parents and
so the brook had been the only alternative. But when news of the fight
reached the ears of the teacher, the ruler descended on Grey and Maise
alike, while Pearl wide-eyed, wept for both and made the lads shake
hands before she would speak to either of them.

When Esther Tull of the Grey "camp" furtively pushed Ruth Hayton's
lunchbox out of the open window, Pearl shared her own lunch with her
cousin Ruth. Periwinkle however had regarded the Tull girl with such
fine contempt that she gave Ruth a bead ring as a peace offering and
Ruth then wrote her name in Esther's autograph album.

These incidents did not escape the notice of the teacher who with
growing hope saw that what had appeared to be impossible was gradually
taking place. She had tried everything within her power to break down
this wall of hatred that separated the two factions, but the barrier had
proved invincible to her every effort. And now she saw that while she,
armed with the rod of authority and exercizing the strictest discipline,
had made a dismal failure, these two orphaned circus children were
unconsciously melting the icy wall with the benevolent sunshine of their
smiles and the warm love beams of their tender young hearts.

The minister heard of it too and although he shook his head rather
doubtfully over the teacher's hopeful predictions, yet he wrote
cheerfully to his son: "I can't understand it. The children seem to know
the magic of some fairy alchemy, for whatever they touch becomes like
them--lovely."

But it was not all smooth sailing, especially for the boy. Periwinkle
had never known his grandfather Maise, but he nevertheless held the old
gentleman in high esteem. Therefore when Washington Grey called that
relative "a mean old fellow," Peri's fist darted out with amazing
rapidity but was just as quickly withheld before it reached Washington's
eye. And that lad, wondering at his escape, showed his appreciation by
presenting Periwinkle a horse-hair chain the next day which was accepted
with all the graciousness of Peri's sweet nature. The teacher, observant
as ever, and wondering too, blessed Myra's "dreadful" children in her
heart.

CHAPTER VI

JOE SMITH'S CHOICE

Joe Smith's den in the dormitory of his dearly beloved Alma Mater was
the favorite haunt of not only his intimate friends but of many other
students who had yielded to the charm of his personality. His influence
for good and his popularity with the stu