large room, rather crowded with
heavy, old-fashioned furniture. Aunt Janet had freed herself from dust
and was arrayed in a purple silk gown. Her hair was looped loosely on
either side of her long face. She was a handsome woman, after a certain
type.

"Stand here, Johnny," said she. She had closed the door, and Johnny
was stationed before her. She did not seem in the least injured nor the
worse for her experience. On the contrary, there was a bright-red flush
on her cheeks, and her eyes shone as Johnny had never seen them. She
looked eagerly at Johnny.

"Why did you do that?" she said, but there was no anger in her voice.

"I forgot," began Johnny.

"Forgot what?" Her voice was strained with eagerness.

"That you were not another boy," said Johnny.

"Tell me," said Aunt Janet. "No, you need not tell me, because if you
did it might be my duty to inform your parents. I know there is no need
of your telling. You MUST be in the habit of fighting with the other
boys."

"Except the little ones," admitted Johnny.

To Johnny's wild astonishment, Aunt Janet seized him by the shoulders
and looked him in the eyes with a look of adoration and immense
approval. "Thank goodness," said she, "at last there is going to be a
fighter in the Trumbull family. Your uncle would never fight, and your
father would not. Your grandfather would. Your uncle and your father are
good men, though; you must try to be like them, Johnny."

"Yes, ma'am," replied Johnny, bewildered.

"I think they would be called better men than your grandfather and my
father," said Aunt Janet.

"Yes, ma'am."

"I think it is time for you to have your grandfather's watch," said Aunt
Janet. "I think you are man enough to take care of it." Aunt Janet had
all the time been holding a black leather case. Now she opened it, and
Johnny saw the great gold watch which he had seen many times before and
had always understood was to be his some day, when he was a man. "Here,"
said Aunt Janet. "Take good care of it. You must try to be as good as
your uncle and father, but you must remember one thing--you will wear a
watch which belonged to a man who never allowed other men to crowd him
out of the way he elected to go."

"Yes, ma'am," said Johnny. He took the watch.

"What do you say?" inquired his aunt, sharply.

"Thank you."

"That's right. I thought you had forgotten your manners. Your
grandfather never did."

"I am sorry. Aunt Janet," muttered Johnny, "that I--