rom
Acton. "She looked very pale when you took that dress down. I noticed
it at once. Hadn't you better go and see what the matter is? She may
be going to faint."

"She is not subject to fainting spells," replied Sophia, but she
followed Amanda.

She found her in the room which they occupied together, lying on the
bed, very pale and gasping. She leaned over her.

"Amanda, what is the matter; don't you feel well?" she asked.

"I feel a little faint."

Sophia got a camphor bottle and began rubbing her sister's forehead.

"Do you feel better?" she said.

Amanda nodded.

"I guess it was that green apple pie you ate this noon," said Sophia.
"I declare, what did I do with that dress of Aunt Harriet's? I guess
if you feel better I'll just run and get it and take it up garret.
I'll stop in here again when I come down. You'd better lay still.
Flora can bring you up a cup of tea. I wouldn't try to eat any supper."

Sophia's tone as she left the room was full of loving concern.
Presently she returned; she looked disturbed, but angrily so. There was
not the slightest hint of any fear in her expression.

"I want to know," said she, looking sharply and quickly around, "if I
brought that purple dress in here, after all?"

"I didn't see you," replied Amanda.

"I must have. It isn't in that chamber, nor the closet. You aren't
lying on it, are you?"

"I lay down before you came in," replied Amanda.

"So you did. Well, I'll go and look again."

Presently Amanda heard her sister's heavy step on the garret stairs.
Then she returned with a queer defiant expression on her face.

"I carried it up garret, after all, and put it in the trunk," said,
she. "I declare, I forgot it. I suppose your being faint sort of put
it out of my head. There it was, folded up just as nice, right where I
put it."

Sophia's mouth was set; her eyes upon her sister's scared, agitated
face were full of hard challenge.

"Yes," murmured Amanda.

"I must go right down and see to that cake," said Sophia, going out of
the room. "If you don't feel well, you pound on the floor with the
umbrella."

Amanda looked after her. She knew that Sophia had not put that purple
dress of her dead Aunt Harriet in the trunk in the garret.

Meantime Miss Louisa Stark was settling herself in the southwest
chamber. She unpacked her trunk and hung her dresses carefully in the
closet. She filled the bureau drawers with nicely folded linen and
small