nd be-ripped
condition of different articles of her underclothing. They had laughed
good-naturedly and were not so hard upon Betty as they meant to be, when
they saw her shame-stricken face, and Betty herself tried to laugh. She
did not mind Aunt Barbara's seeing the things so much as Aunt Mary's
aggravating assumption that it was a perfectly hopeless case, and
nothing could be done about it.

"Nobody knows how or where they were washed," Aunt Barbara said in her
brisk way; and though she looked very stern, Betty knew that she meant
it partly for an excuse.

"You certainly ought to have been looking them over in this rainy
weather," complained Aunt Mary. "A young lady of your age is expected to
keep her clothing in exquisite order."

Betty hated being called a young lady of her age.

"I hope that you take better care of your father's wardrobe than this:
why, there isn't a whole thing here, and they are most expensive new
things, one can see; unmended and spoiled." Aunt Mary held up a pretty
underwaist and sighed deeply.

"Mrs. Duncan chose them with me; one doesn't have to give so much for
such things in London," explained Betty somewhat hotly. "It is no use to
pick out ugly things to wear."

"Dear, dear!" said Aunt Barbara, "don't fret about it, either of you!
We'll look them over by and by, Betty, and see what can be done;" and
she shut the drawer upon the pathetic relics. "You must be ready to meet
your responsibilities better than this," she said sharply to her niece,
but Betty was already hurrying out of the door. She did not mind Aunt
Barbara, but Aunt Mary in the distressing silk wrapper that belonged to
cross days was too much for one to bear. They had no business to be
looking over her bureau drawer; then Betty was sorry for having been so
ill-natured about it. Letty had told her, earlier, that some of her
clothes could not be worn again until they were mended, and Aunt Barbara
had, no doubt, been consulted also, and was wondering what was best to
be done. Betty's great pride had been in being able to take care of
papa, and she had almost boasted of her skill, and of her management of
housekeeping affairs when they were in lodgings. She was too old now to
be treated like a child, and hated being what Serena called "stood
over."

Betty's temper was usually very good, and such provocations could not
make her miserable very long. As she sat under the oak-tree she even
laughed at the remembrance of Aunt Ma