trailing from her arms, but once or twice
she stayed rather long--long enough to stand beside a little white bed
and look down on a flushed little face. A pair of wide-open eyes watched
her smilingly from the pillows, but they were not Rebecca Mary's eyes,
and Olivicia was altogether trustworthy.

An odd thing happened--but Olivicia never told. Why should she publish
abroad that she had lain there and seen Aunt Olivia bend once--bend
twice--over Rebecca Mary and kiss her?

Softly, patiently, very wearily, Aunt Olivia went in and out. The things
she brought out in her arms she folded carefully and packed, but not
in the lank old valise. She put them all with tender painstaking into a
quaint little carpetbag. When the work was done she set the bag away out
of sight, and went about packing her own things in the old valise.

The day before, she had been to see the minister and the minister's
wife. She called for them both, and sat down gravely and made her
proposition. It was startling only because of the few words it took
to make it. Otherwise it was very pleasant, and the minister and the
minister's wife received it with nods and smiles.

"Of course, Miss Olivia--why, certainly!" smiled and nodded the
minister.

"Why, it will be delightful--and Rhoda will be so pleased!" nodded and
smiled the minister's wife. But after their caller had gone she faced
the minister with indignant eyes.

"Why did you let her?" she demanded. "Why did you spoil it all by that?"

"Because she was Miss Olivia," he answered, gently.

"Yes--yes, I suppose so," reluctantly; "but, anyway, you needn't have
let her do it in advance. Actually it made me blush, Robert!"

The minister rubbed his cheeks tentatively. "Made me, too," he admitted,
"but I respect Miss Olivia so much--"

The minister's wife tacked abruptly to her other source of indignation.

"Why doesn't she TAKE Rebecca Mary? Robert, wait! You know it isn't
because--You know better!"

"It isn't because, dear--I know better," he hurried, assuringly. The
minister was used to her little indignations and loved them for being
hers. They were harmless, too, and wont to have a good excuse for being.
This one, now--the minister in his heart wondered that Miss Olivia did
not take Rebecca Mary.

"It would be such a treat. Robert, you think what a treat it would be to
Rebecca Mary!"

"Still, dear--"

"I don't want to be still! I want Rebecca Mary to have that treat!" But
she kissed