Good Indian

the corner of the house, and set her bowl of butter upon the broad, fl

boys don't take to her like I thought they would. I don't see as she's having a mite of influence on their manners, unless it's to make them act worse, just to shock her. Clark USED to take off his hat when he come i

it locked. She went around to the door on the west side, opposite the gat

"My grief!" she whispered disgustedly, and retraced her steps to the east side, which, being next to the pond, was more secluded. She surveyed dryly a window left wide open there, gathered her brown-and-white calico dress close about her plump person, and crawled grimly throug

excitement of racing, laughing boys pursuing one another all over the place with much slamming and good-natured thre

b and attempted to walk in. She gave the door an indignant push, and heard

lled out unsympathetically. "You open this door! Vadnie Ramsey. This i

laboriously away from the barricaded door; and in a

ace, Aunt Phoebe!" she cried tearfully, opening the

nt to say to you, Vadnie. You promised to help me teach my boys t

once forgotten to be gentle and quiet, and I haven't do

expected them to murder you-I must say, Vadnie, you're a real temptation; they can't help scaring you when you go around acting as if you expected to be scared. You-you're

don't apologize like that in New Jersey," she observed, with some resentment in her

u to help me teach my boys-to be real gentlemen. They're pure gold, every one of them;

' manners!" Evadna choked over a little sob of self-pity. "I can just tell you one thing, Aunt Phoeb

se me, honey, that you will be particularly nice to Grant; PARTICULARLY nice. He's so alone, and

mphatic whisper which her Aunt Phoebe

nd advised came soothingly from the room, with now and then an interruption while she waited for a tardy ans

scold you, honey; she only wants you to feel that you belong here, and she wants you to like her boys and have them like you

wistfully, and turned away. "I do wish she had some spunk," she muttered complainingly, not thinking that Evadna m

he word under her breath. "She wants me to be gentle-she preached gentleness in

angel-and drew out a half-dozen hairpins, letting them slide from her lap to the floor. "MUSHY!" she repeated, and shook down her hair so that it framed her face and those eyes of hers. "I suppose that's what they all say beh

ars and the bluff behind, when Evadna came out of her room. He glanced across at her, saw her hesitate, as if she were meditating a retreat, and gave hi

are you?" she asked abruptly, coming to a stop within three feet

seen fit to employ-but his eyes turned for a sidelong glance at her, although he appeared

promised. But I just want you to understand that I'm not going to mean one single bit of it. I don't like you-I can't endure you!-and if I'm nice, it

covert twinkle in his eyes, though he l

es," he drawled; "but I was sure I

eet roller to smooth your manne

ian blood in the unconsciously symbolic form of expression. "No doubt the wolf's nature will be greatly benefited-his teeth will be

Evadna's eyes darkened and darkened until they were almost black.

head indolently

if it isn't a Christmas angel, for the Lord's sake what is it?" He gave his head a slight

he gritted her teeth to pr

y addressed the trout. "I wonder why it

ness I had! Only I s

r, now, if it could be a LIVE angel?" Gr

a very small thumb and two fingers, and stood back, breathing quickly and regarding

tion of a trivial mystery. "It mistook me for a honeysuckle, and gave me a peck to make sure." He smiled indulge

HAT!" cried Evadna, in bitterness,

y their agile legs, there was a sheer drop of three feet to the ground upon that side. E

ed, her eyes blazing up at his amused f

ed, and his laughter followed her mockin

laugh too." Wally and Jack hurried in from the

grove, where, an instant before, had flickered the white of Evadna's dress. The shad

said, though there was no tangible reason for lying to them. "Mister!" he added, his