Luella flashed a vindictive glance at her cousin, and turned haughtily toward the window; then the porter came for the trunks, and the travellers said a hasty good-by, and flitted.
As Donald shook hands with Luella in parting, he looked merrily into her angry eyes, and said:
“I do hope, Luella, that it hasn’t been too much of a trial to have your ‘backwoods cousin’ spend a few days here. You’ll find a box of bonbons up in your room, if the porter did his duty, which may sweeten your bitter thoughts of me; and we hope you’ll have a delightful time the remainder of your stay here. Good-by.”
* * * * *
About three months after Donald had returned from Europe and settled to his Western university life Aunt Crete received a letter from her sister. It was brief and to the point, and Aunt Crete could read between the lines. It read:
“Dear Crete,—Aren’t you about sick of that nonsense, and ready to come home? Luella has decided that she can’t do better than take John Peters. He has promised to buy an auto next year, if the plumbing business keeps up. I think at least you might come home and help get her things ready; for there’s a great deal of sewing to do, and you know I can’t afford to hire it; and Luella’s out so much, now she’s engaged. Do come soon.
Your sister, Carrie.”
Aunt Crete looked sober; but Donald, looking over her shoulder, read, and then went to his desk for a moment. Coming back, he dropped a check for five hundred dollars into his aunt’s lap.
“Send her that from me, Aunt Crete, and another from yourself, if you like, and let her hire the sewing done. They don’t want you, and I do.”
Aunt Crete had her own bank-account now, thanks to her thoughtful nephew, and she smiled back a delighted, “I will,” and went off to write the letter; for Aunt Crete was at last emancipated.
Cloudy Jewel
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