Sentence:  Not unnaturally, "Auntie" took this communication in bad part....Next day she...tried to recover her ward by the hair of the head. Then, thwarted, the wretched creature went to the police for help; she was versed in the law, and had perhaps spared no pains to keep on <WSD>good</WSD> terms with the local constabulary. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  Beneficial; worthwhile.