I would get Ellen to put me on the cars
to go home. It would be quite safe, for I have gone so many times, but
Jennie Ramsey and her mother have invited me to come there to stay all
night. I'll come back here on Friday, if you would like me to, Uncle
Justus. I could stay till Aunt Elizabeth comes home."

Uncle Justus was silent for a moment. He smoothed her hair thoughtfully
and then he said gently. "Your mother very kindly has asked me to spend
the week end with you all, so suppose we go out together on Friday
afternoon. I can take my papers with me and do my necessary work on
Saturday there as well as here. Your little club meets on Friday
afternoon, doesn't it? I will meet you and Celia at the station in time
for the four-thirty train, which is the one you usually take, isn't it?"

Edna was surprised that Uncle Justus should know all this about the club
and the time of their going home, but she didn't say so. "I think that
will be a very nice plan," she told him. "I'll come back here on Friday
morning and have dinner with you, and then I can go to the club meeting.
It is to be at Helen Darby's this time, and that is very near, you
know." The twilight gathered about the two and in the dim light Uncle
Justus did not appear in the least a person to stand in awe of, for when
Ellen came to call them to supper she was surprised to see the little
girl still sitting on the old man's knee, his arm around her and her
head on his shoulder.

CHAPTER V

IN A BLIZZARD

The enjoyment of helping Ellen, of setting the table and of being
consulted on such important subjects as whether the best china and the
finest tablecloth should be used almost made up to Edna for being away
from home on Thanksgiving day. The basket sent by Mrs. Conway contained
several things which made the dinner much more of a feast than it would
otherwise have been, for there was a jar of tomato soup, a small chicken
pie with scalloped leaves and little balls of crust on top, some
delicious pickles, a glass of currant jelly and another of cranberry
sauce. Margaret had brought in a bunch of cut flowers from Mrs.
MacDonald's greenhouse, the day before and these set in the middle of
the table were a lovely ornament.

"It's the foinest lookin' table iver I saw in this house," said Ellen
when Edna called her in to see. "What was it yez were sayin' about thim
little toasty crusts for the soup. I'd be afther makin' thim if I cud
know wanst."

"Oh, I ca