by no dreams of her
domineering sister.

CHAPTER VI

The pleasant aromas of coffee and sausages were mingling in the air
when "Guardy Lud" woke up and looked about the old-fashioned room with
a sense of satisfaction. The very pictures on the walls rested him,
they reminded him so much of the rooms in his boyhood home. He had a
feeling that old-fashioned things were best, and in spite of the fact
that he owned a house most different from this one himself and knew
that his wife would not for a minute have tolerated any old-fashioned
things about unless they were so old-fashioned that they had become
the latest rage, he could not help feeling that a woman brought up
amid such simple surroundings would be the very best kind to mother
these orphan children who had been left on his helpless hands. He
would have loved to take them to his heart and his home; but his wife
was not so minded, and that ended it. But it rolled a great burden
from his shoulders to feel that he might leave them in such capable
hands.

They had a rollicking time at breakfast, for Guardy Lud was delighted
with the crisp brown sausages, fried potatoes, and buckwheats with
real maple-syrup; and he laughed, and ate, and told stories with the
children, and kept the old dining-room walls ringing with joy as they
had not resounded within the memory of Julia Cloud. Then suddenly the
door opened, and there stood Ellen Robinson, disapproval and hauteur
written in every line of her unpleasant face! One could hardly
imagine how those two, Julia and Ellen, could possibly be sisters.

Dismay filled Julia Cloud's heart for an instant, and brought a pallor
to her cheek. How had she forgotten Ellen? What a fool she had been to
tell Ellen to come early in the morning! But she had not realized that
Mr. Luddington would be willing to come out to her humble home and
stay all night. She had supposed that the arrangements would be made
in the city. However, it could not be helped now; and a glance at the
kind, strong face of the white-haired man gave her courage. Ellen
could not really spoil their plans with him there. He felt that the
arrangement was good, and with him to back her she felt she could
stand out against any arguments her sister might bring forth.

So she rose with a natural ease, and introduced her. "My sister Mrs.
Robinson, Mr. Luddington"; and Ellen stiffly and still disapprovingly
acknowledged the introduction.

"I won't interrupt," she sai