be plite?" was the next question. "Purfickly shure." "Cross your
+heart?" "Cross my heart."
+
+Silently Gail dropped the slip back onto the table and fell to moulding
+her biscuit vigorously, biting her lips to hide a telltale smile.
+
+Peace watched her for a time and then began again, "Are we going to have
+meat of any kind tomorrow?"
+
+"I am afraid not, dear."
+
+"What--what do you 'xpect to have?"
+
+"Just potatoes and cabbage and beets, I guess."
+
+"It will seem kind of hard to be thankful for such a dinner as that,
+won't it?" sighed Peace.
+
+"There are lots of people in the city who won't have that much--unless
+the churches and Associated Charities give them dinners."
+
+"I wish someone would give _us_ a turkey. I could be lots thankfuller
+over a drumstick than over a cabbage leaf or a beet pickle."
+
+"That isn't the right spirit, dear," remonstrated Gail, wondering how
+she could clinch her argument with this small sister. "Thanksgiving Day
+was created so we might have a special day to thank the Lord for the
+blessings He has given us during the year--food and clothing and home
+and family."
+
+"Yes, teacher told us all about that, but seems to me people ought to
+give thanks every day instead of saving them up for a whole year and
+praying them all in a lump."
+
+"Oh, Peace! I didn't mean that. People do thank Him every day. Don't we
+always say grace when we sit down at the table? But Thanksgiving Day is
+a special time for giving thanks. It is in the fall after the crops are
+all in, and the barns are full of hay and grain, and the cellars filled
+with vegetables; and we thank Him for the good harvests."
+
+"S'posing the harvests ain't good? We didn't get much off from our farm
+this year. I am tired already of turnips and carrots."
+
+"What if we had no vegetables at all?"
+
+"Well, that would be worser, wouldn't it? I s'pose we ought to be glad
+for even that."
+
+"Yes, dear; there is always something to give thanks for. Suppose you
+take a piece of paper and write out all the things you have to be
+thankful for this year."
+
+The idea was a novel one to Peace, and after a moment of debate, she
+searched out pencil and tablet, drew up an old hassock beside a chair,
+which she used as her table, and laboriously began to compile her list
+of thankfuls. She finished her task just as Gail announced the supper
+hour, and dropped the sheet, scribbled full of crooked letters, into the
+mending basket, where Gail found it that evening when the three little
+sisters were fast asleep in their beds. Hope was busy with her lessons
+and Faith sat listlessly in front of the wheezy organ, idly playing
+snatches of melody. So Gail spread the paper out on the table and read
+with reverent eyes what Peace had written from the depths of her heart:
+
+     "I am thankful cause my tramp didn't burn us up with his matches.
+
+     "Dito (dito means I am thankful and its lots shorter to rite) cause
+     of the muny pined to the gatepost and granesaks in the barn, but I'd
+     be more thankful if Gale would spend it.
+
+     "I am thankful cause Mr. Strong says our 2 angels got inside the
+     gates all right.
+
+     "Dito cause there ain't any more of us angels.
+
+     "Dito cause Hector Abbott got licked for teezing lame Jenny
+     Munn--his name just fits him.
+
+     "Dito cause Mr. Strong is our preecher--he's got some sense.
+
+     "Dito for his wife.
+
+     "Dito for Towzer. He's a good dog.
+
+     "Dito for all the rest of our family.
+
+     "Dito cause we have some shoes to wear this winter.
+
+     "Dito cause for carrots and beets and turnips and cabbige and
+     potatoes. They don't take the place of turkey, but they are good
+     vittles.
+
+     "Dito for the hens that lay eggs so we cant kill them for
+     Thanksgiving dinner.
+
+     "Dito for the eggs. They meen muny, Gale says.
+
+     "Dito for the hot biskits we are going to have for supper.
+
+     "Dito cause this paper wont hold any more. My hand akes.
+
+     "Amen. Peace Greenfield."
+
+For a long moment Gail sat with tear-dimmed eyes fixed on the queer list
+before her; then she reverently tucked the badly-written sheet away
+among her treasures, and in her heart offered up a little prayer of
+thanksgiving for the blessed gift of so many sisters.
+
+Thanksgiving Day dawned clear and cold upon a world of dazzling
+whiteness, and with the first ray of the sun, Peace flew out of bed,
+scrambling into her clothes with such eager haste that Cherry opened her
+eyes and demanded, "What are you hurrying for? The house is cold as a
+barn. Gail slept late this morning, and the fire can't be more than
+beginning to burn."
+
+"Huh, I don't care! It snowed last night, and I'm going out to shovel,"
+was the scornful reply. "If you want a chance to help, you will have to
+hurry."
+
+Allee scrambled out from the warm blankets, but Cherry snuggled down
+closer in the pillows with a contented grunt, and was soon lost in
+slumberland again, so the two youngest sisters had the whole
+snow-covered world to themselves when they stepped out into the winter
+morning with shovel and broom.
+
+"Whee! Isn't this fine!" cried Peace, whirling a cloud of feathery
+flakes off the porch with one sweep. "We won't need the shovel at all,
+the snow is so light."
+
+Beauty-loving Allee stopped awestruck on the threshold to drink in the
+glory of the winter dawn, saying slowly, "It is--it looks like--"
+
+"Ice-cream," finished Peace. "S'posing it was ice-cream and we could
+have all we wanted. Wouldn't we be a sick crowd by night?"
+
+The startled sister pulled on her mittens and trudged down the steps to
+work, and in a few minutes, the porches and paths were swept clean.
+
+"Wish there was more to do," sighed Allee, when they had finished their
+chosen task, unwilling to go indoors even for breakfast.
+
+"Tell you what," cried Peace, from her perch on the gatepost. "Let's go
+down to the village and sweep paths for money. Perhaps we could earn
+enough to buy a chicken."
+
+"All right! Where will we go?"
+
+"Judge Abbott will pay us, I'm sure, and Mr. Strong would hire us, too,
+if he hasn't swept his own walks. Maybe Lute Dunbar isn't home yet and
+we can get their paths."
+
+Without further discussion they sped away to town, dragging their brooms
+behind them. But here disappointment awaited the small toilers, for at
+nearly every house some enterprising soul had already cleared away the
+light snow.
+
+"Lute Dunbar must be at home, I guess," sighed Peace, when she beheld
+the neat paths circling that house; "and Mr. Strong has swept his whole
+yard, looks like. Well, Judge Abbott's porch is all covered yet. Hector
+is lazy. We will try him."
+
+Marching up to the door, she knocked timidly, but to her dismay, no one
+answered, though three times she repeated the summons.
+
+"What shall we do, go back home?" asked Allee, visibly disappointed, for
+visions of roast chicken were very alluring to her.
+
+"No," answered Peace with sudden decision. "We'll sweep his paths and
+collect our pay when it is done."
+
+So again they fell to work making the snow fly briskly, and in a short
+time had cleared steps and walks, but apparently no one was yet stirring
+within doors.
+
+"Guess they are still in bed," suggested Allee. "We will have to come
+back later."
+
+"If we are going to have chicken for dinner we ought to get it as soon
+as possible, so's Gail can fix it, 'cause it takes hours to cook. I'm
+going to knock again and see if I can't wake someone. It's time they
+were up anyway. Rich folks do sleep an awful long time in the morning."
+
+Mounting the steps once more, she knocked loudly, with no result. A
+happy inspiration seized her, and picking up her broom, she tapped on
+the door with the handle. No one came.
+
+"I don't b'lieve that is loud enough," whispered Allee. "You'd better
+pound."
+
+"I think so myself," answered Peace, clutching the broom like a
+battering ram and giving the door three resounding thumps that shook the
+house from cellar to garret, and sounded like the booming of a cannon.
+
+"Try it again," urged impatient Allee, and again the broom struck the
+panels with thunderous force, once, twice--
+
+The door burst open with sudden fury, and an angry-faced man in a long
+bathrobe confronted the paralyzed children with the fierce demand, "What
+in creation do you want?"
+
+"It--it's time to get up," stammered Peace. "I mean, it--it snowed last
+night. I mean, we've swep' your walks off. We s'posed you'd be glad to
+pay us for our trouble."
+
+"Well!" ejaculated the man, too much surprised for further speech.
+
+"We've swep' real clean--better than Hector ever does."
+
+"Well!" repeated the Judge, an amused gleam in his eyes chasing away the
+angry frown. "How much do I owe you, Peace? You are Peace Greenfield,
+are you not?"
+
+"Yes, sir. A quarter will do, I think. The snow was very light, but
+you've got lots of porch and walk."
+
+"That's a fact, we have. Here is a quarter for you, and many thanks for
+your good work."
+
+"You are much obliged," she answered gravely, mixing her pronouns in her
+haste to slip the coin inside her damp mitten. "I wish you a merry
+Thanksgiving."
+
+With a whoop of delight she bounded down the steps, snatched Allee's
+hand, and rushed away up the street to the butcher shop for their
+chicken, never pausing for breath until she had dropped the money onto
+the counter before the astonished proprietor, who was making ready to
+close his shop for the day. "A quarter's worth of chicken, Mr. Jones,"
+she panted. "I was afraid you would be gone before we could collect from
+the Judge."
+
+"Sorry, Peace," answered the astonished man, "but I haven't any chickens
+as small as that."
+
+"Haven't you a cheap old hen?" she faltered, almost too disappointed to
+speak.
+
+"No, I am afraid not."
+
+"And you can't sell me a _piece_ of chicken?"
+
+"No, we never do that, either."
+
+"Oh, dear," sighed Allee. "We swep' that walk all for nothing!"
+
+But Peace's bright eyes had caught sight of a tall, wooden bucket on the
+counter, and now she demanded, "Is that oysters?"
+
+"Yes, jimdandies."
+
+"That's next best to chicken. I'll take a quarter's worth of them. We
+will have a Thanksgiving after all, Allee."
+
+Bearing the precious burden carefully in her arms, Peace was hurrying
+down the street toward home, followed by the happy Allee trailing the
+two old brooms, when they were halted by an excited, boyish voice,
+screaming lustily, "Peace, oh Peace! Wait a minute! I've got something
+for you."
+
+She stopped short in the snow and waited impatiently for the boy to
+overtake her, more interested in her bucket of oysters than in the
+prospect of a gift from him; but as he drew near, she saw he carried two
+white, furry bundles, and her eyes grew bright with anticipation.
+
+"Surely not your bunnies, Bryan?" she gasped.
+
+"Yep! We are going to move back to the city on Monday, and papa said I
+must leave these here. They will starve with no one to take care of
+them, and you always thought they were so pretty, I decided to give them
+to you--that is, if you want them."
+
+"Want them? Oh, Bryan, they are the cutest things! I like pets and never
+have had any all of my very own, 'cept the chicken Mr. Hardman stole.
+Give one to Allee, and I will carry the other. Tuck your broom under
+your arm, Allee, and give me mine. There! I'm awful glad you brought
+them to us, Bryan. We will take real good care of them."
+
+Once more the sisters trudged on their way, happily excited and eager to
+show their new possessions to the family at home.
+
+"Gobble, gobble, gobble!"
+
+Allee screamed, dropped her broom and almost let go of the little white
+rabbit in her fear. "Oh, Peace, he's after us again and we can't run!"
+
+"Maybe he won't touch us if we don't look at him," began the older
+sister; but the old gobbler, with ruffled feathers and wattles flaming,
+came straight toward them, and Peace stopped with a jerk.
+
+"Drop your bunny in my skirt, Allee, grab that broom and hit the gobbler
+over the head. Mr. Hardman said to do that whenever he bothered us and
+he would soon get tired of it." As she spoke she gathered her skirt up
+apron-fashion, and thrust both rabbits within the folds, while Allee
+snatched up the broom, according to instructions, and made ready for the
+attack.
+
+"Gobble, gobble, gobble!" The enemy advanced rapidly, but before he
+could strike either child the blue-eyed baby let the hard-wood stick fly
+with all her might over the fierce old head, and without another sound
+the monstrous bird crumpled up in the snow.
+
+"Mercy!" screamed Peace. "You've killed him! There, don't cry! Hold your
+coat for the rabbits while I tote this thing up to Hardman's house. I
+told you to hit him, but Mr. Hardman told us, too."
+
+Laying down her own burdens, she seized the heavy turkey by the neck and
+dragged it up the path to the door of the green house. "Here's your old
+bird," she chattered, when Mr. Hartman answered her knock. "He'll never
+gobble again! We hit him over the head, just as you told us to, and he
+laid right down and died. But we never meant to kill him. If you chop
+his head off right away, he will be good to eat yet, for we just now
+finished him. 'F I had the money, I'd pay for him, just so's we could
+have a Thanksgiving dinner over at our house, but I spent all I had for
+oysters, and, besides, I s'pose likely you would charge more'n a quarter
+for him. You told us to hit him, you know."
+
+With never a word of reply, the dazed man dragged the carcass into the
+house and shut the door, leaving Peace glaring indignantly after him.
+"Well, that's manners," she finally sputtered, and stamped angrily away
+to help Allee home with her load.
+
+"Here are some oysters," she announced, depositing the paper bucket on
+the kitchen table.
+
+"We earned them shoveling Judge Abbott's porches off. And here are Bryan
+Tenney's rabbits. He has given them to us for keeps."
+
+"Well, you can march them straight back," declared Faith, with energy.
+"Where do you expect to keep rabbits on this place?"
+
+"In a box of hay in the barn. We may keep them, mayn't we, Gail?"
+
+"They will die of cold," protested Faith.
+
+"We won't let them. There are lots of gunny sacks we can cover over the
+box until it gets warmer."
+
+"They will dig the whole farm up and spoil the garden when spring
+comes."
+
+Gail was perplexed. How could she refuse the children's eager eyes? Yet
+clearly they could not keep the little animals. There were scarcely
+enough vegetables in the cellar to last the family until the winter
+months were over, let alone feeding a pair of hungry rabbits.
+
+While she hesitated, Hope entered the room, and with a cry of rapture,
+she snatched up one pink-nosed bunny and hid her face in its fur,
+exclaiming, "Oh, you darlings! Are they yours, Peace? We will fix up
+that old, big box in Black Prince's stall and they will be as cosy as
+babies. What shall you call them?"
+
+"Winkum and Blinkum," was the prompt answer. "Their noses are never
+still. Shall we fix up the box right now?" The four younger sisters
+gathered up the rabbits and departed for the barn. The question was
+settled to their satisfaction, at least.
+
+In the meantime, at the Hartman house the gentle little wife was busily
+plucking the mammoth gobbler, while Mr. Hartman stood idly by the
+kitchen window, gazing out into the winter sunshine. But his thoughts
+were not idle, and when at length the great bird was stripped clean, he
+turned to the woman and said, "What are we going to do with the thing?
+If they had just killed it before we dressed one for ourselves--"
+
+"Better take it over to them. It's too late to dispose of it to the
+butcher, and I am afraid they will have a pretty slim dinner. Mrs.
+Grinnell thinks they are badly pinched for money."
+
+"Sho, now, Myra Ann! It's just because they don't know how to manage.
+They've got one of the best farms in this part of the country."
+
+"It's mortgaged, and you have the mortgage."
+
+"Yes, but with proper handling they ought to clear that off easily."
+
+"They had to sell Black Prince--"
+
+"And got a fancy price for him, too. That alone would pretty nearly have
+paid the mortgage. If they are hard up, it's their own fault."
+
+"Mrs. Grinnell is in position to know if anyone does. The mother's
+sickness must have been terribly costly, and now they are orphans. They
+are in a bad way, I feel sure, and this turkey would come in mighty
+handy."
+
+He offered no further arguments, but a few moments later, when Gail
+answered a knock at the kitchen door, she found their neighbor standing
+there with the turkey in his arms. Almost too surprised to understand,
+she accepted his offering, and he was gone before she could stammer out
+her thanks.
+
+Then how they bustled in the little brown house, preparing such a dinner
+as they had seldom eaten before, oyster dressing, creamed carrots,
+mashed potatoes, gravy, and--the height of extravagance--cake and
+custard, such as only Faith could make. Oh, but that was a dinner!
+Nevertheless, as the six hungry girls gathered around the table full of
+dainties their faces were sober at the sight of the two empty chairs in
+the corner, and each heart bled afresh for the mother who had left them
+only a few short months before.
+
+Seeing the shadow in the eyes of her sisters, and feeling depressed by
+the abrupt silence, Gail sought to make the sun shine again by
+remarking, "I am thankful for so many things, I hardly know which to put
+first; but I think I will call it friends. That will include them all."
+
+Faith dropped her eyes and made no attempt to speak.
+
+Perceiving this, Hope, with hardly a pause, began, "I am thankful for
+this beautiful day. The world was so spotless and white when we woke, it
+seemed like angels' wings had covered up all the sin."
+
+"I'm thankful we have enough to eat and wear," said Cherry. "There is a
+family with seven children just moved into that tumble-down old house on
+the next road, and they look starved to death, to say nothing of the
+rags and patches they wear."
+
+Peace was busily engaged in "being thankful over a drumstick," but as
+Cherry ceased speaking, she lifted her round eyes from her plate, and
+stopped chewing long enough to say, "I am thankful my nose doesn't
+twitch all the time like my rabbit's, that my ears don't grow out of the
+top of my head, and that I don't have to hop with both feet wherever I
+want to go."
+
+Five knives and forks fell to the table with a clatter, five napkins
+flew simultaneously to as many faces, and five voices shrieked out a
+chorus of mirth.
+
+It was Thanksgiving Day at the little brown house.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII
+
+PEACE SURPRISES THE LADIES' AID
+
+
+"Girls, here are some eggs to be delivered," said Gail one snowy
+December day as Cherry and Peace came stamping in from school. "One
+basket goes to Judge Abbott's, and the other to Dr. Bainbridge's."
+
+"Oh, Gail," cried two protesting voices, "this is the afternoon we were
+to gather evergreens in the woods for decorating the church. The bazaar
+begins tomorrow. You promised we might go."
+
+"I had forgotten," murmured Gail. "I am sorry, but the eggs must be
+delivered before night."
+
+"Why can't Hope go this once?"
+
+"She is taking care of the Edwards baby."
+
+"Where is Faith?"
+
+"In bed with a headache."
+
+"She _always_ has a headache when there are errands to be done."
+
+"Peace!"
+
+"Those houses are the furthest apart in town. Dr. Bainbridge lives at
+one end of the street and the Judge at the other."
+
+"I am sorry, but eggs mean money, you know, and Christmas is coming."
+
+"Well, I s'pose we must," sighed Cherry.
+
+Peace's face brightened suddenly. "I'll tell you--let's each take a
+basket and see which can get there first. Then we'll meet at the church
+and go to the woods from there."
+
+"All right," agreed Cherry. "You take the Judge's and I'll take the
+Doctor's."
+
+So they snatched up their burdens and hurried merrily away, much to
+gentle Gail's relief, for she found it hard to disappoint these small
+sisters in their gala days.
+
+As far as the church the two went the way together, but here their paths
+divided, and they parted, calling back warnings to each other.
+
+"Be sure you wait at the church until I get there."
+
+"Be sure you hurry, for there isn't much time before dark, and the women
+have to finish dec'rating tonight."
+
+Then how they scampered down the snowy street, regardless of the frailty
+of the loads they bore!
+
+Peace's errand was soon done, and she was back at the little church in a
+surprisingly short time, but no Cherry was in sight anywhere; so she sat
+down on the steps to await her coming. It was snowing quite hard now,
+and the wind grew cold as the afternoon waned.
+
+"Seems 's if I should freeze sitting here," said the shivering child to
+herself after stamping her feet and flapping her arms like a Dutch
+windmill, in her efforts to get warm. "What can be keeping Cherry? She's
+an awfully long time tonight. I s'pose Mrs. Bainbridge has got a gabbing
+streak on and will keep her there the rest of the day listening to her.
+Cherry never can get away when folks begin talking to her. I ought to
+have gone there myself. Bet it wouldn't have taken me this long. My, but
+it's growing cold! I wonder if I can't get inside someway. I thought
+sure the ladies would be here before now, but I don't see anyone about."
+
+She jumped to her feet and tried the door. It was locked fast.
+
+"Maybe Mr. Strong is in his study and will let me stay there awhile."
+But the study door was also secure. "Well, the basement window ain't
+fastened, I know, 'cause 'twas only yesterday that Hec Abbott broke it
+with a snowball. I can crawl through that and go upstairs into the
+church."
+
+Scurrying around the building to the broken window, she crept cautiously
+through the sash, just big enough to admit her body; and dropped to the
+cement floor below. Considerably jarred--for the window was high in the
+wall--she gathered herself up and felt her way up the dark stairs to the
+main floor, relieved to find the hall door unlatched so she could step
+out into daylight once more.
+
+"Must have been someone here already," she exclaimed in surprise,
+"'cause the booths are all up and trimmed. Maybe they don't want any
+more evergreens. Well, I'll wait for Cherry and we will see then. P'raps
+some of the ladies are coming back, for the furnace is still burning."
+
+She made a tour of the church, admiring the pretty decorations, and
+amusing herself by climbing over the seats like a squirrel, while she
+waited for Cherry, who did not come. At length she grew tired, the rooms
+were warm and dim, and before she knew it she was becoming drowsy.
+
+"I'll just curl up in this old coat and rest a bit," she thought.
+"Cherry will make noise enough so I will hear when she comes." But
+before the belated sister reached the church Peace was fast asleep, and
+her ears were deaf to the trills and whistles outside. Thinking the
+younger girl had grown impatient at waiting and, regardless of her
+promise, had gone on to the woods, Cherry stopped only long enough to
+make sure that Peace was nowhere about the grounds before she hurried
+away to join her mates in evergreen gathering.
+
+How long Peace slept she did not know, but the sound of voices in heated
+debate roused her from her nap, and she heard Mrs. Wardlaw's sharp tones
+saying, "Well, I, for one, don't believe in getting her a suit for
+Christmas. She dresses better now than most of us can afford. We never
+had a minister's wife before who paraded the clothes she does."
+
+"But she came here a bride, practically," remonstrated a less
+aggressive, but just as decided a voice, which Peace recognized as Mrs.
+Bainbridge's. "They haven't been married two years yet. Brides always
+have more clothes than any other women. Nevertheless, they wear out, and
+it doesn't stand to reason that hers will last any longer than ours do."
+
+"She has worn at least three cloth suits since she came, besides all her
+summer finery, and two or three separate skirts. I suppose that is where
+all Brother Strong's salary goes. Stylish! Why, she is a veritable
+fashion plate!"
+
+"I don't see how you can say that, Mrs. Wardlaw. She certainly looks
+very neat and up to date in everything she puts on, but I can't see
+where there is any fashion plate about her. I call her a very sensible
+little woman, just the kind of a wife Brother Strong needs."
+
+"Well, I am not disputing how much sense she has, but I still declare
+that she has clothes enough now, without our furnishing her any more for
+Christmas."
+
+"That's all you know about it!" cried an indignant voice behind them,
+and both startled ladies turned hastily around to find a pair of
+flashing brown eyes glaring out from under the janitor's old coat in the
+corner, "If Mrs. Strong didn't know how to cut and sew, she would be a
+pretty ragged looking minister's wife by this time."
+
+Peace crawled out of her warm bed and shook an angry little finger
+accusingly at the women, who exclaimed in unison, "Peace Greenfield, how
+did you come here, and what do you want?"
+
+"I don't want anything. I clum in the window so's I wouldn't freeze
+while I was waiting for Cherry, and I guess I went to sleep. But I heard
+what you were saying, and it ain't so, Mrs. Waddler! Mrs. Strong hasn't
+got a lot of clothes. The parsonage burned up where they were last time,
+and 'most everything they had to wear was burned up, too. That pretty
+gray suit she had when they first came here she dyed brown after you
+upset a pot of coffee on it at the church supper that night. But the
+brown didn't color even, so she ripped it to pieces and dyed it black.
+It was all wearing out, too, so she had to put some trimming on the
+skirt to cover up the holes. I was over there and saw her do it myself.
+She cut over her wedding dress to have something nice to wear last
+summer, and all those sep'rate skirts you talk about are some of her
+sister's old ones. She hasn't spent a cent for clothes since she bought
+her straw hat, and that cost two dollars and a half. Mr. Strong told me
+so, himself. He says she's a jewel of a wife and if there were more
+women like her in the world there would be more happier homes. That's
+just what he said. Ministers don't get paid enough to keep them in
+_victuals_, hardly. I know, 'cause I am part of a minister's family, if
+papa's church in Pendennis hadn't starved him out so he got sick and had
+to stop preaching, he might not be an angel now.
+
+"S'posing you was a minister's wife, how would you like to have folks be
+so stingy mean to you? Wouldn't you like nice clothes to wear and good
+things to eat? I was there for supper one night last week when you
+lugged in a jug of buttermilk, Mrs. Waddler, you know you did, when you
+had promised her fresh milk. I heard you promise. Do you s'pose she
+could use buttermilk in her coffee or make custard pie out of it? She
+had told Mr. Strong that she was going to make one for his supper, and
+he was 'most as disappointed as I was when she couldn't do it.
+
+"Deacon Skinflint sent her some fresh eggs, too, that were so old you
+could smell 'em before the shells were broken. I told her 'twas a mercy
+he hadn't sent her chiny nest eggs, and she _laughed_! If it had been
+you, Mrs. Waddler, you'd have jawed good!"
+
+Peace paused for breath. Mr. Strong and his adorable little wife were
+her idols, and she could not bear to hear them slandered in any way, but
+she had forgotten herself, her manners, everything, in the defense of
+her friends; and now, realizing how rude she had been to one of these
+women confronting her, she dropped her head in shamed silence, and
+nervously twisted the skirt of her coat about her trembling hands,
+waiting for the lecture she felt that she deserved.
+
+To her surprise, none came; but after an awkward pause, during which
+both women were doing some hard thinking, Mrs. Wardlaw said humbly,
+"Wouldn't you like to go to Martindale with us some day next week and
+help us select material for Mrs. Strong's new suit? Maybe you would know
+what she likes better than we do, Peace."
+
+Peace's eyes shone with delight, but she answered mournfully, "I can't,
+I am afraid, 'cause there's school every day but Saturday, and that's
+our Sunshine Club afternoon. I know what she likes best, though. I asked
+her once what kind of cloth made the prettiest suit, and she said she
+thought longcloth did--navy blue longcloth."
+
+"She means broadcloth," murmured Mrs. Bainbridge under her breath.
+
+"Of course," smiled Mrs. Wardlaw amiably. "So you think navy blue is
+what she would prefer?"
+
+"Yes, she likes blue, and it just matches her eyes. Hasn't she got the
+bluest eyes and the goldest hair? Just like Hope's and Allee's. A silk
+waist would be nice, too. She never had but one in her life."
+
+At this juncture a head was thrust through the hall door and an
+imperative voice called, "Mrs. Bainbridge, the children have come back
+just loaded down with greens. Come show us where you want them and we'll
+hang them before supper time."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII
+
+A MYSTERIOUS SANTA CLAUS
+
+
+"Merry Christmas, Gail, Faith, Hope, Charity, Allee! Merry Christmas,
+everyone! My stocking has _something_ in it, I can see from here. Wake
+up! Wake up! I want to look at my presents!"
+
+A drop of something hot struck the tip of Gail's nose, and she opened
+her sleepy eyes to find a white-robed, shivering figure shaking her
+vigorously with one hand, while in the other was a tiny, flickering
+candle, which dribbled hot wax prodigally as it was tipped about with
+reckless abandon by the excited pleader.
+
+"What are you doing with that lighted candle?" demanded Gail, digging
+the wax off her nose and dodging another drop. "Put it out before you
+set the house on fire. It isn't morning yet. It can't be! I have hardly
+slept at all."
+
+"The clock struck a long time ago," insisted Peace with chattering
+teeth, "and I counted much as five."
+
+"Five o'clock!" protested Gail. "Oh, surely not! Well, if it is that
+time, I suppose you can get up. Seems awfully quiet for that hour,
+though." The older sister began the process of dressing, and in a few
+moments all six girls were gathered around the roaring fire in the
+kitchen, excitedly examining the contents of their stockings, which Gail
+had painstakingly filled with homemade gifts and a little cheap candy
+from the village store,--her one Christmas extravagance.
+
+"Mittens!" cried Peace, investigating the first package her excited hand
+drew forth. "You knit them, didn't you, Gail? I saw Mrs. Grinnell
+teaching you how. Mine are red. Have you got some, Cherry?"
+
+"Yes, blue; and Allee's are pink. Aren't they pretty?"
+
+"Just see my lovely knit slippers," cried Hope, throwing her arms about
+Gail's neck and hugging her with a vim. "Where did you get all the yarn,
+sister?"
+
+"I found a lot in the attic," replied the oldest girl, smiling happily
+at the children's appreciation of her labor; but she did not explain
+that a gorgeous, moth-eaten, old afghan had been raveled to provide all
+those pretty things.
+
+"What is in your stocking, Faith?"
+
+The girl held up a dainty white waist, but said never a word, for she
+recognized that Gail's patient fingers had re-fashioned for her one of
+the dear mother's hoarded treasures, and her heart was too full for
+utterance.
+
+"I've got some handkerchiefs," called Peace again, "and a ribbon--if I
+only had some hair to tie with it! It's too wide for a band, and that's
+all I can wear--here's an apple, a penwiper and some candy. You've got
+pretty nearly the same c'lection, haven't you, Cherry, and so have Hope
+and Allee. I wonder how Mrs. Grinnell happened to give me a hair-ribbon
+when she knows that my hair ain't long enough to tie back."
+
+"How do you know Mrs. Grinnell gave it to you?" demanded Gail, too
+astonished to reprove her.
+
+"I was in there one day when she had been to Martindale, and the ribbons
+happened to be on the table all unwrapped. This was one of them. Now,
+Gail, see what Santa Claus has brought you. There's at least one thing,
+'cause--"
+
+Cherry clapped her hand over her younger sister's mouth, and began to
+giggle. So did Gail, when she drew forth from her stocking a bulky
+potato pig with toothpicks for legs, match-heads for eyes and a dry
+woodbine tendril for a tail.
+
+"Who in the world made that?" she laughed, tears close to the surface,
+for she had expected nothing this Christmas day.
+
+"Mr. Strong," gulped Peace, dancing with delight at her sister's evident
+surprise. "Look at his back! We put a saddle on the old porker. Isn't
+that cute? It's a spandy new dollar with this year's date on it. See?"
+
+Gail turned the curious animal over, and sure enough, there was a
+bright, shining Goddess of Liberty, skilfully sunk in the pig's potato
+back.
+
+Swallowing back the lump in her throat, which threatened to choke her,
+Gail whispered, "Where did you get it, dear? The money, I mean."
+
+"We took up a c'lection," was the startling answer.
+
+"A collection!" echoed Gail.
+
+"Yes. You know last Sunday was Home Mission day, and the money was to be
+sent to poor ministers' families on the pioneer--"
+
+"You mean frontier," corrected Hope.
+
+"Well, whatever ear it was," continued Peace, serenely; "and that made
+me wonder why folks never took up c'lections for poor ministers'
+families right here among them. I asked Mr. Strong about it, and he said
+we would take up another c'lection straight away, and buy a Christmas
+present for a 'hero minister's hero mother-daughter.' He made me learn
+those words; and we got a dollar in ten cent pieces without half trying.
+I 'spect we could have raised a fortune if we'd had more time, but this
+was on our way home from school yesterday. We couldn't find anything
+pretty enough to buy here at the village, and it was too late to go to
+Martindale for it, so we changed the dimes into a dollar and put it in
+the potato pig. He said it ought to be a shining white angel, but I told
+him right away that we had angels enough in this family already, and he
+better make a horse. That is what he tried to do, but it looked so much
+like a pig when he got done that I pulled off the string tail and mane
+and put on a pig's tail, and he said it did look better. You are to use
+the money for your very own self and--"
+
+The clock began to strike. One--two--That was all.
+
+"Mercy me!" ejaculated Peace, staring at the accusing faces of her
+sisters. "I truly did hear that clock strike as much as five a long time
+ago."
+
+"No doubt you did," laughed sunny Hope. "It struck midnight and you woke
+up in the middle of the count."
+
+"Let's go back to bed," suggested Gail, anxious to be alone with her
+tumultuous thoughts; and to her surprise no dissenting voice was raised,
+although as she crept once more beneath the covers of her cot, she heard
+Peace say decidedly, "I sha'n't take off _my_ clothes again. Once a day
+is enough for any _huming_ being to dress. Do you s'pose Santa will come
+again while we sleep?"
+
+It was daylight before they woke from their second nap, and as Peace
+flew out of bed once more, she cried in delight, "Oh, it's snowing
+again! Now it will seem like Christmas sure! Let's clean off the walks
+before breakfast. Gail won't let us eat our candy yet."
+
+She made short work of her toilette, threw on her wraps and was out of
+doors almost before Cherry had opened her eyes; but the next moment she
+came stumbling back into the house with the wild yell "Girls, girls,
+Santa Claus did come again, and left a tre-men-jus big mince pie on the
+porch--I picked a teenty hole in the top to see for sure if 'twas
+mincemeat--and a bundle of something else. Hurry up, I can't wait to
+open it! Oh, the paper fell off, and it's shoes--tennis slippers in the
+winter! Think of it! That is worse than Mrs. Grinnell's hair-ribbon,
+ain't it?"
+
+"Peace!" cried Gail in shocked tones, entering the kitchen with the rest
+of the family at her heels. "You should be _grateful_ for the presents
+people give you and not poke fun at them."
+
+"I am grateful, Gail, truly. I ain't poking fun at them, honest, though
+they _are_ funny presents for this time of the year. I s'pose, maybe, my
+hair will get long enough for a ribbon sometime, though Mrs. Strong says
+it is too curly to grow fast. And when summer comes, we can wear these
+slippers, if they aren't too small. They look awful little already.
+These are marked for Allee, and here are mine, and those are Cherry's.
+There aren't any for the rest of you. I s'pose the pie is for you.
+You're lucky. I would rather have the pie than the shoes."
+
+"Oh, Peace!"
+
+"Well, wouldn't you? There is someone at the front door."
+
+Gail disappeared through the hall to answer the knock, and Peace, with
+her new shoes in her hand, slipped out of the kitchen door. "Just as I
+thought," she muttered to herself. "Mr. Hardman brought them over. He
+thinks they will make up for that money he never paid us last summer,
+but they won't. He can just have his old shoes right back again!"
