The Rev. James Perry was a sleek, rubicund man, with a bristling white moustache, bushy white eyebrows, and a shining bald head.  He was certainly not handsome and he was a very tiresome, pompous sort of person.  But if he had looked like the Archangel Michael and talked with the tongues of men and angels Faith would still have utterly detested him.  He carved Adam up dexterously, showing off his plump white hands and very handsome diamond ring.  Also, he made jovial remarks all through the performance.  Jerry and Carl giggled, and even Una smiled wanly, because she thought politeness demanded it.  But Faith only scowled darkly.  The Rev. James thought her manners shockingly bad.  Once, when he was delivering himself of an unctuous remark to Jerry, Faith broke in rudely with a flat contradiction.  The Rev. James drew his bushy eyebrows together at her.

“Little girls should not interrupt,” he said, “and they should not contradict people who know far more than they do.”

This put Faith in a worse temper than ever.  To be called “little girl” as if she were no bigger than chubby Rilla Blythe over at Ingleside!  It was insufferable.  And how that abominable Mr. Perry did eat!  He even picked poor Adam’s bones.  Neither Faith nor Una would touch a mouthful, and looked upon the boys as little better than cannibals.  Faith felt that if that awful repast did not soon come to an end she would wind it up by throwing something at Mr. Perry’s gleaming head.  Fortunately, Mr. Perry found Aunt Martha’s leathery apple pie too much even for his powers of mastication and the meal came to an end, after a long grace in which Mr. Perry offered up devout thanks for the food which a kind and beneficent Providence had provided for sustenance and temperate pleasure.

“God hadn’t a single thing to do with providing Adam for you,” muttered Faith rebelliously under her breath.

The boys gladly made their escape to outdoors, Una went to help Aunt Martha with the dishes—­though that rather grumpy old dame never welcomed her timid assistance—­and Faith betook herself to the study where a cheerful wood fire was burning in the grate.  She thought she would thereby escape from the hated Mr. Perry, who had announced his intention of taking a nap in his room during the afternoon.  But scarcely had Faith settled herself in a corner, with a book, when he walked in and, standing before the fire, proceeded to survey the disorderly study with an air of disapproval.

“You father’s books seem to be in somewhat deplorable confusion, my little girl,” he said severely.

Faith darkled in her corner and said not a word.  She would not talk to this—­this creature.