Rainbow Valley

erable discernment and astuteness, told her story simple and truthfully, with an entire absence of complaint or br

e to this family, who have been far too kind to you, by insultin

ht after I went to bed about it, honest I did. You ask Una if I didn't. I wouldn't tell her what for 'cause I was ashamed of it, and then she cried, too, because she was afr

admonished Mary sharply not to take any further liberties with

this very Mary-creature. He said some one told him she was working the child to death and not half feeding and clothing it. You know, Anne dearie, it has always been my habit neither to make nor meddle with those over-harbour folks. But I shall send Marshall over to-morrow to find

gry and alone in such circumstances. "If she has been ill-used, Miss Cornelia, she mus

poor children might learn from her. I understand that she has been known to swear. But just think of her being there two whole weeks

Miss Cornelia was

xt day. They missed the child, it seems, but supposed Mrs. Wiley had sent her to her cousin near Charlottetown as she had said she was going to do. The cousin didn't come to the funeral and so nobody ever knew that Mary wasn't with her. The people Marshall talked to told him some things about the way Mrs. Wiley used this

ve her a piece of my mind. Starving and beating a child, Mrs. Dr. dear! As you know, I hold with lawf

I think every one hereabouts who wants a home child has one. I'll se

thing, not even at shingling the church spire if she took it into her head. But I cannot understand how

ng the fern, was reading aloud to Mary and Di and Faith and Una from a wonderful book of myths wherein were fascinating accounts of Prester John and the Wandering Jew, divining rods and tailed men, of Schamir, the worm that split rocks and opened the way to golden treasure, of Fortunate Isles and swan-maidens. It was a great shock to Walter to

ies?" said Mary admiringly wh

lies," said D

ey're true?" asked

es of yours. They weren't true-but you didn't e

ake Crawford over-harbour can work it. They send for him from everywher

said Una,

. She was asking him about cedar posts, if he thought they'd last well. And he said, 'Last well? They'll last a thousa

would associate with a person lik

ouldn't keep up with the others and got shut out of the mountain. He must have been so disappointed. I think all the r

her life that he was lame. Perhaps she even used to cry about it. But she would never be

g merrily and sweetly. And I will follow him-follow him down to the shore-down to the sea-away from you all. I don't think I'll want to go-J

s fancy, and half-believing she could see the mocking, retreati

ur. "You'll wait for us to come back. And we may not come-for we cannot come as long as the

ing? I could just see that horrid old Piper going away on, and you boys following him, and us girls sitting here waiting all

ied some dramatic instinct in him. But under his triumph was a queer little chill of some mysterious dread. The Pied Piper had seemed very real to him-as if the

report of the doings in ant-land, brou

lsome little cusses-some of 'em like to start a fight 'thout any reason, far's we could see. And some of 'em are cowards. They got so scared they just doubled theirselves up into a ball and let the other fellows bang 'em. They

y "goodness." Faith and Di exchanged glances that would have done credit to Mis

rmed unco

ve, and I swallowed half of it. You folks over here are mighty squeamish

h things," said Faith

right," wh

I ever had of being a lady? But I won't say

pect God to answer your prayers if

e faith. "I've been asking Him for a week to clear up this Wi

ure Nan arriv

do you think she found out? Mrs. Wiley is dead-she was found dead in bed

ry stupefied. T

he cried imploringly to Una. "If it had I'll never pray ag

t hadn't. Why, Mrs. Wiley died long befor

t like to think I'd prayed anybody to death. I never thought of such a thing as her dying when

likely have to go

ey'll give me out again-likely to some one just like

ve to go back," whispered Una, as sh

good and scared of this praying business. See what's come of it. If Mrs

I could explain things better-father co

he long and short of it. He goes by me and never sees me in b

us, either. He is thinking deeply, that is all. And I AM going to

"I'd like to stay in Four Winds fine. I like it and I like the harbour and the light hou