Elizabeth was a little vain and silly, and, though everything is so
incomprehensible, I don't believe for a moment that Aunt Elizabeth would
do anything to hurt Peggy."

My Ada is a truly good woman--so good that it is almost impossible for
her to believe ill of any one, and she was profoundly shocked at what I
suggested.

"I don't think in the beginning Elizabeth intended to hurt Peggy," I
answered her, gently, "but when you've lived as long in the world as I
have you'll realize to what lengths a woman will go to show the world
she's still young. Just look at it for yourself. Everything was going
smoothly until Elizabeth came. Now it's not. Elizabeth has told you
she's had goings-on with Harry Goward. I don't see, Ada, how you can be
so blind as not to be willing to look the truth in the face. If it's
not Elizabeth's fault, whose is it? I don't suppose you believe Henry
Goward's dying for love of Aunt Elizabeth when he can look at Peggy! Oh,
I'd like to hear his side of the story! For you may be sure that there
is one!"

"Mother," said Ada, "if I believed Elizabeth had done anything to mar
that child's happiness--"

She stopped for fear, I suppose, of what she might be led to say. "We
mustn't judge before we know," she finished. But I knew by the look
on her face that, if Aunt Elizabeth has made trouble, Ada will never
forgive her.

"What does Cyrus say to all this?" I asked, by way of diversion.

"Oh, I haven't told Cyrus anything about it. I didn't intend to tell any
one--about Aunt Elizabeth's part in it. I think Cyrus is a little uneasy
himself, but he's been so busy lately--"

"Well," I said, "_I_ think Cyrus ought to be told! And you're the one to
do it. Don't let's judge, to be sure, before we know everything, but I
think Cyrus ought to know the mischief his sister is making! Elizabeth
simply makes a convenience of this house. It's her basis of departure
to pack her trunk from, that's all your home means to her. She's never
lifted a finger to be useful beyond rearranging the furniture in a
different way from what you'd arranged it. She acts exactly as if she
were a young lady boarder. She's nothing whatever to do in this world
except make trouble for others. I think Cyrus should know, and then if
he prefers his sister's convenience to his wife's happiness, well and
good!" It's not often I speak out, but now and then things happen which
I can't very well keep silent about. It did me good to ease my mind