Her voice softened into new and charming tones. She held the sticky, chubby hands unmindfully. She was one of those women who are incapable of an awkward attitude. The child lingered, examining with wide-eyed scrutiny the enchantments of the new lady's apparel. "She's charming, Fanny," Lois remarked, glancing up suddenly at Susan's mother; "a perfectly adorable baby." "Oo going to stay in this house? This Uncle Amzi ims house." "Now, Susan, do you really want me to stay?" Susan surveyed her newfound aunt gravely before passing upon this question that was so much more momentous than she realized. Lois, bending forward in her low chair with her head slightly to one side, met the child's gaze with like gravity. It might have been assumed from her manner that she attached the greatest importance to Susan's verdict; there may even have been an appeal in the brown eyes; but if there was it was an affair between the woman and the child in which the spectators had no share. Susan swallowed. "Oo stay and play wif me. Uncle Amzi ims going to make big toboggan in ims yard and oo can slide down wif me. And Phil she come and play. Phil make me bow and arroo and Phil, her shooted it at old rooster and ims est runned and runned." "How splendid!" laughed Lois. "You may go now, Susan," said her mother, feeling that this flirtation had progressed far enough. Thus admonished Susan withdrew, while her brother and cousin submitted themselves to the new aunt's closer inspection. "Two Amzis! It's quite fine of you to perpetuate the name, girls. You must be sure, boys, always to spell your name out; don't hide in behind an initial. These old Bible names are a lot better than these new fancy ones. There must be a million Donalds and Dorothys right now scattered over the United States. Where do you go to school, boys?" She plainly interested them. She was a new species, and had for them the charm of strangeness. She wore on her wrist a tiny watch, the like of which they had never seen before, and one of them poked it shyly with his finger. She accommodatingly slipped it off and gave it to them to examine, telling them of the beautiful shop in Geneva where she had bought it. Susan returned to share in these further revelations by the wonderful lady. The spectacle of their children gathered at the erring Lois's knees, filled the watchful sisters with dismay. The ease of the woman's conquests, her continued indifference to their feelings, caused their indignation to wax hot. "The children must go. Run along home now, and, boys, see that Susie gets home safely. No; you must go at _once_!" said Mrs. Waterman. "Oo bring lady home to ours house, mamma; my wants to play with lady's watch." "Skip along, Susan; you'll have lots of time to play with my watch," said Lois. "Oh, wait a minute!" Jeremiah was bringing fresh glasses for the eggnog, and she sent him to her room to bring down some packages she had left on her bed.