hat almost
instantly the girl forgot the grim contour of Aunt Lucretia's face.
That smile was like a flash of sunshine playing over one of those
barren, brown fields through which they had passed so quickly on
the way down from the Ball house.

"This is Ida May, Aunt Lucretia," said Tunis, as they reached the
porch.

The smiling woman stretched forth a hand to the girl. Her eyes,
peering through the spectacles, were very keen, and when their gaze
was centered upon the girl's face it seemed that Aunt Lucretia was
suddenly smitten by some thought, or by some discovery about the
visitor, which made her greeting slow.

Yet that may have been her usual manner. Tunis did not appear to
observe anything extraordinary. But Sheila thought Aunt Lucretia had
been about to greet her with a kiss, and then had thought better of
it.

CHAPTER XVII

AUNT LUCRETIA

There was nothing thereafter in Aunt Lucretia's manner--surely not
in her speech--to lead Sheila to fear the woman did not accept her
at face value. Why should she suspect a masquerade when nobody else
did? The girl took her cue from Tunis and placidly accepted his
aunt's manner as natural.

Aunt Lucretia put the dinner on the table at once. They ate, when
there was special company, in the dining room. The meal was generous
in quantity and well cooked. It was evident that, like most country
housewives, Lucretia Latham took pride in her table. Had the visitor
come for the meal alone she would have been amply recompensed.

But the woman seldom uttered a word, and then only brief questions
regarding the service of the food. She listened smilingly to the
conversation between Tunis and the visitor, but did not enter into
it. It was difficult for the girl to feel at ease under these
circumstances.

Especially was this so after dinner, when she asked to help Aunt
Lucretia clear off the table and wash and dry the dishes. The woman
made no objection; indeed, she seemed to accept the girl's
assistance placidly enough. But while they were engaged in the
task--a time when two women usually have much to chatter about, if
nothing of great importance--Aunt Lucretia uttered scarcely a word,
preferring even to instruct her companion in dumb show where the
dried dishes should be placed.

Yet, all the time, the girl could not trace anything in Aunt
Lucretia's manner or look which actually suggested suspicion or
dislike. Tunis seemed eminently satisfied with his aunt's atti