say, Cousin Margaret, isn't she bully?"

"Basil, if you _could_ find another adjective now and then! I cannot
imagine anything less appropriate to Mrs. Peyton than--the one you
used."

"Oh, well, it doesn't matter! She _is_ bully! She had broiled chicken, a
whole one, and she just took a little piece off the breast for herself,
and then she told Mert and me each to take a leg and run. And we did!
And Mert sat down in the china bath-tub with his, and smashed
it,--cracked it, at least,--and she said she didn't care."

"And the table-drawer was full of chocolate peppermints," chimed in
Merton, "and we ate so many, I don't feel very well now, I think,
p'r'aps."

"And she told us lots of things!" cried Basil again; he looked towards
Miss Sophronia, with sparkling eyes. "She told us about when she was a
little girl, and used to stay here, when Uncle John's puppa and mumma
were alive. I say! And you were here, too, she said, Cousin Sophronia.
And she said--lots of things!" The boy stopped suddenly, and gave his
brother a look of intelligence.

"Ho!" said Merton, "I know what you mean,--you mean about the ghost,
that scared--I say! You stop pinching, will you? I'll punch your--"

"Merton!" said Margaret, warningly.

"Well, he was pinching me!" whined Merton. "And it did scare you, didn't
it, Cousin Sophronia?"

Miss Sophronia looked disturbed. "Merton, you should speak when you are
spoken to!" she said, severely. "I am surprised that Mrs. Peyton should
have told you such things. There certainly were some very strange
occurrences at Fernley, Margaret, when I was a young girl. They never
were explained to my satisfaction; indeed, I never heard of their being
explained at all. Little boys, if you do not want any supper, you may as
well run away. I do not approve of their going to see Emily Peyton,
Margaret. I shall make a point of their not doing so in future. She was
always malicious."

She seemed much fluttered, and Margaret, wondering, hastened to change
the subject. "I wonder where Susan D. can be. I have not seen the child
since I came in, and she did not answer when I called her. Elizabeth, do
you--"

"Pardon me, Margaret, my love!" Miss Sophronia interposed. "Susan D. is
in bed; I sent her to bed an hour ago."

"Oh, Cousin Sophronia! Without her supper? What had she done?"

"She was disobedient, my dear,--disobedient and impertinent. I have no
doubt that this will have an excellent effect upon the child. Bas