toward her younger sister in
this long-delayed thoughtfulness, and her tone grew gentler.

"That's dear of you, Ellen, and I appreciate it; but I haven't been
able to make you understand yet, I see. I'm not to be a worker, nor
even a housekeeper. I'm to be just a sort of mother, or aunt, if you
please, to see that the house runs all right, to be with the children
and have a happy time with them and their young friends, and to see
that they are cared for in every way necessary; just a housemother,
you understand. I am to have servants to do the work, although I'm
sure one servant will be all that I shall want in a little household
like that. But Mr. Luddington quite insisted there should be servants,
and that no work of any sort should fall upon me. He said that as
their nearest relative I was to be in the position of mother and
guardian to them, and to preside over their home."

"That's ridiculous!" put in Ellen. "Why don't they go to college and
board like any other reasonable young folks if they must go to college
at all? I think it's all nonsense for 'em to go. What do they do it
for? They've got money, and don't have to teach or anything. What do
they need of learning? They've got enough now to get along. That girl
thinks she's too smart to live. I call her impudent, for my part!"

"They want a home," said Julia, waiving the subject of higher
education; "and they have chosen me, and I mean to do my best."

There was a quiet finality in her tone that impressed her sister. She
looked at her angrily.

"Well, if you will, you will, I suppose. Nobody can stop you. But I
see just what will come of it. You'll fool away a little while there,
and find out how mistaken you were; and then you'll come back to
Herbert to be taken care of. And you don't realize how offended
Herbert is going to be by your actions, and how he'll feel about
letting you come back after you have gone away in such high feather.
You haven't anything to speak of to support yourself, of course, and
how on earth do you expect to live anyway after these children get
through their college and get married or something? They won't want
you then."

Julia arose and went to the window to get calmed. She was more angry
than she had been for years. The thought of Herbert's having to take
care of her ever was intolerable. But she was able to hold her tongue
until she could get her eyes on those hills out of the window. "I will
lift up mine eyes unto the hill