sa's trunk had not been attended
to. Should he go right straight back for it? Clay was somewhat used to
the remembering of things which Ross had not remembered; rarely a day
passed that he did not have to do something of this kind.

"My trunk!" Arethusa's mind made a complete somersault at this
intrusion of so commonplace an article into the happy family greetings
and the joy of finding Elinor as dear as she looked. "I ... I forgot
all about it!" she faltered.

"It doesn't matter," comforted Elinor, "there's no harm done at all.
Just give Clay the check and he'll go see about it!"

The _check_!

A wild search for it followed immediately. Arethusa had entirely
forgotten where it had been put. Down into the very depths of the
satchel she dived, to emerge unrewarded. Was it by any chance in that
lost purse?

Visions of Miss Eliza rose before her, making more frantic the efforts
to locate it. How many times had she said, "Whatever you do, Arethusa,
don't you dare lose that trunk check!"

She sank weakly to the floor to lean her head despairingly against the
heavy newel post of the stairway.

"What will Aunt 'Liza say?" she cried, with the hopelessness of one
already condemned. "Oh, what will she say?"

"It does not need even a clever mind like mine to deduce from my
daughter's behaviour that Miss Eliza remains unchanged through the
changing years," murmured Ross in Elinor's ear. "Tempus may fugit, but
Miss Eliza's disposition stands perfectly still."

Suddenly, Arethusa's hand flew to clasp her throat. She looked up at
them with a little laugh, her face clearing as if by magic.

"How awfully stupid of me! I remember now where it is!" She drew the
tiny bag on its cord out of the neck of her blouse. "She put it in
here, so I wouldn't lose it." Her relief was great and thoroughly
genuine. "Whee," she sighed, "just suppose I had lost it!"

It was all too much for Ross. He could scarcely manage to untie that
bag for the check, he was so hilarious.

"You needn't laugh that way," said Arethusa defensively. "You don't
know what Aunt 'Liza can be like when she's mad! If you did, you
wouldn't laugh!"

"But I do," he replied, "I do. That's the reason I laugh. It brings her
back to me so plainly."

It had brought her back to Arethusa very plainly also. She remembered
some Instructions Miss Eliza had given, which the time had come to
carry out.

"I must lie down and rest now," she said to Elinor.

"Are you very tir