the golden road-第15节

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〃You　are　very　kind　but　we'll　have　to　go　right　home。〃

〃Yez　can't　walk；〃　said　Peg。

〃Oh；　yes；　we　can。　　The　drifts　are　so　hard　they'll　carry；　and　the　snow　will　be　pretty　well　blown　off　the　middle　of　the　fields。　　It's　only　three…quarters　of　a　mile。　　We　boys　will　go　home　and　get　a　pung　and　come　back　for　you　girls。〃

But　the　girls　wouldn't　listen　to　this。　　They　must　go　with　us；　even　Cecily。

〃Seems　to　me　yez　weren't　in　such　a　hurry　to　leave　last　night；〃　observed　Peg　sarcastically。

〃Oh；　it's　only　because　they'll　be　so　anxious　about　us　at　home；　and　it's　Sunday　and　we　don't　want　to　miss　Sunday　School；〃　explained　Felicity。

〃Well；　I　hope　your　Sunday　School　will　do　yez　good；〃　said　Peg；　rather　grumpily。　　But　she　relented　again　at　the　last　and　gave　Cecily　a　wishbone。

〃Whatever　you　wish　on　that　will　come　true；〃　she　said。　　〃But　you　only　have　the　one　wish；　so　don't　waste　it。〃

〃We're　so　much　obliged　to　you　for　all　your　trouble；〃　said　the　Story　Girl　politely。

〃Never　mind　the　trouble。　　The　expense　is　the　thing；〃　retorted　Peg　grimly。

〃Oh！〃　Felicity　hesitated。　　〃If　you　would　let　us　pay　yougive　you　something〃

〃No；　thank　yez；〃　responded　Peg　loftily。　　〃There　is　people　who　take　money　for　their　hospitality；　I've　heerd；　but　I'm　thankful　to　say　I　don't　associate　with　that　class。　　Yez　are　welcome　to　all　yez　have　had　here；　if　yez　ARE　in　a　big　hurry　to　get　away。〃

She　shut　the　door　behind　us　with　something　of　a　slam；　and　her　black　cat　followed　us　so　far；　with　stealthy；　furtive　footsteps；　that　we　were　frightened　of　it。　　Eventually　it　turned　back；　then；　and　not　till　then；　did　we　feel　free　to　discuss　our　adventure。

〃Well；　I'm　thankful　we're　out　of　THAT；〃　said　Felicity；　drawing　a　long　breath。　　〃Hasn't　it　just　been　an　awful　experience？〃

〃We　might　all　have　been　found　frozen　stark　and　stiff　this　morning；〃　remarked　the　Story　Girl　with　apparent　relish。

〃I　tell　you；　it　was　a　lucky　thing　we　got　to　Peg　Bowen's；〃　said　Dan。

〃Miss　Marwood　says　there　is　no　such　thing　as　luck；〃　protested　Cecily。　　〃We　ought　to　say　it　was　Providence　instead。〃

〃Well；　Peg　and　Providence　don't　seem　to　go　together　very　well；　somehow；〃　retorted　Dan。　　〃If　Peg　is　a　witch　it　must　be　the　Other　One　she's　in　co。　with。〃

〃Dan；　it's　getting　to　be　simply　scandalous　the　way　you　talk；〃　said　Felicity。　　〃I　just　wish　ma　could　hear　you。〃

〃Is　soap　in　porridge　any　worse　than　tooth…powder　in　rusks；　lovely　creature？〃　asked　Dan。

〃Dan；　Dan；〃　admonished　Cecily；　between　her　coughs；　〃remember　it's　Sunday。〃

〃It　seems　hard　to　remember　that；〃　said　Peter。　　〃It　doesn't　seem　a　mite　like　Sunday　and　it　seems　awful　long　since　yesterday。〃

〃Cecily；　you've　got　a　dreadful　cold；〃　said　the　Story　Girl　anxiously。

〃In　spite　of　Peg's　ginger　tea；〃　added　Felix。

〃Oh；　that　ginger　tea　was　AWFUL；〃　exclaimed　poor　Cecily。　　〃I　thought　I'd　never　get　it　downit　was　so　hot　with　gingerand　there　was　so　much　of　it！　　But　I　was　so　frightened　of　offending　Peg　I'd　have　tried　to　drink　it　all　if　there　had　been　a　bucketful。　　Oh；　yes；　it's　very　easy　for　you　all　to　laugh！　　You　didn't　have　to　drink　it。〃

