the great good fortune which had befallen the little
orphan brood. Even after the Judge's carriage, which was to take them to
the station, disappeared around the bend of the creek road, the
enthusiastic crowd of friends and neighbors clustered about the sagging
gate continued to shout their joking warnings and happy wishes upon the
crisp, frosty, morning air.

"There," breathed Peace, grinning from ear to ear, as she slowly unwound
from the corkscrew twist she had assumed in her attempt to catch the
last glimpse of the old home. "They're all out of sight now. I can't
even see Hec Abbott any longer up in the tree with his dirty
handkerchief. Oh, Mr. Judge, I forgot you were our coachman this
morning, but his handkerchief _is_ awful dirty! It always is. I guess
his mother doesn't chase him up like Gail does us with clean ones. Faith
Greenfield, what do you mean by kicking me like that? Ain't there room
enough on that back seat for your big feet?"

"Little girls should be heard and not seen," quoted Cherry with her most
sanctimonious air, noting the gathering frown on the older sister's
face, and not quite understanding what had gone amiss.

"Yes, that's just what Peace believes, too," cried Hope with her happy,
contagious laugh in which Gail and the Judge and even Faith joined,
making the sharp air ring with their hilarity.

"Guess this ride must make you feel ticklish, too," suggested Peace,
looking over her shoulder with a comical, self-complacent air at the
crowded rear seat of the carryall. "I 'xpected to see some of you
bawling about now--"

"Bawling!" echoed the girls in genuine surprise, while the old Judge
chuckled to himself. "What for?"

"'Cause we've left Parker for good and all. We're never going to live
there any more."

"But we shall visit there often. Grandpa said so," cried Hope, warmly.
"It isn't as if we were bound for the poor-farm or some dreadful orphan
home. We might have reason to cry then; but as it is, we're going to
Martindale to live in a splendid great house with splendid, lovely
people; and I can't help wanting to jump up and shout for gladness, even
though we do love Parker and all the people there who have been so good
to us--"

"Good for you, Miss Hope! Hip, hip, hurrah!" broke in the Judge,
flapping the reins wildly as he doffed his hat and cheered heartily.
"That's the proper spirit! We Parkerites don't expect you to break your
hearts because you are going to a new home; we'd th