Page:Cornelia Meigs--The island of Appledore.djvu/190



was Easter Sunday and Billy and his Aunt were going to church. The day was to bring forth strange things, but it began as any  Sunday might, with bright weather that was  a little hot, with a pleasant walk up through  the fields while the bells were ringing, with  entry into the cool, dim little church and a silent wait, for Aunt Mattie was one of the  people who are always early. There was a good deal of stiff rustling of the Appledore  population’s Sunday best, as in twos and threes  the congregation filed in, fishermen and their  wives, some more prosperous ones who farmed  as well as fished, the hotel proprietor, and  Harvey Jarreth in a suit of very new clothes.

Billy knew well that one should not look around, but he nevertheless turned full about  to smile a greeting at Sally Shute when she  came into the pew behind him. Her stiff 170