a curious calculating hardness of character and a sharp tongue, so at
variance with her appearance that people doubted the evidence of their
senses.

"If," said Imogen, "you had only made Benny work instead of encouraging
him to dawdle and finally to stop altogether, and if you had gone
out directly after dinner, the hay would have been all raked up and
covered."

Nothing could have exceeded the calm and instructive superiority of
Imogen's tone. A mass of soft white fabric lay upon her lap, although
she had removed scissors and needle and thimble to a safe distance. She
tilted her chin with a royal air. When the storm lulled she had stopped
praying.

Imogen's sisters echoed her and joined in the attack upon Annie.

"Yes," said Jane, "if you had only started earlier, Annie. I told Eliza
when you went out in the yard that it looked like a shower."

Eliza nodded energetically.

"It was foolish to start so late," said Susan, with a calm air of wisdom
only a shade less exasperating than Imogen's.

"And you always encourage Benny so in being lazy," said Eliza.

Then the Reverend Silas joined in. "You should have more sense of
responsibility toward your brother, your only brother, Annie," he said,
in his deep pulpit voice.

"It was after two o'clock when you went out," said Imogen.

"And all you had to do was the dinner-dishes, and there were very few
to-day," said Jane.

Then Annie turned with a quick, cat-like motion. Her eyes blazed under
her brown toss of hair. She gesticulated with her little, nervous hands.
Her voice was as sweet and intense as a reed, and withal piercing with
anger.

"It was not half past one when I went out," said she, "and there was a
whole sinkful of dishes."

"It was after two. I looked at the clock," said Imogen.

"It was not."

"And there were very few dishes," said Jane.

"A whole sinkful," said Annie, tense with wrath.

"You always are rather late about starting," said Susan.

"I am not! I was not! I washed the dishes, and swept the kitchen, and
blacked the stove, and cleaned the silver."

"I swept the kitchen," said Imogen, severely. "Annie, I am surprised at
you."

"And you know I cleaned the silver yesterday," said Jane.

Annie gave a gasp and looked from one to the other.

"You know you did not sweep the kitchen," said Imogen.

Annie's father gazed at her severely. "My dear," he said, "how long must
I try to correct you of this habit of making false statements