bility to
the knocks of a feather on receiving the news of his wife's death, she
could bear it no longer, but went upstairs to her bedroom, whither Aunt
Mabel presently followed in search.

"Ah, Jenny, this is a sad set out and no mistake," Mrs. Purkiss began.

Jenny did not deign to pay any attention, but looked coldly out of the
window.

"You must feel quite lost without her," continued the aunt, "though to
be sure you didn't trouble her much with your company this last year.
Poor Florrie, she used to fret about it a lot. And your father wasn't
much use--such an undependable sort of a man as he is. Let's all hope,
now he's got two motherless girls to look after, he'll be a bit more
strict."

"I wish you wouldn't keep on at me, Auntie," Jenny protested, "because I
shall be most shocking rude to you in a minute, which I shouldn't like
to be at such a time."

"Tut--tut, I wish you could control that temper of yours; but there, I
make allowances for I know you must be feeling it all very much,
especially as you must blame yourself a bit."

Jenny turned sharply round and faced her aunt.

"What for?" she demanded.

"Why, for everything. Nothing'll ever convince me it wasn't worry drove
your poor mother into the grave. Your Uncle William said the same when
he heard of it. He was _very_ disappointed to think he couldn't come to
the funeral; but, as he said, 'what with, Easter almost on us and one
thing and another, I really haven't got the time.'"

Mrs. Purkiss had seated herself in the arm-chair and was creaking away
in comfortable loquacity.

"I think it's nothing more than wicked to talk like that," Jenny
declared indignantly. "And, besides, it's silly, because the doctor said
it was an abscess, nothing else."

"Ah, well, doctors know best, I daresay; but we all have a right to our
opinions."

"And you think my leaving home for a year killed my mother?"

"I don't go so far as that. What I said was you were a worry to her. You
were a worry when you were born, for I was there. You were a worry when
you would go on the stage against whatever I said. You were a worry
when you dyed your hair and when you kept such disgraceful late hours
and when you went gallivanting about with that young fellow. However, I
don't want to be the one to rub in uncomfortable facts at such a time.
What I came up to ask was if you wouldn't like to come and stay with us
for a little while, you and May. You'll have to get an extra ser