Rainbow Valley

She hugged herself with delight and danced a hornpipe on old Hezekiah Pollock's bench tombstone, much to the horror of two ancient

ancient maiden, "is ou

s family?" groaned the other ancient maid

an and Di Blythe had certain household tasks for Saturday mornings, but the daughters of the manse were free to roam from blushing morn to dewy eve if so it pleased them. It DID please Fai

nts. Beyond the grove they came out in Mr. Taylor's pasture field, sprinkled over with the white ghosts of dandelions; in a remote corner was an old tumbledown barn, where Mr. Taylo

t?" whispered

ut distinct rustle in the hayloft abov

ing up there,"

ee what it is," sa

egged Una, cat

goi

o, too, then

na pale from fright, and Carl rather absent-mindedly speculating on the pos

saw what had made the rustle and the s

its tan. She had two braids of lank, thick, tow-coloured hair and very odd eyes-"white eyes," the manse children thought, as she stared at them half defiantly, half piteously. They were really of so pale a blue that they did seem almost white, especially when contrasted with the narrow black ring

you?" ask

g a way of escape. Then she seemed to

Vance,"

come from?" p

hay and began to cry. Instantly Faith had flung herself down

Then she hugged the waif. "Don't cry, dear. J

had a thing to eat since Thursday morning, 'c

ed at each other in ho

nse and get something to eat

shr

our pa and ma say? Besid

Martha. Come, I say." Faith stamped her foot impatiently. Was this qu

to the pantry and ransacked it for such eatables as it contained-some "ditto," bread, butter, milk and a doubtful pie. Mary Vance attacked the food ravenously and uncritically, while the manse children stood around and watched her. Jerry notice

Mary's appetite showed signs of failing her. Mary was now nothing loath. Food

s enthroned on Mr. Pollock's tombstone. Opposite her the manse children lined

we wo

your

our h

iving with Mrs. Wiley over-ha

N

I hate her! She worked me to death and wouldn't give me half enou

chapped almost to rawness. They were black with bruises. The manse children shiv

ndifferently. "It was 'cause I let the cow kick over a pai

g such dubious words, but it was rather titivating to hear someone else use th

ou for running a

cause I'd found out that Mrs. Wiley was going to rent her farm and go to Lowbridge to live and give me to a cousin of hers up Charlottetown way. I wasn't goin

r two. But Una

t I'd sneak up here to the Glen and buy a ticket to Charlottetown and try to get work there. I'm a hustler, let me tell you. There ain't a lazy bone in MY body. So I lit out Thursday morning 'fore Mrs. Wiley was up and walked to the Gle

l you do now?

take my medicine. Now that I've got some g

s eyes. Una suddenly slipped from the one tomb

k. Just stay

I might stay here till she finds me, I s'pose, if your folks don't mind. I was a darn f

but she was ashamed o

a dog for these four years

four years wi

f the asylum over in Ho

e Mrs. Blythe came fr

ut there when I was six. My ma had hung

s! Why?"

aid Mary l

've no r

Martha Lucilla Moore Ball Vance. Can you beat that? My grandfather was a rich man. I'll bet he was richer than YOUR grandfather

not want pity. She wanted to be envied. She looked gaily about her. Her strange eyes, now that the dullnes

kids could have come through what I have. I've had scarlet fever an

r fatally sic

w," said Mar

scoffed Jerry. "If you'r

e blamed near it once. They thought I was dead and they

be half dead?" ask

octor-said she wasn't going to no such expense for a home girl. Old Aunt Christina MacAllister nursed me with poult

s'pose you would," said

s there to go to?" demand

opping her voice and hugging Mary to l

What'

ves," said Jerry. "You've hea

r. Wiley used to mention hell when he was alive. He was always telling folks to

ent that is born of telling dreadful things. "Bad people go th

at?" demanded Ma

He was an elder and a pillar in the church and knew all about it. But you needn't worry

ldn't want to be burned and burned. I know what it's like. I picke

ol and read your Bible and pray every

arge order," said M

to forgive the sin

mitted any," said Mary.

ve. Everybody does. Di

f 'em,"

dful sin," sai

e now and then? Why, I HAD to. Mr. Wiley would have broken every bone in my body on

shuddered as she thought of being cruelly whipped. Very likely s

asked Faith, whose joyous nature refu

o her for anything. And I'm honest. If I was going to run away I wasn't going to take what belong to HER that was worth anything. When I gr

respectable now. After dinner-through which Aunt Martha had mumbled and Mr. Meredith had been in a state of semi-unconsciousness while brooding his Sunday sermon-Faith had prevailed on Mary to put on one of her dresses, as well as certain other articles of clothing. With her hair neatly braided Mary passed muster tolerably well. She was an acceptabl

e was the problem of w

pare room, you know," said

g in my head," cried M

ha put the Rev. Mr. Fisher from Charlottetown there to sleep last week. HE soon found it out. Then father had to give him his bed and sleep on the study lounge. Aunt Martha hasn't had ti

'll lend me a quilt," said Mary philosophically. "It was kind

he garret room, with the old mattress on it, that the last minister left there? Let's take up the spare room bedcl

over the kitchen at Mrs. Wiley's. The roof leaked rain in the summer and the snow druv in in wi

embroidered spread which Cecilia Meredith had once so proudly made for her spare-room, and which still survived Aunt Martha's uncertain washings. The good

her way in her little white gown down the hall and up the garret stairs. The creaking floor gave ample notice of her c

whispe

as no r

at the spread. "Mary, I know you are c

peared to view b

the chilly air, for the little garret window was open

and Una snuggled

We shouldn't have left you

onesome," s

you cryin

ving to go back to Mrs. Wiley-and of being licked for running away-and-and-a

ll for telling lies when you didn't know it was wrong. He COULDN'T. Why, He's k

, and you get enough to eat such as it is-though that old aunt of yours doesn't know ANYTHING about cooking. Why, this is the first day I ever remember of feeling 'sif I'd enough to eat. I've been knocked about all of my life, 'cept for the two years I was

f a way out. Let's both ask God to keep you from having to g

ht of asking for anything in particular though. Nobody in this world ever bothered themselves about me

y, I'm sure," said Una. "It doesn't matter whose

you wouldn't think God would want to meddle with her. Anyhow, I won't cry any more about it. This is a big sight be

we can see it from," said

t about the places that hurt. I'd think of the ships sailing away and away from it and wish I was on one of them sailing far away too-away from ever

be. The bible tells us

's you live I don't. Say, Una, ain't them shadows on the walls pretty? They look just like a flock of little dancing

a bit proud," said Una ea

t holds her head like that

ike her v

her better'n me?" said

weeks and we've only known yo

n a rage. "All right! Like her all you want t

against the wall of t

's uncompromising back, "don't talk like that. I DO

. Instantly Mary squirmed around ag

kinned alive-and you all so good to me. I should think you WOULD like any one better'n me. I deserve every licking I ev

ace frill of the spare-room pillow and forgiver and forgiven cuddled down together again, harmo

morrow, and knew not that under his own roof there was a little forlorn soul, stumbling in darkness and ignorance, beset by