+
+Out to the barn she marched, hunted up a scrap of paper and a pencil
+left there for just such emergencies, laboriously scribbled a note,
+which she tied to the slippers, and deposited the bundle on the Hartman
+steps, where he found it when he came out to sweep paths. "Well, I
+swan," he exclaimed, half in anger, half amused, as he picked tip the
+rejected shoes, "if she hasn't trotted them slippers back! Peace, of
+course. Let's see what she says." Carefully he untied the little slip
+and read:
+
+     "Here are your shoes. Im greatful but this is the rong seesun for
+     them. By summer they will be to small as they aint very big now. Ive
+     got over wanting tenis shoes anyhow. The muny you owe us would have
+     come in handier. Peace Greenfield."
+
+He tucked the note in his pocket, dropped the shoes on the kitchen
+mantle, and went chuckling about his morning work. Hardly had he
+finished his numerous tasks, when he was surprised to see Peace coming
+slowly up the path, with eyes down-cast and face an uncomfortable red.
+She knocked lightly, as if hoping no one would hear, and looked
+disappointed when he opened the door.
+
+"Merry Christmas, Peace. Come in, come right in," he said cordially,
+his eyes gleaming with, amusement. "What can I do for you this morning?"
+
+"Give me back the shoes I left on your porch," she answered, in tones so
+low he could hardly hear. "Gail said I must come over and get them and
+ipologize for being so rude. She says it is very rude to return
+Christmas presents like that. If you meant them for a present, why,
+that's different; but I thought likely it was our pay for picking
+strawberries last summer. Now, which was it, a present or our pay?" The
+old, independent, confident spirit asserted itself once more in the
+little breast, and Peace raised her eyes to his with disconcerting
+frankness.
+
+"Well, well," stammered the man, hardly knowing what to say. "Suppose
+they are a Christmas present, will you accept and wear 'em?"
+
+"When it comes summer time, if I haven't outgrown them. My feet are
+getting big fast."
+
+"But if they are in pay for the strawberry picking, you won't take them?
+Is that it?"
+
+"I s'pose I will have to take them after Gail's lecture," Peace sighed
+dismally, "but I'll never put 'em on--never!"
+
+Delighted with her candor and rebel spirit, he said, after a brief
+pause, "Well, now, I mean them for a Christmas present, Peace, and I'd
+like mighty well for you to wear them. If they are too small, come next
+summer, I will get them changed for you. Will you take them?"
+
+"Y--e--s."
+
+"And be friends?"
+
+Peace hesitated. "Friends are square with each other, ain't they?"
+
+"I reckon they are."
+
+"Then I don't see how we can be friends," she said firmly.
+
+"Why not?" His face was blank with surprise; and his wife, who had been
+a silent spectator of the scene, laughed outright.
+
+"'Cause you owe us a dollar and a half for picking strawberries last
+summer, and if you don't pay it, you ain't square with us, are you?"
+
+"Well, I swan!" he mumbled. Then he, too, laughed, and thrusting his
+hand into his pocket, drew out a handful of silver. "Here are six silver
+quarters, a dollar and fifty cents. That settles our account, doesn't
+it?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"And I've treated you on the square?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"And you will come sit on my lap?"
+
+"I don't s'pose it will do any hurt," she answered grudgingly, for she
+had not yet adjusted herself to this new friendship with her one-time
+enemy, but she went to him slowly and permitted to lift her to his knee.
+
+"There, now," he said, settling her comfortably. "That's more like it!
+Now that I have settled my account with you, tell me what you are going
+to do about the money you owe me?"
+
+"Dave!" interposed little Mrs. Hartman, but he laughingly waved her
+aside.
+
+"What money that I owe you?" gasped poor Peace, the rosy color dying
+from her face.
+
+"Didn't you dump twenty boxes of my strawberries into the chicken yard
+last summer?"
+
+"Y--e--s."
+
+"Those berries sold for twenty cents a box. Twenty times twenty is four
+dollars. You spoiled four dollars' worth of berries, Peace Greenfield.
+Are you being square with me?"
+
+The child sat dumb with despair, and seeing the tragedy in the great,
+brown eyes, Mrs. Hartman again said, remonstratingly, "Dave!"
+
+"Hush, Myra Ann," he commanded. "This is between Peace and me. If we are
+to be friends, we must be square with each other, you know."
+
+There was a desperate struggle, and then Peace laid the shining quarters
+back in his hand, saying bravely, "Here's my first payment. I haven't
+the rest now, but if you will wait until I earn it, I'll pay it all
+back. I will have Hope figure up just how much I owe you, so's I will
+know for sure. Can you wait? Maybe you will let me pick strawberries
+next summer until I get it paid up. Will you? 'Cause what money I get
+this winter I'd like to give to Gail for a coat. She has to wear
+Faith's jacket now whenever she goes anywhere, and, of course, two
+people can't wear one coat at the same time."
+
+"No, they can't," he answered soberly, with a suspicion of a tremble in
+his voice. "Is that what you meant to do with this money?"
+
+"Yes. Gail got a dollar for Christmas, and I thought this would 'most
+make enough to buy a good coat for her. She needs one dreadfully."
+
+Mr. Hartman slipped the money into the grimy fist again, cleared his
+throat and then said, "Now, I've got a plan. You keep this dollar and
+fifty cents for your work last summer, and when the strawberries are
+ripe again, we'll see about your picking some more to pay for the
+spoiled ones. Is that all right?"
+
+"Yes," cried Peace, giving a delighted little jump. "You aren't near
+bad, are you?"
+
+"I hope not," he replied with a queer laugh. "Can you give me a kiss, do
+you suppose?"
+
+"If you will skin me a rabbit," she answered promptly.
+
+"If I'll what?" he yelled in amazement, almost dropping her from his
+lap.
+
+"Skin me a rabbit. Winkum and Blinkum are starving to death--Faith says
+so--and they really don't seem as fat as when Bryan gave them to me; so
+if we can save them by eating them up, we better do it. Don't you think
+so?"
+
+"Well, now, that might be a good idea," he answered slowly, for he
+regarded rabbits as a nuisance, and was not anxious to see any such
+pests in his neighborhood. "Stewed rabbit makes a pretty good dish,
+too."
+
+"That's what I had heard. Will you skin them for me?"
+
+"Yep, any time you say so."
+
+"All right, I'll get them now and we will have them for dinner."
+
+She was off like a flash before he could say another word, returning
+almost immediately with the squirming rabbits in her apron, and he
+dressed them carefully. By the time the long process was finished her
+face was very sober, and she offered no objections when he claimed two
+kisses instead of one as his reward, but gathering up the hapless
+bunnies, she departed for home.
+
+"Here's our Christmas dinner, Gail," she announced, dumping her burden
+onto the cluttered kitchen table. "I wish it had been chicken, but Mr.
+Hartman says stewed rabbit is real good."
+
+"Where did you get these?" demanded Gail, surmising the truth.
+
+"They are Winkum and Blinkum. Mr. Hartman undressed them for me. I got
+my shoes back, and here's the strawberry money for your new coat, Gail."
+As clearly as possible she made her explanations, and went away to put
+up the tennis slippers, leaving dismayed Gail to face the unique
+situation.
+
+"What can I do?" she cried, almost in tears.
+
+"Get yourself a new coat, if you can find one for the price," answered
+Faith, listlessly scrubbing a panful of turnips for dinner.
+
+"I don't mean the coat. I had scarcely thought of the money. I mean the
+rabbits."
+
+"Cook them! People eat rabbits."
+
+"But these were pets."
+
+"They are dead now. You might as well use them as to throw them away. We
+have no turkey or chicken for dinner."
+
+Gail shivered, but obediently cut up the rabbits and put them on the
+stove to cook, mentally resolving not to eat a bite of them herself.
+
+The morning hours flew rapidly by, the dinner was done at last, and the
+hungry girls were scrambling into their chairs when Faith cried sharply,
+"Hope, you have set seven plates!"
+
+Instinctively each heart thought of the absent member, gone from them
+since the last Christmas Day, and Gail reached over to remove the extra
+dishes, when Hope stopped her by saying, "Teacher read us a beautiful
+poem of how some people always set a place for the Christ Child on His
+birthday, hoping that He would come in person to celebrate the day with
+them, and I thought it was such a pretty idea that--I--I--"
+
+"Yes, dear," said Gail gently. "We will leave the extra plate there."
+
+"It does seem queer, doesn't it, that we have big dinners on Christmas
+Day 'cause it is Christ's birthday, and then we never give Him a dish,"
+observed Peace, passing her plate for a helping.
+
+"Did the Christ Child come?" asked Allee eagerly. "In the story, I
+mean."
+
+"Not in the way they looked for Him," answered Hope. "But a little
+beggar child came. Some of the family were going to send it out into the
+kitchen to eat with the servants, but one little boy insisted that it
+should have the empty chair they had set for the Christ Child. So the
+ragged beggar was pushed up to the table and fed all he wanted. When the
+dinner was over, a great shining light filled the room and Christ
+appeared to tell them that in feeding the little beggar they had
+entertained Him. It was all written out in rhyme and was _so_ pretty.
+What is the matter, Gail? You aren't eating anything."
+
+The other sisters paused to look at the older girl's plate, and Gail's
+sensitive face flushed crimson, but before she could offer any
+explanation, Peace abruptly dropped her knife and fork, pushed her
+dishes from her, and burst into tears.
+
+"Why, what ails you, child?" cried Faith, who herself had scarcely
+touched the dinner before her.
+
+"I can't be a _carnival_ and eat my bunnies," sobbed Peace. "I'd as soon
+have a slab of kitten."
+
+"That's just the way I feel," said Cherry, and no one laughed at Peace's
+rendering of _cannibal_.
+
+In the midst of this scene there was a knock at the kitchen door, but
+before anyone could answer, Mrs. Grinnell rustled in, bearing in her
+arms a huge platter of roast turkey, which she set down upon the table
+with the remark, "It was that lonesome at home I just couldn't eat my
+dinner all by myself, so I brought it over to see if you didn't want me
+for company."
+
+"You aren't a ragged beggar," Peace spoke up through her tears, before
+the others had recovered from their surprise; "but I guess you'll do.
+You can have the chair we set for Jesus."
+
+Gail explained, while the platter of stewed rabbit was being removed,
+and once more dinner was begun. The turkey was done to a turn, the
+dressing was flavored just right and filled with walnuts and oysters,
+the vegetables had never tasted better, the biscuits were as light as a
+feather, Mrs. Strong's cranberry sauce had jelled perfectly, and the
+Hartman mince-pie was a miracle of pastry. The seven diners did the meal
+full justice, and when at last the appetites were satisfied, the table
+looked as if a foraging party had descended upon it.
+
+"That was quite a dinner," remarked Peace, as she pushed her chair back
+from the table. "If I had just known it was going to happen, Mr. Hartman
+needn't have skinned the rabbits. There is a whole platter full of
+Winkum and Blinkum left, and it's all wasted. Mercy me, what a shame!"
+
+She went out into the kitchen and surveyed the rejected delicacy with
+mournful eyes. Then a new idea occurred to her, and, with no thought of
+irreverence, she murmured to herself, "I don't believe the Christ Child
+would have cared whether He had turkey or rabbit for dinner. I'm going
+over and get that _passle_ of half-starved German kids to eat this up."
+
+Throwing Gail's faded shawl over her head, she ran across the snowy
+fields to the old tumble-down house on the next road, where the new
+family lived. The children were at play in the yard--seven in all, and
+none of them larger than Hope--but at sight of her they came forward
+hand in hand, jabbering such queer gibberish that Peace could not
+understand a word.
+
+"Come over to my house and have some dinner," she invited them, but not
+one of them moved a step. "We've got a whole platter of stewed rabbit,"
+she urged, but they only stared uncomprehendingly. "Perhaps you have had
+your dinner. Are you hungry?"
+
+"Hungry," suddenly said the oldest boy, putting one hand to his mouth
+and the other on his stomach. "Ja, sehr hungrig."
+
+Peace was delighted with the pantomime method of making herself
+understood, and imitating his motions, she pointed to the little brown
+house and beckoned.
+
+"Ja, ja," cried the chorus of seven, their faces beaming with pleasure,
+"wir kommen." And they quickly followed her across the snow to the
+kitchen door.
+
+"Gail, I have brought the Christ Child," she announced, as she ushered
+the ragged, hungry brood into the house. "I thought it was a pity to
+waste all that salt and pepper you used in fixing up Winkum and Blinkum,
+so I invited these ragged beggars over to eat it up."
+
+Mrs. Grinnell gasped her surprise and consternation. Faith exclaimed
+angrily, "Peace Greenfield!" But Gail, with never a chiding word, sprang
+to the table and began clearing away the soiled dishes, while Hope ran
+for clean plates; and in short order the seven little towheads were
+hovering around the platter of stewed rabbit and creamed potatoes,
+revelling in a feast such as they had never known before; nor did they
+stop eating until every scrap of food had vanished. Then they rose,
+bowing and smiling, and trying in their own tongue to thank their
+hostesses for the grand dinner.
+
+Peace was captivated with their quaint manners and reverent attitude,
+and when they had backed out of the door, she went with them to the
+gate, kissing her hand to them as they disappeared down the road, still
+calling over their shoulders, "Du bist das Christkind!"
+
+"I don't know what they are saying," she murmured, "but it makes me feel
+like flapping my wings and crowing." She leaped to her tall gatepost to
+give vent to her jubilant feelings, but tumbled quickly to the ground
+again without stopping to crow. "Abigail Greenfield!" she shouted,
+racing for the house. "See what was on the gatepost,--a nenvelope with
+money in it, and on the outside it says, 'Christmas greetings to the Six
+Sisters.' Now will you believe someone lost it? It ain't Mr. Strong's
+writing, though. Maybe the Christ Child brought it. Oh, Gail, do you
+s'pose He did?"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX
+
+FAITH'S AWAKENING
+
+
+"Do you know where Faith is?" asked Gail one Saturday morning in early
+spring, finding Hope busy at making the beds, which was the older
+sister's work.
+
+"She discovered a heap of old magazines somewhere about the place and is
+in the barn reading. Says her head aches too hard to work today,"
+answered Hope, with an anxious pucker in her usually serene forehead.
+
+"I don't know what to do with that girl," sighed Gail, as she adjusted
+her dustcap and picked up a broom. Her face looked so worried, and her
+voice sounded so discouraged that Hope paused in her task of plumping up
+the pillows to ask in alarm, "Do you think she is any worse than usual?"
+
+"She gets worse every day," answered Gail, somewhat sharply, and two
+tears rolled slowly down her pale cheeks.
+
+"Oh, dearie, don't cry," coaxed Hope, dropping her pillows and throwing
+her arms about the heaving shoulders. "It will be better pretty soon.
+I'll do all of Faith's work. I only wish I were older."
+
+Peace waited to hear no more. She had gone upstairs for a clean apron
+before setting out for town with a basket of eggs and, unknown to the
+two sisters in the room across the hall, had heard all they said.
+
+"I didn't s'pose Faith was sick," she whispered with white lips as she
+flew down the path to the gate, swinging the heavy basket dangerously
+near the ground in her heedlessness. "I thought she was just lazy. She
+never does anything but mope around the house and read or play the
+organ, but I thought it was 'cause she didn't want to. S'posing she
+should die! Then we'd have three angels. Oh, dear, I don't see why one
+family should have so many! I wonder if there isn't something that will
+cure her. Gail hasn't called the doctor yet. I am going to ask him
+myself!"
+
+She slipped through the gate and sped up the road toward town, still
+musing over this new trouble, and so completely wrapped up in her
+thoughts that she did not even see her beloved Mr. Strong until he
+called to her, "Why, hello, Peace! Are you coming over to see our baby
+today! Elizabeth, will be glad to have you."
+
+Her face lighted up at sight of her friend, but she shook her head at
+his invitation, and soberly replied, as she hurried on, "I'd like to,
+but I can't this time. I must take these eggs to the doctor's house.
+Some other day I'll come and play with Baby Glen."
+
+Not to stop to discuss the welfare of the precious new baby at the
+parsonage was very strange for Peace, for she loved the beautiful boy as
+much as she did his parents, and was always eager to hear of his latest
+tricks, no matter how pressed for time she might be. But today she was
+too worried to think of even little Glen.
+
+Breathlessly she climbed the steps to Dr. Bainbridge's big house, just
+as the busy physician appeared in the doorway ready for his round of
+calls, and in her eagerness to stop him before he should climb into the
+waiting carriage, she quickened her pace to a run, tripped on the door
+mat, and tumbled headlong, eggs and all, into a drift of half-melted
+snow in the corner of the porch, announcing in tragic tones, "Dr. Eggs,
+I have brought you some Bainbridge, and here they are all spilled in the
+snow. It's lucky you aren't a very neat man, for if you had cleared off
+your porches the way you ought to, these eggs would likely have been
+everyone smashed. As 'tis, there is only one broken, and one more
+cracked. I'll bring another--"
+
+"Are you hurt?" the doctor managed to stutter in an almost inaudible
+voice, so overcome with surprise was he at the avalanche of eggs and
+explanation.
+
+"No, and only two of the eggs are, either--Oh, don't go yet!" She
+scrambled hastily to her feet and laid a trembling, detaining hand on
+his coat sleeve, as she demanded in a shaky voice, "Is Faith real bad,
+do you think?"
+
+"If people had more faith--" he began jestingly; then stopped, seeing
+the real anxiety in the serious brown eyes, and asked gently, "What is
+troubling you, child?"
+
+"Faith, as usual. What is the matter with her? Gail cried about her this
+morning, and Hope said maybe she would get better pretty soon. They
+didn't know I heard. Is she real sick? I thought she didn't do any work
+'cause she was lazy--I mean 'cause she didn't want to. I didn't know she
+was sick. What d'sease has she got?"
+
+"Well, as near as I can make out," answered the doctor gravely, "she has
+a case of acute imagination. She thinks she is mourning, but she is too
+selfishly wrapped up in her own grief to see the sorrow of others. She
+has stepped out from under the burden of the home and let its full
+weight fall upon shoulders too slender to bear it. The sun doesn't shine
+for her any more, the birds don't sing, the flowers have lost their
+fragrance. What she needs is a good dose of common sense, but we don't
+seem to be able to administer it. If only we could put a cannon cracker
+under her chair, maybe it would rouse her. Oh, I was just speaking
+figuratively; I didn't mean the real article," he hastened to assure his
+small audience, as a gasp of horror escaped her.
+
+The doctor had waxed eloquent in his diagnosis of the case, and though
+Peace failed to understand half that he said, the grave, almost harsh
+look about his mouth and eyes struck terror to her heart, and she
+faintly faltered, "Is--do you think Faith will be an angel soon?"
+
+He looked at her in amazement. "No!" he thundered, and she shivered at
+his tone. "It will take ages to make an angel of Faith if she keeps on
+in the way she is going. Gail is the angel if ever there was one, and
+Hope's wings have sprouted, too--"
+
+"Oh," moaned Peace, with wide, terrified eyes, "I don't want Gail and
+Hope to be angels! We need them here! We could spare Faith easier than
+them. Oh, Dr. Bainbridge, ain't two angels enough for one family?"
+
+The kindly old doctor suddenly understood, and patting the little hood,
+covered with bits of eggshell and particles of ice, he said
+remorsefully, "There, there, honey, I didn't mean that kind of angels! I
+mean just dear, good, blessed girls, such as make the world better for
+having been in it. There is no danger of their flying away to the other
+land just yet, my child; though goodness only knows what will become of
+Gail if Faith isn't waked up soon. I must go call on my sick folks now,
+little girl. I'd drive you home if I were going that way, but I am due
+this very minute at the opposite end of town. Don't you fret, but be an
+awfully good girl yourself and help Gail all you can. When Faith comes
+to her senses and goes to work at something, she will be all right."
+
+They parted, and Peace slowly wended her way home again, somewhat
+relieved, and yet considerably alarmed over the doctor's words. Down to
+the barn she wandered, and up the rickety ladder she climbed into the
+cobwebby loft. A figure moved impatiently at the far end of the loose
+boards, and as Peace's eyes became accustomed to the dim light, she saw
+it was Faith, curled up among a lot of ragged papers and coverless
+magazines, musty and yellow with age.
+
+"What are you ba--crying about!" asked Peace in awed tones, as the other
+girl sniffed suspiciously and then wiped her eyes, already red with
+weeping. She expected to be told to mind her business, but contrary to
+her expectations, Faith answered:
+
+"This is the _saddest_ story,--all about a girl who loved one man and
+had to marry another."
+
+Peace's nose curled scornfully, and she said, with great contempt, "I
+don't see any use in bawl--crying about that. Those story people never
+lived. Real folks have more sense."
+
+But Faith had gone back to her magazine of sorrows, and never even heard
+this small sister's criticism. So Peace dropped down on a heap of
+sacking, propped her chin up with her elbows on her knees, and fell to
+studying the face opposite her, noting with alarm how thin it had grown,
+and how darkly circled were the brown eyes so like her own. Fear lest
+Dr. Bainbridge did not know how ill she really was gripped her heart,
+and she sighed heavily just as Faith finished her chapter and roused to
+search for the next number of the magazine.
+
+"What is the matter?" she demanded, looking at the sober little face
+with surprise.
+
+"Are you sick?" asked Peace in an awestruck whisper, ignoring her
+sister's question.
+
+"No. Why? My head aches some, but that is all."
+
+"I sh'd think it _would_ ache," cried the child in sudden indignation.
+"Why did you poke up here where there ain't any window to read by?
+You'll be blind some day if you _amuse_ your eyes like that. Teacher
+said so to all our class the day she found Tessie Hunt reading on the
+basement stairs. If you've got to read all the time, why don't you go
+out-doors or by a window? It's enough to make anyone's head ache the way
+you mope around reading all the time. Dr. Bainbridge says as soon as you
+get up and go to work you'll be all right."
+
+Faith's face flushed angrily and she demanded, with some heat, "What do
+you know about what Dr. Bainbridge says?"
+
+"I asked him a-purpose to see whether you were going to be an angel
+soon."
+
+For a moment Faith was too startled for reply, and then she asked
+curiously, with a queer flutter in her heart, "What did he say!"
+
+"He just howled, 'No--o!' as loud as he could shout, and after that he
+said, more quiet-like, that you'd never be an angel as long as you kept
+on the way you are going. He says you need a good, common dose of sense
+and a cannon under your chair. He said Gail and Hope are the angels, and
+when I cried and told him we could spare you easier'n we could them, he
+said that he didn't mean sure-enough angels which fly away and never
+come back, but good, _sensitive_ blessings that make the world better.
+He says you've got a _cute minagination_, and when you wake up and help
+Gail bear the slender burden on your shoulders, everything will be all
+right."
+
+Profound silence reigned in the barn for what seemed an eternity to
+Peace, and then Faith burst forth hotly, "I never saw such a meddlesome
+child in all my born days, Peace Greenfield! What did you tell the
+doctor? Why did you chase to him in the first place? Do you want to get
+the whole neighborhood to gossiping about our affairs? I suppose you
+gave him the whole family history, from the time of Adam."
+
+"I never did!" Peace indignantly denied. "I don't know of any Adam 'mong
+our relations. I found Gail upstairs crying about you this morning, and
+Hope promised to do all your work. I couldn't see why Hope should do
+your work unless you were going to be an angel, so I went to the doctor
+about it, and that is why he told me. He said we must help Gail all we
+could--"
+
+"Why don't you, then, instead of causing her trouble whenever you turn
+around? You are into something the whole time to fret and worry her.
+Don't talk about me until you are perfect yourself!"
+
+"I ain't perfect, but I _try_ to help, and you know it. Don't I help
+Cherry with the dishes every single day, and dust the parlor and bring
+in wood, and hasn't Hope turned over setting the table to me?"
+
+"And don't you break half the dishes?"
+
+"I've broken only one plate and three cups, and I bought new ones out of
+my snow money, so there! When summer comes I'm going to pick
+strawberries for Mr. Hartman, and when I've paid up for those I spoiled
+last year, I'm going to give the rest of the money I earn to Gail to
+help her all I can. 'F I could make the lovely cakes you do, I'd go
+'round the streets peddling them."
+
+"If you were I, you'd do wonders," Faith broke in bitterly.
+
+"Well, Mrs. Abbott told me herself that if the village baker could cook
+like that she would get all her delicate things there instead of
+bothering the girl with them, 'cause, in a little subu'b like this, she
+can't get a cook and a second girl to stay at the same time, and a
+common hired girl doesn't know beans about cakes and nice cookery. Mrs.
+Lacy said she'd take a cake reg'lar every week if she could get such
+nice ones as yours; and the butcher--guess what the butcher asked me
+yesterday! I went in his shop on my way home from the minister's, and he
+asked me when we were going to break up housekeeping here."
+
+"What did you say?" cried Faith, as the meaning of his question dawned
+upon her, though Peace evidently had not understood.
+
+"I didn't know what he was driving at, so I asked him, and he said he
+had heard that we were going to leave this house and go to live with
+different people in town. He wanted to know if he could have Cherry,
+'cause he thinks she is so pretty. I told him he needn't joke with me
+like that, but he just laughed and _in_sured me that Mr. Strong was
+going to take Allee, and Dr. Bainbridge wanted Hope, and that you and
+Gail were to work in Martindale, and I was the broom of condemnation."
+
+"The what?" cried Faith in amazement.
+
+"The broom of con-dem-nation," repeated Peace slowly, seeing that she
+had made a blunder, but not understanding just wherein it lay. "It means
+when a lot of people want the same thing."
+
+"Perhaps you are trying to say 'bone of contention,'" suggested Faith,
+somewhat sarcastically.
+
+"Maybe 'twas. Anyway, he says Mr. Hardman wants me--but I don't want
+him, I can tell you that!"
+
+"I thought you had signed a treaty of peace and were friends now,"
+murmured the older girl, considerably amused at the child's belligerent
+attitude, in spite of her troubled thoughts.
+
+"Oh, we are friends all right, but not bad enough so's I want to go live
+with him. Though I don't know as it would be any worse there than with
+Judge Abbott, and he's the other fellow who wants me. My, the way he
+glared at me Thanksgiving morning, when we shoveled the snow off his
+porch, scared me stiff! I thought he was going to make us shovel it back
+on again, but he didn't. And the time my snowball knocked Hector's teeth
+loose, I was sure he was going to 'rest me, but I couldn't help if Hec
+opened his mouth just in time to get that ball; and anyway, he deserved
+it, 'cause he was pulling Mamie Brady's red hair and calling her Carrots
+till she cried. I told the Judge that Hec needed to have more than just
+his teeth knocked loose, and he laughed and marched him home by the
+ear."
+
+"Peace, have you told Gail this?"
+
+"About Hec's teeth?"
+
+"No, about what Mr. Jones said to you?"
+
+"Not yet. I didn't think it was a very nice joke, so I never told anyone
+but you and the preacher. Mr. Strong said he'd see that the butcher
+didn't tease me any more."
+
+"Well, if I were you, I would forget all about it, but don't ever tell
+Gail. She might take it in earnest and feel badly about it."
+
+Peace eyed the older girl, as if trying to fathom her meaning, but
+Faith's face was like a mask, and after a brief pause, the child
+answered, "I don't mean to; but ain't I glad she can't guess all my
+thinks! Just s'posing everyone knew what everyone else was thinking,
+wouldn't some folks be scrapping all the time? Brains are queer things.
+I used to wish I could see one when it was doing its thinking, but I
+guess God knew his business when he put them inside our heads, where no
+one else can watch them."
+
+"Peace, Peace! Where are you?" called an excited voice from below, and
+the brown-eyed philosopher jumped up from her burlap couch with the
+shout, "Coming, Allee! I hope you find your senses pretty soon, Faith,
+for the doctor says when that happens you will be all right and not have
+any more headache."
+
+The faded red coat disappeared down the ladder, and Faith was left alone
+again. But she read no more. The sad story had lost its interest, and
+she cast aside the magazines without another glance. Was what Mr. Jones
+had told Peace true? Was there a possibility that the home must be
+broken up? Was the doctor right in his verdict? Did all the sisters feel
+that she could be spared the easiest? That was a fierce battle Faith
+waged with herself in the barn, but when it was ended a
+determined-faced girl rose from the dusty floor, descended the old
+ladder, and hurried away toward the village. It was noon before she
+returned, and the five sisters, anxious over her unusual absence, were
+just sitting down to a frugal dinner of mush and milk when she entered
+the door, looking excited and queer, but with a happier light in her
+eyes than had been there for months.
+
+The minute grace was said, Peace demanded suspiciously, "Where have you
+been all this time?"
+
+"Drumming up trade," was the startling answer. "I've got six regular
+cake customers, and several who promised to buy of me when they needed
+anything in my line."
+
+Faith was awake at last.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X
+
+COMPANY FOR SUPPER
+
+
+"Cherry, do you know it's 'most night, and those girls aren't at home
+yet? They said they'd sure be here by four o'clock, and here 'tis five
+and they haven't come." Peace was plainly worried, and with a
+half-impatient sigh, Cherry closed her fascinating story book and joined
+her sister watching at the window for the belated girls who had gone in
+town with Mrs. Grinnell that morning.
+
+"P'r'aps the horse run away," suggested Allee.
+
+"They were coming back on the car, 'cause Mrs. Grinnell was to stay all
+night with her relations."
+
+"Then maybe the car run off the track."
+
+"That's just what I've been thinking. S'posing they don't come home
+tonight! What will we do for supper?"
+
+"Hope will get some when she comes home from Edwards'."
+
+"This is the day she stays so late. She won't get home until Mr. Edwards
+brings her, at almost bedtime."
+
+"Can't we help ourselves?"
+
+"'Course, if we wanted to, but that won't be supper for Gail and Faith
+when they get home all tired out."
+
+"Well, then, can't we _cook_ a supper?"
+
+"What?"
+
+"Why--potatoes and--"
+
+"Eggs, I s'pose you'll say. I'm tired of eggs. If we don't stop having
+them so often, we will all turn into Humpty-Dumpties. S'posing we were
+eggs and had to walk and act _so_ careful or else get smashed.
+'Twouldn't take long to finish me, would it? I don't want eggs for
+supper. Let's have rice."
+
+"Is there any?"
+
+"A whole sackful."
+
+"Do you know how to cook it?"
+
+"Why, in water, of course, just like mush or oatmeal, only it takes
+longer to get soft."
+
+"Then maybe we better put it on to boil now. How much shall we cook?"
+
+"I don't know as I ever saw Gail measure it She just guesses at it; but
+I think we could each eat a big cupful, don't you?"
+
+"I'm hungry enough to eat two cupsful," said Allee.
+
+"P'r'aps 'twould be better to cook two for each of us. It's good cold,
+s'posing we shouldn't eat it all tonight."
+
+"Maybe that would be best," conceded Cherry; and the three embryo cooks
+repaired to the kitchen to get supper ready.
+
+"There is the rice and here is a cup. Hold the pan,
+Cherry, while I measure it out.
+One--two--three--four--five--six--seven--eight--nine--that makes a big
+hole in that bagful, doesn't it? Maybe nine will be enough. Do you think
+so?"
+
+"Yes," hesitated Cherry; "and besides, Hope won't be here for supper."
+
+"That's right! Then nine will be enough. Now we'll pour in the
+water,--lots, 'cause it boils away in cooking."
+
+"If Gail doesn't get here soon, how will we get any milk for our rice?"
+asked Allee, watching them. "Bossy hasn't been milked yet."
+
+Peace paused on her way to the stove with the heavy saucepan. "Why
+didn't we think of that before? Rice isn't good without plenty of milk
+and sugar. I don't like molasses on it."
+
+"Nor I," shivered Cherry.
+
+"Let's milk the cow ourselves," suggested the daring spirit.
+
+"We don't know how," protested the cautious one.
+
+"Oh, that's easy! I've watched Gail lots of times, and all she does is
+pull hard like the janitor pulls the rope that rings the church bell.
+We've both of us rung that bell, Cherry. I'll do it if you are afraid."
+
+"I'm not afraid," Cherry declared, "but I don't think I know how. I'll
+watch you and see how you do it first."
+
+"Come on, then!"
+
+Away to the barn they hurried, and the process of milking began, with
+Peace astride the stool. But somehow Bossy resented being pulled like a
+bell-rope and the milk didn't come.
+
+"I don't see what is the matter," cried Peace impatiently, after a few
+moments' struggle. "Bossy never acts so with Gail. She has kicked me
+twice already, and here we are clear out of her stall. Allee, you hold
+her tail, she has slapped me in the face with it till I'm tired. Whoa,
+Boss, stand still! Maybe I don't jerk hard enough."
+
+Peace settled herself once more on the stool, righted the pail and gave
+a tremendous pull at two of the teats. There was a surprised moo from
+Bossy, her heels flew into the air, Peace was thrown backward from her
+seat, the pail whirled across the floor, and Bossy rushed out of the
+barn door, dragging little, tenacious Allee after her. Cherry screamed,
+Peace scrambled to her feet and raced madly after the terrified beast,
+shouting at the top of her lungs, "Let go, Allee! Whoa, Bossy!"
+
+Allee let go, but Bossy did not whoa until, with a wild plunge, she
+lurched against the stone watering trough, groaned and lay down with one
+leg doubled under her.
+
+"Oh, she's broken her leg!" yelled Cherry, dancing up and down in
+fright. "What shall we do, what shall we do?"
+
+"Go into the house and see that the rice doesn't burn while I'm gone,"
+commanded Peace, after a hasty look at poor Bossy's leg, to make sure it
+was really broken; and away she flew up the street toward the village,
+muttering to herself, "Maybe he has closed his shop, though it isn't
+quite time, but I hope not. No, he hasn't, for there comes the doctor
+out of the door. Oh, Mr. Jones, what will you give for a cow, a
+broken-legged cow? I didn't stick her, 'cause I wasn't sure just how to
+do it, but her leg is just freshly broken, so she is good for meat. You
+bought Mr. Hartman's heifer when she broke her neck. Bossy's an awful
+nice cow, and we hate to lose her, but of course we'll have to kill her
+now. Bring your butcher knife and run! I don't want her to feel bad any
+longer'n she has to."
+
+"Hold your horses, Whirlwind, hold your horses a bit," cried the amazed
+butcher. "Now tell me what has happened."
+
+"You grab that knife and come along!" she shouted, almost frantic with
+grief and fear. "That cow can't be left with a broken leg." And seizing
+him by the hand she dragged him toward the door. The sight of the
+child's great distress touched the big man, and pausing only long enough
+to close his shop, he followed her flying feet down the road to the
+little brown house where poor Bossy lay.
+
+"There she is! Ain't her leg broken?"
+
+"Yes, and a bad break, too. She will have to go, kidlet. It's a shame,
+for she's a mighty fine looking critter. I'll give you fifteen dollars
+for her. Where is your oldest sister?"
+
+"In Martindale. Oh, don't wait for her to come back! I can't bear to
+have Bossy look at me like that! I broke her leg trying to milk her.
