Pearl and Periwinkle | Page 4

chiffon. I guess we'll go with
you, Mister."

"Good!" There was a ring in his voice that the children could not
understand. To walk to church hand in hand with the niece and nephew
of Hetty Maise would be a novel experience not unattended with some
humor--that appealed to him: to win their love would be the victory he
most desired.
"Won't you tell me your names, please," he whispered as they entered
the church.
"Periwinkle and Pearl Toddles, relatives of Miss Hetty Maise," was the
whispered reply.
Having introduced himself as Robert Grey, their new acquaintance led
them down the broad aisle of the church. As soon as the organ began to
sound its sonorous tones Pearl forgot her strange surroundings entirely
and sat between her brother and Mr. Grey as if in a trance. Not until the
sermon was well under way did she move, and then only to lean against
Periwinkle and whisper, "Isn't this fun, Peri?" "Not fun exactly," he
whispered in reply, "but awfully nice. Hush, Pearl, and if you get tired
just practice on your multiplication table."
It was not until after the doxology had been sung and they had come
out into the open air that the children spoke again.
"Wasn't it wonderful?" asked Periwinkle dreamily. "Do you know what
I thought of, Mr. Grey, when the man was speaking? He said we should
do good to all people. How I wish I'd have heard him say that before I
hit that boy that sneaked around the tent at Higginsport. That man
makes you feel like you want to be good, doesn't he?"
"Will you bring us again?" asked Pearl, with a wistful look on her
anxious face. "I like music even better than riding around the ring."
"Your aunt, Miss Maise--will bring you next Sunday," was the only
promise that Mr. Grey could hold out for them.
"We wish you could go with us too. Thank you for taking us," they
called as they left him.

The hands of the clock on the school-house were pointing to twelve
when Pearl and Periwinkle crawled quietly into the parlor through the
still open window. Their books were on the floor where they had
dropped them, but before they could have picked them up, had they so
desired, Miss Hetty came in. "Came in" is expressing it very mildly.
Even Periwinkle with his extensive vocabulary could not think of an
adequate word to describe the manner of her entrance.
"You have been disobedient. Don't tell me you haven't. You've been
playing on the street. Don't tell me--"
The children, however, did not attempt to interrupt her or defend
themselves until she had finished her scolding. Then her nephew let his
thunderbolt fall.
"We've been to church with Mr. Robert Grey."
"To church--with--Mr. Grey!" gasped Miss Maise, sinking into the
nearest chair and staring at the two young culprits as if she thought that
the heat had affected their minds. "To church--with--Robert Grey!"
"Yes, Aunty Hetty. Mr. Robert Grey with the brown eyes. I should
think if anybody was named Grey their eyes ought to be grey,--"
"Periwinkle Toddles! Did Mr. Grey have the nerve to come to my
house and steal you away to be made a laughing stock of in church?"
The boy flushed but tried to be courteous in his answer.
"I didn't see anybody laugh at us, Aunt Hetty. And Mr. Grey didn't steal
us away. We got tired of sitting here and so we ran out in the street and
he saw us and took us with him. Some children sang, and a man talked
and we had a dandy time. I'm sorry that I disobeyed you, but I'm glad I
went and I don't know whether I'm gladder or sorrier. So I don't much
care what you do to me."
"You will be punished severely," replied their aunt, "for running away
and going to church with that man."

"Why, what is wrong with him?" queried the niece, remembering Mr.
Grey's wonderful smile and how nicely he had treated them.
Miss Hetty was silent for a moment. She was uncertain just which was
the best way to answer this question. Finally she said, "Pearl,
Periwinkle! There is something I must tell you; something that you
must find out before you begin school the week after next. It may be
hard for you to understand this but you must know it so that you will
not make any mistakes again. You know there are only two families in
this village, two families that have any influence, I mean. They are the
Maises and the Greys and their relatives. They used to be good friends;
in fact, such good friends that two of them promised to become even
more to one another. Three years ago a