Amzi's plentiful provision of candy, and was
kissed. Mrs. Waterman, formulating a plan of campaign, took a step
toward Susan as though to save the child from this desecration of its
innocence; but a glance from Amzi gave her pause.

"Oo have booful clothes. Whas oor name?"

"I'm a new aunt; I'm your Aunt Lois. You never heard of me, did you?
Well, it doesn't matter the tiniest little bit. Something tells me that
we're going to get on famously. I shouldn't wonder, I shouldn't wonder
at all, Susan, if we became the best of friends."

Her voice softened into new and charming tones. She held the sticky,
chubby hands unmindfully. She was one of those women who are incapable
of an awkward attitude. The child lingered, examining with wide-eyed
scrutiny the enchantments of the new lady's apparel.

"She's charming, Fanny," Lois remarked, glancing up suddenly at Susan's
mother; "a perfectly adorable baby."

"Oo going to stay in this house? This Uncle Amzi ims house."

"Now, Susan, do you really want me to stay?"

Susan surveyed her newfound aunt gravely before passing upon this
question that was so much more momentous than she realized. Lois,
bending forward in her low chair with her head slightly to one side,
met the child's gaze with like gravity. It might have been assumed from
her manner that she attached the greatest importance to Susan's verdict;
there may even have been an appeal in the brown eyes; but if there was
it was an affair between the woman and the child in which the spectators
had no share.

Susan swallowed.

"Oo stay and play wif me. Uncle Amzi ims going to make big toboggan in
ims yard and oo can slide down wif me. And Phil she come and play. Phil
make me bow and arroo and Phil, her shooted it at old rooster and ims
est runned and runned."

"How splendid!" laughed Lois.

"You may go now, Susan," said her mother, feeling that this flirtation
had progressed far enough.

Thus admonished Susan withdrew, while her brother and cousin submitted
themselves to the new aunt's closer inspection.

"Two Amzis! It's quite fine of you to perpetuate the name, girls. You
must be sure, boys, always to spell your name out; don't hide in behind
an initial. These old Bible names are a lot better than these new fancy
ones. There must be a million Donalds and Dorothys right now scattered
over the United States. Where do you go to school, boys?"

She plainly interested them. She was a new species, and had for them the