ll be
so near, too, and besides I like Uncle Justus much better than I did at
first."

"Of the two I should think you would have more fear of Uncle Justus than
of Aunt Elizabeth," said her mother looking down at her.

"I did at first, but I found it was mostly on account of his eyebrows;
they are so shaggy."

Mrs. Conway smiled. "I have heard it said that he can be rather
terrible," she remarked.

"Oh, well, so he can, but he isn't all the time and Aunt Elizabeth is."

"I hope this year you will find out that it is only Aunt Elizabeth's
eyebrows, too."

"It couldn't be, for she hasn't any to speak of," returned Edna. As she
talked she was carefully packing the little trunk in which Ada's clothes
were kept. It was a tiny trunk, only about six inches long. Aunt
Elizabeth had made it, herself, by covering a box with leather and
strapping the leather across with strips of wood glued on. Edna liked
the trunk much better than a larger one which had been bought at the
store. Aunt Elizabeth was very clever in making things of this kind and
would sometimes surprise her little niece with some home-made gift which
was the more prized because it was unusual. The child remembered this
now and began to feel that she had not shown herself very grateful in
speaking as she had done a moment before. "Mother," she said. "I didn't
mean that Aunt Elizabeth was frightful all the time. She is very kind
when she gives me things like this trunk."

"You don't mean frightful," replied Mrs. Conway laughing, "you mean she
is rather formidable."

But that was too much of a word for Edna, though she did not say so.
Having stowed away Ada's belongings, three frocks, two petticoats, a red
hood and sacque, a blue dressing-gown and apron, she shut the lid. "I
don't think I'll take her furs this week because she'll not need them,"
she remarked, "and I don't think I will take any of my other dolls
because I will be so glad to see them next Friday. Mother, if you come
into town any time during the week will you come out to see us?"

"If I have time I certainly shall."

Edna gave a sigh of content. It was surely going to be much better than
last year. "Mother," she said, changing the subject, "do you think
Cousin Ben is silly?"

"He can be rather silly but he can also be very sensible. He is silly
only when he wants to tease or when he wants to amuse a little girl I
know."

"I like his silly better than some of the big girls's sillies. They