s. The eyes, intensely blue and clear, the broad, high forehead,
the thin cheeks and colorless lips, even the heavy braids of brown hair
with their auburn lights, did not seem to belong to a mere mortal. And
yet she could not be an angel, for even Peace's youthful, untrained mind
swiftly read the bitterness and rebellion which lurked in those deep,
wonderful eyes. It was as if some doomed soul were looking out through
the bars of a prison fortress, without a single ray of hope to break the
gloom, without a single thought to cheer or comfort. And so Peace, in
her childish ignorance, asked, "Are you a lady?"

"A woman grown," the sweet voice answered, and a faint smile of
amusement flitted across the marble-white face.

"Your--your hair is in braids," stammered Peace, unable to put her
subtle feelings into words.

"It is more restful that way," the speaker sighed; then again that
fleeting smile lighted up the beautiful features, and holding out her
hand to the puzzled child, she said coaxingly, "Tell me about yourself.
Is it really you who whistles so divinely in the garden each morning? I
have heard it so often but never could locate it before. Aunt Pen
thought it must be another canary at the parsonage. It always seemed to
come from that direction."

"That's 'cause Saint John and I live there. He whistles, too, though I
do it the best."

"Saint John?" The flicker of amusement became a genuine smile.

"That's the new preacher of Hill Street Church. He used to be our
minister in Parker and he lets me call him by his front name when we are
alone, but it was so easy to forget and do it when we weren't alone that
I named him _Saint_ John, 'cause Faith says he is my pattern--no patron
saint. I call Elizabeth Saint Elspeth, too, for the same reason. She is
his wife."

"But I thought you were their little girl."

"Mercy, no! They ain't old enough to have a little girl my age yet. Glen
is their only children. I'm just visiting."

"You have been with them ever since they came here, haven't you?"

"Almost. They were a week ahead of me. They moved in from Parker last
March, the very week before our spring vacation from school, and they
begged grandpa so hard to let me come and help them settle that he said
I might. Then Allee got the scarlet fever, so I had to stay for a time.
Just as she was getting well so they 'xpected to _fumergate_ 'most any
day, Cherry went to work and caught it, and now Hope is in bed. There
are