"Oh, Doctor Lee, Doctor Lee! If an overruling Providence could smile,
wouldn't He smile now? David and Eva never wanted to marry each other,
I'm sure of it, and the last thing they desired was a child. Now
there are two of them. Their father is away, their mother won't look
at them! What will become of me until Eva gets well and behaves like a
human being? I never promised to be an aunt to twins; I never did like
twins; I think they're downright vulgar!"

"Waly waly! bairns are bonny:
One's enough and twa's ower mony,"

quoted the doctor. "It's worse even than you think, my poor Letty, for
the girl can't get well, because she won't! She has gritted her teeth,
turned her face to the wall, and refused her food. It's the beginning
of the end. You are far likelier to be a foster mother than an aunt!"

Letty's face changed and softened and her color rose. She leaned over
the two pink, crumpled creatures, still twitching nervously with the
amazement and discomfort of being alive.

[Illustration: "COME TO YOUR AUNT LETTY THEN AND BE MOTHERED!" SHE
SOBBED]

"Come to your Aunt Letty then and be mothered!" she sobbed, lifting
the pillow and taking it, with its double burden, into her arms. "You
shan't suffer, poor innocent darlings, even if those who brought you
into the world turn away from you! Come to your Aunt Letty and be
mothered!"