“Come back—no need for that, Matilda.” Mrs. Pepper sat down on the sofa and drew the poor gray head into her arms. “There—there,” she said, just as if one of the Five Little Peppers was cuddled within them. “You’re going to see better times, Mrs. Peters. Your husband has promised to treat you and Matilda as women should be treated.”
But Mrs. Peters not understanding, wailed on, burrowing deeper into the kind arms.
Tildy jumped to her feet. “Oh my soul an’ body—did you make Pa say that?”
“Mr. Peters promised it,” said Mrs. Pepper with a smile.
“Glory be!” Tildy set up a trot to the other end of the room, coming back to snap her fingers in glee. Then the joy went out of her face. “Pa never’ll keep that promise in all the world,” she gasped, drooping miserably.
“There is no doubt that the promise will be kept, Matilda,” said Mrs. Pepper. “And if it isn’t, why you just come to me.” Then she laid Mrs. Peters’s head back on the old sofa and went out and shut the door.
CHAPTER III
THE DARK CLOUD OVER THE LITTLE BROWN HOUSE
“YOU don’t say!” Old Man Beebe turned around on his little ladder where he was reaching down a pair of number six shoes for a customer. “Sho’ now, I am beat, Mis Brown! Mebbe ’tain’t true.” He held the shoes aloft, the long strings dangling down.
“There ain’t no morsel o’ doubt about it,” said Mrs. Brown decidedly. “I’ve jest come from the store, an’ Mr. Atkins himself told me. I can’t wait all day, Mr. Beebe; an’ I said gaiters. I don’t want no shoes.”
“You said shoes,” said Mr. Beebe. “However did I git up here, ef you hadn’t asked for ’em.”