The Newtown bee., 1894-07-27

sitting room was gdalnblly set TOT Lhree,s
 and the girls, in pleasant state of ex-
 citement. were awaiting Mrs Higgins's return.
 Before supper had ended, however, it
 had become apparent that severe trial lay before them. The ssdelegate's'' tongue proved unexpectedly sharp, and | her manners aggressive. Susan had hard work to keep her own quick tenn per down under Mrs Higginss exasper-
 ating remarks, while Agatha listened in wondering dismay. s.ss s.e.t=4ss At length the delegate retired to her room. But almost immediately she re-
 appeared, with Agatha's cherished daisies in her hand.
 'sThef farmers pests, she said, with l scorn.. II don't want weeds a-iumberin' l up my room. I don't s'pose you have I such thing as feather bed?' she went on, and having receiving negative re-
 ply, she withdrew again, with disdain- fuI sniff.
 In the morning Mrs Higgins was up
 before the sum-. " I s'I can't stand that room another
 night, nohow,'' she announced, when Susan appeared to set. the breakfast
 table. If you can't give me-a quiter
 room than that, I'll go. EE{ s}s
 Soaquieter room was promised, and, {! as soon as she went out, the girls care- fully transferred her belongings into the
 other bedroom, which they had taken for themselves, as being the least desir- able of the two. Unfortunately, this I was an inner room, with the window ! opening upon 'welln; and when the delegate made this discovery, she refus- ed to occupy it for even single night.
 II can get used to noise, s'pose," she said, grimly; but never could get used
 to goin' without air! !'' g. &sfz-s7. a"tli" , , So everything that had been so care
 fully changed in the morning had to be t removed back and re-arranged before 2 they slept.
 :, "Oh, Susan," said Agatha, with l nervous laughter, when at last they were 2 alone together, "wby did I ever let her D stayi', E# -n Iss-. ~-- ..-. .-. a Its all right, dear" returned Susan, d bravely. II shall get along with her d beautifully, if l can only keep remember
 1 ing that she means two weeks of country ', air for you. ..s...-. -, if Don't you never have homemade h bread, nor pancakes?''. Mrs Higgins ask n ed, one morning. "Dear me, should n die to live on such poor fodder long" It Agatha cast frightened glance to- It ward Susan, whose cooking she had al-
 ways thought perfection. Susan's face a- was flushed, but her firmly closed lips a made no reply. ...sss- s..*
 'If you tell us just how you like d things"-began Agatha, but-''I didn'l d come to the city to teach cookin'," was d the delegates quick rejoinder.a .3e.rsal l. | So the days went on, and, in spite o1 T Mrs Higginss endless provocation, Susar et never lost her self control. Agatha two weeks holiday was now assured a. Two weeks when, in her fragile state o1 Y health, she needed months, at least, o ,e country air! 9r#,v s.#
 The lengthy conference had now com, I to an end, and the day for the delegate: nj departure was fixed.
 ts Supper was over, on this last night D. and Susan was clearing away the things se Agatha. winter than ever, sat by the opei n, window with her eyes fixed wistfully up n' on the solitary alanthus tree, far dowl st the hot, paved street. K Mrs Higgins moved uneasily in he
 chair. At last spoke abruptly: ,d "You'd ought to go away" she said
 "makin' believe country wont do you on xt speck of good. Ineyerl see any one nee, W change so much in all my life. Wh,
 don't you go?" ;" Agatha saw the sudden anxiety il re Susan's face, and she answered, brightly lgi .Oh, but we are going, soon.".s2 fati ; aeI "Indeed! An how long air you goir or1 to stay ?" inquired Mrs Higgins, with ur
 lifted brows.
 Is {"Why, ever so long, guess-week a maybep'% F .>-P *7'F2 ''''.''i @'s < Then Mrs Higgins smiled.
 "You're awful elose-mouthed, youtwe CT but you can't cheat me! An l kno, CT more, about you than you think" toi 'sMore than we know ourselves [" fiast e ed Susan, bitterly repenting her .quic p- -Ewords the moment they had passed he n- lips. 5.s;yy siT ssg6 tagI ma3 .7 But again Mrs Higgins smiled. May n. be Idol To begin with, know your p ny was Silas Maverick, of Summerfield, al 193 I1know you've got his temperl Then UT know he had half sister, ani there wa
 ' trouble between them about dividin' u et the property. He got the most of i a somehow, but he didn't keep it long, al all he left his children poor. I s'pose h ie, never talked much about his half siste in but p'r'aps you've heard her name?" } l sssIt was Sarah Maverick, Iremember. ne said Agatha, 'sbut think she must hay died Ss1
 hs tsstNo, she ,didn't-she got married, al 3:, then her name was Sarah Jane Higgins m- ss"sOh-h,n cried Agatha. Then-why- ta ta- you're our-half aunt! Oh, Susan, jus think !, And you knew it all the tim, lat and came here on purpose to find us out ssNo, didn't I didn't know it first, { ny never should a come, for was dow " on your pas an all belengin' to hin on on But al soon as found out your names, ln knew-an' jest thought I'd try yo, ne An tell you honest, now. if Suss ' hadn't kept her Maverick temper dow se, so we'll, an if f{Agatha hadn't been such \ sweet an gentle lamb, I'd "a gone ava m- tomorrow without sign.
 . ssBut somehow, I,v been thinkin' lil sA this-your pa an me was real goo