with cold and youthful spirits.

"I'm keeping school," said she. "School can't keep without me. And I'm
going over to Sudleigh, every Saturday, to take elocution lessons. I'm
having my own way, and I'm happy as a clam. Now, why can't you come and
live with me? You said you would, the very day aunt Eliza died."

"I know I did," owned the visitor, lowering her voice, and casting a
glance over her shoulder. "But I never had an idea then how Mary Ellen
'd feel about it. She said she wouldn't live in this town, not if she
was switched. I dunno why she's so ag'in' it, but she seems to be, an'
there 't is!"

"Why, aunt Luceba!" Isabel had left her position to draw forward a
chair. "What's that?" She pointed to the foot of the lounge, where, half
hidden in shadow, stood a large, old-fashioned blue chest.

"'Sh! that's it! that's what I come for. It's her chist."

"Whose?"

"Your aunt 'Liza's." She looked Isabel in the face with an absurd
triumph and awe. She had done a brave deed, the nature of which was not
at once apparent.

"What's in it?" asked Isabel, walking over to it.

"Don't you touch it!" cried her aunt, in agitation. "I wouldn't have you
meddle with it--But there! it's locked. I al'ays forgit that. I feel as
if the things could git out an' walk. Here! you let it alone, an'
byme-by we'll open it. Se' down here on the lounge. There, now! I guess
I can tell ye. It was sister 'Liza's chist, an' she kep' it up attic.
She begun it when we wa'n't more'n girls goin' to Number Six, an' she's
been fillin' on 't ever sence."

"Begun it! You talk as if 't was a quilt!" Isabel began to laugh.

"Now don't!" said her aunt, in great distress. "Don't ye! I s'pose 't
was because we was such little girls an' all when 'Liza started it, but
it makes me as nervous as a witch, an' al'ays did. You see, 'Liza was a
great hand for deaths an' buryin's; an' as for funerals, she'd ruther go
to 'em than eat. I'd say that if she was here this minute, for more'n
once I said it to her face. Well, everybody 't died, she saved suthin'
they wore or handled the last thing, an' laid it away in this chist; an'
last time I see it opened, 't was full, an' she kind o' smacked her
lips, an' said she should have to begin another. But the very next week
she was took away."

"Aunt Luceba," said Isabel suddenly, "was aunt Eliza hard to live with?
Did you and aunt Mary Ellen have to toe the mark?"

"Don't you say one word," answered her aunt hastily.