ifficult, for she had to walk beside Joanna, and
since Trooper had dropped away Joanna's tongue had become more than
usually sarcastic.

The unusual sight of Dr. McGarry going to church proved an irresistible
opportunity. Mrs. Sutherland was never done telling Mrs. Sinclair how
the Doctor struggled to get to church on Sundays, and all in vain. It
seemed as though the whole countryside selfishly arranged their
maladies to prevent his attending the sanctuary.

"Well my sakes," declared Joanna, "the Doctor's goin' to church!
Everybody must a' got awful healthy all at once, or else they've all up
and died on him."

She turned to Mary and Christina who were walking behind her. The
unimpaired success of the Lindsays was particularly trying to Joanna's
temper.

"Well, how's that rich brother o' yours gettin' on, Christine?" she
asked, her black eyes snapping. "I see he hasn't sent you to college
yet."

"It's very kind of you to ask after him, Joanna," said Mary smoothly.
Mary Lindsay was the one girl in Orchard Glen who could put Joanna in
her place. "If Trooper was of a jealous nature he might object, but he
doesn't seem to be that kind at all."

Joanna whirled around and addressed herself to Tilly, her cheeks
flaming. Her love for Trooper Tom, who was but a wayward cavalier, was
the cause of much bitterness and heart-burning.

They were turning in at the church gate, when an old-fashioned
double-buggy rattled past, drawn by a heavy shining team. A young man
was driving and there were three very gaily-dressed ladies with him.

Gavin Grant's three Aunts were always a sight worth seeing on a Sunday.
They were lovely ladies, who, by the calendar, might have been termed
old; but they had stopped aging somewhere in the happiest period of
girlhood. So it was not unfitting that they should dress in their
girlhood clothes, though they were all of a fashion of some thirty
years previous. And so, though Auntie Elspie's hair was white and her
face wrinkled, and Auntie Flora was stooped and rheumatic and Auntie
Janet stout and matronly, their hearts were young and light, and they
arrayed themselves accordingly. They owned the most wonderful flower
garden in the countryside and the old democrat looked as if all its
hollyhocks had come to church, as Gavin pulled up at the door. The
Grant Girls were all dressed in ancient silks and velvets made in the
fashion of an early Alexandra period, with much silk fringe and old