of this estate;
and what's more she don't like any living soul well enough to part with
a dollar of it on their account."

"Is there any one Aunt Meda ever did love, Tave? From all I remember to
have heard, when I was a boy, she was always bound up pretty thoroughly
in herself."

"Did she ever love any one? Well she did; that was her husband, Louis
Champney, who loved you as his own son. And it's my belief that's the
reason you don't get your rights. She was jealous as the devil of every
word he spoke to you."

"You're telling me news--and late in the day."

"Late is better than never, and I'd always meant to tell you when you
come to man's estate--but you've been away so long, I've thought
sometimes you was never coming home; but I hoped you would for your
mother's sake, and for all our sakes."

"I'm going to do what I can, but you mustn't depend too much on me,
Tave. I'm glad I'm at home for mother's sake although I always felt she
had a good right hand in you, Tave; you've always been a good friend to
her, she tells me."

Octavius Buzzby swallowed hard once, twice; but he gave him no reply.
Champney wondered to see his face work again with some emotion he failed
to explain satisfactorily to himself.

"There's Mrs. Champney on the terrace; I won't go any farther. Come in
when you can, won't you?"

"I shall be pretty apt to run in for a chat almost anytime on my way to
the village." He waved his hand in greeting to his aunt and sprang up
the steps leading to the terrace.

He bent to kiss her and was shocked by the change in her that was only
too apparent: the delicate features were sharpened; the temples sunken;
her abundant light brown hair was streaked heavily with white; the
hands had grown old, shrunken, the veins prominent.

"Kiss me again, Champney," she said in a low voice, closing her eyes
when he bent again to fulfil her request. When she opened them he
noticed that the lids were trembling and the corners of her mouth
twitched. But she rallied in a moment and said sharply:

"Now, don't say you're sorry--I know all about how I look; but I'm
better and expect to outlive a good many well ones yet."

She told Aileen to bring another chair. Champney hastened to forestall
her; his aunt shook her finger at him.

"Don't begin by spoiling her," she said. Then she bade her make ready
the little round tea-table on the terrace and serve tea.

"What do you think of her?" she asked him after Aileen had en