"Yes, I do. I've been led to see that doing things well is about the finest way in which one can pass one's time. And I'm crazy over doing things _well_. If I fold a towel, I like to fold it just square, and if I make a bed, I want the fold in the spread and the fold in the sheet to meet even." "You'll make a fine wife, Jane," said Susan, gravely, "only no man'll ever appreciate the folds lying straight." Jane laughed merrily. "I'm never going to marry; I'm one of the new sex, the creatures who are born to live alone and lend a hand anywhere. Didn't you know that?" "That's nonsense," said Susan; "no woman's made so." "No. It's a big fact. One of the newest facts in the world. The New Woman, you know!" "Mercy on us," said Susan, "don't you go in for any of that nonsense. The idea of a girl like you deciding not to marry! I never heard of such a thing!" "It's so, though," said Jane, smiling brightly; "you see, my little Order is a kind of Sisterhood. We're taught to want to help in so many homes and to never even think of a home of our own. We're taught to love all children so dearly that we mustn't limit ourselves to one family of little ones. We're trained to be so fond of the best in every man that we see more good to be done as sisters to men than as wives." "I don't believe Mr. Rath will agree with you," said Susan, "nor any other real nice fellow." Jane was cutting paper for the shelves. "Yes, he will," she said, nodding confidently; "men are so scarce nowadays that they are ready to agree with any one." "Jane, _I_ think he's in love with you already." Susan's tone was very solemn. Jane merely laughed. Then the door-bell rang, and she had to run. Presently she was back, a little breathless. "It's Mrs. Mead and her daughter. Can you come down?" "Yes, in a minute. You say, in a minute." Jane ran down again with the message. "Most remarkable," said Mrs. Mead, now dressed for calling, with her black hair put back in three even crinkles on either side, "about your aunt, you know, I mean. Why, we looked upon her as 'most dead. You know, Emily, we've always been given to understand she was nearing her end." "It does an invalid a lot of good to have something new to think about," said Jane. "I'm very enlivening. Aunt Susan just couldn't help getting up, when she heard me upsetting her house in all directions." "Yes, I expect it was enough to make her nervous," said Mrs. Mead, sincerely. "How long are you going to stay?" "Until Aunt Matilda comes back." "I don't believe she'll like these changes," said Mrs. Mead, gravely. "I should think that you'd feel a good deal of responsibility. It's no light matter to leave a shut-up house and an invalid in bed to a niece and come home to find the house open and the invalid all over it." "And a man coming in and having waffles in the morning," said Emily Mead, with a smile meant to be arch.