oon, for I shall have to depend upon the younger people to make my
niece's stay agreeable."

"I was looking forward to my Sunday evening visit," the wayfarer said
hesitatingly; "you have not told me yet that I must not come;" which
appeal was only answered by a little laugh from all three, as they
separated. And Miss Prince had time to be quite eloquent in her
favorite's praise before they reached home. Nan thought her first
Dunport acquaintance very pleasant, and frankly said so. This seemed
to be very gratifying to her aunt, and they walked toward home
together by a roundabout way and in excellent spirits. It seemed more
and more absurd to Nan that the long feud and almost tragic state of
family affairs should have come to so prosaic a conclusion, and that
she who had been the skeleton of her aunt's ancestral closet should
have dared to emerge and to walk by her side through the town. After
all, here was another proof of the wisdom of the old Spanish proverb,
that it takes two to make a quarrel, but only one to end it.

XVI

A JUNE SUNDAY

It was Miss Prince's custom to indulge herself by taking a long Sunday
afternoon nap in summer, though on this occasion she spoke of it to
her niece as only a short rest. She was glad to gain the shelter of
her own room, and as she brushed a little dust from her handsome silk
gown before putting it away she held it at arm's length and shook it
almost indignantly. Then she hesitated a moment and looked around the
comfortable apartment with a fierce disdain. "I wonder what gives me
such a sense of importance," she whispered. "I have been making
mistakes my whole life long, and giving excuses to myself for not
doing my duty. I wish I had made her a proper allowance, to say the
least. Everybody must be laughing at me!" and Miss Prince actually
stamped her foot. It had been difficult to keep up an appearance of
self-respect, but her pride had helped her in that laudable effort,
and as she lay down on the couch she tried to satisfy herself with the
assurance that her niece should have her rights now, and be treated
justly at last.

Miss Fraley had come in to pay a brief visit on her way to
Sunday-school just as they finished dinner, and had asked Nan to tea
the following Wednesday, expressing also a hope that she would come
sooner to call, quite without ceremony. Finding the state of affairs
so pleasant, Miss Eunice ventured to say that Nan's father had been a
favorite of h