zzie, lying
back upon her pillow, laughed immoderately at her sister's distress.

"There's a good deal to laugh at, I think," said Lucy, more angrily
than she usually addressed her sister. "If you have any pity, do
devise some means of getting rid of her, for a time, at least."

"Well, then," answered Lizzie, "she wants to go home for a few days,
in order to make some necessary preparations for staying with us, and
perhaps you can coax her to go now, though I for one would like to
have her stay. Everybody knows she is your cousin, and no one will
think less of you for having her here."

"But I won't do it," said Lucy, "and that settles it. Your plan is a
good one, and I'll get her off--see if I don't!"

The next day, which was Saturday, Lucy was unusually kind to her
cousin, giving her a collar, offering to fix her cap, and doing
numerous other little things, which greatly astonished Berintha. At
last, when dinner was over, she said, "Come, cousin, what do you say
to a sleigh ride this afternoon? I haven't been down to Elizabeth
Betsey's in a good while, so suppose we go to-day."

Berintha was taken by surprise, but after a moment she said just what
Lucy hoped she would say, viz., that she was wanting to go home for a
few days, and if Lizzie were only well enough, she would go now.

"Oh, she is a great deal better," said Lucy, "and you can leave her as
well as not. Dr. Benton says I am almost as good a nurse as you and I
will take good care of her--besides, I really think you need rest; so
go, if you wish to, and next Saturday I will come round after you."

Accordingly, Berintha, who suspected nothing, was coaxed into going
home, and when at three o'clock the sleigh was said to be ready, she
kissed Lizzie good-by, and taking her seat by the side of Lucy, was
driven rapidly toward her brother's house.

* * * * *

"There! haven't I managed it capitally!" exclaimed Lucy, as she
reentered her sister's room after her ride; "but the bother of it is,
I've promised to go round next Saturday, and bring not only Berintha,
but Elizabeth Betsey, and her twins! Won't it be horrible! However,
the party'll be over, so I don't care."

Cousin Berintha being gone, there was no longer any reason why the
party should be kept a secret, and before nightfall every servant in
the house was discussing it, Bridget saying: "Faith, an' I thought it
was mighty good she was gettin' with that woman."

Mrs.