"Mother wants you," she announced.

"Well, I can't come. I'm busy," said William, coldly, taking a draught
of lemonade and returning to his book.

"Cousin Mildred's come," continued his sister.

William raised his freckled face from his book.

"Well, I can't help that, can I?" he said, with the air of one arguing
patiently with a lunatic.

Ethel shrugged her shoulders and departed.

"He's reading some old book in the barn," he heard her announce, "and
he says----"

[Illustration: ETHEL APPEARED IN THE DOORWAY. "MOTHER WANTS YOU," SHE
ANNOUNCED.]

Here he foresaw complications and hastily followed her.

"Well, I'm _comin'_, aren't I?" he said, "as fast as I can."

Cousin Mildred was sitting on the lawn. She was elderly and very thin
and very tall, and she wore a curious, long, shapeless garment of
green silk with a golden girdle.

"Dear child!" she murmured, taking the grimy hand that William held