the tenant wants possession next week.
I thought you might like to pick out some of mother's things to bring
over here before I pack up. You spoke about wishing you had another
couch for the sitting-room, and you might just as well have the
dining-room one as not. Then I thought perhaps you could use mother's
bedroom suit."

"You've rented the house!" screamed Ellen as soon as she got breath
from her astonishment to interrupt. "You've rented the house without
consulting me? Who to, I'd like to know? I had a tenant already for
that house, I told you."

"Why, I had no time to consult you, Ellen; and, besides, why should I?
The house is mine, and I knew you didn't want it. You have your own
home."

"Well, you certainly are blossoming out and getting independent! I
should think mere decency would have made you consult us before you
did anything. What do you know about business? Herbert will be mad as
anything when I tell him; and like as not you'll get into no end of
trouble with a strange tenant, and we'll have to help you out. Herbert
always says women make all the trouble they can for him before they
call on him for assistance."

Julia smiled.

"I shall not be obliged to call on Herbert for assistance, Ellen.
Everything is arranged. The contract was signed this morning, and I
have promised to vacate as soon as possible. The tenant is the new
school superintendent, and he wants to come at once. I just heard last
evening that he had been disappointed in getting the Harvey house.
It's sold to the foreman of the mill. So I went over to Harmony to see
him at once."

The news was so overwhelming and so unquestionably satisfactory from a
business point of view that Ellen was speechless with astonishment.
Allison gave Leslie a grave wink, and turned to look out of the window
to prevent an outburst of giggles from his sister.

"Well, I think you might have let me know," Ellen resumed with almost
her usual poise. "It's rather mortifying not to know what's going on
in your own family when the neighbors ask. Here was I without any
knowledge of the arrival of my own niece and nephew! Had to be told by
Mrs. Perkins."

Then Allison and Leslie did laugh, but they veiled their mirth by
talking about the two white chickens out in the yard which were
contending for a worm. Suddenly Leslie exclaimed:

"O Allison! I hear the children coming down-stairs, and I forgot their
presents! Run out to the car, and bring me that box."