〃We　had　to　eat　two　meals；　though；〃　said　Felicity　with　a　shiver。　　〃And　I　don't　know　when　those　dishes　of　hers　were　washed。　　I　just　shut　my　eyes　and　took　gulps。〃

〃Did　you　notice　the　soapy　taste　in　the　porridge？〃　asked　the　Story　Girl。

〃Oh；　there　were　so　many　queer　tastes　about　it　I　didn't　notice　one　more　than　another；〃　answered　Felicity　wearily。

〃What　bothers　me；〃　remarked　Peter　absently；　〃is　that　skull。　　Do　you　suppose　Peg　really　finds　things　out　by　it？〃

〃Nonsense！　　How　could　she？〃　scoffed　Felix；　bold　as　a　lion　in　daylight。

〃She　didn't　SAY　she　did；　you　know；〃　I　said　cautiously。

〃Well；　we'll　know　in　time　if　the　things　she　said　were　going　to　happen　do；〃　mused　Peter。

〃Do　you　suppose　your　father　is　really　coming　home？〃　queried　Felicity。

〃I　hope　not；〃　answered　Peter　decidedly。

〃You　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　yourself；〃　said　Felicity　severely。

〃No；　I　oughtn't。　　Father　got　drunk　all　the　time　he　was　home；　and　wouldn't　work　and　was　bad　to　mother；〃　said　Peter　defiantly。　　〃She　had　to　support　him　as　well　as　herself　and　me。　　I　don't　want　to　see　any　father　coming　home；　and　you'd　better　believe　it。　　Of　course；　if　he　was　the　right　sort　of　a　father　it'd　be　different。〃

〃What　I　would　like　to　know　is　if　Aunt　Olivia　is　going　to　be　married；〃　said　the　Story　Girl　absently。　　〃I　can　hardly　believe　it。　　But　now　that　I　think　of　itUncle　Roger　has　been　teasing　her　ever　since　she　was　in　Halifax　last　summer。〃

〃If　she　does　get　married　you'll　have　to　come　and　live　with　us；〃　said　Cecily　delightedly。

Felicity　did　not　betray　so　much　delight　and　the　Story　Girl　remarked　with　a　weary　little　sigh　that　she　hoped　Aunt　Olivia　wouldn't。　　We　all　felt　rather　weary；　somehow。　　Peg's　predictions　had　been　unsettling；　and　our　nerves　had　all　been　more　or　less　strained　during　our　sojourn　under　her　roof。　　We　were　glad　when　we　found　ourselves　at　home。

The　folks　had　not　been　at　all　troubled　about　us；　but　it　was　because　they　were　sure　the　storm　had　come　up　before　we　would　think　of　leaving　Cousin　Mattie's　and　not　because　they　had　received　any　mysterious　message　from　Peg's　skull。　　We　were　relieved　at　this；　but　on　the　whole；　our　adventure　had　not　done　much　towards　clearing　up　the　vexed　question　of　Peg's　witchcraft。



