to
bid her good night.

"Well," she asked him, "what do you think of the girls?"

"My nieces?"

"Yes."

"During my lifetime," said the old man, "I've always noticed that
girls are just girls--and nothing more. Jane, your sex is a puzzle
that ain't worth the trouble solving. You're all alike, and what
little I've seen of my nieces convinces me they're regulation
females--no better nor worse than their kind."

"Louise seems a capable girl," declared Aunt Jane, musingly. "I didn't
care much for her, at first; but she improves on acquaintance. She has
been well trained by her mother, and is very ladylike and agreeable."

"She's smarter than the other one, but not so honest," said Uncle
John.

"Beth has no tact at all," replied Aunt Jane. "But then, she's younger
than Louise."

"If you're trying to figure out what they are, and what they are not,"
returned the man, "you've got a hard job on your hands, Jane, and like
as not you'll make a mistake in the end. Where's the other niece?
Aren't there three of them?"

"Yes. The other's coming. Silas Watson, my lawyer, has just
telegraphed from New York that he's bringing Patricia back with him."

"Had to send for her, eh?"

"Yes. She's Irish, and if I remember rightly her father is a
disgraceful old reprobate, who caused poor Violet no end of worry. The
girl may be like him, for she wrote me a dreadful letter, scolding me
because I hadn't kept her parents supplied with money, and refusing to
become my guest."

"But she's changed her mind?"

"I sent Watson after her, and he's bringing her. I wanted to see what
the girl is like."

Uncle John whistled a few bars of an ancient tune.

"My advice is," he said, finally, "to let 'em draw cuts for Elmhurst.
If you want to leave your money to the best o' the lot, you're as sure
of striking it right that way as any other."

"Nonsense!" said Jane Merrick, sharply. "I don't want to leave my
money to the best of the lot."

"No?"

"By no means. I want to leave it to the one I prefer--whether she's
the best or not."

"I see. Jane, I'll repeat my former observation. Your sex is a puzzle
that isn't worth solving. Good night, old girl."

"Good night, John."

CHAPTER XIII.

THE OTHER NIECE.

Patricia sat down opposite her Aunt Jane. She still wore her hat and
the gray wrap.

"Well, here I am," she exclaimed, with a laugh; "but whether I ought
to be here or not I have my doubts."

Aunt Jane surveyed her cr