the breakfast room, and Grandma Maynard
telling the story. "Yes," she said, "I knew perfectly well that to have
these children in the house, with their noise and racket, would so get on
my nerves that it would turn my hair white, and it has done so!"

Marjorie looked at Grandma Maynard's hair, and though not entirely
white, it was evenly gray all over. As she had laid her head on her
plentifully-powdered pillow, and perhaps restlessly moved it about, the
powder had distributed itself pretty evenly, and the result was a head of
gray hair instead of the rich brown tresses of the night before.

Her son and daughter-in-law could not believe that this effect was caused
by the disturbance made by their own children; but far less did they
suspect the truth of the matter. Whatever opinions the various members of
the family held as to the cause of the phenomenon, not one of them
suspected Marjorie's hand in the matter.

As for Midget herself, she was convulsed with glee, although she did not
show it. Never had she played a joke which had turned out so amazingly
well, and the very fact that neither Kitty nor King knew anything about
it lessened the danger of detection.

"It seems incredible," Grandma went on, "that this thing should really
happen to me, for I've so often feared it might; and then to think it
should come because the visit of my own grandchildren was so upsetting to
my nerves!"

"Nonsense, Mother," said her son, "it couldn't have been that! It isn't
possible that the children, no matter how much they carried on, would
have any such effect as that!"

"You may say so, Ed; but look at the effect, and then judge for yourself;
what is your explanation of this disaster that has come to me?"

"I don't know, I'm sure, Mother,--but it couldn't be what you suggest.
I've heard of such an accident happening to people, but I never believed
it before. Now I'm forced to admit it must be true. What do you think,
Helen?"

Mrs. Maynard looked thoughtful. "I don't know," she said slowly, "but it
must be the symptom of some disease or illness that has suddenly attacked
Mother Maynard."

"But I'm perfectly well," declared the older lady; "and a thing like this
doesn't happen without some reason; and there's no reason for it, except
some great mental disturbance, and I've had nothing of that sort except
the visit of these children! Ed, you'll have to take them away."

"I think I shall have to," said Mr. Maynard, gravely. It