is in the world, anyway,--that grocery store. And 'tis a good store,
if I do say it. And there's his sister, Flora; and Maggie--But, there!
Poor Maggie! She won't be in it, will she, after all? She isn't a
Blaisdell, and she didn't marry one. Now that's too bad!"

"Ho! She won't mind." Benny spoke with conviction. "She'll just laugh
and say it doesn't matter; and then Grandpa Duff'll ask for his drops
or his glasses, or something, and she'll forget all about it. She
won't care."

"Yes, I know; but--Poor Maggie! Always just her luck." Mrs. Blaisdell
sighed and looked thoughtful. "But Maggie KNOWS a lot about the
Blaisdells," she added, brightening; "so she could tell you lots of
things--about when they were little, and all that."

"Yes. But--that isn't--er--" Mr. Smith hesitated doubtfully, and Mrs.
Blaisdell jumped into the pause.

"And, really, for that matter, she knows about us NOW, too, better
than 'most anybody else. Hattie's always sending for her, and Flora,
too, if they're sick, or anything. Poor Maggie! Sometimes I think they
actually impose upon her. And she's such a good soul, too! I declare,
I never see her but I wish I could do something for her. But, of
course, with my means--But, there! Here I am, running on as usual.
Frank says I never do know when to stop, when I get started on
something; and of course you didn't come here to talk about poor
Maggie. Now I'll go back to business. When is it you want to start in-
-to board, I mean?"

"To-morrow, if I may." With some alacrity Mr. Smith got to his feet.