+She's worth a lot more'n fifteen dollars alive, but as meat I s'pose
+we'll have to let her go cheap. You can have her. Gail would say so too,
+if she was here. Give me the money and then stick her as soon as I get
+inside the house."
+
+The butcher hesitated, then counted out fifteen dollars in bills and
+handed them to the trembling, grief-stricken Peace, saying, "You
+couldn't get any more for her in the city, under the circumstances, I
+know. Butchers don't ordinarily buy milch cows for beef, and I shouldn't
+take her if she wasn't in first-class condition. If Gail ain't
+satisfied, send her up to the shop."
+
+Peace snatched the bills with shaking hands and disappeared up the path,
+calling back over her shoulder, "Stick her easy, Mr. Jones, and quick!
+I'm going upstairs and cry."
+
+But she didn't carry out her intention, for as she flung open the
+kitchen door, the pungent odor of something burning greeted her
+nostrils, and there stood Cherry beside the red-hot stove, dipping rice
+from one big saucepan into other kettles which Allee was bringing out of
+the pantry for her.
+
+"Oh, Peace," she cried in relief, "I don't know what we will ever do
+with all this rice! It's sticking faster than I can scratch it up, it's
+boiled over the stove three times, and I've filled up four pans already.
+Give me another, Allee!"
+
+"It needs some more water," said Peace, catching up a dipper of cold
+water and pouring it into one sizzling pot. "Mercy, how it has grown
+since we put it on to cook! That kettleful won't burn now."
+
+"But it has turned yellow and smells dreadfully smoky," answered Cherry,
+sniffing at the discolored, unappetizing mess in the pan.
+
+Peace examined it critically, tasted it, made a wry face, and finally
+announced, "It's spoiled, I guess. Never mind, there is plenty of good
+rice left--"
+
+"Oh, Peace!" yelled Allee excitedly, dancing in the chair, where she
+stood trying to stir the heavy contents of another pan. "Something else
+is burning, sure! See the black smoke!"
+
+There was a knock at the door, but Peace was frantically tugging at the
+big kettle stuck fast to the stove cover, and without pausing in her
+task, she called crossly, "You will have to wait till we can get this
+rice 'tended to before we can see what you want, whoever you are. We are
+all busy in here."
+
+There was an audible chuckle from without, the knob turned, Cherry
+screamed, and a gray-haired, shabby, old man stood smiling at them from
+the steps. Peace scarcely looked at him as she succeeded in freeing the
+panful of smoking, blackened rice from the cover, but that quick glance
+had told her the visitor was a tramp, and she snapped sharply, "I s'pose
+you want a bite to eat. Well, I don't see how you are going to get it
+here! I've just killed the cow, and the rice has burned up. Cherry, stop
+stirring that mess and take it off! Can't you see it's smoking like a
+_chimbly_?"
+
+The tramp strode across the room, grabbed the teakettle and poured the
+boiling water into the pan, over which Allee had mounted guard, and
+which fortunately was on the back of the stove so it had not yet arrived
+at the burning point. He caught up one other, dumped about half its
+contents into a clean saucepan on the hearth, saturated it with water,
+threw in some salt, and set it back on the stove, at the same time
+removing a third kettle of burning rice and carrying it out of doors.
+
+"There!" he said, entering the kitchen again. "All the rice isn't
+spoiled. Now we will open the windows and let out this smoke, and we are
+all right. How did you come to cook so much?"
+
+"We were hungry, and thought we could eat a lot--"
+
+"But rice swells--"
+
+"We have found that out for ourselves," said Peace, blushing furiously
+at his quizzical grin. "It's the first time we ever cooked it alone."
+
+"Where are the sisters?"
+
+"Gail and Faith are in the city, and Hope hasn't come home from Edwards'
+house yet."
+
+"And you are hungry? Well, now, that is too bad. I'll tell you what I
+will do. You show me where you keep things and I will get supper, if you
+will permit me to share it with you. Tramps have to work here, you
+know--"
+
+"Oh, Mr. Tramp! You are my tramp that broke the raw egg all over your
+potato, aren't you?" cried Peace with undisguised joy. "And you never
+stole that cake, did you?"
+
+"What cake, child?"
+
+"The one Faith was baking the morning you ate breakfast here 'bout a
+year ago."
+
+"I never stole a cake in my life,--or anything else."
+
+"There, I knew it! I told them so at the time. Was it--have you lost any
+money around here?"
+
+"Money?" he echoed, his face the picture of innocence, as he deftly set
+the table and beat up an omelette. "I should say not! Why?"
+
+"'Cause we found some on the gatepost the night you were here, and I
+thought maybe you had lost it. No, I didn't think so, either. Gail
+thought you might have lost it." Into his ears she poured the whole
+story of the long, hard year.
+
+"And so you thought,--or Gail thought I had lost the money you found on
+the gatepost! Well, don't you think it would be a funny tramp who would
+have all that money with him!"
+
+Peace's face fell, and she slowly admitted, "Yes, I s'pose it would, but
+I thought maybe you might be a story-book prince. Those things _always_
+happen in books. But Gail won't use the money, 'cause she says someone
+might come along and claim it some day. When mamma was a little girl
+there was a queer old man lived in her town that people called crazy. He
+used to give pretty things to the children and then months later he'd go
+around and c'llect them and give them to someone else. Maybe that's the
+kind of a man who leaves the money on the gatepost. It has happened
+twice there, and once in the barn. Gail says we can't tell, and 'twould
+be terrible embracing"--she meant embarrassing--"if he should try to
+c'llect after we had spent the money."
+
+"That's a fact," agreed the tramp, "but I think she could spend the
+money without any such fears, because I think the fairies brought it."
+
+"Do you b'lieve in fairies?" cried Peace in shocked surprise.
+
+"Oh, yes, and I always shall. I don't think the fairies fly around like
+butterflies, the way they are pictured in books. I believe they live in
+the hearts of men."
+
+"Then how could they bring money and pin it to the gatepost and grain
+sacks? They use sure-enough, every-day pins."
+
+"Oh, maybe they whisper to some good friend that a little extra money
+would make things easier at the brown house, or the green one, or the
+gray one, and this friend, who has lots of money to spare--"
+
+"That's just the way I thought it all out," interrupted Peace eagerly.
+"But Mr. Strong hasn't lots of spare money. He is a minister, and they
+never have enough for themselves. Besides, he crossed his heart that he
+didn't know who put it there. The Dunbars aren't rich. Miss Truesdale
+can't afford it. Even Mrs. Grinnell couldn't do it. Judge Abbott has
+lots of money, but folks have to work for what they get out of him, and
+old Skinflint is so stingy that he _borrows_ the city papers so's he
+won't have to buy them himself. Hec Abbott told me so. I can't think of
+a single soul who would give us the money."
+
+"Maybe this is a friend whom you don't know."
+
+"That's it, I guess. But I'd _like_ awfully well to know them, and
+'specially whether we can really use the money for ourselves. Now that
+Bossy is gone, I don't know what we are going to do for milk. Mr. Jones
+paid fifteen dollars for her, but that won't buy a whole new one."
+
+"I think I know where you can get a fine cow for fifteen dollars. If you
+will give me the money I will call around by the place and have the man
+bring it to you the first thing in the morning. It is quite a piece from
+here, and maybe he wouldn't sell it to _you_ for that price, but I know
+he would to _me_."
+
+Peace sat lost in thought, a bit of bread poised half way to her mouth.
+
+"Is it a good cow?" asked Allee, timidly.
+
+"The very best."
+
+"Gentle, like Bossy?" Cherry questioned.
+
+"Gentle as a lamb."
+
+"Does she give four gallons of milk a day?" Peace interrupted.
+
+"More, sometimes."
+
+"Is she pretty?"
+
+"Handsome as a picture."
+
+"Does she give good milk, with lots of cream? We make our own butter,
+you know."
+
+"She's a splendid butter cow."
+
+"Has she got brown eyes, like mine, and a curly tail, and two good
+horns--not too sharp? Will she eat sugar out of your hand and not drive
+folks out of the stall when they try to pet her?"
+
+"She is the finest cow I ever saw--"
+
+"Then it's funny the man will sell her for; fifteen dollars," declared
+Peace, with sudden suspicion, studying the old man opposite her, but
+seeing only a sandy, untrimmed beard, a strong, honest face, with square
+jaws, and a pair of the kindest eyes she had ever looked into.
+
+"Not at all," said the man, chuckling to himself at the trap she had
+laid for him. "He wants to get rid of his herd, but doesn't need the
+money; though, of course, he wouldn't care to give the cows away."
+
+"Well," hesitated the brown-eyed girl, "I guess--I will have you order
+the cow for us. Gail won't feel so bad about losing Bossy if we can get
+another just as good. Here is the money. Do you have to go so soon? I
+would like to have you stay until the girls get here. Now, don't you
+forget about the cow!"
+
+"She will be here early tomorrow morning. Good-night, and many thanks
+for the supper." Out into the spring night walked the tramp, with the
+precious fifteen dollars in his pocket, and again the three children
+took up their vigil at the window, watching for the sisters from town.
+
+When at last Gail and Faith reached home, expecting to be met by tears
+and reproaches from three hungry maids, they were surprised to find
+supper spread on the table awaiting their coming, and to hear a strange
+tale of mishap and adventure that would have done credit to the age of
+Mother Goose or Robinson Crusoe.
+
+"Doesn't that sound like a fairy prince?" asked Peace, when the recital
+was ended. "But he says he isn't one."
+
+"I should say it sounded like a plain robber story," said Faith
+bitterly, while Gail sat white-faced and silent with despair. "What did
+you give him that money for! It's the last we will ever see of it. You
+are worse than _Jack and the Bean-Stalk_. You haven't even a handful of
+bean blossoms to show."
+
+"I've got a curl from Bossy's tail," said Peace indignantly, and then
+burst into tears, unable to bear the sight of Gail's drawn face any
+longer.
+
+"Yes, and a robber on our trail. Supposing he comes tonight for the rest
+of the money you told him about. No, Cherry, I don't want any supper.
+Come and help me bolt the windows and fix things for the night. I wish
+Hope was here now."
+
+The supper remained untouched, the dishes were cleared away in silence,
+and as soon as Hope arrived the unhappy little household climbed
+wearily, fearfully upstairs to bed, where Peace sobbed herself to sleep,
+with faithful Allee's arms about her neck. But no robber came to disturb
+the brown house and at length even Gail and Faith drifted away to
+slumberland, in spite of this added trouble.
+
+In the dusk of early morning, while the world was still asleep, a heavy
+wagon drew up at the gate of the Greenfield cottage, unloaded its
+precious burden and drove rapidly away again; while Peace, in her
+restless tossing, dreamed that a gentle, brown-eyed cow stood in Bossy's
+stall, lowing for some breakfast. She awoke with a start, to hear a
+familiar, persistent mooing, and the tinkle of a bell in the barnyard,
+and, leaping out of bed, she rushed to the window with wildly beating
+heart. There in the yard, tied to the old watering-trough, stood a
+plump, pretty Jersey cow! Peace rubbed her eyes, pinched her arm to
+make sure she was not still dreaming, and then startled the whole house
+awake with a whoop of joy: "She has come, she has come! The cow has
+come! My tramp isn't a robber or a beanstalk at all!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI
+
+GARDENS AND GOPHERS
+
+
+"Have you got any more corn or potatoes to drop, or onion sets to cover,
+or radishes and beans and turnips to plant, or wheat or barley to
+scatter, or--or anything else to do?" Peace panted breathlessly one warm
+Saturday afternoon late in May.
+
+"No," smiled Gail, looking tenderly down into the flushed, perspiring
+face. "You girls have worked faithfully all day, and now you can rest
+awhile. Mike is coming next week to finish the planting."
+
+"Can--may we fix our own gardens, then? Mr. Kennedy gave me a whole lot
+of seed the gove'nment sent him to plant, but he can't, 'cause he's
+going to Alaska."
+
+"Government seed! What kinds?"
+
+"Cucumbers and beets, and parsley and carrots and--"
+
+"But, child, we have all of those in our big garden now. I thought you
+wanted your little plot of ground for flowers?"
+
+"I do. One of these packages is sweet peas."
+
+"Oh, dearie, I guess you have made a mistake. Mr. Kennedy wouldn't have
+any use for sweet pea seed."
+
+"Hope said that was the name on the package."
+
+"Well, then I suppose they are, though I never heard tell of the
+Kennedys raising flowers before. Sweet peas ought to be planted along a
+fence. We will have Mike dig a little trench just inside the front yard
+fence, and plant the peas there."
+
+Peace's face fell, but she offered no objections to the plan, and Gail
+straightway forgot all about it. Not so with the enthusiastic, youthful
+planter, however; and, while the older sister was bustling about the hot
+kitchen, the curly, brown head was bobbing energetically back and forth
+in the front yard, where she and Cherry were digging a trench as fast as
+they could turn the sod with an old broken spade and a discarded
+fire-shovel; while Allee followed in their wake, dropping the seed into
+the freshly-turned earth and carefully covering them again.
+
+"Mercy, but this yard is big!" sighed weary Peace, as she began digging
+along the third and last side. "Have you got enough left to stick in
+here, Allee?"
+
+"This is all," answered the blue-eyed toiler, displaying a handful of
+flat, black seed in her apron.
+
+"Those don't look like peas," cried Cherry, pausing to examine the
+queer-looking things. "All I ever saw were round."
+
+"Garden peas _are_ round," answered Peace, with a knowing air, "but
+these are sweet peas, and they are flat."
+
+"Did you ever see any before?" demanded Cherry suspiciously, nettled by
+her sister's manner.
+
+"No--o, but doesn't the sack they were in say 'sweet peas?'"
+
+It certainly did, there was no disputing that fact, so Cherry discreetly
+remained silent, and began her vigorous shoveling once more.
+
+When the supper hour was announced the shallow, uneven trench was
+completed, the seeds all covered, and three dirty gardeners perched in a
+row on the fence, planning out the list of customers who would buy the
+sweet blossoms when the vines had matured.
+
+"There's the horn for supper," said Cherry.
+
+"And I know Mrs. Lacy will be glad to get them sometimes, 'cause she
+hasn't any flowers at all," continued Peace, ignoring the interruption.
+"That makes ten people."
+
+"Well, hurry up! I am hungry, and we'll have to wash before Gail will
+give us anything to eat," cried the tallest girl impatiently. "I'll race
+you to the pump."
+
+"You are late," Hope greeted them, when, after a noisy splashing and
+hasty wiping of faces, they entered the room. "Doesn't Allee's face look
+funny with that black streak around it where she didn't hit the dirt?
+What have you been doing to get so warm?"
+
+"Planting sweet peas," answered Allee.
+
+"Oh, Peace! After I said we would have Mike dig a trench by the fence!"
+
+"You didn't say we _couldn't_ plant them, Gail. We dug it so's to save
+Mike the trouble. Anyway, the seeds ought to be in the ground by this
+time if they are ever going to blossom this year, and Mike is so slow.
+We thought it was best not to wait. When do you s'pose they will come
+up?"
+
+"Oh, in about two or three weeks, maybe," Gail answered. "You better rub
+your arms well with liniment before you go to bed tonight, or you will
+be so lame tomorrow you can't move."
+
+The incident was closed, and the sweet peas forgotten until one day
+about three weeks later Hope called excitedly from the front yard,
+"Gail, Gail, come here! What ever are these plants coming up all along
+the fence? They are not sweet peas."
+
+Gail came, examined the fat sprouts and looked at Hope in comical
+dismay. "They are pumpkins or cucumbers or melons, and the whole front
+fence is lined with them!"
+
+"Poor Peace!" said Hope, when their laugh had ended. "She will be
+heartbroken. She made her fortune a dozen times over on the blossoms
+those vines are to bear."
+
+"Yes," sighed Gail. "She has the happy faculty of trying to do one thing
+and getting some unexpected, unheard-of result. Poor little blunderbus!
+But what shall we do with these plants? There are enough to stock a
+ranch. We can't leave them here, and I don't think they will bear
+transplanting."
+
+"And so they ain't sweet peas at all!" exclaimed a disappointed voice
+behind them, and there stood Peace herself, contemplating her treasures
+with solemn eyes.
+
+"No, dear, they are pumpkins, I guess. What kind of seed did you plant?"
+
+"I planted sweet pea seed," came the mournful reply. "Leastways the sack
+said so. Hope read it herself."
+
+"Yes, the sack was labelled plainly, but I never thought to examine the
+seed. What did they look like?"
+
+"They were black and flat."
+
+"Melons," said Gail. "Well, I would rather have melons than pumpkins,
+for we already have planted a lot of them. Still, it will spoil these to
+transplant them, so they might just as well have been pumpkins. It is a
+shame to have to throw them all away, though."
+
+Peace said nothing, but in bitterness of heart helped pull up all the
+green sprouts and throw them over the fence. Then she sat down beside
+the heap to mourn over her fallen aircastles.
+
+"Seems 's if I can't do anything like other folks," she sighed dismally.
+"I plant sweet peas and get melons. I wonder if melons wouldn't sell
+better than peas. Gail says these won't grow, but I am going to try them
+anyway."
+
+She filled her apron with the hapless plants and carried them away to
+her small garden plot behind the shed, where she patiently set out every
+one, regardless of the flower seeds already hid beneath the soil. And,
+strange to say, they grew,--at least many of them did, choking out the
+poppies and marigolds and balsams which finally climbed through the
+three inches of ground the zealous gardener had hid them under, and
+formed a thick tangle of promising vines.
+
+Then the gophers began their destructive work, tunnelling the little
+farm into a perfect labyrinth of underground passages, much to the
+dismay of the little household, so dependent upon the success of their
+crops. Traps were set, the holes were flooded, cats by the score were
+let loose in the fields, but still the little pests continued to dig, as
+if laughing at the futile attempts made to get rid of them. At length
+Gail sighed, "I am afraid we will have to resort to poisoned grain. I
+hate to, because I am so afraid the children will get into it, or
+something dreadful happen on account of it."
+
+"I don't see how either the youngsters or even the hens could get at it
+if it was put down the holes," said Faith. "Say nothing about it but fix
+up a mess and Hope and I will drop it some day when the children are
+away and the hens in their yard."
+
+So Gail mixed up a huge bucket full of poisoned grain, and while the
+younger trio were gathering flowers in the woods one afternoon, the
+other sisters sallied forth with their deadly bait, bent on
+exterminating their small foes.
+
+All might have gone well had not the smaller girls suddenly decided to
+play hare and hound, and it fell to Peace's lot to be the hare. With an
+apron full of gay dandelion blossoms for the trail, the active little
+body set out on a wide detour of the woods, across the bridge, up
+through the Hartman pasture land, reaching the barbed wire fence on
+their own little farm just in time to see Hope dropping a last handful
+of grain into a gopher hole before returning to the house with her empty
+pail.
+
+"Now what has she been doing?" thought Peace, peering out from a thicket
+of hazel bushes. "Oh, I know! I bet she is trying to poison the gophers,
+like Mr. Hartman did. I wonder if they will come up after the corn right
+away. I am going to watch. I'd like to see how it kills them."
+
+She carefully wriggled her way under the lower wire, and sat down in
+front of the nearest gopher mound, forgetting all about her dandelions,
+sisters, and play, in the prospect of witnessing the death of one of the
+enemy. But either Mr. Gopher was not at home, or else he suspected the
+presence of an unwelcome caller, for he did not come up in sight for
+even a nibble of the tempting corn; and at last, weary of her fruitless
+vigil, Peace cried aloud, "He prob'ly can get all he wants without
+letting me see him. I'm going to dig it all out on top, so he will
+_have_ to come out in sight."
+
+She quickly scratched the poisoned bait out of the runway, scattered it
+liberally about, and settled back in her former position, with her eyes
+glued on the mouth of the tunnel; but still Mr. Gopher did not come.
+
+"You tiresome old thing!" she exclaimed impatiently, after what seemed
+hours of waiting. "I shan't watch for you another minute. I'll find
+another hole and see if they will do any better there." So from mound to
+mound she scurried, digging the grain up into view, and then watching
+for the appearance of the tenant--with no result.
+
+"Well, of all provoking people!" cried an indignant voice behind her,
+and there were Cherry and Allee crawling under the fence. "How long have
+you been sitting there like a bump on a log? You didn't drop enough
+dandelions, and we had an awful time following you. What on earth are
+you doing here? Let's go up to the pump for a drink. I am nearly burned
+up." Without giving the weary Peace a chance to answer her questions,
+she raced away through the pasture toward the house, dragging Allee with
+her; and the third girl, after one last, hopeless glance at the gopher
+hole, followed more slowly.
+
+Some time later Hope came tearing across the field, with hair flying,
+and her eyes filled with alarm, calling shrilly, "Gail, Faith, the hens
+have broken out of the yard and are eating the poisoned grain! There are
+more than a dozen down there now!"
+
+"Oh, dear," cried Peace, with guilty conscience, "I scratched the corn
+out of the holes so's I could watch the gophers die. And I let the hens
+out, too, 'cause they looked so hot shut up in that mite of a yard after
+they have been running loose for so long."
+
+With despairing eyes, Gail looked down at the dying fowls, and not
+daring to trust herself to speak, she hurried away to the house to sob
+out her grief alone.
+
+Faith paused long enough to count the hapless hens, clutched the
+wretched culprit and shook her vigorously, then silently followed her
+older sister, leaving the heartbroken child alone with the victims of
+her curiosity.
+
+"Did you ever see my equal?" she said aloud, addressing herself. "You
+are the worst child that ever lived! You wash the labels off the spice
+boxes so Faith gets ginger instead of mustard in her salad dressing; you
+try to milk cows and break their legs instead; you spoil cakes and steal
+eggs and bother Gail and Faith till they are nearly crazy; and now
+you've taken to killing hens just to see how gophers die. Peace
+Greenfield, aren't you ashamed of yourself? Yes, I am, but there's no
+use in wasting those perfectly good hens--twenty of them--we had only
+forty in all. It's a wonder the rest of them didn't get a dose, too.
+Hope has got them locked up at last. There comes Cherry; I'll make her
+help. Oh, Cherry, here's a job for you!"
+
+"What is it? And why are the girls crying? They wouldn't tell me."
+
+"I've killed a lot of hens for them, playing hare and hound. That's the
+very last time I will ever be hare, Charity Greenfield! Help me undress
+these chickens. We'll have some for supper, and the rest we'll peddle to
+the town folks."
+
+"Oh, Peace, I can't pull feathers! It makes me shiver every time a bunch
+comes out in my hands."
+
+"You will have to. You don't expect me to pick them all, do you? I guess
+the girls never thought of selling the hens, and I can't ask them to
+help now. We will get the ax and chop off their heads and then hang them
+in the crab-apple tree while we strip them. You really must help,
+Cherry. Gail says they pick better while they are warm."
+
+She hunted up the ax, and one by one hacked off poor biddies' heads; but
+when it came to the picking process, they found it was slow work for
+small, inexperienced fingers, and gave up in despair when the third nude
+body lay in the grass at their feet.
+
+"It is almost night, Peace, and we've picked three. What shall we do?
+'Twill take us hours to finish that whole bunch."
+
+"We'll sell them for as much as we can get, and see if the butcher won't
+take the rest with the feathers on. We can keep two or three for
+ourselves. Where is Allee's cart?"
+
+All that remained of the poison victims were loaded into the small
+wagon, and their strange pilgrimage through the village streets began.
+The picked fowls were readily disposed of, and one neighbor bought the
+largest of the feathered birds, but no one else wanted to bother with
+them, and it was only after much persuasion that the butcher consented
+to take six, at the fancy price of twenty-five cents each.
+
+"Well, that is better than nothing, though he wouldn't sell me one for
+that little last Christmas," sighed Peace, much disappointed at the
+result of their peddling. "Three dollars and fifty cents will buy quite
+a few chickens, and chickens make hens if you give them time. What do
+you s'pose Gail will say when we give her the money?"
+
+They were not long in finding out. The two red-eyed girls were busy in
+the kitchen when the children returned with the unsold hens in the
+wagon; and with fear and trembling, Peace laid the coins on the table,
+saying humbly, "Mrs. Munson took one, and Mrs. Bainbridge, and Mrs.
+Edwards and Mrs. Lacy, and the butcher bought six. That's all the hens
+we could sell. We left three here for supper and--"
+
+"Peace Greenfield!" shrieked the horrified sisters in unison. "Did you
+sell those poisoned hens? You march straight upstairs to bed--and
+Cherry, too!" Then Gail flew one way and Faith the other, to collect the
+birds before the buyers had a chance to dish up the delicacy to adored
+families.
+
+When they had seen the last fowl safely disposed of, and were home once
+more, Gail said despairingly, "I don't know what in the world to do with
+that child!"
+
+"She needs a good, sound thrashing," answered Faith sharply. "She gets
+into more mischief in a day than a monkey would in a month."
+
+"She doesn't mean to," pleaded Gail. "Mother never believed in whipping.
+If it were mischief for mischief's sake, I could punish her, but her
+intentions are good--"
+
+"Good intentions don't amount to much in her case. A good trouncing
+might make her think a little more."
+
+"I _can't_ whip her, Faith, but I'll go up and lecture her good. I
+believe that will be more effective than harshness."
+
+So the perplexed mother-sister mounted the stairs to the chamber above,
+from which sounded a low murmur of voices, and she paused in the hallway
+to assemble her thoughts, when Peace's words, evidently in supplication,
+floated out through the open door: "And, O Lord, don't blame Gail for
+getting mad. It's the first time I can remember. She is usu'ly very
+good. S'posing she was a stepmother, like lame Jennie Munn's, wouldn't
+we have a time living with her, though? And I am truly sorry about the
+hens. Hope says we can't get many eggs now, 'cause half of the flock is
+gone, and if we keep all our customers we will have to do without eggs
+here at home. I don't mind that at all myself, 'cause I've eaten eggs
+and eggs till it makes me sick to hunt them now; but what will Faith do
+for her cakes? That's what is worrying me. It was so we could buy more
+live hens that Cherry and me sold the dead ones. We didn't know they
+would make people sick, and p'r'aps kill them, too. I am sorry the money
+had to go back and that the hens are just wasted now, but I 'xpect
+they'll make an elegant funeral tomorrow. So forgive Gail and keep her
+from getting mad any more, and forgive me and keep me from being bad any
+more, and make us 'happy children in a happy home.' Amen."
+
+Softly, silently, Gail stole down the stairs again, with her lecture
+unsaid.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII
+
+THE RASPBERRY PATCH
+
+
+One hot, dusty afternoon in midsummer Faith trudged wearily up the road
+from the village, climbed the steps to the vine-covered piazza where
+Gail sat shelling peas, and dropped a handful of silver into her
+sister's lap, saying, "Three dollars clear from my cakes this week! Wish
+I could make that much every time. Mrs. Dunbar was perfectly delighted
+with my jelly roll, and has ordered another for next Saturday."
+
+"Isn't that fine!" smiled Gail. "You will have a bakery of your own some
+day if you keep on. I thought she would like the roll; it was the best I
+ever tasted."
+
+"I think I could find quite a few customers for them if I only had the
+jelly, but it costs so much to buy it, and all we have is that little
+bit of apple jelly you made last summer."
+
+"The crab-apple trees are loaded with mites of green apples,"
+volunteered Cherry from the lower step, where she was making
+cats-cradles with Allee.
+
+"Yes, but they won't be ripe for weeks yet; and, besides, a sour jelly
+is best for jelly rolls."
+
+"Do blackberries make sour jelly?" asked Peace, pausing in her
+occupation of fitting paper sails to the empty pods Gail had dropped.
+"Cause the creek road is just lined with bushes."
+
+"They are better than crab-apples, but it will be days before they are
+ripe enough for use. I had thought of them, and investigated the bushes
+only yesterday. Mrs. Grinnell says raspberries are best for the
+purpose."
+
+"Lots of people around here have raspberries," said Peace.
+
+"And they want money for them, too."
+
+"Mr. Hardman doesn't pay any 'tention to his down in the pasture. I've
+helped myself there lots of times."
+
+"But his wife does. I saw her there this morning."
+
+Peace said no more, but, waiting until she saw their neighbor bring up
+his cows to be milked, she slipped through the fence onto his land and
+accosted him with the abrupt question, "How much will you take for the
+rest of your raspberries?"
+
+"What?"
+
+She repeated her inquiry, and after scratching his head meditatively, he
+exclaimed, as if to himself, "Another money-making scheme! If she don't
+beat the Dutch!"
+
+"This is a jelly-making scheme," returned Peace, with comical dignity.
+"There is no money in it."
+
+"Oh! Well, don't you know that raspberries are expensive?"
+
+"Most people's are, but you never paid any 'tention to yours, so I
+thought you would be glad to get rid of them for little or nothing."
+
+"Oho!" he teased. "Begging again!"
+
+"I'm not!" Peace denied hotly. "I'll pay for them if you don't charge
+too high."
+
+"How much will you pay?"
+
+"I haven't any money, but I'll pick on shares."
+
+"Share and share alike?"
+
+"Yes; I'll keep half for my trouble, and you will get half for no
+trouble."
+
+Her method of figuring always amused him, and now he laughed outright,
+"Seems to me I am entitled to them all. They are my berries, you know."
+
+"Well," stormed Peace, "if that's the way you look at it, you can pick
+'em, too!"
+
+"Aw, don't get mad," he said soothingly. "I was just teasing. Of course
+you can pick all the raspberries you want. My wife said just this
+morning that the bushes were loaded, and she couldn't begin to handle
+them all herself. But--say--that reminds me--I've rented the pasture to
+old Skinner, and he's put his bull in there. You will have to watch your
+chance when the old critter is out, to pick your berries."
+
+"All right," cried Peace, expressing her elation by hopping about on one
+foot. "It's awfully nice of you to give us the berries you don't care
+to pick yourself, and we will see that the bull doesn't bother."
+
+She was half way across the field by the time she had finished speaking,
+eager to tell the good news to the girls; and before the dew was dry on
+the grass the next morning, three sunbonneted figures scampered down the
+road to Mr. Hartman's lower pasture, armed with big pails and Allee's
+red wagon, intent on picking all the berries they could for Faith's
+jelly.
+
+"We'll have to leave Allee's cart outside the fence," said Peace,
+climbing the high rails with astonishing agility and dropping nimbly
+down on the other side. "Do you see the Skinflint's bull anywhere?"
+
+"No," answered Cherry, taking a careful survey of the field from her
+perch on the top rail. "There isn't a thing stirring."
+
+"Then maybe we can pick all we want before the deacon brings him down.
+Hurry, and keep a sharp lookout for the old beast. My, but these bushes
+are stickery!"
+
+"I should say they are," Cherry agreed, ruefully eyeing her bleeding
+hands. "I don't believe it is going to be any fun picking raspberries.
+They are lots worse than blackberries."
+
+"S'posing we had been the prince who crawled through the hedge to wake
+Sleeping Beauty. I bet he got good and scratched up, but he kept right
+on and fin'ly kissed the princess awake."
+
+"There ain't any princess in these bushes," grumbled Cherry, pausing to
+suck a wounded thumb.
+
+"No, but there are _berries_, and they are more important than
+princesses. We couldn't make jelly out of a princess, but we can
+out--Mercy, what was that noise?"
+
+"It's the bull! Run, run! There it comes down the hill!" shrieked
+Cherry, standing as if rooted to the spot, and staring with horror at
+the angry animal tearing across the pasture toward them.
+
+"Run yourself, you ninny!" screamed Peace, giving the older girl a push,
+and then scrambling for the fence with Allee dragging by one arm behind
+her.
+
+There was no time to climb over, and the lower rail was too close to the
+ground for them to crawl under, but Peace did not linger to discuss the
+question. Grabbing the frightened baby by the heels, she thrust her
+between the slats, and gave her a shove that pitched her head first into
+a stagnant mudhole just outside the fence. Then pausing only long enough
+to see that Cherry was safely through, she followed, still clutching her
+now empty pail, and landing beside Allee in the mud.
+
+"Whew! What a smell!" she spluttered, righting herself and trying to dig
+her sister out of the pool. "And all on account of that miserable,
+cowardly bull! Why don't you take someone your own size to fight?" She
+shook her fist defiantly at the pawing, bellowing brute by the fence,
+and not satisfied with that method of expressing her anger, she flung
+the empty bucket at his head, crying in frenzy, "Take that, you old
+sinner! It b'longs to the berries you've already got."
+
+Her aim was truer than she had anticipated, and the pail fell with a
+rattling clatter over the beast's ugly-looking horns, frightening him so
+that for a brief moment he stood perfectly still. Then, with a snort of
+fear and fury, he set off across the field at a mad gallop, with the
+bucket still tossing on his head.
+
+Peace glared angrily after the retreating enemy, too indignant over her
+loss to think of their peril until Cherry quavered, "Hadn't we better
+run while we have a chance? Suppose he should batter the fence down."
+
+"No danger," Peace muttered shortly; but she picked herself up from the
+ground, where she was trying to scrape the ill-smelling mud off her
+shoes, and marched majestically up the road, trundling the cart behind
+her.
+
+"Where are you going?" cried Cherry, when they reached the first cross
+street. "Here's where we turn."
+
+"Turn, then! I'm going on to old Skinflint's house and tell him to keep
+that ugly bull out of Hartman's pasture until we get those raspberries
+picked."
+
+"With that nasty mud all over you?"
+
+"Mud and all," was the stubborn answer, and from force of habit, Cherry
+fell into step beside her again, tramping along in silence until the
+Skinner place was reached.
+
+It just happened that the old man himself was hurrying up the path from
+the barn as they approached, and Peace stopped him with an imperious
+wave of her hand, speaking straight to the point before he could even
+ask her what she wanted.
+
+"Your bull won't let us pick raspberries in the lower pasture. Mr.
+Hartman said we might, but just when we got our pails 'most full, that
+old thing had to come along and bunt at us. We skipped, but he made us
+lose all our berries. We'd like to have you tie him up or take him out
+until we can get those berries picked."
+
+The grouchy old fellow stood with open mouth, glaring at the
+mud-bespattered figures, as if he doubted his senses, and as Peace
+finished her speech, he laughed mirthlessly, screeching in his harsh,
+cracked, rasping voice, "I put that bull in pasture myself, and there he
+stays! I don't do any tying up, either. I rented that field and it's the
+same as mine for as long as I hire it. You can't have them berries at
+all. They are mine."
+
+"Mr. Hartman said we could have them," Peace insisted; "and I guess he
+wouldn't give away what didn't b'long to him. He may have rented the
+pasture to you, but he never rented the berries."
+
+Suddenly the old man changed tactics. "You can have all the berries you
+can get," he taunted, shaking a warning finger in their faces, "but that
+bull stays right there in that field!"