CHAPTER　IX

EXTRACTS　FROM　THE　FEBRUARY　AND　MARCH　NUMBERS　OF　Our　Magazine


RESOLUTION　HONOUR　ROLL

Miss　Felicity　King。


HONOURABLE　MENTION

Mr。　Felix　King。　Mr。　Peter　Craig。　Miss　Sara　Ray。


EDITORIAL

The　editor　wishes　to　make　a　few　remarks　about　the　Resolution　Honour　Roll。　　As　will　be　seen；　only　one　name　figures　on　it。　　Felicity　says　she　has　thought　a　beautiful　thought　every　morning　before　breakfast　without　missing　one　morning；　not　even　the　one　we　were　at　Peg　Bowen's。　　Some　of　our　number　think　it　not　fair　that　Felicity　should　be　on　the　honour　roll　（FELICITY；　ASIDE：　　〃That's　Dan；　of　course。〃）　when　she　only　made　one　resolution　and　won't　tell　us　what　any　of　the　thoughts　were。　　So　we　have　decided　to　give　honourable　mention　to　everybody　who　has　kept　one　resolution　perfect。　　Felix　has　worked　all　his　arithmetic　problems　by　himself。　　He　complains　that　he　never　got　more　than　a　third　of　them　right　and　the　teacher　has　marked　him　away　down；　but　one　cannot　keep　resolutions　without　some　inconvenience。　　Peter　has　never　played　tit…tat…x　in　church　or　got　drunk　and　says　it　wasn't　as　bad　as　he　expected。　　（PETER；　INDIGNANTLY：　　〃I　never　said　it。〃　　CECILY；　SOOTHINGLY：　　〃Now；　Peter；　Bev　only　meant　that　as　a　joke。〃）　Sara　Ray　has　never　talked　any　mean　gossip；　but　does　not　find　conversation　as　interesting　as　it　used　to　be。　　（SARA　RAY；　WONDERINGLY：　　〃I　don't　remember　of　saying　that。〃）

Felix　did　not　eat　any　apples　until　March；　but　forgot　and　ate　seven　the　day　we　were　at　Cousin　Mattie's。　　（FELIX：　　〃I　only　ate　five！〃）　He　soon　gave　up　trying　to　say　what　he　thought　always。　　He　got　into　too　much　trouble。　　We　think　Felix　ought　to　change　to　old　Grandfather　King's　rule。　　It　was；　〃Hold　your　tongue　when　you　can；　and　when　you　can't　tell　the　truth。〃　Cecily　feels　she　has　not　read　all　the　good　books　she　might；　because　some　she　tried　to　read　were　very　dull　and　the　Pansy　books　were　so　much　more　interesting。　　And　it　is　no　use　trying　not　to　feel　bad　because　her　hair　isn't　curly　and　she　has　marked　that　resolution　out。　　The　Story　Girl　came　very　near　to　keeping　her　resolution　to　have　all　the　good　times　possible；　but　she　says　she　missed　two；　if　not　three；　she　might　have　had。　　Dan　refuses　to　say　anything　about　his　resolutions　and　so　does　the　editor。



PERSONALS

We　regret　that　Miss　Cecily　King　is　suffering　from　a　severe　cold。

Mr。　Alexander　Marr　of　Markdale　died　very　suddenly　last　week。　　We　never　heard　of　his　death　till　he　was　dead。

Miss　Cecily　King　wishes　to　state　that　she　did　not　ask　the　question　about　〃Holy　Moses〃　and　the　other　word　in　the　January　number。　　Dan　put　it　in　for　a　mean　joke。

The　weather　has　been　cold　and　fine。　　We　have　only　had　one　bad　storm。　　The　coasting　on　Uncle　Roger's　hill　continues　good。

Aunt　Eliza　did　not　favour　us　with　a　visit　after　all。　　She　took　cold　and　had　to　go　home。　　We　were　sorry　that　she　had　a　cold　but　glad　that　she　had　to　go　home。　　Cecily　said　she　thought　it　wicked　of　us　to　be　glad。　　But　when　we　asked　her　〃cross　her　heart〃　if　she　wasn't　glad　herself　she　had　to　say　she　was。

Miss　Cecily　King　has　got　three　very　distinguished　names　on　her　quilt　square。　　They　are　the　Governor　and　his　wife　and　a　witch's。

The　King　family　had　the　honour　of　entertaining　the　Governor's　wife　to　tea　on　February　the　seventeenth。　　We　are　all　invited　to　visit　Government　House　but　some　of　us　think　we　won't　go。

A　tragic　event　occurred　last　Tuesday。　　Mrs。　James　Frewen　came　to　tea　and　there　was　no　pie　in　the　house。　　Felicity　has　not　yet　fully　recovered。

A　new　boy　is　coming　to　school。　　His　name　is　Cyrus　Brisk　and　his　folks　moved　up　from　Markdale。　　He　says　he　is　going　to　punch　Willy　Fraser's　head　if　Willy　keeps　on　thinking　he　is　Miss　Cecily　King's　beau。

（CECILY：　　〃I　haven't　ANY　beau！　　I　don't　mean　to　think　of　such　a　thing　for　at　least　eight　years　yet！〃）

Miss　Alice　Reade　of　Charlottetown　Royalty　has　come　to　Carlisle　to　teach　music。　　She　boards　at　Mr。　Peter　Armstrong's。　　The　girls　are　all　going　to　take　music　lessons