abeth teaches the boys and Miss Ashurst
the little girls."

Edna was relieved, and followed Louis up the last flight to the top
floor. "My!" she said, "it is 'way up at the top of the house, isn't
it? This is a queer house. I never saw one like it, with the parlor on
the second floor. Where is your room, Louis?"

"I sleep in a little room next to aunt and uncle. Here's yours. Ellen
has that one next to you," and he flung open a door; but by the dim
light of the candle Edna could not see all the details.

"There isn't any gas up here," explained Louis, "but you won't mind
that. It is pretty high up, too, but you can see ever so far from this
window--the harbor where the ships sail and where the bridge crosses
this side, and you can see the cars and lots of things. I'd a heap
rather be up here, but Aunt Elizabeth said 'No,' and that settled it.
There now, can I do anything for you?" he asked, setting down Edna's
little hand satchel.

"No-o, thank you," replied the little girl, helplessly. She was so
used to having sister or mamma at hand that it seemed very queer to be
left alone, and after Louis had shut the door she stood looking
around, not knowing just what to do; but she concluded she must take
off her coat and hat, anyhow. This she did, and then washed off some
of the dust as best she could, smoothing down her hair with her little
wet hands.

"I wonder if I am to blow out the candle or take it back," she said to
herself, but a recollection of the dark passageway decided her to take
the candle down stairs, and she proceeded to descend, feeling rather
scared as she passed the dusky corners of a strange house.

Supper was ready shortly after she entered the sitting-room; it
consisted of warmed-over rolls, dried apples stewed, grated cheese,
weak tea, and a dry kind of cake which tasted of the wooden box in
which it had been kept. Edna never forgot the taste of that cake with
which she became very familiar as time went on.

[Illustration: UNCLE JUSTUS.]

Uncle Justus was a very quiet, dignified man, with a Roman nose and
gray side whiskers. He wore spectacles, which added to the effect of
the shaggy eyebrows. Edna was very much afraid of him at first. Aunt
Elizabeth was portly and bland, but her sharp eyes had a way of
looking you through and through. Edna soon discovered that she was a
person much more to be feared than Uncle Justus. She allowed no
nonsense, no indecision. When she looked at you during mealti