+
+"All right, old Skinflint!" roared Peace, forgetting everything else in
+her furious passion, and shaking an emphatic finger back at him. "Just
+'member that, will you? We'll get the berries in spite of your old
+_animule_!"
+
+She stamped out of the yard and down the road toward home once more,
+nursing her wrath and trying to think of some way whereby she might get
+the disputed fruit, for she well knew that the deacon would do all he
+could to prevent her now.
+
+Early the next morning she was at the pasture again, only to find the
+vicious enemy grazing close by, watching with wicked eyes every flirt of
+her dress, as if defying her to gather the luscious red berries hanging
+so temptingly near.
+
+The second day it was the same, and the third. It looked as if the enemy
+had conquered; but Peace was not to be easily defeated. She had set her
+heart on picking that fruit, and she meant to have it at any cost.
+
+The fourth morning, after reconnoitering and finding the bull still in
+undisputed possession of the field, an uncertain but daring thought
+dawned upon her busy brain, and when she returned home she casually
+asked Hope, "Didn't folks one time have bull fights in Africa?"
+
+"In Spain, you mean," answered the other, always ready to share her
+small store of knowledge. "Yes, they still have them, though it is very
+wicked."
+
+"How do they fight?"
+
+"Oh, I don't know exactly, but I think a man rides around a big ring on
+horseback, flying a red flag until the bull is terribly mad, and then he
+has to kill it with his dagger or get killed himself. It is terribly
+cruel, teacher says."
+
+"Why does the bull get mad at the flag?"
+
+"Because it is red, and they can't stand that color. Neither can turkey
+gobblers. Don't you remember you had on a red coat when Mr. Hartman's
+gobbler chased you?"
+
+"Oh," said Peace, much enlightened. She had received the information she
+sought, and was content.
+
+"So the flag has to be red, does it?" she mused, as she stealthily
+climbed the stairs to the tiny, hot, cobwebby attic, where all the
+cast-off clothing was stored against a rainy day. "I thought it was
+something like that, but I didn't know for sure. There's an old red
+dress that b'longed to me, and here is my old flannel petticoat. I don't
+b'lieve we will ever use this mess of cheesecloth again, either; it is
+so dreadfully streaked. But there is enough red in it yet."
+
+Gathering up an armful of worn-out garments, she crept down the stairway
+once more and slipped away to the lower pasture with her burden, where
+for the next half hour she might have been seen tying the scarlet strips
+to the fence rails in the corner farthest from the raspberry patch. When
+the last rag was fastened securely, she stepped back and viewed the
+result of her labor, sighing in deep satisfaction, "There are twenty-one
+hunks in all. It ought to take him a good long time to tear them all to
+pieces, and maybe if we work fast we can get most of the bushes stripped
+while he is banging his head down here."
+
+Hurrying home, she quietly summoned Cherry and Allee, and the trio set
+out once more on their berry-picking excursion, finding their enemy too
+busy in the far end of the field to interfere with them, just as Peace
+had hoped.
+
+"But he may come back here at any minute," argued Cherry, loth to enter
+the field. "I thought you said he was gone from the pasture."
+
+"I said from the _berries_. Don't stop to talk. As long as he doesn't
+hear us, we are all right. We will pick close to the fence, so we can
+get out quick. There must be _tons_ of berries right here in this clump.
+Mercy, what a racket he makes!"
+
+Then how the nimble fingers flew, and how fast the deep-tinted fruit
+fell into the shining pails! But all the while the three pickers kept
+their eyes fastened on the grove of trees which hid the animal from
+sight, and three hearts pounded fearfully at every snort of the enraged
+brute.
+
+"Are you sure he is tied?" whispered cautious Cherry, after an unusually
+loud bellow had made her jump almost out of her shoes.
+
+"I didn't say he was tied. I said he wasn't apt to bother us this
+morning. Keep still and pick with all your might. One of the big pails
+in the wagon is full already."
+
+"But how do you know he will stay there if he isn't tied?" persisted
+Cherry, glancing apprehensively toward the trees again.
+
+"He is too busy to think of coming over here now," Peace assured her
+confidently, and that was all the satisfaction she could get, so she
+lapsed into silence, and worked like a beaver until the second big
+bucket was brimming over. Then the small taskmaster drew a deep breath
+of relief and said graciously, "Now we will go home. These ought to make
+quite a little jelly. We must have as much as twenty quarts. They don't
+take as long as strawberries."
+
+Thankfully the sisters crawled through the fence and triumphantly bore
+their precious burden homeward, still hearing in the distance the angry
+mutterings of Deacon Skinner's bull.
+
+"Just see the loads of berries we picked!" chorused three happy voices,
+as the rattling cart came to a standstill before the kitchen door.
+
+"Faith can have all the jelly she wants, and you can make the leftover
+seeds up in jam, can't you?"
+
+"Children!" cried Gail, white to the lips. "Have you been in that
+pasture with Mr. Skinner's ugly bull?"
+
+"Yes," they confessed, "but he never came near us."
+
+"I guess he didn't want to leave the grove," added Peace, marching
+complacently away to wash her berry-stained hands.
+
+"Don't you ever go there again," commanded the oldest sister, still
+trembling with fright at what might have happened to the daring berry
+pickers, but she never thought to question them any further, and Peace's
+prank remained a secret for a short time longer.
+
+The next day Deacon Skinner was early at the Hartman place, stalking
+angrily up to the low, green house, and, striding into the kitchen
+without the formality of knocking, demanded fiercely, "What do you mean
+by plastering your fence all over with red rags? Your pasture fence?
+I'll sue you for damages! My bull has lost one horn and is all battered
+to pieces, the rails are splintered, and it's a wonder he didn't get
+loose. Is that what you aimed at doing?"
+
+Mr. Hartman faced his accuser unflinchingly, saying, with quiet
+emphasis, "I don't know anything about the matter. The fence was all
+right yesterday morning, for I was down there myself to see, before I
+left for town. You don't know what you are saying when you threaten to
+sue."
+
+"But the fence is all tied up with red rags," blustered the angry
+fellow. "How comes that? You rented me the--"
+
+"I rented you the pasture, but I didn't rent you watch dogs and dragons
+to guard it. That is your own lookout. I had nothing to do with it, and
+it's no affair of mine if the village boys are up to their pranks."
+
+Mr. Hartman's air was convincing, and the deacon's wrath toward his
+neighbor cooled somewhat when he saw how groundless were his
+accusations. Nevertheless, his ire was thoroughly aroused, and he
+promised all sorts of punishment to the offenders when they were caught.
+"If 'twas the village boys, I'll warrant the Judge's youngster was at
+the head of it. I'll tan him till he can't stand when I get my hands on
+him," he muttered.
+
+"You better make sure of the guilty one before you thrash him,"
+suggested Mr. Hartman, dryly.
+
+"That Abbott boy and the Greenfield girl are the ringleaders in all the
+mischief--by George, she's the one that did it! She vowed she'd get
+those berries, bull or no bull. If she has touched those bushes, I'll--"
+
+"No, you won't," interrupted the other man, rising to his feet with an
+angry light in his eyes. "If that child went to you and asked about
+those bushes, you don't lay hands on her in any way."
+
+"She didn't ask. She came and told me to tie up the animal so she could
+pick raspberries."
+
+"And you refused."
+
+"I rented that field, and you had no business to promise her the
+berries."
+
+"If you wanted them, why didn't you say so? They were going to waste on
+the vines. You merely asked permission to put your animal in there for a
+month while you were repairing your corral."
+
+"I didn't want the berries, but--"
+
+"That is all I care to know. You can take your property out of my
+pasture at once. I won't rent to such a man as you. Sue if you like, and
+see what you will get in court."
+
+"Very well, Hartman," fumed the fiery-tempered old fellow. "But I will
+settle even with you yet. Just remember that note of Lowe's, will you?
+It's apt to be called to your attention pretty soon in a way you won't
+like, I reckon, and you won't get a second's more time on it, either.
+You will find it ain't so funny to set up against _me_ in this
+neighborhood!"
+
+The irate man stormed out of the house, still shaking his fist
+threateningly, and Mr. Hartman, in a very disturbed state of mind,
+returned to his breakfast.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII
+
+PEACE GETS EVEN
+
+
+"Peace, come here, I want to talk with you," called Mr. Hartman, leaning
+over the fence and beckoning to the child at work in her melon patch,
+measuring the mottled green fruit thickly dotted through the vines.
+
+"It's grown two inches since I measured it last," said the brown-eyed
+gardener to herself, leaving her task to see what the man wanted. "Here
+I am."
+
+"Do you know what kind of a mess you have got me into now?"
+
+Peace looked her surprise, and answered saucily, "You don't fool me any
+more, my friend. You've teased me so often that it is an old story now.
+I know just what to 'xpect when I meet you."
+
+At any other time he would have been delighted with this reply, but
+under the circumstances--for he was really much disturbed over her
+latest prank--her jaunty, don't-care air nettled him, and he said
+sharply, "_This_ is no joking matter, Miss Greenfield, I can tell you
+that! Why did you tie red rags all over my pasture fence?"
+
+"So's to keep the deacon's bull busy. We couldn't get those berries any
+other way."
+
+"Well, I guess you succeeded. He broke one horn off and pretty near
+skinned himself, I judge. The only wonder is that he didn't tear the
+fence down and get loose."
+
+"As long as he didn't, I shouldn't care about his horns," answered Peace
+with provoking indifference. "The deacon said I could have all the
+berries I could get, and he didn't say how I was to get them, either. I
+thought and thought, and I couldn't see any way out but the red flags.
+It worked beau--ti--fully. We got two buckets chock-full!"
+
+"Yes," groaned Mr. Hartman; "and got old Skinner red hot at me! I signed
+a note a year or two ago for a friend of mine, expecting by this time
+that he would be on his feet and able to take care of it, but he isn't,
+and I've got to settle. Where the money is coming from is more than I
+can tell. It took all my ready cash to build that new barn, and old
+Skinner is so blamed mad that he won't give me any more time. And all
+this fuss on account of those berries. Plague take the old bushes, and
+you, too, you little rascal!"
+
+Peace drew herself up haughtily and with eyes flashing fire, demanded,
+"Do you mean that?"
+
+"Every word. I'd just like the chance to give you a good trouncing."
+
+He was not in earnest, but he looked so harsh and stern that Peace for
+a moment trembled in her shoes. Then all her natural childish passion
+was aroused, and stamping her foot, she declared wrathfully, "I'll not
+be friends with you any longer. You said I could have the berries, and
+the deacon said I could have all I could get. You aren't being square
+with me, and I won't have anything more to do with you." She turned on
+her heel and flung herself indignantly across the garden to the road,
+leaving Mr. Hartman still leaning against the fence, lost in thought.
+
+The forest was her favorite retreat in times of trouble, but today the
+cool shadows and whispering trees did not soothe her, and after
+wandering about until the afternoon began to wane, she started for home,
+still wrathful and passionate, for she felt that Mr. Hartman had been
+very unfair in his treatment of her.
+
+While she was still some distance from the little brown house, a
+carriage drove up to their gate, and stopped, but she did not recognize
+the rig, nor could she make out who had alighted; and for the time
+being, her rage was lost in her greater curiosity. "Wonder who it can
+be," she said to herself. "It isn't the doctor's horse, nor the Judge's
+buggy, and that woman is too little for Mrs. Lacy or Mrs. Edwards. She's
+got a big bundle. Maybe it's the Salvation Army bringing us some old
+duds like they did the German family last week. But s'posing it was some
+rich aunt or grandmother we didn't know we had. It's awfully hard not to
+have any relations like other folks. I am going through old
+Cross-Patch's cornfield, 'stead of running clear around by the road."
+
+She crawled between the strands of barbed wire and ran swiftly down the
+rows of rustling, whispering, silken corn, thinking only of the
+unexpected visitors at home, until a big barn loomed up before her,
+shining in its newness. Then she stopped abruptly, having suddenly
+remembered her grievance.
+
+"He _isn't_ square!" she cried. "I'd like to fight him good. I'll get
+even with you some day, Mr. Hardman! Bet he's going to paint his old
+barn. Here is a whole ocean of red paint in this pail, and there is a
+stack of brushes. I--I'm going--to tell--him what I think of him in red
+paint. Yes, sir, I'm going to do it this very minute!"
+
+All thought of the mysterious visitor at home had vanished, all thought
+of the consequences were stifled, and choosing the smallest brush in the
+heap beside the pail, she began daubing scrawly, tipsy letters across
+the new, white boards: _Mister Hardman isnt square_.
+
+"There!" she breathed, as the last straggling "r" was finished. "I'll
+bet that makes him mad, but maybe next time he won't blame me for his
+old fusses. He _said_ I could have those raspberries."
+
+She dipped the brush into the paint once more, made a few little red
+spots below the printed letters, and labelled them _raspberries_ for
+fear they might not otherwise be recognized. Then dropping the brush
+back where she had found it, she skipped off home, feeling an
+uncomfortable sense of guilt and shame in her heart for having wreaked
+her revenge in such a manner.
+
+At the gate Allee met her, shouting, "Mrs. Strong is here with the baby,
+and she's going to stay for supper. Elva Munson brought her in their new
+buggy. Come see Glen. We've hunted all over for you, and even blew the
+horn."
+
+The excited child danced up the path, and Peace followed, forgetting her
+mean prank in her pleasure at seeing her beloved friends. Nor did she
+remember any more about it until the next morning, when, seated on the
+shed-roof, under the overhanging boughs of a great elm, she saw Mr.
+Hartman striding angrily up the path to the kitchen door. Then her heart
+gave a great thump and seemed to sink clear to her toes, as she thought
+of her miserable method of getting even. Her passion had subsided during
+the night, and try as she would, she could now think of no justifiable
+excuse for her mean act.
+
+Gail answered the imperative knock, and Peace heard him demand
+wrathfully, "Where is Peace?"
+
+"Somewhere around the place. She was under the maple there at the
+corner a few moments ago. Is something wrong? Has she been annoying you
+again?"
+
+"Annoying me? She has daubed letters all over the back of my new barn. I
+shall have to paint the whole building now, and it isn't very funny
+business. If I had got hold of her when I first saw her work, I'd have
+given her a thrashing she wouldn't have forgotten in one while. You will
+whip that child like she deserves, or pay for the damage she has
+done,--one or the other, and I mean it, too!" Without waiting for her
+reply, he started down the path again, leaving Gail white-faced and
+distressed in the kitchen door.
+
+As soon as he was out of sight Peace slid from her perch to the ground
+below, deserting the corncob doll she had been dressing, and scurried
+away to the barn loft to face the new and undreamed-of situation. A
+licking or pay for the damage done! Why had she been so thoughtless and
+mean? She might have known that Gail would be the one to suffer. She
+hated herself, as she always did after her mischievous pranks, but that
+didn't help matters any. She must take her medicine. There was no money
+to settle for her wanton mischief; it would have to be the licking.
+
+"I wonder whether she'll use a shingle or her shoe," she thought
+nervously, making ready to descend and brave Gail's displeasure, when
+Cherry's head appeared on the ladder, and the older girl announced
+excitedly, "Now you've done it, Peace Greenfield! Mr. Hartman is as mad
+as a hornet about your painting his barn, and he says Gail must either
+whip you hard, or pay for it. There isn't any money to pay--"
+
+"Then I s'pose I'll have to take the licking," answered Peace with a
+great show of indifference, though the pounding of her heart nearly
+stifled her.
+
+"But Gail says she can't lick you, and even Faith has backed out, though
+at first she said she would give it to you good."
+
+Here was an unlooked-for state of affairs--no money, and no one willing
+to use the rod, though she undoubtedly deserved it.
+
+"What are you going to do about it?" asked Cherry curiously.
+
+"Lick myself likely," retorted Peace sarcastically. "You better lug
+those eggs up to the doctor's. I've d'livered my bunch."
+
+Cherry vanished as quickly as she had come, and as the sound of her
+footsteps died away in the distance, Peace slid down the ladder. But
+instead of going to the house for an interview with Gail, she slipped
+through the garden, crawled under the fence, and presented herself at
+the door of the new barn where Mr. Hartman, still in a blaze of anger,
+was at work.
+
+"What do you want here, you tormented rascal?" he yelled in fury,
+shaking a hazel switch threateningly at her.
+
+"I came to get licked," she answered steadily, though quaking inwardly.
+
+"Wh-at?" he gasped in unbelieving amazement.
+
+"I heard what you said to Gail about paying or licking me, and she
+hasn't got any money to pay for my meanness, and she says--she says she
+can't whip me; so I've come to you for it."
+
+She really did not expect him to punish her in that manner, for
+ordinarily he was not a hard-hearted man; but in view of Peace's
+misdemeanor, Gail's hesitation angered him only the more, and catching
+the child by her shoulder, he gave her a dozen sharp, stinging lashes
+with his switch, then released her, thoroughly ashamed of himself.
+
+He expected her to cry and scream, but she bit her lips, blinked her
+brown eyes rapidly to keep the tears back, and stood like a statue until
+he dropped his stick. Then choking back the sobs in her throat, she
+faced him with the curt demand, "Give me a receipt, please."
+
+"A--a what?"
+
+"A receipt. Gail says we should never settle a bill without getting a
+receipt."
+
+"What do you want of a receipt?"
+
+"So's I can show Gail that this bill is settled."
+
+"Aha!" he mocked. "You are afraid Gail will repent and give you another
+thrashing, are you?"
+
+"No, I'm not! But I want to be sure you don't try to c'llect twice."
+
+He stared at her open-mouthed, too hurt for words; and she, unaware that
+she had deeply offended him, urged impatiently, as she rubbed her
+smarting shoulders, "Hurry up! Write it on a piece of paper, so's I can
+have it to keep always. Haven't you got any in your pocket?"
+
+Mechanically he searched his pockets, drew forth a scrap of an envelope,
+wrote the receipt she demanded, and handed it to her gravely. She
+accepted it as gravely, spelled it through, and turned to go, saying
+piously, "Thank you, Mr. Hardman. I hope you will get your reward in
+heaven." She meant this in all reverence, thinking only of the receipt
+he had given her, but he thought she was sarcastically referring to the
+whipping she had suffered at his hands; and with a queer tightening of
+his throat, he returned to his work, while she hurried homeward with her
+precious bit of paper.
+
+"Here is Mr. Hardman's receipt, Gail," she announced, briefly, entering
+the kitchen where the two older girls were still discussing the new
+problem.
+
+"Where did you get the money!" asked Faith severely.
+
+"I took the licking," was the short answer.
+
+"Took the licking! From whom!"
+
+"Mr. Hardman."
+
+"Do you mean to say that Mr. Hardman whipped you!"
+
+"Yes, I do. I went over and told him to."
+
+"Did it hurt?" whispered Allee, with eyes brimming full of sympathy.
+
+"It might have been worse, s'posing he had used a piece of iron instead
+of a stick."
+
+Profound silence reigned in the little room. Then Gail said abruptly,
+"Come upstairs with me. I want to see you alone."
+
+Peace glanced apprehensively at the pale face, which looked unusually
+stern and severe, and said, "That is a sure-enough receipt, but if you
+don't b'lieve it, you can ask Mr. Hardman about it."
+
+"I am not doubting your story in the least," answered the big sister,
+smiling in spite of herself, "but I want to talk to you, dear."
+
+When Gail said "dear," she was never angry, so, without further
+hesitation, Peace followed her to the small room under the eaves,
+wondering what was coming next. Gail seated herself in the rickety chair
+by the window, and drawing the small girl down into her lap, she asked,
+"Now what is all this trouble about? Tell sister everything."
+
+So Peace related the story of the raspberries and her anger at their
+neighbor, which had led to the painting of the barn.
+
+"What did you write on the building?" questioned Gail when Peace paused
+at this point in her recital.
+
+"Just the truth. I said, 'Mr. Hardman isn't square.' Then, so's he would
+know what he wasn't square about, I made a lot of raspberries under the
+printing."
+
+"Peace! After Mr. Hartman has been so kind to us! What do you think of a
+little girl who will do a thing like that!"
+
+"At first I thought she was all right," answered the candid maiden. "But
+now I've changed my mind, and I guess she was pretty bad when she did
+it. Though he needn't have said what he did to me. He told me we could
+have the berries."
+
+"At the same time he warned you about Mr. Skinner's bull."
+
+"Yes, and I warned Mr. Skinflint--I mean Mr. Skinner."
+
+"Mr. Skinner is a hot-tempered man, and I am afraid if the Hartmans owe
+him money, as you say, he will make it very uncomfortable for them."
+
+"Maybe I better go see old Skinflint--I mean Mr. Skinner--and tell
+him--"
+
+"No, indeed!" cried Gail in alarm. "You have done damage enough already.
+Promise me that you won't say anything to him about it, Peace."
+
+"I promise. I ain't anxious to see him anyway, only I thought if it
+would do any good I would go and tell him how it happened. I am awfully
+sorry now."
+
+"Then don't you think you better apologize to Mr. Hartman?"
+
+"Wasn't the licking a napology enough?"
+
+"The whipping only settled your account. It didn't say you were sorry.
+And it was wrong to tell him that you hoped he would get his reward in
+heaven."
+
+"Why?" cried Peace in genuine astonishment. "That's what the lame
+peddler woman always tells you when you buy a paper of needles or pins."
+
+"That is different. She means what she says. The words are no idle
+mockery to her. Every penny she can earn, helps her that much, and she
+is truly grateful--"
+
+"And I am truly grateful for my receipt, too! It isn't every man that
+would give me one. Old Skinner now--"
+
+"Oh, Peace!"
+
+"But, Gail, dear, I wasn't mocking him. I wanted him to know that I knew
+how much that receipt was worth. S'posing he hadn't written it, how
+would you have known that I had settled that fuss?"
+
+Gail gave up in despair. She never could argue with this small sister,
+who so sadly needed a mother's wisdom to keep her sweet and good; so she
+abruptly ended her lecture by gently insisting, "Mr. Hartman deserves
+your apology. What if he had made us pay for the damage you did, or had
+had you arrested? He was good to let you off with just a licking, Peace,
+even if you do think it was hard punishment. If you are going to be a
+bad girl, you must expect whippings."
+
+"I don't think he likes me any more. He may chase me home before I can
+apologize," suggested the unhappy culprit, with hanging head.
+
+"I guess not," smiled Gail behind her hand. "Try it and see."
+
+"Well," sighed miserable Peace, "I s'pose I must, then."
+
+She reluctantly descended the stairs again, and disappeared down the
+path toward the Hartman house, wishing with all her heart that the
+ground would swallow her up before she had to meet the enemy. Suddenly a
+way out of the dilemma presented itself. She searched hastily through
+her pockets for paper and pencil, and folding both among the clutter,
+she wrote her apology on a ragged, dirty scrap, and carried it to the
+green house, intending to leave it on the doorstep and hurry away, but
+as she peered cautiously around the corner of the shed she saw Mrs.
+Hartman sitting on the porch, and retreated, murmuring, "Oh, dear, I
+s'pose I'll have to say it to him after all. I _might_ pin it to the
+barn door, or--maybe 'twould be better if I fastened it beside the
+painting. That's what I'll do!"
+
+She stole away to the barn, tacked the paper to the new boards, and was
+about to depart when her eyes chanced to fall upon her sprawling
+decorations of the previous day; and she halted, horrified at the
+glaring scarlet letters. "Mercy! How they look! No wonder Mr. Hartman
+gave me such a tre--men--jous switching. The paint is still here. I
+will cover it all up."
+
+The big brush did the work this time, and in a brief period a wide,
+brilliant stripe of red hid the uneven letters from sight. But somehow
+Mr. Hartman did not think the barn had been improved very much when he
+found it, and was wrathfully; setting out in search of the artist when
+the fluttering paper caught his eye.
+
+"She's a great one for notes," he muttered, jerking the scrawl down,
+half impatiently, half amused. "What does she say this time? Whew!"
+Involuntarily he whistled a long-drawn-out whistle, for this is what
+Peace had written:
+
+     "I ipolijize for painting your barn cause Gale says I otto and
+     anyway I didn't know it was going to look so bad so Ive erased the
+     letters with some more paint but I still feel the same way about
+     the raspberries. Also I hope you don't get your reward in Heaven.
+
+     Peace Greenfield.
+
+     "P.s. Gale said I should come myself and say this but I thot it was
+     safest to rite as long as youre still mad."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV
+
+PEACE, THE GOOD SAMARITAN
+
+
+Down the sloping hillside browned with the summer sun strolled Peace one
+afternoon late in August, gathering the purple foxgloves which waved
+invitingly in the breeze. It was one of those rare days of waning
+summer, clear, beautiful and cool, with just a hint of autumn haze in
+the air; and it cast its magic spell over the bare-headed, flower-laden
+maid, wandering dreamily through the crisp, crackling grass, with no
+particular destination in view, no particular thought in mind. She had
+set out an hour before with Cherry and Allee as her companions, but had
+wandered away from them without being aware of it, and was now some
+distance from home, still busy pulling the gorgeous stems of bloom,
+still unconscious of her loneness, still lost in her own realms of
+fancy.
+
+This Peace was one few people knew. Allee was most familiar with the
+brown-eyed dream-child, the little family at the parsonage were quite
+well acquainted with her, and occasionally Gail caught a fleeting
+glimpse of that hidden spirit, but to the rest of the little world in
+which she lived she was a bright-eyed, gay-hearted little romp, whose
+efforts to lend assistance to others were always leading her into
+mischief, oftentimes with unhappy results.
+
+So it is no wonder that busy Dr. Bainbridge was surprised when he
+discovered her in this strange mood as he came puffing and panting up
+the hill toward town, for she was so completely lost amid her dreams
+that she did not see him nor hear his brusque greeting until he stepped
+directly in her path and clutched her arm. Then she started as if
+suddenly awakened from a sleep, and exclaimed, "Why, Dr. Bainbridge,
+what do you mean by making me jump so? I nearly lost my skin! I never
+saw you at all. Where did you come from--the clouds?"
+
+"No, miss. If I had been there you would have seen me before this, for
+if ever anyone was walking in the clouds, it was you just this minute.
+Come along, I want you, dreamer. Can you do me a favor, a big one?"
+
+"'Pends upon what it is," answered Peace, thoroughly awake now.
+
+He laughed at the judicious tone of voice and the familiar cant of the
+curly brown head, and answered promptly, "I want you to play Good
+Samaritan for a little while, be nurse for one of my patients--"
+
+"Nurse?" She looked at him with wide-open eyes, secretly wondering
+whether he knew what he was talking about.
+
+"Yes, ma'am, nurse!" he thundered. "Annette Fisher is sick, very sick,
+and I have told her mother time after time that she must not be left
+alone, yet in spite of all my cautions, that red-headed ignoramus has
+taken the rest of the caboodle and gone off to town, leaving Annette all
+alone in the house until the father gets home tonight. The child's fever
+has been soaring sky-high for days, and I was just beginning to think I
+had it in control and could pull her through when that old
+termagant-gossip of a mother, who doesn't deserve to have chick or
+child, hikes off to spend the afternoon with relatives in the city for a
+chance to look up bargains at The Martindale. What are embroideries and
+dress goods compared with the life of a child? Won't she get a piece of
+my mind the next time I lay eyes on her?" So angry and indignant was the
+old doctor that he had wholly forgotten himself, and spoke as he would
+never have thought of doing under different circumstances.
+
+Peace brought him to the earth by agreeing heartily, "Well, I would 'f I
+was you, and I'd give her a good big piece, too. I'll nurse Annette if
+you want me to. Shall I give her a bath and dose her with medicine every
+few minutes, like we did mother? Does she need to be wrapped up in wet
+rags or painted with _irondye_? Or do you want me to feed her _grool_
+and broth?"
+
+"You don't have to do a single thing but stay with her and keep her
+from fretting until I can get someone from the village to go down there.
+I gave her a bath just now myself, and she has taken her medicine--all I
+want her to have for the present. She isn't to eat a thing, but she can
+drink all the milk she wants, and occasionally have a little water if
+she asks for it. Now remember, Peace. She is too sick to pay attention
+to much of anything, but sometimes she is fretful and talks a good deal.
+Try to be as quiet as possible yourself,--don't say things to excite
+her--don't speak at all unless she wants you to. Do you understand?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"I'll send someone down to relieve you the minute I can get anyone.
+Hurry along now, and don't forget what I have said."
+
+"All right," was the cheery response; and Peace, with a curious thrill
+of awe in her heart, sped down the hill as fast as her nimble feet could
+carry her.
+
+The door of the Fisher house stood open, so, without knocking to make
+her presence known, she stepped softly inside the hall, and crept up the
+stairs to the little, hot chamber, where thin-faced Annette lay burning
+with fever. The invalid was awake, tossing fretfully among her pillows,
+but the instant she saw Peace in the doorway her eyes brightened, and
+she called in a shrill, weak voice, "Is it really you, Peace, or has my
+head turned 'round again?"
+
+"It's really me. Dr. Bainbridge sent me up."
+
+"That's funny. He wouldn't let you or any of the other girls come when I
+asked for you before. Did you bring all those flowers for me?"
+
+"Yes," Peace answered readily, glancing down at the huge bouquet in her
+arms, which she had entirely forgotten. "Where shall I put them? No,
+don't try to tell me; I'll find a dish myself."
+
+"Would you please bring me a drink, too?" Annette asked hesitatingly.
+
+"Sure!"
+
+"Fresh from the well?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+Peace disappeared down the creaking stairs again, returning quickly with
+a dripping dipper full of sparkling, ice-cold water from the well, and
+the sick child drank feverishly, sighing as she relinquished the cup,
+"That's awful good. If only it would stay cold all the time! But the
+next time I want a drink it is warm and horrid, and ma says she can't be
+always chasing to the well just to get me some water. Harry won't,
+either. Pa ain't here but a little while night and morning, and Isabel
+is too little to fetch it. Set the flowers here on the chair where I can
+see them good. When ma comes home she'll likely throw them out. She says
+she can't see the good of cluttering up the house with dishes of weeds
+like that."
+
+"Your mother is an old _turnacrank_,--Doctor says so," muttered Peace
+indignantly, as she tugged at the heavy jar of foxgloves she had
+arranged with artistic care.
+
+"What did you say?" asked Annette, querulously.
+
+Peace suddenly remembered the doctor's instructions. "I say I know how
+to keep water cold. Gail used to do it for mother on hot days. I'll wet
+a rag and wrap the dipper in that and set it in the window where the
+wind will blow on it."
+
+"Will that make it keep cool?"
+
+"Yes, as long as the rag is wet. There is quite a little wind today,
+too, and that helps."
+
+"Is it cool out-doors?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"Oh, dear! I wish I could go out under the trees. It is so hot in here
+cooped up like I am."
+
+Peace bit her tongue. How easy it was to forget the doctor's directions!
+Twice already she had said things which excited the poor, sick prisoner,
+whom she had been told to keep quiet. A happy inspiration leaped into
+her thought, and moving the jar of delicate blossoms closer to the bed,
+she slipped a spray into Annette's hand, saying, "S'pose we _minagine_
+these flowers are trees. They would make a lovely forest, wouldn't they?
+I often wish the trees had pretty flowers."
+
+"Apple trees have," said Annette thoughtfully.
+
+"That's so!" was the surprised ejaculation. "I forgot all about the
+fruit trees. All of them have flowers, but I like the apple-blossoms
+best, don't you?"
+
+"Yes, they are so cool looking and so sweet and smelly."
+
+"That's what I like about them most. When I go to the moon I wear a
+dress made of apple-blossoms and--"
+
+"When you go to the moon?" repeated Annette, looking bewildered and
+wondering if the queer thoughts which the doctor called delirium were
+coming back to haunt her again.
+
+"Oh, of course, I really don't go, but I like to s'pose what it would be
+like if I could go there. After Allee and me go to bed at night,
+sometimes the moon comes and shines in at our window and we talk to it.
+I don't care about the man-in-the-moon very much, though Allee likes
+him. She says he must be so lonely up there by himself all the time that
+she doesn't see how he can keep on smiling so. But I love the lady in
+the moon."
+
+"The lady in the moon?"
+
+"Well, we call her the moon lady. We like to think she is a beautiful,
+beau-ti-ful lady, with long, pale yellow hair that pretty nearly drags
+when she walks. It would drag if she didn't wear such big tails on her
+skirts. That's the kind of hair I wish I had instead of kinky, woolly
+curls. Hers isn't a bit curly, but just falls back from her face like
+Jennie Munn's after she has had it braided for a long time. And it
+trails out behind her like a--a cloud. Her dress is white stuff, and
+she never has it starched; it's just soft and shiny and swishy, and
+seems to b'long just to her. Oh, she is the prettiest lady, Annette!"
+
+"What color are her eyes?" asked the invalid, much interested in the
+picture Peace was drawing.
+
+"Blue, just like Hope's, only you don't think of them being blue when
+you look at the moon lady--they 'mind you of stars. I think they are
+stars, and she wears a star in her hair."
+
+"Does she have a house to live in?"
+
+"Not a house, but a palace, made of soft-looking, sparkly stones that
+flash like diamond dust, and inside it is white and still,--the kind of
+a still that makes you feel dreamy and nice. And there are fountains
+everywhere, with cool water splashing out of the top of them. They are
+made of white marble--the fountains are, I mean--and so are the
+_pillows_ of the palace on the outside, where the moon lady walks in her
+garden."
+
+"Is there a garden in the moon?"
+
+"In my moon there is, and--"
+
+"Ma says the moon is made of green cheese, and is full of maggots."
+
+"I heard that story, too, and I look for them first thing every time I
+go there, but I haven't found any yet. Big, white Easter lilies grow
+along the paths, and lilies-of-the-valley blossom the whole year round,
+and water lilies make the lake almost white sometimes."
+
+"Oh, a lake, too! How nice!"
+
+"The moon lady's lake is the prettiest I ever saw. The water is always
+silv'ry, just like our lakes look when the moon shines down on them. You
+know, Annette, don't you?"
+
+"Yes, the moon was shining one time when I went to Lake Marion with pa
+to hear the band, and we rowed around in a little boat and listened to
+the music."
+
+"That's just what the moon lady does when we go to see her, only her
+boats are green-pea pods, and the sails are apple-blossom petals. We
+don't have to row; the boats just float of themselves, and we pick water
+lilies or listen to the music--"
+
+"What kind of music?"
+
+"Oh, sometimes the moon lady sings by-low songs, and sometimes it's just
+the frogs singing in the bottom of the lake."
+
+"Oh, do you like frogs' croaking?"
