and came to business.

"Now," he said. "What's she up to?"

He always referred to Tish as "she," to Aggie and myself.

"She has given up going to France," I replied.

"Perhaps! What does Hannah report?"

I am sorry to say that, fearing Tish's impulsive nature, we had felt
obliged to have Hannah watch her carefully. Tish has a way of breaking
out in unexpected places, like a boil, as Charlie Sands once observed,
and by knowing her plans in advance we have sometimes prevented her
acting in a rash manner. Sometimes, not always.

"Hannah says everything is quiet," Aggie said. "Dear Tish has apparently
given up all thought of going abroad. At least, Hannah says she no
longer practises first aid on her. Not since the time Tish gave her an
alcohol bath and she caught cold. Hannah says she made her lie
uncovered, with the window open, so the alcohol would evaporate. But she
gave notice the next day, which was ungrateful of her, for Tish sat up
all night feeding her things out of her First Aid case, and if she _did_
give her a bit of iodine by mistake----"

"She is no longer interested in First Aid," I broke in. Aggie has a way
of going on and on, and it was not necessary to mention the matter of
the iodine. "I know that, because I blistered my hand over there the
other day, and she merely told me to stick it in the baking soda jar."

"That's curious," said Charlie Sands.

"Because---- Great Scott, what's wrong with these cigarettes?"

"They are violet-scented," Aggie explained. "The smell sticks so, and
Lizzie is fond of violet."

However, he did not seem to care for them, and appeared positively
ashamed. He opened a window, although it was cold outside, and shook
himself in front of it like a dog. But all he said was:

"I am a meek person, Aunt Lizzie, and I like to humor whims when I can.
But the next time you have a male visitor and offer him a cigarette,
for the love of Mike don't tell him those brazen gilt-tipped incense
things are mine."

He then ate nine cookies, and explained why he had come.

"I don't like the look of things, beloved and respected spinsters," he
said. "I fear my revered aunt is again up to mischief. You haven't heard
her say anything more about aeroplanes, have you?"

"No," I replied, for us both.

"Or submarines?"

"She's been taking swimming lessons again," I said, thoughtfully.

"Lizzie!" Aggie cried. "Oh, my poor Tish!"

"I think, however," said Charlie Sands, "that it is not