rted up the new bank. It's about time we
were celebrating."

He threw up his arms to ward off the threatened attack, and when he
opened his eyes and peered out she was sitting on the table with the
demurest of expressions upon her countenance.

"False alarm; only I object to your comments on my complexion. I'm some
burnt; but as it isn't painful to me, the rest of creation needn't
worry."

"Well, you needn't kick the legs of that table with your sneakers; that
table cost money!"

"Really! Woeful extravagance. Did you see Aunt Josephine holding my
hand?"

"I did," replied Amzi. "What's eating Josie?"

"She seemed to want to kiss and make up. I excused myself owing to the
heat of the day."

"Humph! I'll tell you something, Phil, if you'll sit in a chair and be
nice."

She sat in a chair and was nice.

"I was brought up," said Amzi, "to believe in heaven. Ever hear of the
place?"

"I have," said Phil; "and no thanks to you."

He ignored the fling as unworthy of his attention, and continued
soberly,--

"I never expected, in all the years I've been attending Center Church,
that I'd ever see anybody on earth that had a pass right through the
pearly gates; but I guess I know one woman that's got a ticket, with
stop-over privileges, and a seat in the observation car--all stamped and
good for any date. That woman, Phil, is your mother. That idea's been in
my mind a good deal lately and I thought I'd mention it."

Phil's face assumed an unwonted gravity. Her mother's departure, in all
the circumstances of her going, had still its poignancy. Phil had been
brave, but it had cut deep. She did not reply to her uncle's remark, but
waited for him to go on. He drew out a cigar, satisfied himself that it
was in good condition, and returned it to his pocket.

"The day she left, your mother wrote out three checks for five thousand
bucks--one for each of your aunts. She told me not to turn them over
until she had landed on the other side. Thunder! After everything they
had done to her and tried to do to her, she did _that_!"

He waited characteristically for her to deny the facts he had stated. A
look of great tenderness came into Phil's face.

"Said she didn't want any unkind feelings. Said it was all right the way
they acted. _Right!_" he repeated contemptuously. "I've known men--and
women--some; but I can't beat that! And the day the cable came saying
she'd got to Cherbourg, I called 'em down in a bunch and gave 'em