+
+"If I have been good I like it awfully well, but if I've made Gail or
+anyone sorry, I don't want to listen to the frogs, for they keep saying,
+'Don't do it again, don't do it again,' till it makes me mis'rable. The
+frogs in the moon never say such things, though, and I like to listen to
+them. Sometimes we call across the water to hear the echoes answer; and
+sometimes we let the moonbeams light on our hands and hair and dresses,
+and talk to them."
+
+"Talk to the moonbeams? How funny!"
+
+"Why, our moonbeams are lovely little fairies, with wings like
+dragon-flies, and shiny, silv'ry gowns; and whenever they get tired of
+flying about they settle down and glow like fireflies. They b'long to
+the moon lady and are nice fairies. They make sugar stars and moon-ice
+for us to eat."
+
+Peace clapped her hand abruptly over her mouth. Suppose Annette should
+ask for something to eat! But the sick child merely held the spray of
+foxgloves nearer her face and inquired, "What is that? Ice-cream?"
+
+"No; it's shaped like icicles and has kind of a sourish taste, either
+lemon or strawberry, and it doesn't melt until you get tired of it. Then
+it's all gone. And it's the same way with moonbeamade. Allee made up
+that name from lemonade. It is just a heap of foam that tastes like the
+north-west wind and is cool and nice."
+
+"S'posing things is a queer game, ain't it?" murmured Annette, drowsily.
+
+"It's lots of fun, and sometimes when we go to sleep we dream about
+them,--the places we visit in the moon and the--"
+
+"The water and lilies and fountains and cool things?"
+
+"Yes, or the mountains, where the fairies and goblins live, or the
+forests, which belong to the brownies and elves, or the valleys, where
+the sunbeams play, or the caves, where the wind-voices hide, or--I do
+b'lieve she's asleep. Yes, sir! Both eyes are tight shut, and she has
+dropped the foxglove she was holding so hard."
+
+Softly Peace dropped back into her former position upon the floor,
+hardly daring to breathe for fear of waking the little slumberer, for
+had not the doctor said she was a very sick child, and that she must be
+kept as quiet as possible?
+
+At thought of the doctor she began to wonder why he had not sent the
+woman from the village as he had promised to do. Already the sun was
+sinking low in the west, and no one had come to watch over the invalid.
+Perhaps he had forgotten, perhaps someone was dreadfully sick and he had
+been called away before he could find a nurse for Annette. Perhaps--the
+brown head nodded gently, the long, dark lashes fluttered slowly over
+the somber brown eyes, and Peace, too, was fast asleep, curled up
+against the narrow bed, where the sick child lay in a dreamless,
+refreshing slumber. The sunset faded from the sky, twilight deepened
+into dusk, and the stars came out in their pale glory, but both the Good
+Samaritan and her patient were unconscious of it all.
+
+In the little brown house among the maple trees great anxiety brooded.
+Peace had not come home with her sisters from their flower-gathering
+expedition, and no one in town had seen her. The whole neighborhood was
+aroused, and a search party was just being organized when the doctor's
+carriage drove up to the gate, and the physician, angry, dismayed and
+alarmed, hurried up the path as fast as his avoirdupois would permit,
+flung open the screen and called imperiously, "Miss Gail, girls, any of
+you! It's all my fault! Peace is down at the Fisher house watching over
+Annette. I sent her there this afternoon while I went after a woman to
+stay with the child, and have just this minute heard that Grandma Cole
+sprained her ankle on the way there and had to crawl back home again.
+Mrs. Fisher, the big idiot, is moseying up the road now, well satisfied
+with her bargains. I passed her and her tribe a piece back and stopped
+long enough to tell her what I thought of her. Now pile in and I'll take
+you back with me for that little sister of yours."
+
+He had caught up a little shawl from the hat-rack as he talked, and
+throwing this over Gail's shoulders, he bundled her out of the house and
+into his buggy before she had recovered from her astonishment at his
+outburst; and after a moment of furious riding behind the lively bay
+horse, she found herself stumbling up the dark stairs in the unlighted
+Fisher house, at the heels of the panting, puffing, wrathy doctor. From
+somewhere he produced a lamp, and soon the dim rays of light dispelled
+the gloom of the place, and she stood beside him, looking down into the
+pale face of Annette asleep among her pillows, and the rosy one of
+smiling Peace, huddled in an uncomfortable bunch on the floor.
+
+"What a picture!" murmured the doctor huskily, leaning over to touch the
+damp forehead and feel the pulse of his little patient. "This is the
+first natural sleep she has had for days. Bully for Peace! I confess I
+was worried about leaving her here in the first place. I was afraid she
+would fret Annette into a worse fever than she already had. I'd have
+gone crazy if I'd had any notion that the child must stay here all the
+afternoon, with only Peace to look after her. Excuse me if I seem more
+concerned about Annette's welfare than over Peace's long absence and
+your fright, Gail. I've had a big battle to pull her through, and I was
+wild when I found that fool mother had gone off and left her alone.
+Didn't expect to be gone long, and here it is _hours_! There, I won't
+storm any more, but we'll wake Peace up and take her home."
+
+He shook the child gently by the shoulder, and as the sleepy eyes
+fluttered open they saw only Gail bending over her. "It's all right,
+Gail," the child said softly, still remembering her charge. "Dr.
+Bainbridge asked me to be a good _sanatarium_ over Annette while that
+_negrogrampus_ of a mother was hunting bargains of embroid'ries and he
+was hunting a sure-enough nurse. Oh, there is the doctor himself! Is
+Annette all right? She talked a lot at first, but I told her about my
+moon lady, and pretty soon she went fast asleep."
+
+"Annette is doing splendidly, Dr. Peace, and I am tickled to death at
+the good work you've done. Run along with Gail now. I'll be down in a
+minute to drive you home."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV
+
+PEACE COLLECTS DAMAGES
+
+
+The hot summer was drawing to a close. Two weeks more and September
+would be ushered in, bringing with it the State Fair, always an event in
+the lives of the busy farmers of the State, and particularly of those
+around Martindale and Pendennis, as the fairgrounds were located midway
+between the two big cities.
+
+Peace had never attended a State Fair in all her short life, but she had
+heard it talked about so much by the residents of Parker that she was
+wildly excited when Faith decided to enter a cake in the cooking
+exhibit, and immediately she determined to visit the Fair in person and
+see her sister's handiwork fitly rewarded. However, when she made known
+this decision to the rest of the family Gail said quietly, "I am afraid
+you can't, dear. It costs fifty cents to enter the grounds, and even if
+they admit children at half price, that would mean twenty-five cents for
+each of you three youngest, and Hope would have to pay the full amount,
+as she is now in her 'teens. We can't afford to go this year."
+
+This was an item that Peace had not considered. Of course, if she went,
+the rest of the family were entitled to the same pleasure, and that
+would mean three half dollars and three quarters. She found her slate
+and laboriously added up the column of figures. "Two dollars and
+twenty-five cents! Mercy, that is a lot to spend just to go to the Fair
+for one day, isn't it? Oh, dear, why is it we always have to stop and
+think about the money? I wish dollars grew on trees, and all we had to
+do when we wanted any would be to go out and pick them. What fun we'd
+have! I do want to go to the Fair so much, though. If only there was
+some way to earn the money!"
+
+She wandered down to the melon patch, the pride of her childish heart,
+and sat down on one of the green balls to meditate on the subject.
+
+"I never saw the beat how your melons do grow," exclaimed a voice behind
+her, as Mrs. Grinnell, on her way to the brown house, paused to admire
+the tempting fruit. "If there was just some way of getting them into the
+city, you might make a pretty penny off them. Now, mine don't begin to
+be as big as yours, and there aren't half so many on the vines. That's a
+whopper you are sitting on. You ought to take it to the Fair--"
+
+"Why, Mrs. Grinnell, do folks take _melons_ to the Fair?"
+
+"Yes, indeed, every year. Why, I've seen lots there that weren't as big
+as yours. Of course it's the biggest that win the ribbons, and you might
+not stand a show, but there would be no harm trying. I am intending to
+enter my two mammoth pumpkins and that Hubbard squash, along with my
+corn."
+
+"Do you s'pose Gail would let me?"
+
+"Yes, I think so. I'll take it in with mine if you like. I am to lug
+Faith's cake."
+
+"Oh, then I'll do it! These two whollipers. That one is almost as big as
+the one I play is my armchair. The rest are too little to have a chance,
+aren't they? Maybe they will be big enough by Fair time, though. They
+have two weeks more to grow in."
+
+"No telling what they will do in that time," laughed Mrs. Grinnell,
+moving briskly away up the path, leaving Peace still perched on top of
+the largest melon busily making her fortune from her small garden patch.
+
+"If only we hadn't sold Black Prince," she mourned, "we could just cart
+these melons into Martindale and make a whole lot on them. There, why
+didn't I think of that before? Mike peddles garden truck in the city,
+'most every day. I'll just have him tote these along. I've got--let me
+see--twelve, sixteen, seventeen, twenty-one good ones, besides my big
+fellows. I wonder if that will be enough. I'm going right over and see
+Mike now. He is at home today; I saw him."
+
+She skipped away through the garden to the O'Hara place, some distance
+below them, and finding the red-haired boy grinding an ax in the
+dooryard, she startled him by her breathless demand, "How much do
+watermelons sell for in the city?"
+
+"Shure an' it depinds on the size."
+
+"Mine are great big ones. Mrs. Grinnell says they ought to bring a
+pretty penny in Martindale."
+
+"Well, thin, I think maybe they'd be bringing a quarter."
+
+"Each one?"
+
+"Shure!"
+
+"And how much would that make if twenty-one were sold?"
+
+"Five dollars and a quarter," promptly answered Mike, who was quick at
+figures and proud of the accomplishment.
+
+"That would be enough," cried Peace in great glee. "All I need is two
+dollars and a quarter. Come on over to my house and pick them right
+away."
+
+"What?" yelled Mike, wondering if the child had gone crazy.
+
+"Oh, I forgot! I haven't told you yet, have I? You can sell my melons in
+the city for me if you like and save me the trouble."
+
+The boy stared at her, transfixed by her complacent self-assurance.
+
+"Has the cat got your tongue?" Peace asked, when he did not speak.
+
+"No, but you have your nerve," he stuttered. "What d'ye take me for,--a
+dray horse?"
+
+"You've got a mule team, haven't you?" flared Peace, seeing no occasion
+for his anger. "And you peddle truck nearly every day. Then I don't see
+why you can't take my melons and sell them. Black Prince is gone, and we
+can't drive about any more ourselves."
+
+"Well, where do I come in? Melons take up a sight of wagon room, nothing
+said of the time it will take to sell them. And then you expict me to do
+it all for nothing!"
+
+"I--I hadn't thought about that," faltered Peace; and, sitting down on
+the windmill platform, she pulled a pencil stub from her pocket and
+began to do some figuring on the sole of her shoe.
+
+Mike watched her serious face in amusement, and grinned broadly when,
+after five minutes of vigorous scratching and hard thinking, she
+released her foot and said in her most business-like tones, "I'll tell
+you what I will do. If you can sell all those twenty-one melons at
+twenty-five cents each, you can have half the money for your trouble.
+That will still leave me enough to get our family inside the Fair. Will
+you do it?"
+
+Mike scratched his head thoughtfully and then replied, "I'll take a look
+at thim melons first."
+
+So she led him to the small patch and proudly displayed her treasures.
+"You see there are more than twenty-one melons on the vines. Those two
+big ones Mrs. Grinnell is going to tote along with her pumpkins to the
+Fair, and the little ones and the crooked fellers we'll eat at home; but
+there are twenty-one nice ones to sell."
+
+Mike expressed his admiration by the boyish exclamation, "Gee, ain't
+them bouncers? How 'd ye do it? Our'n don't amount to shucks this year."
+
+"That's what Mrs. Grinnell said about hers. I guess it's 'cause I know
+how to grow watermelons," answered Peace, with charming frankness. "Mr.
+Strong says that must be the reason. You see, I planted sweet-peas and
+these came up. Maybe it's a sweet-pea melon. Do you s'pose it is?"
+
+"I niver heard tell of such a thing," Mike soberly replied, "but maybe
+that's what's the matter."
+
+"Will you sell them for me?"
+
+Mike was busy thumping the green balls with his knuckles, and feeling of
+the stems, and when he had tested each in turn, he answered, "Yis, I'll
+sell thim for you, but ye'd better wait a week or two. They aren't ripe
+enough yit."
+
+"Oh, dear," mourned the child, plainly disappointed. "The Fair begins in
+two weeks, and that is what I wanted the money for. Don't you think they
+will be ripe enough before that?"
+
+"Don't look as if they would," Mike replied firmly. "And green melons
+won't sell well. Besides, the longer they grow, the bigger they will
+be."
+
+"Then I suppose I must wait; but don't you tell the girls. I want to
+s'prise them if we can go, for they don't think we can."
+
+So, with many promises of secrecy, Mike departed, and Peace from that
+moment became a devoted slave of the melon patch.
+
+As soon as she was out of bed in the morning she flew down to the garden
+to exult over her treasures, and with the last gleam of the dying day
+she might be seen bending over the mottled fruit whispering encouraging
+messages to them, coaxing them to grow. Bucket after bucket of water she
+tugged from the well to pour on their thirsty roots, and load after load
+of fertilizer she dragged in Allee's little cart to spread over the
+ground in her eager desire to increase their size. But when Gail found
+her with soap and scrub-brush polishing off each precious ball, she was
+forced to curb her zealous gardening. However, the vines throve through
+all this heroic treatment, and it seemed to Peace that she could almost
+see the fruit grow in circumference. Each night she consulted Mike,
+convinced that they had ripened sufficiently during the day to be
+picked, but the boy steadfastly shook his head.
+
+At length, as the second week of anxious waiting was drawing to a close,
+Peace could endure the suspense no longer, and one warm afternoon, while
+her sisters were occupied with their various duties, she snatched the
+sharp bread-knife from the pantry shelf, and with Allee in tow, stole
+down to her garden plot.
+
+"What are you going to do?" whispered the blue-eyed tot, as if still
+fearful that she might be overheard at the house.
+
+"Try one of my melons and see if it isn't ripe. This feller will do, I
+guess. It is big, but not too big." She plunged the shining blade deep
+into the green rind, and as the two halves fell apart, disclosing the
+bright red heart thickly dotted with black and white seeds, she cried
+triumphantly, "There, I knew I was right! Just taste it, Allee. Ain't it
+sweet and nice? Let's lug it down to the hedge and eat it up."
+
+"That's a piggy," answered the smaller girl, smacking her lips over the
+delicious morsel.
+
+"We can 'ford to be pigs this once, I guess," Peace retorted. "If we
+take it up to the house they will want to know why we cut it, and we'll
+have to tell them about Mike and the Fair. You don't want them to know
+that, do you?"
+
+"No, but we are too little to eat it all ourselves."
+
+"Half a melon each ain't much. Why, Len Abbott must have eaten two whole
+ones at the church sociable the other night. Can you carry your half?"
+
+"Yes," panted the younger lass, bravely tugging at her heavy load.
+
+So, with much puffing, and many stops for breath, they dragged the
+fruit through the cornfield to the creek road, scrambled in behind the
+dense brush and blackberry vines, and began to dispose of the sweet,
+juicy center.
+
+"Let's eat one-half all up 'fore we begin the other," proposed Allee,
+who seemed to have some doubts as to the capacity of her stomach.
+
+"All right," Peace agreed. "The melon _does_ look pretty big, and maybe
+we can't hold it all at one sitting. I'll push the other half under the
+bushes and cover my handkerchief over it to keep off the flies. What a
+lot of seed this one has! Let's save some for planting next year.
+S'posing each of these seeds was a ticket to the State Fairgrounds, we
+could all of us go every day and invite everyone else in town, pretty
+near. Hush! There's a team coming up the road. Let's peek and see if
+it's anyone we know."
+
+She drew aside the branches as she spoke, and two inquisitive,
+fruit-stained faces peered out of the opening just as a two-seated
+carryall drew up by the roadside, and a woman's voice said imperatively,
+"There is a cluster, Henry,--lovely berries. I thought they were all
+gone by this time."
+
+Henry leaped over the wheel to the ground, gathered a handful of
+dust-covered blackberries, and passed them up to the other three
+occupants of the rig, remarking, "It's a shame we can't find watermelons
+growing wild along the roadside. I am afraid if we have a melon social
+at the church tomorrow night we must patronize the groceryman for the
+fruit."
+
+"I am sorry to have caused you this wild-goose chase," said a meek voice
+from the back seat. "But last year we drove through this town when
+watermelon vines were the only things in sight."
+
+"That is everything in sight today," laughed Henry teasingly. "The
+trouble is, they don't bear any decent fruit. I'd give five dollars if
+anyone would show me twenty good, fair-sized watermelons--"
+
+"All right, sir!" exclaimed an eager voice at his feet. "Give me the
+five dollars, and I'll show you twenty-two!"
+
+The man jumped as if shot, the three ladies screamed, and even the
+horses started at the unexpected sound, or perhaps it was at sight of a
+tousled brown head wriggling excitedly through the thicket, followed by
+an equally tousled golden head.
+
+"Well, who are you?" stammered the startled young man, as the children
+gained their feet and stood shyly eyeing the city folks.
+
+"Two of the Greenfield kids," answered Peace. "We were just trying one
+of my melons when we heard what you said. We've got some fine ones in
+our garden, and I'll sell them cheap. They b'long to me. I planted
+sweet-pea seeds and they came up."
+
+The man roared, the young ladies giggled, and then one of them said
+sweetly, "Have you some of your melon left so we can see what it is
+like?"
+
+"Yes," responded Peace, diving into the brush and dragging forth the
+untouched half, covered with her dirty handkerchief. "Here it is. You
+can eat it. Allee and me are 'most full now. Oh, it's black with ants!
+Never mind, just brush them off; they won't change the taste any."
+
+But though the ladies admired the ripe red fruit, they seemed to have no
+appetite for it, and Henry was the only one of the party who sampled it.
+
+"It's lickum good," he announced, after the first mouthful. "Better have
+some, girls. No? Well, I shall lug this piece back with us for
+refreshments. Say, Curly-locks, are all your melons as big as that?"
+
+"Bigger--that is, most of them are. Mrs. Grinnell is going to take two
+in to the Fair, but there are twenty-one big ones besides. I mean
+twenty. This is the twenty-oneth."
+
+They laughed again, and Henry proposed, "Let's go over and see them
+anyway. If we can't find the melons, we can have a good time today at
+least."
+
+"Just as you say," chorused the girls; and bundling the soiled, sticky
+children into the carriage with them, they drove on to the little brown
+house.
+
+As the team drew up in front of the gate the group of workers on the
+porch started to their feet in surprise, but Peace called, "Go on with
+your sewing! This is my company! They are going to look at my twenty
+watermelons to see if they are any good; and then I am going to charge
+them five dollars for them."
+
+The laughing young people came up the walk to meet the embarrassed
+mistress of the house, and the situation was briefly explained. "Our
+League is planning for a lawn social tomorrow night," said one young
+lady.
+
+"Ice-cream and cake," added the second.
+
+"With watermelons for a side-dish," the young man put in.
+
+"And we thought we could get better melons if we came out here in the
+country to buy them," said the fourth member of the party.
+
+"The melon patch belongs to Peace," Gail told them. "We think she has
+some pretty good fruit. Come this way and see for yourself."
+
+"Oh, what big ones!" cried the visiting quartette. "Surely you won't
+sell all these for five dollars?"
+
+"No, only twenty," answered Peace gravely. "You can't have the two
+biggest ones, and of course you don't want the crooked fellers. Mike
+says they will sell for twenty-five cents each in Martindale."
+
+So the twenty splendid melons were cut and loaded into the wagon, Peace
+was paid a spandy new five-dollar bill, and the visitors departed
+merrily. The child watched them out of sight, still holding fast to her
+money, and then turned to Gail, sighing contentedly, "Now we can go to
+the Fair! I've had an awful job getting rid of those things, but they
+are gone at last, and here is the money. I 'xpect Mike will be mad as
+hops, but he didn't know beans when he said they weren't ripe. I've
+raised melons enough so I know."
+
+"But, dearie," interrupted the oldest sister, "you mustn't spend your
+money so recklessly for our pleasure. It will take almost half of that
+five dollars just to pay our way into the grounds, and another dollar
+for carfare."
+
+"Then it's lucky Mike didn't sell the melons for me," said Peace, "or I
+'xpect we'd have had to walk. I sold those watermelons just so's we all
+could go to the Fair, Gail, and now you mustn't say no."
+
+"Then I won't," suddenly whispered the tired mother-sister, seeing the
+longing in the somber brown eyes, and realizing the child's unselfish
+love. "When is Mrs. Grinnell to take your big melons away?"
+
+"Tomorrow," she said. "The Fair begins Monday, you know."
+
+"Then you better go say good-bye to them now," teased Faith. "It is
+nearly supper time, and you will hardly have a chance in the morning."
+
+But Peace shook her head, declaring seriously, "There will be time
+enough. And if the melons don't win a prize, we'll bring them back home,
+Mrs. Grinnell says."
+
+When the morning dawned, however, and Peace ran eagerly down to visit
+her garden, she stopped in dismay at the sight which greeted her eyes.
+On the ground, strewn all over the patch, were broken, battered
+melon-rinds; and the two mammoth balls were gone.
+
+"Oh, my darlings! my precious melons!" she cried in grief. "Someone has
+eaten them all up!" Throwing herself flat amid the wreck, she sobbed as
+if her heart would break, so overwhelmed by her loss that it never
+occurred to her to report the disaster to the rest of the family. It was
+too cruel!
+
+When the hot tears had relieved the little heart somewhat, she sat up
+and looked about her once more, saying, with quivering lips, "I don't
+s'pose they would have won a prize anyway, but it was hatefully mean of
+whoever took them. I'll bet Mike O'Hara did it to get even with me for
+selling the others to the city folks and keeping all the money myself!
+I'm going straight over and tell him what a nice kind of a gentleman he
+is."
+
+She bounced to her feet, started swiftly across the patch, caught her
+toe in a tough vine and fell sprawling on the ground again, rapping her
+head smartly on a small, unripe melon at the edge of the field. "Mercy!
+you're a hard-shelled old sinner!" she exclaimed, rubbing her bruised
+forehead and glaring at the offending fruit. "Well, no wonder! I hit a
+knife, as sure as you're alive! It ain't Mike's either. It's--Hector
+Abbott's! Why didn't I think of him before? Of course he is the
+_culvert_; but I'll bet he will wish he hadn't seen those melons when I
+get through with him."
+
+Burning with indignation, she sped away to the village, never pausing
+until the Judge's house was reached. As she approached the place she
+could see the family gathered around the breakfast table, set on the
+wide, screened porch; and forgetting to knock, she threw open the door
+and rushed in as if on the wings of the wind. Straight to Hector's chair
+she stalked, and before the surprised family could recover their breath,
+she clutched the unhappy youth by the hair and jerked him out of his
+seat, crying accusingly, "Hec Abbott, you disgraceful son of a judge!
+You stole my melons, my State Fair melons! You can't say you didn't,
+'cause I've found your knife in the garden! I s'pose it walked there,
+didn't it? Well, maybe it did, but _you_ walked it! You can just settle
+for damages this very minute!"
+
+By this time the Judge had found his tongue, and loosening the angry
+fingers from his youngest son's luxuriant topknot, he demanded of Peace,
+"What do you mean by such actions? Where are your manners? Why didn't
+you knock? Who brought you up?"
+
+"Why didn't _Hec_ knock when he came for my melons last night? Where are
+_his_ manners? What did _he_ mean by such actions? _You brung him up!_"
+
+Len Abbott choked over his coffee, Cecile hid her face in her napkin,
+and even the anxious mother smiled, but the Judge looked more ruffled
+than abashed, and he fairly thundered, "How do you know the knife is
+Hector's?"
+
+"Don't you s'pose I have seen it enough to know whose it is? Didn't I
+grab it from him the day he pretended to cut off Lola Hunt's ears? I cut
+his hand, too, but he deserved it! He's the meanest boy at school next
+to Jimmy Jones. Teacher took the knife away one time when he was
+skinning a frog, and I saw it then. Anyway, it's got his name on
+it,--not just his 'nitials, but his whole name. And there it is!"
+
+She held out the article for the Judge's inspection, and that worthy
+gentleman, seeing the look of guilt in his small son's face, pocketed
+it, saying whimsically to the wrathful accuser, "That is merely
+circumstantial evidence. He might yet be innocent of the charge."
+
+"He might," Peace retorted grimly; "but he ain't! Ask him!"
+
+The Judge turned gravely to the crimson-cheeked lad and asked severely,
+"Son, are you guilty or not guilty?"
+
+"Guilty," muttered the miserable culprit.
+
+"Didn't I tell you?" triumphed the girl.
+
+"What would you recommend as his sentence?" asked the Judge.
+
+"Sentence?" repeated Peace, with the uncomfortable feeling that she was
+being laughed at.
+
+"Punishment, I mean."
+
+"A good, sound thrashing that ain't all show and no hurt," was the harsh
+verdict.
+
+"Very well! I will administer it now. Len, hand me that strap. Hector,
+come here!"
+
+Leonard passed the strap to his father, the younger son shuffled across
+the porch to receive his sentence, and Peace stood breathlessly by,
+watching with frightened eyes. The Judge raised the strip of leather and
+brought it down with a resounding thwack across the boy's legs. He
+squirmed, let out a wild yell, and began to blubber. The strap rose and
+fell the second time, there was a second yell, and Peace, with blazing
+eyes and blanched face, flew in between man and boy, snatched the
+upraised strap and flung it clear across the room, screaming in fierce
+indignation, "Don't you touch him again! You're a pretty kind of a
+judge! Aren't you ashamed of yourself?"
+
+"You sentenced him yourself," stammered the surprised man.
+
+"Well, I'll let him off this time," she replied slowly, "but he will
+have to pay for those melons."
+
+"How much?"
+
+"A dollar each."
+
+"Whew! They are pretty expensive fruit, aren't they?"
+
+"I've put more'n a dollar's worth of trouble into getting them ready for
+the Fair, and now he's et up my blue ribbon."
+
+"Your blue ribbon?"
+
+"Yes, maybe those melons would have won a blue ribbon. Now I'll never
+know."
+
+"Well, well, that's too bad," sympathized the amused Judge. "Hector will
+have to pay for them, surely. Son, go get the money out of your bank."
+
+"I didn't eat all of them. Jimmy Jones and Ted Fenton and the Beldon
+boys helped," said Hector, wiping his eyes sullenly.
+
+"You can c'lect from them later," retorted Peace. "You were at the head
+of it, I know."
+
+"Get the money, son," repeated the father sternly, and the unhappy boy
+thought it wise to obey without further demur.
+
+When the two silver dollars were laid in her hand Peace smiled her
+relief, and with a curt "Thank you," turned to go, when to the utter
+amazement of the whole family, she whirled suddenly about and confronted
+Hector again, saying calmly, "While I am here, I might as well c'lect
+for that cake you stole more'n a year ago."
+
+"Cake?" echoed the group, while the boy's face grew scarlet with guilt
+once more.
+
+"Yes, cake! We thought my tramp took it at first. Faith made it for the
+minister's reception and put it on the wash-bench under a dishpan to
+cool. 'Twas gone when she went to get it again. Hec stole it."
+
+"Hector, did you?"
+
+The boy nodded, too miserable to speak.
+
+"How much was that worth, Peace?"
+
+"It was bigger'n a fifty-cent one. I guess it will be seventy-five
+cents."
+
+"Get your bank and settle your account, Hector."
+
+And once more the boy was forced to obey.
+
+"There!" breathed Peace, closing her fingers over the added coins. "I
+guess we are square now. I just happened to think of the cake. Isn't it
+lucky I did? I wasn't quite sure he took it, but seeing that my tramp
+didn't do it, I knew it must be someone in town, and I couldn't think of
+anyone else mean enough. Good-bye!"
+
+She ran lightly down the steps and away toward home, chanting to
+herself, "He had to pay up, he had to pay up!" Suddenly she halted by
+the roadside and listened. "Yes, sir! That's Hec a-howling! I guess the
+Judge got hold of that strap again. Well, he deserves a good licking,
+but I'm glad I'm not there to see him dance."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI
+
+THE STATE FAIR CAKE
+
+
+"What are you doing with all that torn-up paper, Peace?" asked Allee,
+finding her sister busy stripping old papers into tiny shreds up in the
+barn loft, after she had searched all over the place for her.
+
+"I want to make a map like Hope's class had to," answered Peace, pouring
+an apronful of scraps into a bucket of scalding water. "I asked her how
+she did it, and she said they drew the maps first, and then mixed up a
+lot of blotters in boiling water. I hunted all over the place for
+blotters, and couldn't find but four, so I'm trying these newspapers.
+They make an awful looking mess, but I guess they will work. You can
+tear paper if you want to."
+
+Allee took the hint, and accepting the magazine Peace offered her, she
+fell to pulling it to pieces, adding her mite to the mixture in the
+pail. "How many must you have?" she ventured to ask, after an hour at
+this monotonous occupation.
+
+"I guess this will be enough," answered the older girl, critically
+examining the nasty mess, and stirring it so energetically that a goodly
+portion of it flew out of the bucket into her lap.
+
+"Have you drawn a map?" Allee inquired, looking around the dingy loft in
+quest of such an article.
+
+"No--o, I can't seem to get a good one. The first time I tried, it
+looked like an elephant with two trunks, and the second time the
+Mississippi River came out of the middle of Florida. In this last
+picture, the land is so fat there isn't any room for the ocean. But I
+found two old g'ographies in that heap of trash, and Gail said I could
+have them. So I've pulled out all the maps of the United States that I
+could find, and now I'm ready to cut them out. Then we'll paste them
+onto that board and stick the paper _mush_ on top."
+
+"Why do you want so many all alike?" asked the inquisitive little
+sister, watching the shining scissors snip in and out around capes and
+peninsulas with painstaking care. "I should think you would make a
+c'lection of different maps like Hope has in her book."
+
+Peace paused to consider the suggestion, and then answered, "Well,
+that's something I hadn't thought about. It would be better to have them
+all different, wouldn't it? I'll just hunt up some others that aren't
+alike. _This_ United States one is too small, then; but maybe we can use
+it for something else. I'll finish cutting it out anyway, though we'll
+want the biggest we can get for our paper _mush_."
+
+She finished snipping it out as carefully as she could in view of the
+many ragged coasts of our country, and laid it aside, while she chose
+another larger one to be honored with the "_paper mush_" covering. It
+took a long time to complete all the maps selected--Europe, Asia,
+Africa, the Americas, and Australia--but at last they were finished; and
+Allee, the patient, joined in the sigh of satisfaction which escaped
+Peace's lips as she dropped the scissors from her cramped, tired hands.
+
+"Now we'll stick on the _mush_. Hold this map, Allee, so's it won't
+wiggle." She daubed on a great handful of the dirty gray pulp and tried
+to smooth it over the colored map surface, but evidently the paper had
+not soaked long enough, for it still held its own shape, and refused
+utterly to form the paste Peace had watched Hope handle with such ease
+and success.
+
+"It doesn't stay very well, does it?" remarked Allee.
+
+"No, it doesn't!" snapped Peace in exasperation. "I shall not bother
+with it any more. I'm tired of fooling with it when it acts like that.
+I'll throw it out and play with my corncob doll this morning."
+
+"Are you going to throw away all these nice maps that you have cut out,
+too?" asked Allee, as the angry girl flung down the wet newspaper scraps
+and started for the house.
+
+Peace paused, surveyed the gorgeously colored heap which she had spent
+so long a time in preparing, and answered, "Well, I'll keep them awhile,
+for maybe some day we may want them again." Gathering them up, she
+descended the ladder and marched off toward the kitchen, thoroughly out
+of patience with the whole world and with herself in particular.
+
+Through the open windows and door came savory smells of something
+cooking, and she quickened her steps, sniffing the air and saying,
+"Faith has been baking; maybe there are some dishes to lick. I wonder if
+she made any frosting. Mrs. Lacy always wants caramel, and I just love
+that."
+
+"Faith's cross like you are," warned Allee, following in her sister's
+steps, nevertheless.
+
+"Cakes always make her cross," answered Peace, ignoring her share of the
+compliment. "Gail says it makes her nervous thinking p'r'aps the oven
+will be too hot or too cool, or the dough not just right, or something.
+But Faith hardly ever gets so cross that she won't let us clean out the
+pans."
+
+They entered the room in search of the cooking dishes it was so often
+their privilege to scrape, but the warm kitchen was in spick and span
+order, with nothing of the kind in sight; and Allee suggested hopefully,
+"Maybe they are in the pantry."
+
+"And maybe Faith is, too," whispered Peace, cautiously opening the door
+and peeping within. "No, she ain't, but she has made four big cakes.
+My! Don't they look fine? One choc'late loaf, two caramel layers, and
+one white square one. Looks like a graveyard with them all set even in a
+row, doesn't it? There ought to be three frosting pans to lick."
+
+"I don't see a single any," remarked Allee, poking into every nook and
+cranny in hope of finding their treat. "I guess she licked them all
+herself."
+
+"That's too mean of her," cried Peace, joining in the hunt with no
+better success. "She could have saved those dishes for us as well as
+not. What have you found?"
+
+Allee at that moment had unearthed two mysterious little packages, and
+in trying to investigate one of them, she dropped it, and the bag's
+contents were scattered all over the floor.
+
+"Candies!" gasped Peace. "Sh! Don't cry! I'll help you pick them up.
+They must be for Minnie Eastman's birthday cake. I s'pose that is the
+white frosted one. The candies aren't hurt a mite, Allee. Stop
+snivelling. Let's see what is in that other sack. Sugar, green sugar!
+Looks poison, doesn't it? But it tastes all right. Oh, see what I've
+done! My little United States map fell right on top of the white cake."
+
+"It fits, too," gulped tearful Allee. "Looks as if it b'longed there."
+
+"It's going to b'long!" cried Peace with sudden decision. "I shall trace
+around it with this pointed knife and then fix it up like Hope does her
+_paper mush_ maps. See, the frosting is soft enough to work easy."
+
+"You better not," Allen protested. "Faith might not like it."
+
+"Faith's tickled to death when she can find some new way of dec'rating
+her cakes, and as this is Minnie's birthday cake she'll be awfully
+pleased, 'cause she got the highest mark in geography of anyone in their
+room, Hope says."
+
+As she talked, she wielded the sharp knife with surprisingly good
+results in tracing the ragged outlines of the map in the soft icing, and
+even critical Allee was charmed when the paper was lifted, disclosing
+the knife marks. "You have to put all those blue lines in, too, don't
+you?" she asked. "How can you do that?"
+
+Peace pondered. "Those are rivers and these brown smudges are mountains.
