her mother was not in the habit of considering her grandmother's
comfort, and as the two women were seldom of one accord, Ethel looked at
her furtively and with a puzzled expression of countenance, but that
lady acted not the least embarrassed. It seemed strange to Ethel that
all at once she should wish to cheer up her mother-in-law by inviting
her country sister to visit them, but the girl simply said:

"That's lovely, Mamma," and went up to her room to study.

Although she disliked to credit her mother with such artifices, she
finally hit upon a solution of the object of the invitation. It must be
that it was Aunt Susan's money she was after, and why? Suddenly, it all
came to the girl--it was to get Aunt Susan to like her (Ethel, her
grand-niece) and make her her heiress, if not to all at least to a part
of her fortune.

Ethel sat and gazed at the pretty room in which Mrs. Hollister had spent
so much time decorating and making attractive. In her heart there was a
desire to denounce her mother. Then, when she realized that it was all
being done to benefit herself, she could feel nothing but pity for the
woman whose one thought in life was for her daughter. She thought: "She
will even tell people that I am Aunt Susan's heiress, and I must sit by
and know that it is untrue. Everything is untrue in this house. Oh, how
I wish I could get away from it all!" But to her grandmother she told
her suspicions.

"Never mind, my lamb," said the old lady. "I know Susan well enough to
say that she will love you for yourself, and probably she does intend to
leave you and Kate half of her fortune at least. If it serves to help
your mother socially, why Susan wouldn't care--she'd only laugh. Susan's
very keen and sharp, my child. No one can make her do what she doesn't
care to. Now don't you worry over anything. When she comes just be kind
and polite to her and help make her visit pleasant."

"But, Grandmamma, I should die of mortification if she even conceived the
idea that mother had that in her mind when she asked her here for a
visit. Oh, I couldn't endure it. Please never let her know what I
suspect. Will you promise, or I cannot look into her face."

"Your Aunt Susan shall never suspect such a thing from me. I promise,"
replied Grandmamma Hollister. "I am only too glad to see her once more. I
could almost forgive your mother for any duplicity in it so long as she
can come, for Susan and I are growing old and it will not be m