r did Grandpa Campbell."

"They ain't either orphans!" shouted the other.

"They said their mother was dead and they had no home."

"Mamma goned away and locked up the house," volunteered Lewie from the
parsonage porch where he had taken refuge with his twin sister at the
first sign of the fray.

"Are you their sister?" sternly demanded Mr. Strong of the older girl.

"No, I ain't! They live next door and Mrs. Hoyt left the kids with me
till she got back."

"Where is your house?"

"On top of the hill," she muttered sullenly.

"Then how does it come they are so far from home?"

"They ran away."

"She shut us out of hern house," said Loie, "and we went to fin' mamma."

Just at this moment the parsonage door opened, and Elizabeth's visitor
stepped out on the piazza, almost stumbling over the crouching twins;
and at sight of them she exclaimed in surprise, "Why, Lewis and Lois
Hoyt, what are you doing down here? Does your mother know where you
are?"

"Ah, Mrs. Lane, how do you do?" said the minister, extending his hand in
greeting. "Are these tots neighbors of yours?"

"They live just across the street from us. I often take care of them
when the mother is away." Then her eye chanced to fall upon the
shrinking figure of Mittie, and she demanded wrathfully, "Have you been
up to your tricks again, Mittie Cole? I shall certainly report you to
your father this time sure. I will take the twins home, Mr. Strong. It
is too bad your little guest has been hurt, but you can mark my words,
she was not to blame. There is trouble wherever Mittie goes. I don't see
why Mrs. Hoyt ever left the children with her in the first place. She
might have known what would happen."

Shooing the little brood ahead of her, she marched out of sight up the
hill, and Peace followed the minister into the house, wailing
disconsolately, "I thought they were orphans and I could adopt them like
grandpa did."

"But think how nice it is that they have a mother and father and a nice
home of their own. Aren't you glad they are not friendless waifs?"

It was a new thought. Peace paused in her lament, and then with a bright
smile answered, "It is nicer that way, ain't it? 'Cause even if they had
been orphans, maybe grandpa would think he had his hands full with the
six of us, and couldn't make room for any more. Lewie can bite like a
badger and I 'magine grandpa wouldn't stand for much of that. Anyway _I_
wouldn't. When I grow bigger and have a hou