+I asked Hope once. They all ought to go in, but I'm afraid I can't draw
+straight enough. Oh, I know what I'll do. Mrs. Strong uses pin-pricked
+patterns for stamping Glen's dresses. I'll try that." Carefully,
+laboriously, she pricked in the rivers, mountains and state boundaries,
+mistaking the latter for railroads; and then drew back to survey her
+work.
+
+"The pin marks don't show much, do they?" ventured Allee.
+
+"No, but I shan't leave them there anyway--not alone. We'll cover the
+railroads with these colored candies, and the rivers we'll make of
+green sugar. They are blue on the map, but green and blue ain't much
+different, anyway. We'll jam down the ocean and cover that with green,
+too. These curly choc'late candies will make good mountains, and by
+heaping up the frosting we dug out of the ocean we'll have islands and
+lighthouses. Now, ain't that elegant?"
+
+"Oh, my precious State Fair cake!" cried a dismayed voice behind them,
+and before either guilty decorator could face the angry sister, they
+were seized firmly by the shoulders, jerked through the doorway,
+vigorously shaken, each dealt a smart blow across their ears, and left
+dazed and tearful in the middle of the kitchen, while the avenger rushed
+sobbing upstairs.
+
+Neither culprit had recovered her breath when Gail was upon them, not
+the gentle sister they were accustomed to seeing, but a stern,
+indignant, justice-dealing judge.
+
+"Peace Greenfield," she said severely, "what have you done? Ruined the
+cake Faith has taken such pains with for the Fair!"
+
+"I--I thought it was Minnie's birthday cake. I--I just dec'rated it."
+
+"Just decorated it! What for? What business had you to touch it? That
+was pure mischief and nothing else. She intended making a spray of roses
+and green leaves on that cake and now you've spoiled it. Go sit down in
+your little chairs and stay there until noon. For fear you will forget
+about staying there, I shall tie you in."
+
+"Oh, Gail, as if we were little kids!"
+
+"That is what you are when you meddle with things that don't belong to
+you. I have talked until I am tired. You don't pay a bit of attention,
+so I must punish you some other way. Next time I shall send you to bed.
+Perhaps I better do that today."
+
+"Oh, Gail," sobbed miserable Peace, "I didn't mean to be bad, truly! I
+thought Faith would like some new way to dec'rate her cakes. I--please
+don't send us to bed! I'm awful sorry! Allee isn't to blame! She tried
+to make me leave it alone, didn't you, Babe?"
+
+"Yes," hiccoughed the equally penitent, but loyal young sinner, "and
+then I helped dig up the rivers and pile on the mountains!"
+
+Gail's face relaxed a little; a great tenderness for these little orphan
+sisters swept through her heart, and she felt herself relenting. Then
+Faith's tragic despair rose before her inner vision again, and she
+hardened her heart, drew out some stout cord from the cupboard drawer,
+and tied the humiliated duet into their rickety, worn-out old rockers,
+leaving them to their unhappy thoughts while she went back to her work
+upstairs.
+
+For a long time, it seemed to them, they sat jogging back and forth in
+the warm kitchen, mournfully dabbing their eyes and sniffing tearfully.
+Then Peace sat up, drew a deep, quivering breath, and said decisively,
+"I'm going to take that cake over to Mrs. Grinnell's--"
+
+"Gail said we had to stay here until noon," quavered Allee.
+
+"She said we had to sit in these _chairs_ till then," Peace corrected.
+
+"Well, that's the same thing. How can you go over to Mrs. Grinnell's and
+stay in your chair?"
+
+"Easy enough. I'll take it along. Gail didn't tie our hands."
+
+Allee gasped. "But you can't carry the cake, too!"
+
+"I'll put the cake in the big egg basket and you'll take hold on one
+handle and I the other. That will leave us each a free hand to hold onto
+our chairs with."
+
+"Oh!"
+
+"Will you do it?"
+
+"Course."
+
+With some difficulty they rose to their feet, made their way into the
+pantry once more and found the market basket; but it was another task to
+get the heavy cake into it, and they were almost in despair, when
+Peace's fertile mind found a solution to the problem.
+
+"It's 'cause my chair keeps slipping that I can't do it," she said,
+after several vain attempts to lift the cake. "I have only one hand to
+pick this heavy thing up with. Stick this piece of string through the
+back of my chair, Allee, and I'll tie it to the arms in front. There,
+that makes straps and holds the chair better. It cuts into your
+shoulders, though, doesn't it? Never mind, it won't be so bad when we
+get started and can hold onto the chairs. Are you ready? Don't make any
+noise, for Gail mustn't hear us."
+
+Slowly, cautiously, they tiptoed across the kitchen floor, let
+themselves out, and with wildly beating hearts hurried, as fast as the
+bumping chairs tied to their backs would permit, toward the tiny red
+cottage where Mrs. Grinnell lived all alone. Owing to their burdens,
+they made slow progress, and both conspirators expected any moment to
+hear Gail in pursuit. But it chanced that the busy housekeeper was too
+much occupied in the front chambers to discover their absence, and they
+reached the red house all out of breath, but without a mishap.
+
+"For the land sakes!" cried the plump, motherly woman, upsetting a pan
+of apples in her surprise. "What are you young ones playing now?"
+
+"This isn't exactly a play," Peace answered. "We've spoiled Faith's
+State Fair cake and now she ain't going to send it. I thought maybe you
+could tell us some way to fix it up." She set down the basket, lifted
+the paper covering and disclosed the queer, geographical decorations to
+the woman's astonished gaze.
+
+"Well, now, if that ain't the cutest!" exclaimed the worthy lady in
+genuine admiration. "Who'd ever have thought of putting the United
+States on a cake top but you, Peace Greenfield!"
+
+"I never _thought_ of it," answered the child honestly. "The map fell
+there, it fitted and I scratched it in. Now it is spoiled for the Fair
+and Faith is bawling her eyes out."
+
+Mrs. Grinnell looked keenly at the two sober, tear-stained faces before
+her, guessed the rest of the story, and rubbed her chin thoughtfully.
+Then she laughed in childish delight. "Why, I've got the finest scheme,
+you ducklings! We will just do a little juggling, and I think Faith will
+stand a better chance for the blue ribbon than she would with this white
+cake."
+
+"What do you mean?" faltered puzzled Peace.
+
+"Just this: I ordered a caramel layer of Faith for a little supper some
+of my people in the city are intending to give a niece of mine and her
+beau. They are to be married next week. She is a school teacher, and
+this cake will tickle her immensely. I'll just trot this in for the
+supper, and we'll take the caramel layer to the Fair. According to my
+notion of thinking, Faith's caramel cakes beat her others all hollow."
+
+"But--but--the caramel cakes haven't any red candy roses and green
+leaves on them," stammered Peace.
+
+"They don't need them," said Mrs. Grinnell, scornfully. "Goodness knows
+they are pretty enough plain, and as for taste--they are the finest I
+ever ate, and I used to be a pretty good cake-maker myself when the
+children were at home and my husband living. Now, not a word to Faith
+about this. Don't even tell Gail unless you have to. You better scamper
+for home now before you are missed."
+
+So they shambled back to the close kitchen, with the chairs still
+bumping and rubbing at every step, and were safely settled in their
+corner once more before Gail had finished her Saturday sweeping and
+dusting above. When she came downstairs to prepare their simple lunch
+and found the geographical cake missing from the pantry shelf, she
+thought Faith had disposed of it in some way, and consequently asked no
+questions, but released the sorry little sinners from their chairs, gave
+them their dinner and sent them off to play.
+
+When red-eyed Faith put in appearance late that afternoon, ready to
+deliver the other three cakes to her customers, she looked stealthily
+about for the ruined white mound, and not finding it, decided that Gail
+had hid it until her heavy disappointment should have eased somewhat;
+and she, too, asked no questions.
+
+At first she refused to accompany the sisters on their visit to the
+fairgrounds, but Peace's bitter misery softened her heart, and she went,
+though still too sorely grieved to enjoy much of the gay scenes and
+beautiful exhibits. However, all day long she studiously avoided the
+building where the cooked food was on exhibition, though Peace was wild
+to investigate its mysteries, and even Gail tried to persuade her to
+enter. Late in the afternoon, just as the oldest sister was proposing
+that they start for home, Cherry caught sight of a familiar figure
+entering the Horticultural Building, and raced after her with a yell of
+recognition, "Mrs. Grinnell, Mrs. Grinnell, we are all here!"
+
+"Well, well," exclaimed the woman, smiling into the flushed face at her
+elbow, "this is great luck. Come, all of you! I have found something I
+want you to see. You, most of all, Faith."
+
+She led them down one street and up another, into a white doorway before
+any of them had a chance to discover the name of the building, through a
+maze of aisles and a surging throng of weary sightseers, and paused in
+the cake department, pointed toward a blue-ribbon cake in one case, and
+said triumphantly, "Peace's geography cake was the hit of the evening
+last Saturday, but it took the caramel layer to win the prize, Faith!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII
+
+THE CIRCUS AND THE MISSIONARY
+
+
+"Oh, look, Allee! See the elephants and lions and giraffes and zebras on
+that poster. It's the cirkis as sure as I'm alive! Do you know I've
+always wanted to see the cirkis, and this is the first time I ever knew
+one to stop at Parker."
+
+"How do you know it will stop here?" asked skeptical Allee, who was just
+beginning to read, and found the long words on the billboard too much
+for her to master.
+
+"'Cause it says so. Parker, the eighteenth, Allee. Just think, that's
+only next Saturday! Just a week from today! Isn't it lucky it's on
+Saturday? Do you s'pose we can go?"
+
+"I 'xpect it will take money for that just like it does for everything
+else," answered the blue-eyed baby with a comically philosophical air;
+"and you know Gail never has any for such things as that."
+
+"Well, this is cheaper than most things, 'cause it says 'a-dults
+twenty-five cents, and children fifteen cents.' The Fair cost half a
+dollar for a-dults and twenty-five cents for children. If there is a
+chance to go to anything cheap, we better try hard to go, Allee, for
+that doesn't happen often."
+
+"Maybe Gail might not like to have us go even if we could get the
+money."
+
+"She does have some queer notions about places, doesn't she? At first
+she didn't want us to see that moving picture show at the church, but
+when Brother Strong went and took us, she thought it was all right.
+We'll ask about the cirkis before we tell her that it's coming, and
+maybe we can find out that way whether she would let us go."
+
+"I don't think we would have to ask much, 'cause she thinks cirkises are
+bad, and I don't b'lieve she would like to have us there."
+
+"What makes you so sure? I never have heard her say a thing about them."
+
+"She told Hope so the time Hope wanted to see '_Julio and Romiet_' when
+they studied it in school."
+
+"That wasn't a cirkis, that was a theatre, Allee. That's different. It
+takes painted people to play out the words in the theatre, but at the
+cirkis only real animals act, and do tricks that take brains to learn.
+Why, this picture shows a nelephant beating a drum. Now, elephants live
+in the _jumbles_ of Africa, Hope says, and they don't have drums to beat
+there. Hunters go to their houses and catch them and teach them how to
+drum, 'cause they have brains enough to learn. Look at that lion with
+its mouth open and that woman with her head chucked clear inside. She
+must like to be licked better'n I do. It makes me shiver when Towzer
+sticks his big, hot tongue on my face. Ugh! S'posing the lion should
+shut his mouth and bite her head off, what do you guess she'd do?"
+
+"I guess they'd have to get another woman for the lion," answered Allee.
+"I don't b'lieve those animals really do those things, do you, Peace?"
+
+"Yes, I do. Why, that book of natural history that Hector lent us after
+he got licked for stealing the melons tells about the way hunters train
+them to act in cirkises. I'd like to see them awfully much myself."
+
+"Then let's ask Gail. She _might_ have a little spare money."
+
+"No, I don't think she would. We'll have to earn the money ourselves,
+but I'm afraid she won't want us to go. That's what is bothering me. I
+tell you what let's do. We'll earn the money first and buy our tickets,
+and then I'm sure she will let us go. Shall we?"
+
+"Maybe that would be the best way. But how'll we earn the money? It's
+only a week from now, you said yourself, and that won't leave us much
+time to do anything, 'specially as school keeps 'most all day long.
+There ain't any strawberries to pick or blackberries to sell or snow to
+sweep or--"
+
+"Let's give a nentertaimnent in our barn like Hec and the boys did last
+week in their carriage-shed. They charged a cent apiece, and earned
+more'n a quarter, Hec told me. And I know we could give a better
+entertainment than they did. You could sing and Cherry could speak.
+Perhaps we could coax Hope to read to us. She does it splendidly, though
+usu'ly she thinks she's too big to play with us any longer. I am pretty
+sure Hec would turn summersets for us. He has been quite respectable
+since that last licking the Judge gave him. Jimmy Jones would likely
+play the bones for us, too, if Hec asked him to. They don't make a
+pretty noise, but it's a sight to see his hands fly. Tessie is learning
+the fiddle and I know she'd be glad to show off, and so would Effie, if
+we could get our organ out into the barn."
+
+"And you can whistle," put in Allee, all excitement as Peace unfolded
+her brilliant plan. "You sound just like the birds, and Gail said only
+the other night that you did better than lots of people who have taken
+lessons. But do you s'pose she will let us have the organ? Do you s'pose
+she'll even let us have the barn? It is in an awful clutter, and I don't
+see where we could put the people who come."
+
+"I was wondering about that myself, but it won't do any harm to ask.
+There is Hec. We can find out from him right away if he will be one of
+our show."
+
+"Shall you tell him about the cirkis?"
+
+"No, not a word. We'll have that as just a secret among our two selves
+until we see how much money we can earn. See?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"Don't you tell a soul!"
+
+"Of course I won't!"
+
+"Hector, wait a minute! We want to see you. Say, will you be in a
+nentertainment me and Allee are getting up in our barn?"
+
+The boy looked somewhat surprised at this request, for Peace had been
+very slow in accepting his friendly advances, though he had showered her
+with every possible attention ever since the day of the double tragedy
+in their breakfast room, owing to certain forceful remarks made by his
+irate parent. Here was an opportunity not to be disregarded, but with a
+great show of indifference, he leisurely faced the two conspirators, and
+lazily drawled out, "What kind of an entertainment?"
+
+"One to make a little money," Peace answered briefly.
+
+"What for?"
+
+"'Cause I need it," was the very satisfactory reply.
+
+"How much do you expect to make?"
+
+"You said you got more'n a quarter, didn't you?"
+
+"Yep. Twenty-eight cents."
+
+"Then I think we ought to get more'n fifty cents, 'cause we mean to have
+a _good_ program."
+
+Hector felt as if a dash of cold water had suddenly struck his face, but
+he was quite accustomed to Peace's characteristics by this time, so did
+not resent her implied doubtful compliment, but asked, with somewhat
+more of interest in his manner, "Who's going to be in it?"
+
+"Tessie and Effie and Cherry and Allee--"
+
+"And Peace is to whistle," put in the small cherub with sisterly
+loyalty.
+
+"Aw, a girls' crowd! There ain't any boys in it."
+
+"You'll make one if you will turn summersets. And we thought you might
+get Jimmie to play the bones for us, and p'r'aps Lute Dunbar might bring
+over his accordian. I b'lieve Mike O'Hara would speak that Irish piece
+of his that makes folks laugh so much, and maybe we could get the
+minister to stand on his head. He does that elegant. Whenever I visit
+there, that's the first thing I ask him for, and he nearly always does
+it, too."
+
+"Whoop-ee!" shouted Hector, turning a handspring. "I know a _boy_ that
+stands on his head, and he will do it any time I ask him to. Mr. Strong
+prob'ly wouldn't in front of a big crowd like you'd have in your barn.
+The Sherrars are coming down from Martindale Monday to stay a whole week
+with us, and Victor plays the cornet to beat the band. He's a little
+bigger'n us, but he will do anything for Cecile, and I'll get her to ask
+him. What'll you do for chairs at your place?"
+
+"I don't know," Peace confessed. "Maybe Gail won't even let us have
+the barn, but I think she will. We must give it this week, before
+next Saturday, I mean, 'cause that's the time we have to have the
+money--" She stopped abruptly, fearing that he would guess her secret,
+but he showed no trace of suspicion, so with freer breath she continued,
+"I'm going home now and see Gail. I think Wednesday or Thursday after
+school would be the best time, don't you? Then if it should rain, we
+would still have another day left before Saturday. It won't take us long
+to get ready, seeing we each do our part all alone."
+
+"Yes," agreed Hector, with unusual readiness, "I think Wednesday will be
+all right, and I'll get up the tickets for you."
+
+"Goody! You might get them ready while I go see Gail. I'll be right
+back."
+
+She and Allee disappeared up the road in a cloud of dust and Hector
+repaired to his home to manufacture the bits of cardboard necessary for
+admission to the wonderful entertainment. It was an hour later that
+Peace appeared at the Judge's door and asked to see the young gentleman
+of the house, but it required no words from her to tell him that her
+errand had been fruitless.
+
+"She won't let you give the entertainment!" he said, the instant he saw
+her woe-begone face.
+
+"She doesn't care about the entertainment at all, but she won't let us
+have the barn, and here I've been and asked Effie and Tessie and Mike,
+and they all promised to take part. Oh, dear! I did want that money so
+bad!"
+
+"Are you sure Gail won't care if you give the entertainment?" Hector
+stood in considerable awe of the big girls at the little brown house,
+and he wanted to run no risks in the daring plan his own brain had
+suddenly evolved.
+
+"No, she doesn't care a single speck. She said we could give it in the
+orchard, but then anyone could come and look on without having to pay a
+cent, and I can't get my money at all."
+
+"Yes, you can. We will give the entertainment in our carriage-shed if
+you'll divide the money with me, Peace. Course if I furnish the building
+I've a right to _part_ of the money."
+
+"But half is quite a lot," demanded the girl with some hesitation. "See,
+I've _got_ to make at least thirty cents for Allee and me, and I wanted
+fifteen cents more for Cherry."
+
+"We could have Cecile's old organ in the shed," said Hector, ignoring
+her objections for the moment; "and there is a big lantern hanging from
+the roof, so we could light it if it got dark before we were through. We
+had better light it anyway, I guess, and draw the curtains so no one
+outside can see. Then everyone who wants to hear the program will _have_
+to buy a ticket. If we get up such a swell entertainment, Peace, it is
+worth more'n a cent. Let's charge two for a nickel; then if we can get
+fifty people to come it will give us each quite a neat little pile out
+of it. What do you say?"
+
+"I--don't--think--many folks would buy at such a high price," said
+Peace, doubtfully, though the picture he drew was very alluring.
+
+"Why, of course they will for such a bang-up program as we'll give them.
+Mamma and Cecile and Mrs. Sherrar and Frances will go; and Nancy and
+Marie, the girls. That makes six right there. Of course we can't charge
+Victor anything if he takes part. I bet Miss Truesdale would buy a
+ticket, too. You ask her, or get Allee to. Allee is in her room now. The
+minister and his family are coming over some night for dinner while the
+Sherrars are here, and I'll get mamma to invite them Wednesday, and you
+tell them to come early enough for the program. They'll be glad to. Mr.
+Strong was here the day we boys had our time in the carriage shed, and
+he clapped and stamped the loudest of anyone."
+
+"Have you written the tickets yet?"
+
+"No, just cut them."
+
+"Well, that's good. We'll charge a nickel for two tickets, and give it
+in your shed next Wednesday. Get to work now. I've just thought of
+Montie Fry and his trick dog, and Dick Sullivan and his mouth-organ. I
+am going right over and see if they will take part."
+
+She was as good as her word, and when the following Wednesday afternoon
+arrived it would have been hard to tell which was the largest, the
+audience in the carriage shed, or the company of participants arranged
+on the platform which Leonard had built for just such gatherings; but
+every one of the fifty tickets had been sold, and late arrivals had to
+present cash, at the door, where Hector presided.
+
+The program, was certainly original and varied, if somewhat lengthy, and
+the audience was kept in a thrill of expectation from one number to the
+next, for Peace was a master hand at arranging her numbers, and
+instinctively had saved the best for the last. Just as she herself had
+taken her place in front of the motley gathering to give an exhibition
+of her whistling, the big door swung noiselessly, and the company from
+the great house arrived in a body,--the Judge's wife and daughter, their
+guests, the Sherrars, and the minister and his small family. They looked
+very much surprised to find the place crowded to its utmost capacity,
+but were even more astonished when, after a preliminary bar or so on the
+mouth-organ, Dick Sullivan began softly to play _The Blue-bells of
+Scotland_, and Peace's red lips took up the melody, whistling with
+beautiful accuracy and clearness, trilling through measure after measure
+with bird-like notes, following all of Dick's variations, and adding a
+few of her own under the inspiration lent by the presence of her beloved
+friends.
+
+"Cecile," exclaimed her friend Frances, "why didn't you tell me you had
+such a genius in your midst? I'd have been out here the first one to
+hear the whole program. Why, she looks like an angel, and her whistling
+is divine. Who is she?"
+
+"Peace Greenfield," answered Cecile, almost too amazed for speech, for
+this was the first time she herself had ever heard the young whistler.
+"Father calls her the dearest little nuisance in town. She is one of the
+most original pieces I ever saw in my life--always into mischief, and
+always trying to help someone. But truly, I had no idea she could
+whistle like that. Mr. Strong, what do you think of it?"
+
+"She is doing splendidly!" he whispered enthusiastically. "She is a
+regular genius at it. Why, a year ago she came to me and begged _me_ to
+teach her."
+
+"So she is a pupil of yours?" asked Mrs. Sherrar, as much enchanted with
+the musician as were her young people.
+
+"Not exactly. I helped her what I could, but I think most of the credit
+belongs to Mike O'Hara and the birds in the woods. He set her to
+imitating them; and she is an apt mimic, you will find. Clap with all
+your might."
+
+The very rafters rang with the applause of the enthusiastic audience, as
+the small whistler took her seat among her mates on the platform, and
+she was forced to give another selection, and a third. Allee came to
+her aid in the fourth, and sang to a whistled accompaniment, but the
+applause was more tremendous and insistent than before; and poor, weary
+Peace rose to her feet for the fifth time, but instead of pouring forth
+the torrent of melody they expected, she faced the audience
+belligerently, and cried in exasperation, "My pucker is tired out and my
+throat aches. Do you 'xpect me to stand here all night? Victor Sherrar
+will play on his cornet now and then you can go home."
+
+"Mamma," whispered Frances, while her brother was rendering the closing
+number of the program, "I simply must have those two tots at my party
+next week. They will be a novelty and everyone is sure to like them.
+Cecile thinks I can borrow them all right, seeing that it is to be
+Saturday night."
+
+"Well, we'll see," smiled the mother indulgently, as the crowd broke up
+and departed, while Peace and Hector divided the spoils in the corner.
+"She surely is an interesting specimen, and it was worth ten times the
+money just to hear her squelch her audience. Where is Brother Strong?"
+
+He was interviewing the brown-eyed girl, who, with her money in hand,
+was about ready to follow her companions for home; and they clustered
+around the little group by Hector's table just in time to hear Peace's
+dismayed voice cry, "You're fooling! I didn't believe that of _you_.
+Why, Mr. Strong, I read it myself on the poster!"
+
+"Where? What poster?"
+
+"That big one up on the corner back of this house. Allee and me were
+picking gentians when we saw it. Didn't we, Allee?"
+
+"But, Peace, that was last year's sign. There hasn't been a circus in
+town this summer, and there isn't going to be. It is past circus time."
+
+"Are you sure?" she faltered, opening her fist and looking tragically at
+the pile of nickels and dimes she held.
+
+"Perfectly sure! They were to have been here last year just about this
+time, but it rained pitchforks, as you children say, and they didn't
+stop. That poster is ragged and faded with time. If you don't believe
+me, just come up to the corner and I'll show you the date."
+
+"Oh, I b'lieve you! Ministers don't often tell lies; but I was just
+thinking of this heap of money I've earned all for nothing. Eighty cents
+was my share, and I thought that would take most of our family--s'posing
+Gail would let us go."
+
+The amused grown-ups smiled behind her back, but the preacher understood
+how disappointed she was, and taking her hand sympathetically in his, he
+drew her aside and whispered a few words in her ear which brought back
+the sparkle to her eyes and the happy glow to her face, as she exclaimed
+enthusiastically, "I'll do it! Sure! No, I won't tell a soul. Course
+Gail will let me. All right! Good-bye!"
+
+She was off like a shot down the road, and the pastor joined his hostess
+on the way to the house, with the irrelevant remark, "Dr. David Peak, a
+missionary to Africa, is to speak at our Sunday morning service. I hope
+we have a large attendance, as this will be a rare treat. It isn't often
+a little country church can secure so notable a speaker. Spread the good
+news all you can."
+
+Something in his voice made the Judge's wife say suggestively, "He is
+not to be the only unusual attraction, is he?"
+
+"The only one to be advertised," smiled the parson, and she understood.
+
+The following Sabbath day was glorious, bright, warm, and with the smell
+of fall in the air. The church was packed; pastor and people were at
+their best; and an expectant hush fell over the little audience when Mr.
+Strong took his seat after reading the weekly announcements. The organ
+began to play softly, necks were craned to catch a glimpse of the
+singer, and then a buzz of surprise filled the room. Peace, dressed all
+in white, and looking like a rosy cherub, had mounted to the organ loft
+where Faith was playing, and at the proper moment, she began to whistle
+a beautiful bird melody which surprised even those who had heard her the
+previous Wednesday. The whole audience sat spellbound. It seemed
+incredible that Peace,--little, blundering Peace, riotous, rebellious,
+happy-go-lucky Peace--had such a soul of melody bottled up within her.
+It was as if the songsters from the forest were suddenly let loose, and
+even her own sisters were amazed at her song.
+
+Mr. Strong had been wise when he chose that moment for Peace's music,
+for the whole congregation was in tune for the grand missionary plea
+which followed, when Dr. Peak rose to address them; and so inspired, and
+uplifted was the speaker himself that he preached as he never had done
+before, bringing his cause so close to the people that they were
+thrilled and fired with his enthusiasm.
+
+Parker was a well-to-do little village, built originally for the express
+purpose of permitting wealthy business men of the city to find peaceful
+retreat from the noisy metropolis, where, week in and week out, they
+spent the long days of labor. It had now somewhat outgrown this
+reputation, but still numbered many rich men among its inhabitants, and
+boasted of an unusually fine church for such a small place, although it
+was not noted for its spiritual zeal, and particularly was it lacking in
+its missionary spirit. These were difficulties which the ardent young
+preacher, Mr. Strong, had sought for many long months to overcome, and
+while the earnest missionary from Africa was pleading the cause of the
+heathen, the pastor praying with all his might for his own
+congregation.
+
+When the wonderful sermon was finished, and Mr. Strong saw the unusual
+interest in the faces before him, he determined to strike while the iron
+was hot, and though that Sunday was not scheduled for a missionary
+collection, he sprang to his feet and made an urgent plea for more funds
+for the grand and glorious cause.
+
+"Give from the depths of your heart," he urged. "Think of these millions
+of people needing the Gospel. Brother Peak has come direct from the
+field, he knows conditions better than anyone else can know them. He
+tells us they need more missionaries. How are they to get them? Through
+us in our civilized countries. We can't all go in person, but I don't
+think there is a soul here this morning but can give something to help a
+little. The ushers will now wait upon you. Who will be the first to
+give, and what shall it be,--yourself, time, m--"
+
+"My cirkis money!" cried a shrill voice from the organ loft, and there
+stood Peace, fishing coin after coin from the depths of her pocket and
+dropping them over the pulpit into the missionary's outstretched hand.
+"I earned it so's me and Allee and Cherry could go to the cirkis--that
+is, if Gail would let us--and then, come to find out, it was last
+summer, and on 'count of the rain it never stopped at all. Next best to
+seeing the cirkis is hearing what that man said about the little black
+babies in Africa,--that's where the cirkis animals come from, too,--and
+I couldn't help wondering how I'd feel s'posing I had to live there and
+be black and eat such horrible things and be boiled in a kettle to take
+the dirt off, and buy my wife for a junk of cloth and wear strings of
+beads for clo'es. Here's my eighty cents, Dr. Missionary, to buy them a
+little more Gospel, and when I'm grown up if there are still heathen
+living in that country, I b'lieve I'll come down and help."
+
+Whether it was the missionary's sermon, Mr. Strong's plea, or Peace's
+postscript that did the work, perhaps no one will ever know, but when
+the ushers brought their loaded baskets to the pulpit and the
+extraordinary collection was counted, it was found that over one hundred
+dollars had been raised for the missionary cause that morning in the
+Parker Church.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII
+
+THE HAND-ORGAN MAN
+
+
+Hardly had the four younger girls disappeared across the fields on the
+way to school the next morning, when the Abbott carriage drew up in
+front of the little brown house, and Cecile and Frances hurried up the
+path to the door. Gail answered the imperative knock, and looked so
+surprised and pleased at the unexpected call that the Judge's daughter's
+face crimsoned with contrition and shame to think she had neglected this
+old-time friend so long.
+
+"Why, Cecile!" stammered Gail, glancing involuntarily from the girls'
+fresh, white suits to her own shabby print frock and rolled-up sleeves.
+"This is a great treat. Come right in! We are so glad to have you call.
+Don't apologize; you are more than welcome. But please excuse my
+appearance. It is Monday morning and Faith and I are washing."
+
+"Then don't you apologize, either," said Cecile, trying to laugh easily
+and failing utterly. "We should not have called at this outrageous hour,
+but Frances is to return to the city this afternoon, and she insisted
+upon coming to see about the children before she left."
+
+"Oh!" The bright light died from Gail's eyes, and the girls looked
+uncomfortable. So it was an errand after all and not a friendly call
+which brought them. "What is the matter with the children? Has Peace--"
+
+"No, oh, no, nothing has happened," Cecile began hastily, when Frances
+interrupted, "It was on my account. Your little whistler has captivated
+me completely--and mamma, too. We wanted to know if we might borrow them
+next Saturday, Peace and Allee, to help out in the program at a party I
+am giving that night. Oh, don't say no! I have set my heart on it. We
+will take the best care of them and bring them home early Sunday
+morning. We are coming out here for dinner at Mr. Strong's house that
+day, and of course must arrive in time for church service. Please say we
+can borrow them. I do want them _so_ much!"
+
+"Dear me," exclaimed Cecile in mortification. "I haven't even introduced
+you two girls. No wonder you think I am crazy, Gail. This is my chum
+from Martindale, Miss Sherrar, Miss Greenfield--"
+
+"I'm Frances," again the radiant-faced stranger interrupted.
+
+"And I am Gail," smiled the other. "I have heard the Strongs speak of
+you often."
+
+"No oftener than we have heard them speak about you," Frances assured
+her. "We have known both of them for years, and ever since they took
+charge here in Parker we have heard lots about you."
+
+"No doubt. Mr. Strong is quite a champion of Peace's, and she certainly
+needs one. I am afraid I don't make much of a success in bringing up the
+little ones."
+
+"I think Peace is a perfect cherub--in looks."
+
+The trio laughed merrily, and Cecile added, "She means to be in actions,
+but nothing she ever does comes out the way she intended it to, and she
+keeps everyone guessing as to what she will do next. You ought to hear
+Daddy rave about her. He thinks she is the smartest child he ever saw."
+
+"I think she is the sweetest," said Frances, "she and Allee. They are
+both too cunning for anything. I simply must have them at my party.
+Won't you say they can come?"
+
+"They have nothing to wear for such a grand occasion," Gail hesitated,
+anxious to please, and yet not quite willing to trust two of the
+precious sisters with strangers for even a twenty-four hours.
+
+"That is easily remedied. I have some little cousins who are sure to
+have dresses that will fit. It is to be rather a dress-parade, I must
+admit, but you needn't worry on that account. Mamma knows how to fix
+them up in Sara's and Marion's clothes. We must have them. Mr. Strong
+will give us a good recommend, I know."
+
+Gail laughed. "There is no need of that at all. I am willing that they
+should go, only you can hardly blame me for hesitating a little, as this
+will be the first time either one has been away from home over night;
+and besides, Peace is such a blunderbus, I rather dread to let her go
+anywhere for fear she will get into trouble."
+
+"Now you oughtn't to feel that way at all," cried Frances gaily. "_I_
+was just such a child as she is, and see what a well-behaved young lady
+_I_ have grown to be! But really, she has such a sweet disposition and
+great, tender heart, she will come out all right, I know. Mr. Strong
+says so, and he is a splendid character reader. Oh, of course, I suppose
+she has her bad days. We all do, but she is too much of a darling to
+stay bad long. You should hear your preacher sermonize about her. He
+says just as sure as she gets into mischief of any kind she comes to him
+and tells him all about it, cries over it, and goes away promising to be
+a better girl. Oh, I have lost my heart to her completely! We won't let
+her get into mischief of any kind, I promise. And I know she will enjoy
+herself."
+
+"Well," answered Gail, slowly, "they may go, if you wish them so badly.
+How--"
+
+"Cecile will bring them when she comes Saturday morning, if you are
+willing. That will give us plenty of time to get everything fixed up
+properly. I thank you so much for your permission; and, Gail, though we
+must hurry away this morning, the next time I come out here for a visit,
+I shall run in to see you for a nice long chat. May I?"
+
+"Oh, if you just would!" cried gentle Gail impulsively, longing to take
+the bright face between her hands and kiss it. "We are too busy here to
+get out very much ourselves, but we do like company 'awfully bad,' as
+Peace used to say. I hope you come soon. The children will be ready for
+Cecile Saturday when she gets here. Good-bye, I am sorry you must go so
+soon. Come again, Cecile." The girls were gone, and Gail went back to
+her wash-tubs in a daze.
+
+Needless to say, the little girls were wild with excitement when told of
+the coming gala day, and Cherry was green-eyed with envy, though, like
+the well-behaved child she was, she never said a word to mar the
+beautiful time in store for the two more fortunate sisters. Long before
+Cecile arrived Saturday morning, the stiffly-starched duet stood on the
+steps, waiting in a fever of impatience; and by the time the Sherrar
+house in the great city was reached, both little girls were almost
+transported with joy. They nearly talked Cecile's head off, so eager
+were they to find out all about the grand party, and everything else of
+interest they could think of; so she was more than relieved to turn her
+lively charges over to Frances the minute that young lady put in
+appearance.
+
+"You little darlings!" the hostess exclaimed at sight of them. "Take
+them right upstairs, Sophy; mamma wants them at once. Cecile, you look
+tired out. Oh, yes, I can understand just how you feel for Sara and
+Marion were here all day yesterday, and what do you think? They haven't
+a thing suitable for us to borrow. Mamma says we'll have to go downtown
+and buy something ready-made for Peace and Allee. She is dressing now,
+and if you aren't too tired, I'm going to drag you along."
