Rather an acidly satisfied smile came to Mrs. Tynan's lips. "That was
like the Slatterly girls," she replied. "Your father would have said it
was the vernacular of the rail-head. He was a great man for odd words,
but he knew always just what he wanted to say and he said it out. You've
got his gift. You always say the right thing, and I don't know why you
made that break with her--of all people."

A meditative look came into Kitty's eyes. "Mr. Crozier says every one
has an imp that loves to tease us, and trip us up, and make us appear
ridiculous before those we don't want to have any advantage over us."

"I don't want Mrs. Crozier to have any advantage over you and me, I can
tell you that. Things'll never be the same here again, Kitty dear, and
we've all got on so well; with him so considerate of every one, and a
good friend always, and just one of us, and his sickness making him seem
like our own, and--"

"Oh, hush--will you hush, mother!" interposed Kitty sharply. "He's
going away with her back to the old country, and we might just as well
think about getting other borders, for I suppose Mr. Bulrush and his
bonny bride will set up a little bulrush tabernacle on the banks of the
Nile"--she nodded in the direction of the river outside--"and they'll
find a little Moses and will treat it as their very own."

"Kitty, how can you!"

Kitty shrugged a shoulder. "It would be ridiculous for that pair to have
one of their own. It's only the young mother with a new baby that looks
natural to me."