The Staying Guest

ptly at six o'clock. Old Josiah Flint had been very particular about his househo

library and read the village newspaper, or

ssed in what was evidently a man's hand, and the two good ladies were greatly excited. Miss Dorinda felt a pleasant flutter of anti

stmarked

ow any one in London? Maria Peters went there o

a. And after scrutinizing it thoroughly

ing at the signature. "Now, can it be Tom Bond who w

ster," said

the letter aloud, and

iscilla

r M

d me that her mother had been dead many years, and, indeed, the poor child seemed utterly alone in the world. I tried to find out from Lovell's papers something about his effects, but as he was of a roving and careless disposition, everything was left at sixes an

ia to London with us, and I will s

ter will insure her a

ry respe

s J.

unded, excited, irritated, angry, umbrageous, furious, or even to say that she was in a state of

" and snapped her teeth shut in the

ister," said Miss Dorinda;

Ann Haskell. Why, think of it, Dorinda! Think of a child living in this house! She'd very likely leave door

uppose she would. But I don't

whoever he is, discovered her without our consent; now he can attend to the rest

do-we can't have her here. And yet-

ngs when she deserted and disgraced us, so why

be glad to see the little gi

te, saying his wife had died, leaving a tiny baby. He said the little one had blue eyes an

sed to look dancing round the hou

er is not Lavinia, and I wash my hands o

disapprove of. But I only thought-perhaps-if she is

ink of the worrying over her clothes and education and accomplishments. And then, after a whi

quite right. What is the

y letter he ever wrote us? If he had acted more kindly toward us, I mi

ild, chubby and rosy-cheeked, with eyes like the sky, and beauti

tful good. I'd rather be plain and do my duty, than to

'll get so excited we won't be able to sleep. Let's go to bed, sister, and to-morro

. But as Miss Dorinda had feared, they could not get to sleep, and

ering clangs all through the house. Such a thing had never before been known at Primrose Hall, and the sisters, terror-stricke

be?" whispere

said Miss Priscilla, decidedl

-posts, to be hurried on in case of fire. For years they had been hung there ever

g to get into them, Martha appeared in h

t may not be the firemen; I don't smell any smoke. I

they were an imposing-looking crowd. The Flint ladies wore great be-ruffled caps, tied with wide white strings, suspiciously fresh and smooth; and, indeed, these c

d their station; and Matthew was crowned with a queer-looking

hands, Matthew led the pro

cilla and Miss Dorinda, arm in arm, encouraged each other,

the hall as the door opened, and stood looking at the strange beings who surrounded her. Her face was small and very white, with large, dark eyes tha

then, with a smiling glance that seemed to include them all, she flung off her hat a