"Yes, Grandmother. What is it?"

"Come here!"

[Sidenote: Grandmother chides Rosemary]

Rosemary obeyed readily enough, though she detected warlike
possibilities in the tone.

"Set down! I've got something to say to you!"

"I have something to say to you, too, Grandmother," Rosemary replied,
taking the chair indicated by the shaking forefinger. For the first time
in her life she was not afraid of the old lady.

"I've noticed," Grandmother began, tremulously, "that you're getting
high and mighty all of a sudden. You've gone out twice lately without
askin' if you might go, and I won't have it. Do you understand?"

"I hear you," the girl answered. "Is that all?"

"No, 'tain't all. You don't seem to have any sense of your position.
Here you are a poor orphan, beholden to your grandmother for every
mouthful you eat and all the clothes you wear, and if you can't behave
yourself better 'n you've been doin', you shan't stay."

A faint smile appeared around the corners of Rosemary's mouth, then
vanished. "Very well, Grandmother," she answered, demurely, rising from
her chair. "I'll go whenever you want me to. Shall I go now?"

"Set down," commanded the old lady. "I'd like to know where you'd go!"

"I'd go to Mrs. Marsh's; I think she'd take me in."

[Sidenote: Rosemary's Rejoinder]

"You've got another think comin' then," Grandmother sneered. "Didn't I
tell you to set down?"

"Yes," returned Rosemary, coolly, "but I'm not going to. I said I had
something to say to you. I'm going to be married next week to Alden
Marsh. I've taken enough of the money my father left me to buy a white
dress and a new hat, and the storekeeper has sent to the City for me for
some white shoes and stockings. I'm going to have some pretty underwear,
too, and a grey travelling dress. I've just come from the dressmakers,
now."

"Money!" screamed the old lady. "So that's what you've been doin' in the
attic. You're a thief, that's what you are! Your mother was----"

"Stop!" said Rosemary. Her voice was low and controlled, but her face
was very white. "Not another word against my mother. You've slandered
her for the last time. I am not a poor orphan, beholden to my
grandmother for the food I eat and the clothes I wear. On the contrary,
you and Aunt Matilda are dependent upon me, and have been for a good
many years. I have father's letter here. Do you care to read it?"

Shaken from head to foot, the old lady sank into her chair. She was