o gloss it over, it seems like that intense desire to
gap in stupid company, and the struggle to look as though you merely
meant to show now very wide awake you were. I do wish Laura would
confine her rudeness to ourselves; but no one ever dared tell her so but
Lewis, and he will never trouble himself to do it again."

"I wonder what he is doing now!" said Fanny. "I declare, I almost forgot
his existence. And that horrid woman, too! She had better do something
for herself, before she causes her husband to beg!"

"Depend upon it, Fanny, neither Lewis nor Cora would do _that_."

"Oh! you are their sworn champion, Margaret, we all know. But you cannot
do them any good, child--be sure of it. I wish she would go home, or
make Lewis mad, so that he could send her there."

"Fanny!" cried Margaret, shocked, "how unfeeling!"

"Pshaw! Did she not rob us of Lewis? Papa is poorer than ever; and we go
about dressed in shabby clothes, through her fault. Lewis used to pay
all our little bills, and now----."

"And now," interrupted Margaret, "instead of remembering his generosity
with gratitude, you abuse him for trying to be happy according to his
own ideas. You almost get on your knees to Laura if she but gives you a
cast-off ribbon. Be as full of deference to Lewis for past favors."

"We are obliged to curry favor with Laura," said Clara, lowering her
voice. "She has us all pretty much under her control since she promised
to live with us after her marriage."

"Excuse me," said Maggie, "but _I_ am not by any means under Laura's
dominion. She makes me no presents, and I make her no protestations. I
am civil to Mr. Phillips, however--and that is more than you are,
Clara."

"I am afraid," said she, laughing, "Laura is so _entichee_ of her love
that she does not like us to pay him attention. Cora won her eternal
hatred by speaking gently to him."

"How she must abuse us now!" exclaimed Fanny, after a pause. "I expect
Lewis is tired of our very names. She was always a vulgar thing, any
how."

"Vulgar!" cried Margaret. "You go rather too far, my dear sister. Cora
is as far from being vulgar as your own particular self--and you are not
sincere when you say so. Moreover, I believe she mentions our family as
seldom as possible. I wish that she could forget us, I am sure--for she
was brutally treated."

"Do hush, Maggie; here is papa, and you have half persuaded him to think
as you do. He seems actually conscience-stricken about