If Aunt--whatever her other name was--should turn out to be interested
in Rub-a-Dub, and sorry for his untimely end, why, then, Diana felt
there was a possibility of her squeezing a little corner for her in
her hearts of hearts. But Mrs. Dolman's next words disturbed the
pleasant illusion.

"You are a poor little orphan, my child," she said. "Your poor, dear
mother's death must be a terrible sorrow to you; but, believe me, you
will get over it after a time."

"I has quite got over it awready," answered Diana, in a cheerful
voice. "It would be awfu' selfish to be sorry 'bout mother, 'cos
mother is not suffering any more pain, you know. I am very _glad_
'bout mother. I am going to her some day. Please don't squeeze my hand
like that. Good-by, aunt; I weally can't stay another moment."

She trotted off, and Mrs. Dolman gazed after her with a petrified
expression of horror on her round face.

"Well," she said to herself, "if ever! And the poor mother was devoted
to them all, and she is scarcely a week in her grave, and yet that
mite dares to say she has got over it. What nonsense she talked, and
what a queer name she has. Now, our family names are sensible and
suited for the rising generation. We have had our Elizabeths and our
Anns, and our Lucys and our Marys, and, of course, there is Jane, my
name. All these are what I call good old respectable Delaney names;
but Diana and Iris make me sick. And I believe, if report tells true,
that there are some still more extraordinary names in the family. What
a rude, dirty little child! I did not like her manners at all, and how