+
+"Oh, I'm never too tired for gadding," replied Cecile with animation.
+"But I can't answer half the questions those chatterboxes ask, and this
+morning Allee was as bad as Peace. She wants to know if a chandelier
+crows and is just an ordinary rooster. Peace thinks those green-houses
+we pass on the car ought to be called 'white-houses,' because they are
+painted white. Just before we got off at our avenue she suddenly
+demanded to know for whom 'Vandrevort Street' was named. I couldn't
+think for the life of me what she meant until I remembered we cross
+Twenty-fourth Street, and the conductor was a foreigner who doesn't
+pronounce his words distinctly. She is possessed to know why, if the
+world is round, the houses on the other side don't fall off; and why,
+when we lift our feet to step, they always come down to the earth again
+instead of staying in the air. Why is it we can't pick ourselves up in
+our own arms; why don't women's shoes hook up like men's; what is the
+reason policemen's clothes are always blue and the grass is never
+anything but green; why don't mules look like horses and what makes them
+kick?"
+
+Cecile stopped for breath, and Frances screamed with delight. "Maybe we
+better stop and consult the doctor while we are in town," she suggested.
+
+"No, I guess that won't be necessary now, for I have resigned them to
+your tender mercies, and you must answer their questions after this. If
+you don't get enough of it, Frances Sherrar, before tomorrow morning--"
+
+"Don't prophesy, Cecile! If they can hold a candle to Marion and Sara,
+I'll give you my opal ring."
+
+"I stand a pretty good chance of getting the ring, then," answered
+Cecile, half-laughing, half-serious; but at that moment Mrs. Sherrar
+hustled down the stairway, with the two children in her wake, and the
+merry group set out for town.
+
+"This is the corner, mamma," said Frances, as the car came to a
+standstill at one of the busiest streets; "and, oh, if there aren't Mrs.
+Tate and Lucy! I haven't seen them for an age. Hurry, mamma, you know
+you are as anxious to see them as I am."
+
+Peace and Allee found themselves bundled hurriedly down the steps,
+jerked through the surging crowd of people, teams and automobiles in
+street, and landed on the opposite corner breathless, but game.
+
+"Stay right here," they heard Mrs. Sherrar say; and the next instant the
+older members of the party were wholly absorbed with those
+unexpectedly-met friends. The children listened impatiently for a few
+moments, but finding the conversation very uninteresting, looked about
+them for other more congenial amusement.
+
+Just then a wheezy old hand-organ behind them began a familiar melody,
+and Peace beheld the player, a bent, white-haired, blind man, sitting in
+the shadow of a lamp-post on the edge of the curbing, slowly, patiently
+turning the crank of the little machine. She was at his side in an
+instant, staring into the sightless face with her great, brown, pitying
+eyes. His clothes were very shabby, his cheeks were pinched and pale;
+his cup, she noticed, stood empty on the top of the organ; his hands
+were terribly thin, and trembled as he played, so that he had to stop
+frequently between songs and rest.
+
+"Are you sick, Mr. Blind-man?" she asked before she was aware she had
+spoken her thoughts aloud.
+
+The white, unseeing eyes of the organist turned in the direction of the
+voice, and he answered with a show of cheerfulness, "Not now, little
+lady."
+
+"Then you have been?"
+
+"Yes, this is my first day out for two weeks."
+
+"Oh, you poor man! It must tire you dreadfully to have to grind that box
+all day. Won't you let me try it awhile? I know I can do it all right.
+You can count your money while I play."
+
+"There ain't been any to count so far this morning," he murmured,
+unconsciously dropping his hand from the organ as the quaint,
+old-fashioned song was finished; and before he had a chance to
+remonstrate, Peace had seized the crank with both hands, and was
+grinding away with all her might. But, though the crank seemed to turn
+easily enough, the music came in jerks, and the blind player took
+possession of his organ the minute she had completed the last bar,
+saying gently, "I am afraid you don't know how to make the music, little
+one. But I thank you a thousand times for your great good-will. I shall
+soon be strong enough to play as well as I always have. The first day is
+a little hard. Tomorrow it will be better. We'll change the roll now,
+and give them another tune." He fumbled about the organ for a moment or
+two, and then the strains of _Annie Laurie_ filled the air.
+
+"Oh, I know that!" cried Peace, with animation. "Allee, you come and
+sing, while I whistle. We can do it lovely. Now begin again."
+
+Nothing loath to humor his strange, sympathetic little guests, he began
+the second time to grind out the wheezy notes of the beautiful,
+time-honored song, and Peace's red lips took up the accompaniment,
+while Allee's sweet, childish voice warbled the words:
+
+    "Maxwellton braes are bonnie,
+      Where early fa's the dew,
+    And it's there that Annie Laurie
+      Gied me her promise true--
+      Gied me her promise true,
+    Which ne'er forgot will be;
+    And for bonnie Annie Laurie
+      I'd lay me doon and dee."
+
+Mrs. Sherrar wheeled in amazement at the sound; the girls broke off
+their animated conversation to stare at the quaint group on the corner;
+a crowd gathered quickly; and with sudden, characteristic impulsiveness,
+Peace caught up the battered tin cup from the old hand-organ, and held
+it out invitingly. Hand after hand plunged deep into scores of pockets;
+coin after coin rattled into the little dipper; the old man played
+eagerly, breathlessly; and the children sang again and again in response
+to the applause from the street.
+
+How long the impromptu concert might have continued no one knows, but
+through a break in the sea of faces surrounding them, Peace caught a
+glimpse of Mrs. Sherrar's portly form, and it reminded her suddenly of
+where she was and how she came to be there. Breaking off in the midst of
+her song, she thrust the heavy cup back into the owner's hands, bowed
+to the astonished throng, and cried shrilly, "He's been sick and can't
+play as much as he used to could, until he gets strong again; so he
+needs all the money he can get. Don't forget him when you go by again."
+
+Grabbing Allee by the arm, she whisked away to where her friends were
+waiting, fearful lest they might not approve of her impulsive action; so
+before they had a chance to speak a word either of blame or praise, she
+began, excusingly, "Just s'posing we all had our eyes punched out so's
+we couldn't see, and had to sit on street corners and grind out music
+all day long. Wouldn't it be terrible? I--I--thought--maybe it might
+help a little if we joined in the music, and it did. He's got a whole
+cupful of money, and now maybe he'll go home and rest a bit. He's been
+sick."
+
+Tears filled the eyes of the little company of grown-ups, and Frances,
+with an understanding heart, drew the childish figures close, saying
+tenderly, "For these bonnie little lassies I'd lay me doon and dee."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX
+
+HEARTBREAK
+
+
+It was a wild, stormy, October night. The rain fell fitfully, and the
+howling wind raced madly through forest and over farmland, shrieking
+down chimneys, rattling windows and doors, whistling through every
+conceivable crack and crevice, and rudely buffeting any traveler who
+chanced to be abroad. In the brown house three rosy-cheeked little maids
+lay fast asleep in their beds in the tiny back chamber, blissfully
+unconscious of wind and rain; but in the room below Faith and Hope kept
+anxious vigil, awaiting Gail's return from the darkness and the storm.
+
+"I should have gone, too," croaked Faith, in a voice so hoarse she could
+scarcely speak above a whisper.
+
+"No, indeed," Hope declared. "You have a dreadful cold now; but I think
+she might have let me go. Towzer isn't enough company on such a night,
+and like as not he will get tired of waiting and come home without her.
+What was that? Oh, only the clock. Eleven! I had no idea it was so
+late."
+
+She rose from her chair and paced restlessly back and forth across the
+room, pausing at every turn to look first out of one window and then
+out of the other, as if trying to penetrate the inky blackness of the
+stormy night. The unlatched gate creaked dismally on its hinges;
+somewhere a door banged shut; and then an old bucket blew off the back
+porch and down the steps with a rattlety-clatter which made the two
+watchers within start and shiver.
+
+Peace heard it, too, and sat bolt upright in bed, not knowing what had
+awakened her, but trembling like a leaf with nervous fear. A terrific
+gust of wind roared around the corner, shaking the little brown house
+from rafter to foundation; the great elm trees tossed and groaned in
+sympathy, and the leafless vines over the porch beat a mournful tattoo
+against the walls.
+
+    "Have you ever heard the wind go 'Yoooooo?'
+      'Tis a pitiful sound to hear!
+    It seems to chill you through and through
+      With a strange and speechless fear,"
+
+chattered Peace, hardly conscious of what she was saying. The gate shut
+with a clang. "What's that? Sounded 's if--it _was_ the gate banging
+and someone is coming up the steps! I wonder who it can be this time of
+night and in all this storm?"
+
+She listened intently for the visitor to knock. None came, but the front
+door was opened unceremoniously, a blast of wind tore through the house,
+and she heard two excited, relieved voices exclaim, "Oh, Gail! We
+thought you would never come. Take off your coat this minute! You are
+drenched!"
+
+"What on earth is Gail doing out of doors in this rain?" said Peace to
+herself. "She was sewing when I came up to bed. I'm going to find out."
+Tumbling out of her warm nest, she crept softly down the stairs, and
+slipped behind the faded drapery which served as door to the tiny hall
+closet, from which position she could watch the girls in the
+living-room, and hear much of what they were saying.
+
+The first words which greeted her ears as the curtain fell back in
+position with her behind it, were Faith's: "Oh, Gail, not Mr.
+_Skinner_!"
+
+"Yes," answered the oldest sister in a strained, unnatural voice that
+struck terror to the little spy's heart, "Mr. Skinner!"
+
+"But I thought Mr. Hartman held the mortgage," Hope began in bewildered
+tones.
+
+"He did, dear," Gail answered. "I supposed he still held it; we paid the
+last interest money to him."
+
+"Then how--"
+
+"Two years ago Mr. Hartman signed a note for old Mr. Lowe on the Liberty
+Road. The Lowes have always been considered wealthy people, and the two
+families have been close friends for years, so he thought there would be
+no trouble about the note; but when it fell due in July Mr. Lowe
+couldn't pay, and Mr. Hartman had to. He owns quite a little property,
+I guess, but all his ready money had gone into fixing up his buildings
+and putting up a new barn. Mr. Skinner wouldn't give an extension of
+time on the note, and said he would take nothing but cash payment or the
+mortgage on our farm. He has always wanted this place, it seems, and had
+expected to get it when papa bought it--you know the first owner was a
+great friend of our family--and there was some bad feeling over it. He
+never liked us, and Peace's prank with his bull settled everything. He
+was fairly insulting--"
+
+"Did you go to see him?" chorused the sisters.
+
+"Surely. I thought there might be a _chance_ of his extending the time
+on the mortgage, but--he wouldn't listen to me."
+
+"Then we must lose the farm?"
+
+"We have a month more before the mortgage is due, but I don't know where
+the money to pay is coming from. I am afraid--the farm--must go." She
+gasped out the words in such misery and despair that Peace found herself
+crying with the older sister across the hall.
+
+"What will become of us?" choked Hope after a long pause.
+
+"I--I don't know," murmured Gail, "unless you go to live with the
+neighbors until I can find something to do so I can get you all together
+again. It seems the village people have already talked this over among
+themselves."
+
+"Did Peace tell you after all?" demanded Faith.
+
+"No, I didn't! I never said a word!" cried Peace in great indignation,
+and the startled sisters beheld a frowzy head thrust from behind the
+closet drapery, and a pair of angry eyes glaring at them. "I won't go to
+live with the Judge nor Mr. Hardman, either. Len and Cecile tease me
+dreadfully, Hector I _predominate_ with all my heart and I can't abide
+Mr. Hardman. He isn't square. He shouldn't have given old Skinflint the
+_mordige_. It b'longs to us. Oh, dear, I'll never pick raspberries
+again! That bull has made more fuss than any other person I know."
+
+Gail caught the shivering, sobbing child in her arms, wrapped a shawl
+around her, and sought to soothe her grief by saying gently, "There,
+there, honey, don't cry like that! You are shaking with cold. How long
+have you been in the closet, and why were you hiding there?"
+
+"I heard you come in and I _had_ to see what was the matter. Oh, do say
+I won't have to go to the Judge or Mr. Hardman! I hate them both--"
+
+"Peace," reproved Gail, "you mustn't speak so. I am sorry you have
+overheard anything about the matter. Mr. Hartman had a perfect right to
+sell the mortgage to Mr. Skinner, and under the circumstances we can't
+blame him. He wouldn't have done it if he could have helped it."
+
+"What I can't understand," interposed Faith, with a deep frown
+disfiguring her forehead, "is why he waited this long before telling
+us."
+
+"I guess he didn't relish breaking such news to us anyway, but he has
+been hoping right along that Mr. Lowe would be able to pay him for the
+note. Then he could buy back the mortgage, or loan us the money so we
+could meet it, which amounts to the same thing. Of course, it is barely
+possible that he will yet get the money in time, but we can't count on
+it at all. He was so broken up over the matter that he actually cried
+while he was talking to me."
+
+"I sh'd think he would!" stormed Peace, who could not yet understand how
+their neighbor had any excuse for selling the mortgage; neither did she
+understand just what sort of a thing a mortgage is, but that it had
+something to do with money and their farm was perfectly clear.
+
+"Isn't there someone we know who could loan us the money?" asked Hope,
+the hopeful, unwilling to accept the dark situation as it was presented.
+
+"I can't think of a soul. Most of father's close friends were ministers,
+and they wouldn't be able to help us. We have no relatives living. We
+haven't anybody--"
+
+"We have each other," whispered Hope; and Gail's clasp on the little
+form in her lap tightened convulsively as she wondered vaguely how much
+longer they could say those words.
+
+"We have Mr. Strong, too," reminded Peace. "Maybe he knows how the money
+could be paid."
+
+"I had thought of asking his advice, but of course it was too stormy
+tonight. We must wait until day."
+
+"If he can't help us, ask him if he won't take me," said Peace, in her
+most wheedlesome tones. "I would rather live with him than with anyone
+else in the world if we have to break up our house. I thought he would
+like to have me, too, but Mr. Jones said he wanted Allee."
+
+"Mr. Jones doesn't know anything about it. Don't fret, dearie! There may
+be lots of ways out of our trouble without our having to separate. I
+_hope_ so. We have a month to think and plan; but if we must scatter for
+a time among our kind friends, I trust we will all go bravely and do our
+best to please."
+
+"But I _can't_ go to the Judge's, Gail! He's a perfect fury, gets mad at
+nothing, and chaws his mustache and glares so ugly I always listen to
+see whether he's going to growl like Towzer."
+
+"He has the finest house in town," said Faith consolingly, "and a piano
+and a horse and buggy. He is going to have an automobile next summer."
+
+"I'd rather live with nice folks than with pianos and nautomobiles,"
+Peace interrupted. "I don't know what he wants of another girl, unless
+it is for Len and Hector to tease."
+
+"I thought you liked Len?"
+
+"He used to be nice, but since he's began going to scollege, he's
+horrid. He saw me yesterday morning in Cherry's dress, 'cause I tore my
+last clean one; and he bugged his two eyes out like he was awfully
+s'prised, and said, 'Mah deah child, yoah dress is too long! I don't
+like the looks of it.'" She mimicked the college dude's affected airs so
+perfectly that the three sisters shouted with laughter, forgetting for
+the moment their heavy burden of care.
+
+"What did you say?" asked Faith curiously, although in her heart she
+knew that Len must have met his match.
+
+"I looped my fingers up in circles like make-b'lieve eye-glasses, and
+said, 'Mah deah man, yoah hat is too tall and yoah pants ah too wide. I
+don't like the looks of them, but I am too p'lite to say so.'"
+
+Another shout of mirth made the rafters ring, and the trio laughed till
+they cried, much to Peace's surprise, for the scene she had just
+depicted had caused her much indignation, and she could see nothing
+funny about it. "If you don't be stiller you'll wake the children," she
+warned them in her most grandmotherly tones, and they sobered quickly,
+remembering the ghost of trouble hovering over the little house.
+
+For a long time they sat there in silence, each one busy with her own
+disturbed thoughts, unaware that the fire in the stove had died out, or
+that the chimes had long since struck midnight.
+
+Suddenly Gail lifted her eyes from the hole in the carpet, at which she
+had been staring unseeingly, glanced at the old clock on the wall, and
+exclaimed, "Girls, it's a quarter to one! Fly into bed, every one of
+you! School keeps tomorrow just the same. Try to lay aside this trouble
+at least for tonight and get a little sleep. In the morning I will speak
+to Mr. Strong about it--"
+
+"And remember to speak to God about it, too," murmured drowsy Peace,
+stumbling upstairs in front of the weary mother-sister.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX
+
+AT THE BROKER'S OFFICE
+
+
+"This is Saturday morning, Gail, and Mrs. Grinnell says I can go to
+Martindale with her if you will let me," said Peace, a few days after
+their midnight conference. She might have added that she herself had
+asked for the invitation, but for reasons of her own she made no mention
+of this fact.
+
+Gail looked up from the pan of yeast she was "setting," and hesitatingly
+began, "Well--"
+
+"I've wiped the dishes and fed the hens and dusted the parlor--"
+
+"But I haven't swept the parlor yet," Gail protested.
+
+"I can't help that. I have dusted," Peace answered, firmly. "If I had
+waited until you got ready to sweep, Mrs. Grinnell would have been
+gone."
+
+Gail giggled in spite of her efforts to check the smile on her lips, and
+then soberly said, "But what about the eggs?"
+
+"I have delivered my bunch already."
+
+"Why, Peace, those baskets weren't full! What will Mrs. Abbott think?"
+
+"Oh, I fixed that all right. There wasn't time to do much hunting for
+our own eggs, so I borrowed the rest of Mrs. Hartman."
+
+"Peace Greenfield! What shall I do with you?" cried the older sister in
+utter discouragement, dropping her hands from her pan of mixing in a
+gesture of despair which scattered a cloud of flour over herself and the
+impatient pleader.
+
+"Let me go with Mrs. Grinnell," was the prompt reply. "I won't be in
+your way all day, then; and while I am gone, the hens will have laid
+enough eggs to pay back Mrs. Hartman. I borrowed only five. Twenty-eight
+hens ought to be able to lay that many before I get back. The eight
+biddies I bought with the rest of my melon money could do better than
+that, Gail. Please say I can go!"
+
+Perhaps it was the sight of the wistful little face, perhaps it was
+visions of a quiet day in which to attend to housework that won the
+desired permission; but at any rate Gail consented reluctantly, and
+Peace danced away to find the kind neighbor and report the sister's
+decision.
+
+"My, but I'm glad," she hummed to herself as she scrambled into her best
+dress and flew out of the door into the warm autumn sunshine. "I thought
+she wouldn't let me go, and then I couldn't get the money. Oh, I am so
+glad, so glad!"
+
+"Where are you going?" demanded a grieved voice, as Allee came through
+the barn door and caught a glimpse of her sister's best skirts under the
+flying coat.
+
+Peace stopped short in the path and thoughtfully sucked her finger as
+she eyed the dirty pinafore and wistful face of this pet of the family.
+
+"To Martindale," she said, briefly. "Come along! There isn't time to
+clean up. We'll hide you under the lap robe. Mrs. Grinnell won't care.
+Cherry, Oh, Cherry, tell Gail I have taken Allee with me! She ain't
+_very_ dirty, and I'll keep her covered up out of sight. And now, Allee,
+don't you say a word to anyone about it, but I _begged_ Mrs. Grinnell to
+take me. I want to get some money to buy back that _mordige_ of ours
+from old Skinflint. Mind you keep it secret!"
+
+"I will," promised Allee readily, for with her Peace's very wish was
+law.
+
+"There is Mrs. Grinnell all harnessed and waiting. Hurry up! I had to
+bring Allee, Mrs. Grinnell, 'cause I wouldn't be at home to amuse her,
+and she might get into mischief," she explained as they arrived panting
+and breathless beside the big, roomy carriage, and she saw the
+questioning glance of the woman's eyes.
+
+"Oh, I see," answered Mrs. Grinnell, smiling grimly. "But how about
+Gail? Does she know?"
+
+"Oh, yes, she knows by this time. I sent Cherry to tell her. There
+wasn't time to change her dress, so we will have to keep her covered up
+pretty well, 'specially as she's wearing her old play coat. Say, Mrs.
+Grinnell, do you know some people named Swift and Smart who live in
+Martindale?"
+
+"There is a firm of brokers by that name on Sixth Street. Why?" she
+demanded suspiciously, for when Peace asked such a question, it usually
+meant mischief brewing.
+
+"Oh, I just wanted to know if there were really people called that or if
+Mr. Hardman was only teasing. He told me when I killed the hens that I
+better go there and borrow money to buy new ones with."
+
+"He was just tormenting you," the woman replied, severely. "I hope you
+weren't thinking of doing such a thing?"
+
+"Oh, no!" Peace exclaimed, the hopeful light in her eyes fading quickly.
+"Haven't I already bought eight good hens of O'Hara with my melon money?
+They lay better than our others do, too. That makes twenty-eight in all
+now. But I don't see why Mr. Hardman told me Swift & Smart would give me
+the money."
+
+"He was playing smart himself, I guess. That firm is one of the biggest
+of its kind in the city. They buy mortgages and such things; they
+haven't time to spend on little loans."
+
+"Oh," said Peace, but the glad light came back to the somber brown eyes
+once more, and she bounced happily up and down on the leather cushion.
+"That name seemed such a funny one to me, I couldn't forget it. Swift &
+Smart--I wonder if it fits?"
+
+"If it fits?" echoed her companion.
+
+"Yes. S'posing Mr. Swift was slower'n molasses in January and Mr. Smart
+was stupid as a stump, they would be as big misfits as I am, wouldn't
+they? Now if grandpa could just have known the kind of a girl I was
+going to be, I bet he never would have named me Peace. Faith says it
+would have been more 'propriate if he had called me Pieces. I was just
+thinking what if those _breakers_ were the same way."
+
+"Brokers, my dear, not breakers. Well, I can't say how well the names
+fit, for I don't know them except by hearsay; but I judge they must be
+pretty smart whether they are slow or swift."
+
+Peace giggled gleefully as if she appreciated the pun, and said
+musingly, "I'd like to see for myself how well they fitted. The names
+sound so funny. Do you go near their store today?"
+
+"Why, yes, we are just across the street from it when we stop at
+Darnell's Dry Goods Store, but they have an office and not a store,
+child, and no one goes there unless they want to borrow money or
+something of that kind. Here we are at Peterson's. Will you come in
+while I do my trading?"
+
+"Well, no," stammered Peace, her face flushing crimson under her
+friend's searching gaze. "Allee is pretty dirty and we best sit right
+here, don't you think?"
+
+Mrs. Grinnell hesitated, puzzled at this unusual resolve on the part of
+the children who liked nothing better than to wander through the big
+department stores and admire the pretty things; then she replied grimly,
+"Very well, but don't either one of you stir out of that buggy while I
+am gone."
+
+"No, we won't," they promised in angelic tones, and the woman left them,
+still perplexed and somewhat ill at ease. Fearing that some mischief was
+on foot she cut short her bargain-hunting tour in Peterson's store and
+hurried back to her charges, only to find them sitting silent and erect
+on the seat where she had left them, busy watching the bustling crowds
+in the streets.
+
+"Why," cried Peace, almost in dismay, "you weren't gone at all hardly!
+You must be a quick shopper."
+
+"Yes, in this case," laughed the relieved woman, climbing into the rig
+and clucking at the horse, "but it may take me some time at the
+Martindale Dry Goods Store, and probably longer yet at Darnell's. Do you
+think you can wait patiently out here in the wagon?"
+
+"Oh, yes, it's lots of fun watching the people go by. There was one man
+back there so fat and _pusy_ that we wondered what would happen s'posing
+he should stub his toe. I don't believe his head and feet _could_ hit
+the sidewalk at the same time, and he'd just roll away like a ball,
+unless someone helped him up, wouldn't he?"
+
+Again Mrs. Grinnell laughed grimly as she remarked with some sarcasm,
+"What great sights you do see! You will be a genius one of these days,
+I'll warrant. This is the Martindale. Now don't get out of the buggy."
+
+"S'posing she says that at the next store," thought Peace to herself,
+but aloud she answered cheerily, "Don't you fret, Mrs. Grinnell." The
+busy woman was gone fully half an hour that time and Peace was jubilant,
+but she did not show her delight, and merely remarked, as Mrs. Grinnell
+gathered up the reins once more, "How little time it takes you to buy
+things! Gail and Faith tramp all day to find a pair of stockings, and
+then like as not get cheated. It is perfectly splendid watching the way
+folks crowd, better than seeing things in the store. I never knew before
+how much fun it is. You just ought to have seen that lady in the purple
+hat fool two men. One man was coming towards her and the other was just
+behind her when they got jammed in the doorway there. The front man
+jumped one way and the woman jumped the same way so he couldn't get by.
+He hopped back in his first place, and she hopped back in hers, and all
+the while the long feather on her hat was spearing the hind man in the
+eye, but he kept hopping the same way the others did. I thought I should
+screech before the woman got enough jumping and stood still so the men
+could get past, and didn't they look mad and scowly! Mercy, is this
+Darnell's? Well, you needn't worry about us one mite, but take all the
+time you want. The horse is as good as gold, and I'm keeping Allee's
+dirty dress out of sight."
+
+"I'll be back as soon as I can," promised Mrs. Grinnell when she could
+get in a word, and forgetting her usual parting admonition, she hurried
+sway through the crowd into the store.
+
+"Now," exclaimed Peace, all a-flutter the minute the broad back had
+disappeared, "let's see where Swift & Smart live. There it is just
+across the street, but we'll have to hurry, 'cause there is no telling
+how soon she will be back. Here, wrap this lap robe around you to keep
+your clothes out of sight, and give me your hand. Mercy! I should think
+the p'lice would have certain streets for the nautomobiles and cars to
+go on instead of letting 'em all jumble up that way. We didn't get hit
+that time; don't wait for the next one to come, but run."
+
+Dragging poor, frightened, stumbling Allee and the trailing robe through
+the turmoil of the street, Peace managed to land on the opposite walk
+without mishap, but how she ever did it was a marvel to the big, brawny
+policeman shouting warnings to them as he tried in vain to reach the
+little figures dodging so recklessly under horses' noses, in front of
+flying automobiles and across the path of clanging bicycles.
+
+"Are we all here?" gasped the blue-eyed tot when Peace had set her on
+her feet once more and adjusted the dragging robe about her shoulders.
+
+"Course! What did you think we left behind? I know how to get across
+crowded streets. Here is the door. I wonder which is Smart and which is
+Swift,--there are three men in the room."
+
+She lifted the latch and boldly entered, then halted and took a careful
+survey of her surroundings.
+
+There were several desks in the office, all dreadfully littered with
+papers and books, and at one of these sat a short, bald-headed man,
+talking rapidly to a pretty, smiley-faced young girl, who scribbled
+queer little scratches in a tablet. Beside another desk in the opposite
+corner of the room were two men, both tall and gray and pleasant
+appearing, but so much absorbed in their conversation that they did not
+notice the children's entrance. Through a nearby door came the fitful
+clicking of some machine, and Peace could see a second girl seated at a
+table pounding a typewriter, while another man hurried to and fro from a
+row of shelves to a big iron box against the wall. None of them,
+however, paid any attention to their anxious little visitors, and Peace,
+after waiting impatiently until she feared Mrs. Grinnell would be back
+looking for them, stepped across the polished floor to the gray men in
+the corner, shook the nearest one by the sleeve, and demanded, "Are you
+Swift or Smart, or; both--I mean neither?"
+
+"Now, Mr. Campbell," the man was just saying, but at this interruption
+he broke off abruptly, glared at the small intruder and asked in quick,
+sharp tones, "What do you want?"
+
+"Some money," stammered Peace, much startled by his nervous,
+half-irritated manner.
+
+"Money! Well, I am afraid you have come to the wrong place," he said
+decisively, mistaking the children for beggars.
+
+"Why, I thought--" began Peace, with quivering lips.
+
+"Will a quarter be enough?" interrupted the other gray man, looking down
+into the troubled face with keen, kindly, gray eyes, which seemed
+strangely familiar to the child.
+
+"Now, Campbell!" expostulated the tall, nervous man. "They come here in
+swarms some days. You wouldn't be so ready with your cash if you had to
+deal with the number we do."
+
+Without reply, the man called Campbell drew a silver coin from his
+pocket and extended it toward trembling Peace, but she shook her head,
+gulping out, "It will take heaps more than that. Old Skinflint has got
+the _mordige_ on our farm and won't give it up. I want money enough to
+buy it back, so's we can still go on living there."
+
+"Oh!" shouted the sharp-voiced man, while Mr. Campbell pocketed his
+silver again. "So you thought you would come here to get the money, did
+you?"
+
+"Mr. Hardman said you let people borrow money from you," whispered Peace
+miserably, wishing she had never left her seat in the carriage. "He told
+me that when I poisoned half our hens, but Mrs. Grinnell said you
+didn't bother with such little things; and anyway, I have bought eight
+new ones already, so we don't need hens so much as we do that _mordige_.
+Is your name Mr. Swift?"
+
+"No, I am the other fellow--Smart."
+
+"Hm, I thought it would be like that."
+
+"Like what?"
+
+"Why, that your names wouldn't fit. I told Mrs. Grinnell I bet Mr. Smart
+would be stupider than a stump and Mr. Swift would be slower than slow.
+Is that bald-headed man Mr. Swift?"
+
+For an instant the two men in the corner stared at her in sheer
+amazement, and then both burst into a great roar of laughter, which
+brought the whole office force to their feet. "Say, Swift, come meet
+this young mortgage raiser," called the nervous partner. "If you ever
+get conceited, just interview a child."
+
+The bald-headed man rose ponderously and joined the group, studying
+every feature of the children, as he demanded, in his most business-like
+tone, "What is your name?"
+
+"Peace Greenfield."
+
+"Where do you live?"
+
+"Almost at Parker."
+
+"Almost?"
+
+"Well, we have a farm and Parker isn't big enough to hold farms. It's a
+nice place, though."
+
+"How did you get here?"
+
+"Mrs. Grinnell brought us in her wagon."
+
+"Who is she?"
+
+"The lady what lives on the farm right back of ours."
+
+"Did she tell you to come and see us?"
+
+"Oh, no! She said not to, but she doesn't know anything about our
+_mordige_, so while she was in the store we hustled over after the
+money."
+
+"Who did send you?"
+
+"Why, nobody. We came all by ourselves."
+
+"Hm, I thought so. Is this _mordige_ money to buy candy and dolls with?"
+
+"No, it ain't!" snapped Peace, thinking he was trying to tease her.
+"It's to keep old Skinflint from taking our farm away, so that we will
+have to live around at different places."
+
+"Where are your father and mother?"
+
+"The angels have got 'em."
+
+"Oh! Then you are orphans. Who takes care of you?"
+
+"We all of us take care of ourselves, but Gail is the play mother."
+
+"How many are there in your family?"
+
+"Seven with Towzer. He's a dog."
+
+They questioned her until the whole pitiful story was told, and then
+stood silently lost in thought, while Peace fidgeted impatiently,
+watching Old Gray across the street, expecting any minute to see Mrs.
+Grinnell put in appearance.
+
+Finally Mr. Swift said, jestingly, "What security have you to offer?"
+
+"Sickerity?" repeated Peace, wonderingly.
+
+"Yes, when we loan money we have to have some security from the party.
+They must own some property or something of value to give us so if the
+money isn't paid back we won't lose anything."
+
+Peace pondered deeply, then drew off a small, worn, gold ring which had
+lost its "set," and laid it in the man's hand, saying, "That's all the
+prop'ty I've got except eight hens which I gave Gail for those I
+poisoned. It had a ruby in it once, but the old rooster picked it out
+and et it. I used to have two bunnies, too, but last Christmas the
+German kids ate Winkum and Blinkum all up."
+
+Mr. Swift smiled, but shook his head gravely, as he returned the ring.
+"I am afraid that won't be enough, Miss Greenfield," he began, when Mr.
+Smart cut him short, "What is the use of fooling any longer, Swift? She
+probably knows as much about such matters as your grandbaby. A kid her
+age knows a lot about business. Give her a nickel and send her packing."
+
+The genial Mr. Swift led the disappointed duet to the door and dismissed
+them with the words, "I am sorry, but we deal only with grown-up men and
+women. Call again when you are twenty-one."
+
+As the door closed behind them, however, the other tall, gray man, who
+had been a silent spectator of the scene, spoke reprovingly, "I think
+she has told you the truth, Smart. She is one of the youngsters I was
+just telling you about. I was afraid she would recognize me, but
+evidently she did not. I certainly shall investigate, for I am much
+interested. They have my wife and me by the heartstrings already and
+some of these days you may hear that a whole family has been adopted by
+the erratic Campbells. They are the children of that Pendennis minister
+who fought such a splendid fight in the Marble Avenue Church some years
+back, until he was forced to retire on account of his health. Well, I
+must be going. Good-day!" He stepped outside the office, and looked up
+and down the street for a glimpse of the children, but they were nowhere
+in sight; so he hailed a passing car, and was whirled rapidly away
+through the busy city.
+
+In the meantime, poor, disappointed Peace had jerked Allee back across
+the street, helped her into the buggy and had just got nicely settled
+when Mrs. Grinnell bustled out of Darnell's Department Store, ready for
+the homeward journey. She eyed the sober faces keenly for an instant,
+undecided whether the frowns were due to impatience at her long absence,
+or because of some childish quarrel, but soon forgot all about the
+matter in planning how she should make up her new print dress, so the
+return trip was made in absolute silence.
+
+But Peace had by no means given up hope in the matter of the mortgage
+and, feeling better after the warm dinner had been eaten, she wandered
+away to the barn to hatch some other impossible plan. Finding Hope in
+the loft sorting out rubbish to be burned, she threw herself on an old
+bench behind the building, where the bright sunlight shone invitingly,
+and here she was soon so completely wrapped up in her own thoughts that
+she did not hear the sound of approaching steps, and was startled when a
+firm hand caught her by the shoulder and a merry voice demanded, "Why so
+pensive, little maid? That face would scare the tramps away."
+
+"Oh, Mr. Strong," she cried, catching his hand and pulling him down
+beside her, "we are in the worst fix you ever heard. I knocked old
+Skinflint's bull's horn off pawing red rags in the raspberry patch so
+Faith could have some sour jelly for her jelly rolls, and to pay me for
+that he won't give us back our _mordige_. Gail cried and Faith cried and
+we all cried. In a month we must break up this house and go to live with
+different people unless we can get some money somewhere. I tried this
+morning to borrow some in Martindale, but they wouldn't believe we
+needed it. I know we do, 'cause Gail said so the night I hid in the
+closet when she didn't know I was there."
