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Miss Van Gorder laughed too, a little shamefacedly

"I must have," she said "But--oh, you needn't shake your head, Lizzie Allen--I a to practice with it There's no reason I shouldn't and you never can tell when things like that uely She did not wish to alarm Dale with her suspicions yet

"There, Dale--yes, put it in the drawer of the table--that will reassure Lizzie Lizzie, you ht make us so, hot ride"

"Yes, Miss Cornelia," said Lizzie, recovering her normal cale table in the living-roo shot "And thank God it's lees for bullet wounds!" she muttered darkly as she went toward the service quarters

Miss Van Gorder glared after her departing back "Lizzie is really impossible sometimes!" she said with stately ire Then her voice softened "Though of course I couldn't do without her," she added

Dale stretched out on the settee opposite her aunt's chair "I know you couldn't, darling Thanks for thinking of the leesture of fatigue "I AM hot--and tired"

Miss Van Gorder looked at her keenly The young face seeht

"You--you don't really feel very well, do you, Dale?"

"Oh--it's nothing I feel all right--really"

"I could send for Doctor Wells if--"

"Oh, heavens, no, Aunt Cornelia" She ed a wan smile "It isn't as bad as all that I'm just tired and the city was terribly hot and noisy and--" She stole a glance at her aunt froardener, by the way," she said casually

"Did you, dear? That's splendid, though--but I'll tell you about that later Where did you get hiency, I can't remember its name" Dale's handdetails were too great an effort "But I'--he--he couldn't get away before, I believe What have you been doing all day, darling?"

Miss Cornelia hesitated Now that Dale had returned she suddenly wanted very s of the day with her--get the support of her youth and her common sense Then that independence which was so firmly rooted a characteristic of hers restrained her No use worrying the child unnecessarily; they all

She compromised "We have had a domestic upheaval," she said "The cook and the housemaid have left--if you'd only waited till the next train you could have had the pleasure of their company into town"