Elizabeth. She
has moinded the worrud, "Inasmuch as ye did it to me,'" an' with that
I picked up me dustpan an' wint out into the kitchen. Afther a bit yer
aunt come out, an' she spies the skileton of a cat onto the harruth,
an' says she, 'I'll not abide the cat in the house.' 'The cat is to
stay,' says the uncle from the dhure where he stud. Yer aunt looked up
kinder dazed-like at the firrum way of him, an', says she, 'Thin,
Ellen, ye must kape the crathur in the kitchen. I don't begrutch it
the bit of scrapin's it'll take to feed it.' An' so, dear, ye just go
down cheerfullike, an' say nothin'." And Edna, clasping Ellen's big,
kind, coarse hand, went down stairs.

[Illustration]

Uncle Justus was sitting by the fire, which cast a ruddy glow through
the isinglass of the stove. The old gentleman was slowly polishing his
glasses with his silk handkerchief, blinking his eyes and looking the
very picture of sternness. Edna stole softly up, her little heart
beating with a mixture of timidity and gratitude. She gently, plucked
her uncle's sleeve, then she said, "Thank you so much, Uncle Justus,"
and leaning forward she gave a little light kiss, which fell only upon
the outer edge of one carefully curled gray side whisker; then,
overcome by the boldness of her act, Edna fled to the window and hid
herself in the heavy curtains. But Uncle Justus understood, for when
his wife came into the room, he said, "Edna has come down, Elizabeth,"
and calling her to him, he actually put his arm around the shrinking
child, as she faltered out her account of her day's doings, while she
felt sure he meant to stand her friend, and bravely told about even
the muddy frock. "I am sorry, auntie," she said. "I did mean to come
right home."

"I forgive you, my child, because you have told the exact truth. I can
trust you because you are truthful. Perhaps I expected too much of
you, sending you so far alone," was the reply.

Edna could hardly believe her ears, to hear that from Aunt Elizabeth!

And so Moggins's place in the family was secure. He grew sleek and fat
under Ellen's care, and was a great source of amusement to Edna; many
a wild play they had together in the big yard.

Maggie's case, however, was not so easily settled. After leaving Uncle
Justus, Miss Barnes hurried back to the Home.

"I don't know what we are going to do about this little child," she
said to the matron. "We cannot keep her here against the rules of the
institutio