he kitchen
with the chair and Nancy, followed by Miss Sabrina, carried the
trembling Miss Milly back to her couch.

"Anne, you go out now!" Miss Sabrina jerked her head toward the door.

"I'll have a thing or two to say to Milly. She made her bed--it's the
will of our Lord she should lie in it!"

Nancy hesitated one moment, but something in Aunt Milly's frightened
glance seemed to say, "Go away!" So she went out and closed the door
upon the two sisters.

Alone in her own room a storm of anger shook her. "I _hate_ her!" she
cried out to the ugly walls. "I _hate_ her! She's--just--_stone_!"

"I'm _glad_ I'm not a real Leavitt! We were _so_ happy!"

Then, really frightened, Nancy listened intently to catch some word
from the other room.

CHAPTER VII

AUNT MILLY'S STORY

When Nancy could stand the interval of quiet no longer, she went back
to Miss Milly's door. She did not even knock. So sure was she of
finding a crushed and heartbroken Aunt Milly within that she stood
dumbfounded before the little creature who sat bolt upright upon the
couch.

"Come in, my dear--and close the door!"

Everything about Miss Milly seemed to say that "the worm has turned."
There was a glow on her face different from that it had worn out in the
orchard; it seemed to come from some fire within.

"Open every blind in the room, Nancy," she commanded in a tone that was
new for Aunt Milly. "I might as well get what light I can in here.
Now come and sit beside me."

For a moment Aunt Milly patted Nancy's hand and said nothing. Then she
gave a little sigh.

"I can't _tell_ you, Nancy, I can't even _begin_ to tell you, what
you've done for me--taking me out there! If I never go again, I've had
it once. And it's sort of stiffened something inside of me!"

She fell silent again. Nancy was wishing that she could have heard
what had passed between Aunt Sabrina and Miss Milly that had left Miss
Milly so defiant!

Aunt Milly seemed to read her thought.

"She was dreadfully angry and it was partly because she was
frightened--really frightened. You see, Nancy, sister Sabrina thinks
things must always go just so and that it's almost wicked to
try--different things. She says--I've made my bed!"

"What _does_ she mean, Aunt Milly?"

"It's a long story, dear."

"I'd like to hear it, Aunt Milly."

"I suppose you ought to know--someone else may tell you, old Webb or
B'lindy, or even Sabrina, though she'd rather die f