hat could be better than such a
marriage! And the overthrow to the girls with the big chignons would
be so complete! She had set her mind upon it, and now Dorothy said
that it couldn't, and it wouldn't, and it shouldn't be accomplished!
She was to be thrown over by this chit of a girl, as she had been
thrown over by the girl's brother! And, when she complained, the girl
simply offered to go away!

At about twelve Dorothy came creeping down into the room in which her
aunt was sitting, and pretended to occupy herself on some piece of
work. For a considerable time,--for three minutes perhaps,--Miss
Stanbury did not speak. She had resolved that she would not speak
to her niece again,--at least, not for that day. She would let the
ungrateful girl know how miserable she had been made. But at the
close of the three minutes her patience was exhausted. "What are you
doing there?" she said.

"I am quilting your cap, Aunt Stanbury."

"Put it down. You shan't do anything for me. I won't have you touch
my things any more. I don't like pretended service."

"It is not pretended, Aunt Stanbury."

"I say it is pretended. Why did you pretend to me that you would have
him when you had made up your mind against it all the time?"

"But I hadn't--made up my mind."

"If you had so much doubt about it, you might have done what I wanted
you."

"I couldn't, Aunt Stanbury."

"You mean you wouldn't. I wonder what it is you do expect."

"I don't expect anything, Aunt Stanbury."

"No; and I don't expect anything. What an old fool I am ever to look
for any comfort. Why should I think that anybody would care for me?"

"Indeed, I do care for you."

"In what sort of way do you show it? You're just like your brother
Hugh. I've disgraced myself to that man,--promising what I could not
perform. I declare it makes me sick when I think of it. Why did you
not tell me at once?" Dorothy said nothing further, but sat with the
cap on her lap. She did not dare to resume her needle, and she did
not like to put the cap aside, as by doing so it would seem as though
she had accepted her aunt's prohibition against her work. For half
an hour she sat thus, during which time Miss Stanbury dropped asleep.
She woke with a start, and began to scold again. "What's the good of
sitting there all the day, with your hands before you, doing
nothing?"

But Dorothy had been very busy. She had been making up her mind,
and had determined to communicate her resolutio