liked--liked for me to live here and keep my home--his home--open. Some
way will arrange itself. I haven't talked with Cousin James yet," I
felt white feathers sprouting all over me, as I thus invoked the
masculine dominance I had come to lay.

"You'll have to settle that matter with your Uncle Peter, then, for,
following his dictates of which I did not approve, I have done our duty
by the orphan. Now, Evelina, let me say in my own person, that I
thoroughly approve of your doing just as you plan." And as she uttered
this heresy, she looked so straight and militant and altogether
commanding, that both Cousin Martha and Sallie quailed. I felt elated,
as if my soul were about to get sight of a kindred personality. Or
rather a soul-relative of yours, Jane.

"Oh, she would be so lonely, Mrs. Shelby, and she--" Sallie was
venturing to say with trepidation, when Aunt Augusta cut her short
without ceremony.

"Lonely, nonsense! Such a busy woman as I now feel sure Evelina is going
to be, will not have time to be lonely. I wish I could stay and talk
with you further about your plans, but I must hurry back and straighten
out Peter's mind on that question of the town water-supply that is to
come up in the meeting of the City Council to-day. He let it be
presented all wrong last time, and they got things so muddled that it
was voted on incorrectly. I will have to write it out for him so he can
explain it to them. I will need you in many ways to help me help Peter
be Mayor of Glendale, Evelina. I am wearied after ten years of the
strain of his office. I shall call on you for assistance often in the
most important matters," with which promise, that sounded like a threat,
she proceeded to march down the front path, almost stepping on