others had gone quietly into the manse and to bed.

"Do you think it is true that father is going to marry Miss
West?" Una had tremulously asked of Faith, after their prayers
had been said.

"I don't know, but I'd like it," said Faith.

"Oh, I wouldn't," said Una, chokingly. "She is nice the way she
is. But Mary Vance says it changes people ALTOGETHER to be made
stepmothers. They get horrid cross and mean and hateful then,
and turn your father against you. She says they're sure to do
that. She never knew it to fail in a single case."

"I don't believe Miss West would EVER try to do that," cried
Faith.

"Mary says ANYBODY would. She knows ALL about stepmothers,
Faith--she says she's seen hundreds of them--and you've never
seen one. Oh, Mary has told me blood-curdling things about them.
She says she knew of one who whipped her husband's little girls
on their bare shoulders till they bled, and then shut them up in
a cold, dark coal cellar all night. She says they're ALL aching
to do things like that."

"I don't believe Miss West would. You don't know her as well as
I do, Una. Just think of that sweet little bird she sent me. I
love it far more even than Adam."

"It's just being a stepmother changes them. Mary says they can't