[Frontispiece: _Scene from Mary Pickford's Photoplay_. _Sparrows_. "JEST FER THAT NONE OF YOU KIDS GET ANY SUPPER!"] SPARROWS NOVELIZED BY MARIE COOLIDGE-RASK ORIGINAL STORY BY WINIFRED DUNN ILLUSTRATED WITH SCENES FROM THE PHOTOPLAY STARRING MARY PICKFORD GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS NEW YORK COPYRIGHT, 1926, BY GROSSET & DUNLAP Made in the United States of America CONTENTS CHAPTER I A Cry for Help II In the Home of the Monster III Maria Finds a Companion IV An Unequal Struggle V Banishment VI New Victims VII Where Is Buddy? VIII Mollie Makes a Discovery IX A Reign of Terror X Subjugation XI Plotters XII The Monster Comes XIII What Happened to Splutters XIV The Kidnapping XV In The Watches of the Night XVI The Awakening XVII On The Trail XVIII Stephen Gives a Clue XIX Mollie at Bay XX The Plight of the Sparrows XXI Crossing the Bog XXII Ransom Money XXIII Pursued and Pursuers XXIV New Terrors XXV At the Cross-roads XXVI The Pit of Death XXVII Mollie in Command XXVIII A Woman's Confession XXIX Reunion XXX In Perpetuity SPARROWS CHAPTER I A CRY FOR HELP "Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows."--Matt. x, 31 "On, lookit--lookit!" "'Sh! Not so loud. Fat'll hear yo'." "Lor' a mercy! Ain't hit slick." "Take keer, Mollie. Hit's goin' ter ketch in thet thar tree." "How y' s'pose God's goin' ter git holt of hit?" "I, golly, He kin read thet printin' a mile away." "Huh! He won't hev to. Hit's a goin' all the way. Mollie said so. Hit's more'n two thousand miles from hyer to thar." "To whar?" "G'wan, Mollie, let 'er loose. Doan yo' callate hit's riz enough now?" Mollie's face, upturned to the blue sky, was pale and tense. From wide, anxious eyes she watched the kite mount higher and higher over the heads of the excited children. Head and shoulders above the tallest she stood, arms outstretched, small, capable hands extended, palms touching, after the manner of suppliants of all ages, and slowly released from between work-worn fingers yard after yard of the long, knotted string which, for the moment, anchored the heaven-bound messenger to its petitioners on earth. "'Sh!" she warned again, without changing her position nor shifting her gaze from the fluttering kite soaring upward on the wings of the soft breeze that was stirring. "Be quiet, now, all of yo'. I'm goin' ter let go. I reckon hit's high enough. Yo' all mind the pra'rs I learnt yo'. This kite's jest nachully flyin' straight up ter God. When He gits hit, He'll shore do somethin'. Yo' all jest hol' your mouths now an' watch hit go."