+
+She paused for breath, and Mr. Strong said cheerily, "Yes, dear, I know
+all about it. Gail told me, but I think maybe everything is coming out
+all right in the end. Don't you fret! But if I were you, I wouldn't try
+any more to borrow the money--"
+
+"How are we to get it, then? Gail doesn't know of anybody."
+
+"Gail was meant for a little mother instead of a business woman. Now
+that she has asked some of us older folks for advice, I think we can
+manage matters beautifully. Gail is just a girl herself, you know. She
+understands the situation a little better now, but the burden is too
+heavy for her young shoulders. We must make it lighter, lots lighter.
+She wants to go to college, and Faith wants music lessons, and Hope
+ought to study drawing, and what would you like to study?"
+
+"Pigs! I want a pig farm," was the unexpected answer. "Ain't baby pigs
+the dearest things you ever saw?"
+
+His shout of derision stopped her, and she sat twisting her brown hands
+in hurt and embarrassed silence.
+
+Her mournful attitude brought the young preacher to his senses, and he
+pinched her cheek playfully, saying, "Oh, what a doleful face! See if we
+can't make it smile a little. No? Why, Peace, this is the way it looks.
+Supposing it should freeze that way." He drew his face down into a
+comically mournful grimace, and Peace laughed outright. "I heard that
+you won the prize at Annette's party for making the worst looking face,"
+he continued, "but I didn't suppose it was as bad as that."
+
+"That isn't half bad," cried Peace scornfully. "Why, I can make the
+ugliest faces you ever saw."
+
+"Bet you can't!"
+
+"Bet I can!"
+
+"Try it!"
+
+Peace promptly bulged out her eyes, turned up her nose, and drew down
+her mouth in a hideous grimace, following it up with other horrible
+distortions; and then exclaimed, "How do you like that?"
+
+"I can do as well myself," said the preacher.
+
+"I don't b'lieve it! Let's see you do it!"
+
+Mr. Strong laid aside his hat, rumpled up his shining black hair, and
+went through some fearful contortions of face, which almost paralyzed
+Peace for the moment. Then she screamed her delight, hopping about on
+one foot, and shouting boisterously, "You win, you win, Mr. Strong! If I
+can ever make faces like those, I shall be perfectly happy. Do you
+s'pose I am young enough to learn? It must have taken you all your life
+to do it so beautifully. Will you teach me how?"
+
+On the other side of the fence something moved in the thick brush, and
+there was a sound of a man's deep chuckle, but the two contestants in
+the art of making faces were too much occupied to notice anything of
+their surroundings, and the unknown watcher enjoyed this novel
+entertainment for some moments.
+
+At length the preacher said, "Well, Peace, I came over to see Gail.
+Where can I find her?"
+
+"In the kitchen, most likely. Come along; I will hunt her up."
+
+The two strolled off toward the house, and a crouching figure in the
+hazel thicket followed them until they entered the kitchen door, when it
+dropped flat on the ground again and remained there alert and listening
+during the conference in the little brown house.
+
+When at last, as dusk was falling, the minister strode down the path to
+the gate, a shabby, gray-haired man emerged from the shadows along the
+roadside and hurried after him. Hearing footsteps so close by, the young
+man halted, expecting to see some of his parishioners or acquaintances
+of the village trying to overtake him, and was naturally somewhat
+startled when accosted by a stranger.
+
+"I beg your pardon," said Mr. Strong. "I thought it was someone who
+wanted me."
+
+"It is," replied the shabby man. "I take it that you are pastor of the
+Parker Church,--Mr. Strong, I believe?"
+
+"Yes, sir," answered the preacher, still a little bewildered.
+
+"My name is Donald Campbell--"
+
+"President Campbell of the University?" gasped Mr. Strong in surprise,
+involuntarily looking down at the stranger's threadbare clothes.
+
+"As you prefer. Oh, I am in disguise! I will make explanations as we
+walk along if you can give me a few moments of your time. I should like
+to interview you in regard to our late Brother Peter Greenfield's
+family."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI
+
+SURPRISES
+
+
+"Why, Gail, what are you doing?" asked Faith one cold, dull November
+day, as she hurried into the kitchen from her village trip, and found
+the older sister picking two plump hens.
+
+"Can't you see?" smiled the girl, glancing up from her task with an
+excited, happy sparkle in her eyes.
+
+"Yes, I can see, but what is the occasion? Has Peace made another raid
+on the hen-house with poison or rat-traps? I shouldn't suppose we could
+afford chicken unless by accident. Thanksgiving is more than two weeks
+off."
+
+"What day is tomorrow? Am I the only one who remembers?"
+
+"November tenth--your birthday! Oh, Gail, it had slipped my mind for the
+minute! No wonder you are getting up a celebration if everyone forgets
+like that."
+
+"Oh, it isn't on account of the birthday, Faith; that just happened.
+It's the mortgage--"
+
+"Of course, I knew it was due soon, but the relief at being able to get
+the money made me overlook the exact date, I guess. So that is the cause
+of your excitement!"
+
+"Partly, and then we are to have company for dinner, too."
+
+"Who?" demanded Faith, again surprised.
+
+"Mr. and Mrs. Strong and Glen and Mrs. Grinnell."
+
+"What in the world will we do with them all? Eight is a tight fit for
+our dining-room."
+
+"It will crowd us a little, but I have it all planned nicely. Glen must
+sit in his daddy's lap--he often does at home when they have company and
+haven't room at the table for his high-chair--and of course I will wait
+on the people, so there will be room for all."
+
+"Of course you _won't_ wait on the people! What waiting there is to
+attend to I shall look after. You are mistress of this house. Oh, I
+can't help hugging myself every other minute to think Mr. Strong was
+able to get the money for the mortgage and we won't have to leave this
+dear little brown house after all."
+
+"Do you care so much?" asked Gail, with such a curious wistfulness in
+her voice that Faith stopped her ecstatic prancing to study the thin,
+flushed face.
+
+"I should say I do!" she exclaimed emphatically. "Someway, in these last
+six months it has grown ever so much dearer than I ever dreamed it
+could. I used to think I hated farm life, and it fretted me because we
+couldn't live in Pendennis or Martindale, and have things like other
+folks. I did want a piano so much, instead of a worn-out, wheezy old
+organ."
+
+"Wouldn't you still like all that?" questioned the older girl, keeping
+her eyes fixed on the half-picked fowl in her lap, as if afraid of
+betraying some delightful secret.
+
+"Oh, yes, indeed! But I gave up thinking about such things a long time
+ago. The farm is all we have, and there is the mortgage to pay on that;
+so I just shut up my high-falutin notions, as Mrs. Grinnell calls them,
+and mean to be happy doing my part in the home. I have wasted too much
+time already."
+
+"You have done your part splendidly," cried Gail with brimming eyes,
+letting the chicken slip unnoticed from her hands as she threw one arm
+around Faith's waist; "and now that--" She bit her tongue just in time
+to keep the wonderful secret from tumbling off, and flushed furiously.
+
+"And now that what?" questioned the other girl, without the faintest
+trace of suspicion in her voice.
+
+"Now that this hard year is over, we are going to do a little
+celebrating even if we can't afford it," answered Gail, thinking
+rapidly. "Will you make a caramel cake for our dinner? Mrs. Grinnell is
+so fond of it, and I know it will hit the right spot with the minister.
+It was his suggestion that he tell--" Again she stopped in confusion.
+
+"About the mortgage money," Faith finished. "Well, he certainly has
+earned the right. We have a lot to thank him for. Do you know who is
+loaning the money, or is that still a secret from you, too?"
+
+"No, Mr. Strong told me, but he wants the privilege of telling the rest
+of you, so I promised to keep still."
+
+"Oh!" There was a long pause, during which both girls busied themselves
+with the chickens; and then Faith ventured the question, "Is it Judge
+Abbott?" Gail smilingly shook her head. "Nor Dr. Bainbridge?" Again the
+brown head shook. "Then it is Mrs. Grinnell. I thought of her in the
+first place--"
+
+"You are wrong again. All the money she has is tied up in her farm and
+in the house in Martindale."
+
+"Is it anyone in town?"
+
+"No."
+
+Faith was plainly puzzled. "Man or woman?"
+
+"Both," answered Gail after a slight hesitation.
+
+"Do I know them?"
+
+"About as well as I do."
+
+"Where do they live?"
+
+"In Martindale."
+
+"Who can it be?" pondered the girl.
+
+"You might guess all night and never get it right," laughed Gail. "You
+better give it up. Tomorrow is time enough for little girls to know."
+
+"For little girls to know what?" demanded Peace, as the noisy quartette
+burst breathlessly in from school.
+
+"What we are to have for dinner tomorrow night," answered Gail, glancing
+warningly at Faith.
+
+"Tomorrow night? We have dinner at noon."
+
+"Tomorrow we don't. We'll have lunch at noon and dinner in the evening."
+
+"Bet there's comp'ny coming!" shouted the smaller girls.
+
+"Who?" asked Hope, almost as much excited.
+
+"The minister and his family, and Mrs. Grinnell."
+
+"What for?" questioned Cherry, for company was rare at the little brown
+house.
+
+"Why, to eat up those chickens, of course," answered Peace. "Will there
+be enough to go around? Hadn't I better hack the head off from another?"
+
+"Don't you fret! Mike weighed the hens after he killed them, and one is
+a seven-pounder, and the other weighs eight. That surely ought to be
+enough to satisfy your appetites."
+
+"Well, I bony a drumstick! There'll be four this time."
+
+"Yes, but suppose we have to wait," suggested Cherry. "The others may
+eat them all up."
+
+"Oh, Gail, must we wait?" cried Peace in alarm, suddenly remembering how
+tiny the dining-room was.
+
+"No, dear, there will be room for all," answered the mother-sister. "But
+I shall expect all of you to be little ladies and not quarrel over
+drumsticks or wishbones. One's guests must always be served first, you
+know."
+
+"Isn't it too bad," sighed the child pensively, "that we can't be our
+own guests sometimes and have just the piece we want?"
+
+"You ought to be thankful to have any part of it," Faith spoke up. "If
+company wasn't coming, we shouldn't have killed the hens."
+
+"I _am_ as thankful as I can be," answered Peace, brightening visibly.
+"Cherry, come help me scour the silver. I forgot it last night, and if
+comp'ny is coming, we want everything fine. Besides, the time goes
+faster when you're busy, and already I can hardly wait for tomorrow
+night to come. Seems 's if it never would get here with those roasted
+hens."
+
+But in due time the eventful night arrived, and with it the select
+company who were to join in the little celebration. With eager, shining
+eyes, Peace ushered in the guests, who chanced to come all together, and
+as she relieved them of their wraps and led them into the shabby parlor,
+she chattered excitedly.
+
+"You don't like drumsticks the best, do you, Mr. Strong? And neither
+does Mrs. Grinnell. I heard her say so lots of times. She likes the
+wings. I want something that ain't so skinny. That's why I always choose
+drumsticks. There are four in this affair--four drumsticks, I mean. You
+didn't think I meant comp'ny, did you? Each hen had two legs, you know;
+but there are nine people to eat, counting Glen, though, of course, he
+is too little for such things yet; and the drumsticks won't anywhere
+near go around, s'posing every one of you should want one. When we have
+only one hen, Cherry and Allee and me always fight over who is to have
+the drumsticks. Last time Gail settled it by eating one herself, and
+giving the other to Hope. That won't happen today, though, 'cause there
+is company."
+
+"Aren't you giving away family secrets?" interrupted Mrs. Grinnell,
+trying to look severe.
+
+"Oh, no! You already know about it, and the minister ain't s'prised at
+anything. I just thought I'd speak about it, 'cause I've bonied one
+drumstick myself, if someone else doesn't eat them all up first. And
+say, folks, if any of you get a wishbone in your meat, will you save it
+for me? Cherry's making a c'lection and has six already. I haven't but
+the one I asked Mr. Hartman for, and they make the cutest penwipers for
+Christmas. Supper--dinner is 'most ready, I guess. Gail made _lots_ of
+stuffing--dressing, I mean. And Faith's cake is just fine, and the
+custard pies are the beautifulest she ever made. They are all extra,
+'cause you are here. We don't often get such nice things to eat, but
+this is a special 'casion. When supper is over the rest of the girls
+will help me do the talking, but now they are every one busy except
+Allee and me, and Allee's getting dressed. There's someone at the door.
+I hope it ain't more comp'ny. S'posing it is, wouldn't that be the worst
+luck,--the very night we have roast chicken!"
+
+Before Peace could reach the door to see who was there, however, Mr.
+Strong swung it wide open, and reaching out into the dusk, drew in a
+sweet-faced, motherly, old lady with silvery hair, and the familiar
+tall, gray man of the broker's office, exclaiming in his hearty, boyish
+fashion, "Mrs. Campbell, Doctor, I am so glad you have come! I was
+beginning to fear you had missed the place."
+
+"Missed the place? Now, Brother Strong, I am insulted,--after the number
+of times I have been here! Good evening, ladies. Mother, I want you to
+meet Mrs. Strong and Mrs. Grinnell. Hello, Peace, where is--"
+
+"Have you come for dinner?" demanded that young lady, with frigid
+dignity, wondering where she had seen that kindly face before, and
+secretly wishing they had delayed their coming until a more convenient
+time.
+
+"Yes, I have," he answered decidedly, "and I am as hungry as a bear!"
+
+"Oh, dear," thought Peace, "there goes a drumstick! Hungry folks always
+want them." But though her face lengthened, she did not voice such
+sentiments, and started for the kitchen, saying, "I must tell Gail, so's
+she'll set you a plate for sup--dinner. Is that lady going to stay?"
+
+"That lady is my wife. If you have any fault to find with us for
+dropping in unannounced, just scrap it out with Brother Strong, for he
+invited us."
+
+"_I'm_ not finding fault," Peace answered haughtily, turning once more
+toward the door, "but there's no telling what Faith will do. I better
+warn them now."
+
+"And at the same time you might tell Abigail that someone in the parlor
+wants to see her," laughed the genial voice.
+
+Peace disappeared through the door like a flash, and they heard her
+shrill voice call, "Oh, Gail, Faith, there are some folks here for
+supper what weren't invited. Do you s'pose there is hen enough now? And,
+oh, yes, he wants to see you right away, Gail!"
+
+The oldest sister paused in the act of lifting the beautifully browned
+birds from their nest of dressing, dropped the carving set, shoved the
+pan back into the oven, and with flushed cheeks and glowing eyes,
+hurried for the parlor with such a buoyant step that the other sisters
+followed wonderingly. She paused an instant in the doorway, smiled at
+the little company within, and then straight to the white-haired lady
+she went, and kissed her, saying happily, "I have never seen you before,
+Mrs. Campbell, but I shall love you dearly."
+
+"Not that, Gail," tenderly answered the stranger, holding the tall girl
+close. "Call me Grandma."
+
+"And me Grandpa," added the gray man, drawing Gail out of the woman's
+arms and kissing her blushing cheek.
+
+"Now she'll give him a drumstick sure," sighed Peace; "and s'posing he
+should ask for four!"
+
+"This is Faith, the baker and my right-hand man," she heard Gail saying,
+"and Hope, our sunbeam; Charity, the scholar; and Peace, the--"
+
+"Mischief-maker, heart captivator, and worth her weight in gold,"
+finished the familiar voice which Peace could not quite place in her
+memory. "Kiss me!"
+
+Passively she allowed him to embrace her as he had greeted the other
+sisters, and then squirming out of his arms, she backed into a corner,
+where she frowned impartially on the excited group, all talking at once,
+while she tried to puzzle out how this man could be "Grandpa" when all
+her own relatives had long since been carried away by the angels.
+
+"I'll bet he is a make-believe," she told herself; "and he's got them
+all fooled proper. Maybe he wants the farm, seeing old Skinflint didn't
+get it. I am going to ask Mrs. Grinnell. She had sense enough to run
+when the kissing began."
+
+Peace slipped noiselessly through the nearby door, and fled to the
+kitchen, where their kind neighbor was busy dishing up the forgotten
+dinner, demanding, "Is he really a grandpa we didn't know anything
+about, or is he a make-believe _frog_?"
+
+"Make-believe frog!" echoed matter-of-fact Mrs. Grinnell. "Do you mean
+fraud? Well, he certainly ain't a fraud, Peace Greenfield! He's a big
+man. Everyone in the state knows him, pretty near. He is Dr. Campbell of
+the University. 'Tisn't every little girl that can have an
+adopted--Peace, I am afraid you and Cherry will have to wait until the
+rest are through eating."
+
+"That's where you are mistaken," returned Peace with energy. "Gail said
+only last night that there was room for all."
+
+"But she wasn't expecting the Campbells for supper."
+
+"Oh, dear, if that ain't always the way! Gail, must I wait?"
+
+Gail had just hurriedly entered the kitchen, fearful lest the forgotten
+dinner was spoiled, but seeing the great bowl of gravy on the table, and
+Mrs. Grinnell busy mashing the potatoes, she sighed in relief and
+stopped to answer, "I am afraid you must, dear."
+
+"After you said we wouldn't have to?"
+
+"I didn't look for Grandpa and Grandma Campbell until later, Peace. We
+can't ask _them_ to wait."
+
+"Faith and Hope might for once. They _never_ have to!"
+
+"Faith is to serve dinner, and Hope is needed at the table."
+
+"Which I s'pose means Cherry and me ain't needed," cried the
+disappointed child.
+
+"Peace! I am ashamed of such a little pig."
+
+"It ain't piggishness, Gail. I don't want a whole hen, I want just a
+drumstick," protested Peace, with two real tears in her eyes.
+
+"Oh, dear, now we are in for a scene," sighed the older girl, anxious to
+avert the storm. "Now be reasonable, Peace. If you will wait like a good
+little girl, you shall have a drumstick. Look at Cherry,--she doesn't
+make a fuss at all. You will be sorry by and by if you cry and get your
+eyes all red."
+
+"Is there to be a s'prise?" asked Peace in animated curiosity.
+
+"Yes, _such_ a splendid one!"
+
+"I'm not going to cry, Gail. Those two tears just got loose 'fore I knew
+it. I will stay in the parlor with Cherry all right, but don't take too
+long a time eating dinner, and _don't_ forget my drumstick."
+
+With this parting warning she flew back into the front room and
+announced, "Dinner is ready, folkses! Faith, tell them where to sit; and
+say, you all better eat fast, 'cause Gail says there is a big s'prise
+coming."
+
+Slamming the door behind them as they filed out into the dining-room,
+she sat down in the nearest chair and faced Cherry with a droll look of
+resignation, saying, "Well, Charity Greenfield, how do you like being
+one of the children and having to wait every time we have comp'ny? When
+I have a family of my own, I'll make the visitors do the waiting."
+
+"I don't mind it much," answered Cherry, serenely. "There is a heap of
+victuals cooked. Mrs. Grinnell said she guessed we must have been
+expecting a regiment."
+
+Peace sniffed the air hungrily, rose with deliberation from the rocker,
+tiptoed to the door, opened it a crack and peeked out at the merry
+diners. Then she let go of the knob with a jerk, wheeled toward Cherry
+and whispered, "Just as I 'xpected! That man _has_ got a drumstick and
+he just gave Allee one. He's stuffing her for all he's worth. First
+thing we know, she will be sick."
+
+"Yes, and you banged that door, too, so they must have heard you," said
+Cherry indignantly.
+
+"Maybe 'twill hurry them up. I don't see _how_ I can wait."
+
+"Get a book and read. Then the time will seem shorter."
+
+Peace rocked idly back and forth a few turns, patching her companion in
+misery, who seemed so absorbed in her story that even the thoughts of no
+dinner did not disturb her; then she stalked over to the battered
+bookcase, drew out a big, green-covered book which evidently had been
+often read, for the binding was in rags, and sat down on the rug to
+digest its contents.
+
+"'Bright was the summer of 1296. The war which had desolated Scotland
+was then at an end,'" read Peace slowly, spelling out the long,
+unfamiliar words and finding it dry reading. She turned the yellowed
+pages rapidly in search of pictures, but found none. She skipped several
+lines and began again to read, "'But while the courts of Edward, or of
+his representatives, were crowded--' oh, dear, what does it mean? There
+ain't a mite of sense in using such long words. Cherry, what is this
+book about?"
+
+"'Scottish Chiefs?'" said the sister, looking up indifferently. "I don't
+know. Ask Hope. She had to read it last year when they studied English
+history."
+
+"I thought maybe 'twas about Indians. I didn't know other things were
+called chiefs. My, I can smell dinner awfully plain! They've been at it
+long enough to have finished, seems to me. I'm going to peek again."
+
+"You better not let that door slam," warned Cherry, "or Gail will be
+getting after you."
+
+"I don't intend to. It slipped the other time. There goes another
+drumstick!" she wailed dismally, forgetting to speak in whispers; and
+the amazed guests beheld a flushed, distressed face popped through the
+wide crack of the door, as rebellious Peace called in bitter
+indignation, "Remember, all the family haven't had dinner yet, and
+chickens don't grow on every bush!"
+
+"Peace!" gasped poor, mortified Gail.
+
+"Ha-ha-ha!" roared the minister, and President Campbell called after the
+little figure which had vanished behind the closed door once more, "That
+is right, Peace! You needn't stay in there another minute. Here is
+plenty of room for you and Cherry in my lap."
+
+The only answer was the sound of a choking sob from the adjoining room,
+and the college president started to his feet with remorse in his heart,
+pleading, "Let me get her! It's too bad to shut them off there to wait
+for us older folks to eat dinner. I know from experience."
+
+But Gail stopped him, saying firmly, "No, it was very naughty of her to
+do that, and she can't have any dinner at all now until she has
+apologized."
+
+"You are hard on her."
+
+"She must remember her manners. I resign my authority to you and Grandma
+in a few hours," she answered laughingly, "but until then she must mind
+me."
+
+"_Please_ let me bring them out here with us, anyway," he urged. "She
+will apologize; and around the table is a good place for the big
+'s'prise' she is expecting."
+
+"Very well," she answered reluctantly.
+
+Excusing himself to the little dinner party, he disappeared behind the
+parlor door, whispered a few words to the conscience-stricken culprit in
+the corner, and in a surprisingly short time reappeared with two smiling
+little girls.
+
+Peace's eyes were red, and one lone tear stood on the rosy cheek, but
+she marched up to the table, bowed, and said with some embarrassment,
+but in all sincerity, "Ladies and gentlemen, I've already told Grandpa,
+and he said it was all right--I apologize. I s'pose you are hungry, same
+as I, and that's what has kept you busy eating for so long. I shouldn't
+have hollered at you from the door like I did, but if you wanted that
+drumstick as bad as I do, you'd have hollered, too. Now can I have my
+dinner? Cherry, you sit in half of Allee's chair. Faith, Hope will give
+you a piece of her place, and I am to have half of Grandpa's. That's all
+his plan, so come along, Faith. Please pass me my drumstick. You've
+already blessed it, haven't you?"
+
+"Peace!"
+
+"Now, Gail, please don't scold! This is the last day in the little brown
+house, you know--"
+
+"What!" burst forth, a chorus of dismayed voices.
+
+"Ain't that _mordige_ settled yet?" demanded Peace.
+
+"Oh, yes. I had a long talk with Mr. Strong, and we settled that
+question forever and all time, I hope. Nevertheless, you aren't going to
+stay here any longer."
+
+A hush fell over the five younger girls, though Gail was smiling happily
+with the rest of the little company, and even Baby Glen seemed to
+appreciate the situation, and cooed gleefully, as he pounded the table
+with his spoon.
+
+"It's just as I 'xpected," Peace blurted out at length. "I said I bet
+you wanted the farm yourself, seeing that old Skin--Mr. Skinflint didn't
+get it."
+
+He threw back his head and laughed loud and long; then the old face
+sobered, and he said, "No, it isn't that, Peace. We--Grandma and I--want
+you to come and live with us. Gail says yes. What is your answer?"
+
+"All of us?" whispered Hope in awestruck tones, remembering with fresh
+fear the midnight conference of a few weeks before.
+
+"All of you!"
+
+"Gail, too?"
+
+"Yes, indeed!"
+
+"Haven't you any children yourself?" asked Allee, not exactly
+understanding the drift of remarks.
+
+"No, dear. The angels came and took away our two little girlies before
+they were as big as you are."
+
+"But six is an awful many to raise at once," sighed Peace. "Do you think
+you can do it?"
+
+"I will try if you will come."
+
+"Do you live in Martindale?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"Is your house big enough?"
+
+"It has ten big rooms and an attic. Won't that do?"
+
+"Y--es. Do you lick?"
+
+"Do I lick?" he echoed in surprise.
+
+"When we are bad, you know."
+
+"Oh! Well, I can, but I don't very often. I am pretty easy to get along
+with; but folks have to mind. I am fond of _good_ children."
+
+"I'm _usually_ good. I have been bad today, but I am ever so sorry now.
+I always am when it's too late to mend matters. But I don't want you to
+think I am always such a pig and have to 'pologize for my dinner. Yes,
+I'll come to live with you, and of course the others will. Mrs. Grinnell
+says you are an awfully nice man."
+
+"I am sure I thank Mrs. Grinnell," he answered with twinkling eyes,
+bowing gravely to the embarrassed lady across the table.
+
+"But what I can't see is how you came to pick us out to take home with
+you,--_Mr. Tramp!_" She started to her feet in astonishment, having
+suddenly fitted the familiar face into its place in her memory.
+
+"At your service, ma'am."
+
+"Ain't you my tramp?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"Then you are just fooling about our going to live with, you."
+
+"Not at all. I mean every word of it. Ask Grandma, ask Brother Strong,
+ask Gail, any of them."
+
+"But what about the tramp?" she half whispered, still too dazed to
+understand.
+
+"That is rather a long story," he smiled, stroking the tight ringlets of
+brown on one side of him, and the bright, golden curls on the other. "A
+year ago last spring I tried to be ill--play sick, you know; and the
+doctor told me a vacation of tramping was what I needed to put me in
+tune again. Having some pet theories in regard to the tramp problem of
+this country, I decided to take his words literally, so I turned tramp
+myself--just for a little time, you see. That is how you saw me first. I
+told my wife it was a case of love at first sight, and I became so much
+interested in this brave little family that I have kept watch ever
+since.
+
+"Here was a family without any father and mother, and there were a
+father and mother without any family. You needed the one and we needed
+the other. But at first the way didn't seem clear. I was given to
+understand that you didn't want to be adopted, and as I found that Gail
+was legally old enough to take care of the family, I was just on the
+point of preparing to play guardian angel instead of grandfather, when I
+chanced upon some old church records telling about your own
+grandfather's death. It gave a brief account of his life, and I was
+astonished to find that I knew him well,--in fact, as my big brother."
+
+"Tell us about it," pleaded Hope, as he paused reminiscently.
+
+"When I was a little shaver my father was a seaman, captain of a ship;
+but his whole fortune consisted of his vessel, his wife and son. Mother
+and I often used to go with him on his trips, but for some reason he
+left me at home the last time he set sail, and he never came back. New
+Orleans was his port. Yellow fever broke out while he was there, and so
+far as I have been able to find out, every soul of his crew died of it.
+I had been left with a neighbor who had her hands full looking after her
+own children; so, when word came that my parents were both dead, she
+sent for the town officers, and told them I must go to the poor-farm. I
+was only about the size of Allee, here, but I knew that the poor-farm
+was a place much dreaded, and rather than be taken there, I tried to run
+away. Your grandfather found me. He was one of our nearest neighbors and
+knew me well, so when I sobbed out the whole terrible story into his
+sympathetic ears, he adopted me on the spot. He wasn't more than a
+dozen years old himself, but he had a heart big enough to take in the
+whole world, and when he had coaxed me home with him and told his mother
+about my misfortune, I knew I was safe. They would never send me away
+again. So Hiram Allen became my big brother, and the Allen home was mine
+for ten long years. Then an uncle of mine whom everyone had thought was
+dead put in appearance and took me to sea on a long voyage which covered
+the greater part of four years. When I returned, Mother and Father Allen
+were dead and the younger fry had gone West,--no one seemed to know
+where. Then and there I completely lost sight of them, and it was only
+by chance that I--"
+
+"Grandpa's name wasn't Hi Allen," mused Faith aloud, with a puzzled look
+in her eyes. "It was Greenfield, just like ours."
+
+"Yes; that is one reason, I suppose, why I never found my big brother of
+my boyhood days. You see, he had a stepfather. His own parent was
+drowned at sea when he was a tiny baby, and his mother married again; so
+he was known all over the place as Hi Allen instead of Hi Greenfield,
+which was his real name. When he grew to manhood and entered the
+ministry he decided to take his own name. But, though I dimly remembered
+having heard people say that Mr. Allen wasn't Hi's own father, I never
+heard his real name spoken, to my knowledge, and I never once thought
+of the possibility of his assuming it in place of his stepfather's.
+
+"When I discovered your grandfather's identity only a few days ago, the
+way seemed suddenly open to me. Hi Allen had shared his home with me
+when I was an orphan; I would share my home with his little
+granddaughters, alone in the world and in trouble,--for by this time I
+had heard about the mortgage and the battle being fought in the little
+brown house to keep the family together. Mothering this big brood is too
+great a task for Gail. She needs mothering herself. We want to adopt
+you, mother and I. Will you let us; for the sake of the dear grandfather
+who did so much for me?"
+
+His face was so full of yearning tenderness that tears came to the eyes
+of the older members of the queer little party, and even the children
+had to swallow hard.
+
+"I have talked the matter over with Gail, and she agrees if the rest of
+you will consent. I am not a millionaire, but we are pretty well fixed
+in a material way and can give you a great many pleasures and advantages
+that the little town of Parker can never offer. There are fine schools
+in the city, and college for Gail. We have a piano and violin and all
+sorts of music, a horse and buggy, a big barn, and a splendid yard in a
+nice locality, with plenty of room for tennis or any other kind of
+gymnastics. Maybe some day there will be an automobile--"
+
+"I don't care about pianos and nautomobiles," interrupted Peace. "It's
+the kind of people you are that I am thinking about. Mrs. Grinnell says
+you're the president of a big college and everyone knows you. If that's
+so, you ought to be pretty nice, I sh'd think. _I_ like you, anyhow, and
+I b'lieve you'll like us, too. But I'm an awful case, even when I don't
+mean to be. Maybe you would rather--didn't I--weren't you--I saw you in
+Swift & Smart's store!"
+
+"Yes, my lady! Twice in the city I have seen you and Allee, and both
+times I thought surely you knew me, but I don't believe you did."
+
+"No, I didn't. I 'member now. It was you who gave us that gold money
+when we were selling flowers. But you look different with new clothes on
+and a clean face."
+
+"Why, you little rascal! Wasn't my face clean when I came here to get
+something to eat?"
+
+"It might have been, but it was prickly looking with the mustache all
+over your chin, and I like you lots better this way. I almost didn't
+know you the night you got supper for us, either."
+
+"And the rice burned."
+
+"And I broke Bossy's leg and you sent us Queenie to take her place, and
+Faith said I was worse than Jack of the Bean Stalk, and--I bet you _are_
+the fellow that pinned the money to the gatepost and grain sacks! Now,
+aren't you?"
+
+"I am afraid I am."
+
+"You told me once before that you weren't."
+
+"No, I didn't. I just asked you if it wouldn't be a queer kind of
+_tramp_ who could do such a thing. Isn't that what I said?"
+
+"Y--es," she finally acknowledged. Then the puzzled frown in her
+forehead smoothed itself away and she wheeled toward the oldest sister
+with the triumphant shout, "There, Gail, didn't I tell you he was a
+prince in disgus--disguise? Now ain't you sorry you didn't spend the
+money? She has got it all saved away yet. I must kiss you for that,
+Grandpa, even if it didn't do us any good." She threw her arms,
+drumstick and all, about his neck and gave him a greasy smack,
+immediately rubbing her lips with the back of one hand.
+
+"Aha! That's no fair," he protested. "You rubbed that off."
+
+"No, I didn't. I just rubbed it in. Thank you, I don't care for any pie
+tonight. Somehow this drumstick filled me up full. I can't eat a bite
+more. Have you been waiting all this time for me? Well, let's go back
+into the parlor then, and do the rest of our talking. I've sat on the
+tip edge of nothing until I am tired. There's more space in the front
+room."
+
+"Do you know, Peace Greenfield," cried Mr. Campbell, pretending to feel
+insulted at her intimation that he had not given her a large enough
+share of his chair, "the first time I ever called at your house, I
+found you sitting on the gatepost,--the _gatepost_, mind you,--about so
+square," measuring with his hands; "and just as I turned in from the
+road, you began to sing, 'The Campbells are coming, oho, oho!' What kind
+of a reception do you call that? And tonight you weren't even going to
+give me any supper."
+
+"Oh," she hastily assured him, "I didn't mean you by that song. I used
+to think that the Campbells were little striped bugs that eat up the
+cucumber plants, and the very morning that you came here for breakfast I
+found two in the garden. What are you laughing at? I know better now,
+but I truly didn't have a notion what your name was then. You must have
+known I didn't. But I am awfully glad you came and that you kept coming
+even when I was bad and made you work so hard. I am sorry, but never
+mind, I am _deformed_ now."
+
+"Deformed, child? Where?"
+
+"Right here in my heart! I am going to be as good as gold all the time
+after this. I think the angels must have sent you. We've always wanted a
+first-class grandfather and grandmother, but we never 'xpected to get
+'em until we found our own inside the Gates some day. Just the same, I
+spoke to God about it, and He probably had the angels hunt you up. So I
+have _deformed_ and now I'll be real good. I'm truly sorry I was such a
+selfish pig about wanting a drumstick tonight. I s'pose that's why the
+drumstick filled me up so quick and didn't leave any room for pie.
+Custard is my favorite."
+
+"Perhaps that is the reason," he agreed, quite as serious as she. "We
+always are happiest when we are unselfish. Now, let's forget all about
+the badness and just remember the goodness. I have some of the most
+splendid plans for what we shall do when I have my six girls at home
+with me. What beautiful times we shall have, mother!"
+
+"How can we ever thank them?" whispered bright-eyed Gail to Mrs. Strong,
+under cover of the lively conversation at the other end of the table.
+
+"By loving them," promptly answered the little woman, offering up a
+prayer of thanksgiving that the brave little orphan band had found such
+a beautiful home. "They are noble people and have hungered all their
+lives for just that very thing."
+
+"But love seems such a little thing to give for the blessings we shall
+enjoy from their hands."
+
+"Ah, my dear, that is where you are mistaken, Love is _everything_."
+
+
+THE END.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's At the Little Brown House, by Ruth Alberta  Brown
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