, truthfully. "We had fun, but
to-day it has been just horrid. Why didn't you come back this morning,
uncle?"

"We missed the train; there are only two trains a day from that
junction, and something happened to the carriage on the way, so we
were too late for the morning train. You didn't have school, of
course. I found Miss Ashurst's note when I reached here. She has an
attack of grippe."

"O, yes, we did have school. I am sorry, uncle, but the little girls
weren't as good as the others."

"And you are one of the little girls," returned Uncle Justus, smiling,
and looking down at her. But Edna felt that whatever he might hear of
the rest, he would not include her with the number of those who had
misbehaved.

That he was highly pleased with Agnes Evans's account of the day was
evident from his manner to his pupils, and he did not even reprimand
the little girls, who continued under Agnes Evans's teaching while
Miss Ashurst remained away. To Edna's surprise Louis was not shut up,
but there was a sullen look on his face which told of his feelings.
Edna's gratitude for his defense of her increased her affection for
her cousin, and she tried in every way to show him little attentions,
which he took graciously enough, but which did not seem to add very
much to his happiness, and at times Edna felt very indignant at the
sternness with which he was treated, and the cold tones in which he
was addressed. It was very nice to have Uncle Justus give her credit
for trying to be a good girl, and to have Aunt Elizabeth smile upon
her, but it made her feel the coldness of their manner to Louis all
the more.

To be sure Aunt Elizabeth did not seem to think Edna ever could be
cured of certain faults. "You are a very careless child," she would
say. "I am afraid you will never be the neat housekeeper your
grandmother was;" or, "Edna, that exhibition of temper over little
things must be controlled; it is a very serious fault." Again it would
be, "You are very babyish, and lack self-control; there is no need of
crying over such a small matter as a little blister on your finger."
And Edna wondered if she were expected to be like the Spartan boy who
held the fox under his coat while it gnawed at his heart. Aunt
Elizabeth never pitied her, and even the little caresses from Uncle
Justus were few and far between.

"I should like a real lap," said the little girl, wistfully, to her
doll. "I should like to have mamma to hug and hug as hard