write to you and try to do little
things for the children often, now that I shall have something to do
with." But her kindly feeling was cut short by Ellen interrupting
her.

"Oh, you needn't trouble yourself! We can look after the children
ourselves. You better save what you get to look after yourself when
those two get over this whim!"

And then to her great relief Julia Cloud heard the car returning from
the station, and the two young people rushing into the hall.

CHAPTER VII

"I'm going up-stairs to put on that calico wrapper you loaned me, Aunt
Jewel," shouted Leslie, putting a rosy face into the dining-room for
an instant and then vanishing.

"I bought a pair of overalls at the store, as you suggested, Cloudy,"
put in Allison, waving a pair of blue jeans at her and vanishing
also.

Ellen Robinson stood mopping her eyes and staring out from the
dining-room window--not at the hills--and sniffing.

"I should think you'd stop them calling you that ridiculous name!" she
snorted. "It isn't respectful. It sounds like making fun of the
family."

Poor Ellen Robinson! She had her good points, but a sense of humor
wasn't one of them. Also it went against the grain to give up her own
way, and she couldn't remember when she hadn't planned for the freedom
she would have when Julia came to live with her. Having an entirely
different temperament from Julia's and no spiritual outlook whatever
on life, she was unable to understand what thraldom she had been
preparing and planning for her patient elder sister. A little of this
perhaps penetrated to Julia Cloud's disturbed consciousness as she
watched her sister's irate back; for, when she spoke again, it was in
a gentle, soothing tone.

"There now, Ellen, let's forget it all, and just put it away. I shall
be coming back to see you now and then, perhaps, and you can come and
see me. That'll be something new to look forward to. Suppose now we
just get to work and see what's to be done. Have you decided what you
want to have taken over to the house?"

It is doubtful whether Ellen would have succumbed so easily, had not
the two young people returned just then and demanded that they have
something to do.

As quietly as if she were used to packing and moving every year of her
life, Julia Cloud gave them each a pile of newspapers, and set them to
wrapping and packing dishes in a big barrel; and Ellen was forced to
join in and say what she wanted to have of her mot