ntents
of Miss Hetty's famous kitchen, but they would also have the opportunity
of meeting the "circus children."

Pearl and Periwinkle had up to this time met only a few of their
mother's relatives, but on this day they submitted to a deluge of
kisses, questions, stares, and advances that wellnigh overwhelmed them,
but which they nevertheless met with commendable equanimity. On the
whole their aunts and great-aunts, uncles and great-uncles, cousins and
near-cousins were better pleased with the children than perhaps the
children were with them. The common agreement was that Myra's boy and
girl were exceptionally pretty, bright, and not at all ill-mannered;
although they perhaps lacked the shyness of their village cousins.

When dinner at last was over, the big living room became the scene of an
important family council. A vivacious girl of sixteen clad in a smart
white linen frock with shoes to match, took her young cousins in charge,
expecting to entertain them, while their elders were engaged in a
discussion that would in no way likely be of interest to young minds.
She informed them that she was the only child of Eldon Maise and how she
spent her winters in a fashionable boarding school, only coming to the
country in summer to spend her vacation. Eldon Maise, as Peri knew, was
the rich man of the "clan." But the lively prattle of his sister and
their dainty cousin on topics of interests common only to girls, bored
him and he soon found himself becoming interested in the conversation of
his elders.

"You say Jim Grey's son-in-law is running for postmaster?" the guest of
honor was asking.

"So I hear," replied his nephew Eldon in his cold, quiet way.

"You don't intend to sign his petition, Eldon?" demanded the old man,
his suspicion aroused by the matter-of-fact answer of his nephew.

"Oh, business is business, Uncle," retorted the younger man, rather
abruptly. "I can't afford to provoke the illwill of the Greys. If Holner
comes to me, I dare say I shall sign his paper."

"And you a son of your father!" cried Jeoffrey Maise, much aroused by
this apparent defection from a family duty. "You to go back on us and
help the other side!"

"Oh, Uncle," replied his broader-minded nephew in an even tone, "that
little thing occurred so long ago. We aren't living in the Kentucky
hills, you know. Family feuds are not in fashion in this state. I'm sure
I don't care much if you want to keep up the old grudge, but I don't
w