a. It would never do for her aunt to
see Mrs. Parker. The secret of her escapade at that good lady's house
would surely be found out. "Why do you go there this afternoon?"

"Because, my dear, I am here only for a night, and I must see Mrs.
Parker."

Cynthia groaned inwardly.

"And hear all the village gossip about papa," she thought.

It must be prevented.

But Miss Trinkett was not to be turned from her purpose. Go she would.
Every available excuse in the world was brought up to deter her, but the
end of it was that Jack drove around in the buggy, and Miss Betsey
departed triumphantly.

Cynthia awaited her return in suspense. She wished that she could run
away. Her impersonation of her aunt did not seem such a joke as it had
at the time, and then she had heard the dreadful news there.

Miss Trinkett came back before very long in high dudgeon. Cynthia was
alone on the piazza, for Edith had not appeared again. She noticed that
Jack was apparently enjoying a huge joke, and instead of taking the
horse to the barn, he remained to hear what Aunt Betsey had to say.

Miss Trinkett sank into a chair and untied her bonnet strings with a
jerk.

"Maria Parker is losing her mind," she announced. "As for me, I shall
never go there again."

"Why not, Aunt Betsey?" murmured Cynthia, preparing herself for the
worst.

"She declares that I was there two weeks ago, and that she--_she_ told
me the news of my own nephew's engagement! She actually had the
effrontery to say, 'I told you so!' My own nephew! When his letter the
other day was the first I heard of it, and I said to Silas, said I,
'Silas, nephew John Franklin is going to marry again, and give a mother
to those children, and I'm glad of it, and I've just heard the news.'
And now for Maria Parker to tell me that she told me, and that I was
there two weeks ago! Is the woman crazy, or am I the one that has lost
my mind? Why don't you say something, Cynthy? Is it possible you agree
with Mrs. Parker? Come, now, answer a question. Was I here two weeks
ago, and did I go and see Maria Parker?"

"No," murmured Cynthia, her face crimson, her voice almost inaudible.
But Aunt Betsey was too much excited to notice.

"Jackie," she said, turning to him, "will you answer me a question? Did
I visit you two weeks ago, and did I call upon Mrs. Parker?"

Jack gave one look at Cynthia, and then, dropping on the grass, rolled
over and over in an ecstasy of mirth.

"You're in for it n