"Now, Priscilla," said her sister, "there's no use talking to her like that. She doesn't understand. Ladybird," Aunt Dorinda went on gently, "these institutions you speak of, and which Martha had no right to mention to you--" "I'll attend to Martha," said Miss Priscilla, with a competent snap of her eyes. "Are not nice," went on Miss Dorinda, "and are not even spoken of by nice people. If you love Stella, the most dreadful thing you could do would be to think of her in connection with such a place as you spoke of." "Is that so, Aunt Priscilla?" said Ladybird, who, though she loved Aunt Dorinda, always referred her opinions to Miss Flint for sanction. "Yes," said Aunt Priscilla, "of course it's true--more than true; and you did very wrong, Lavinia, to listen to Martha's tales." "Well, but, aunty, then if I can't help Stella that way, how can I help her?" "You cannot help her at all," said Miss Priscilla, very sternly. "Am I to be mistress in my own house, or am I not? Cease talking, Lavinia, and go at once to your room." "And I can't help Stella in any way?" said Ladybird, slowly. "You cannot. Go!" and Miss Priscilla pointed to the door. Ladybird gathered up her dog, which had been lying, a shapeless mass, at her feet, and without a word walked from the room. "She's gone up-stairs to cry, Priscilla," said Miss Dorinda; "she always does that when she feels very bad about anything." "I can't help it," snapped Priscilla Flint; "she's a spoiled child. We over-indulge her in her whims; and in this case she ought to be made to feel ashamed of herself." "She didn't do anything wrong, Priscilla; Martha did the wrong. Ladybird thought only of helping her friend." "She's old enough to know better," said Miss Priscilla, sternly. "And now I will see Martha." After what was undoubtedly a very stormy interview, Miss Flint returned with the edge of her anger a little dulled. "I suppose Lavinia wasn't altogether to blame," she said. "No," said Miss Dorinda, timidly. "Shall we go and find her, Priscilla?" "Yes; but we must make her understand that it is wrong for her even to think of interfering in Stella's love-affair. Lavinia's too romantic already to be mixed up in such doings." "I suppose so," said Miss Dorinda, meekly. "Suppose so? You know it. You know as well as I do, Dorinda Flint, that Lavinia's head is chuck-full of silly, romantic ideas, just as her mother's was; and unless we're careful, she'll only get more and more so, until she'll run away with some good-for-nothing, as her mother did before her." "I suppose so," said the meek Miss Dorinda again. "But I do think, Priscilla, we ought to do something to entertain the child. We might have a children's party for her." "Well--we might," said Miss Priscilla, who had begun to relent a little. "It would be an awful lot of extra trouble; but romping play would be better for that child than sentimental twaddle." "I suppose so," said Miss Dorinda.