"You may say a previous claim," said Miss Dorinda Flint, who had not spoken for some time; "but is a previous claim to take precedence of a claim preferred?" "Oh, aunty," cried Ladybird, flying to Aunt Dorinda, and throwing her arms around the old lady's neck, "that's just it; relationship can't come in ahead of me, can it?" "No," said Aunt Dorinda, slipping her arm round the excited child. "But," said the smooth lawyer voice of Mr. Ward--"but, my dear Miss Flint, and my dear Miss Dorinda Flint, you must realize that my client and protégée, Miss Lavinia Lovell, has a claim upon your interests that this child whom you call Ladybird never can have." "Never!" said Ladybird; and dropping her head on Cloppy's silvery back, she wept as one who could not be comforted. "That's not true," and Miss Priscilla Flint's voice rang out like a clarion. "You have proved to us, beyond shadow of doubt, that this new little girl, this Lavinia Lovell, is our niece, the daughter of our sister--and yet--you cannot take away from us the fact that Ladybird, our Ladybird, is ours forever and ever!" At this Ladybird flew back to Miss Priscilla, and was clasped in her arms. But Miss Dorinda, holding Lavinia Lovell by the hand, said: "Sister, you love Ladybird, and so do I; but this child is Lavinia Lovell, the daughter of our sister Lavinia; and while we can love Ladybird as a friend, and as an outside interest, yet here is our niece, here is our inheritance, and to her is due our affection." Miss Priscilla, still holding Ladybird in her arms, said: "Let her then prove herself worthy of it." "No, aunty," said Ladybird, rousing herself, "no; that is not necessary. If Lavinia Lovell is your niece, and she is, then her place is here and my place is not." "What are you going to do, baby?" said Miss Priscilla, kissing Ladybird with unusual tenderness. "Well," said Ladybird, judiciously, as one who was thinking out a great problem--"well, I don't know; but I think I shall go to live with Chester and Stella." "You couldn't do better," said Aunt Priscilla, laughing. "Will you come, too?" said Ladybird, patting Miss Priscilla's apple-cheek. "Yes," said Miss Priscilla; but nobody heard her except Ladybird, for Mr. Ward had already begun to speak. "In the interests of my client," he said, "I am obliged to press the claims of Lavinia Lovell, the oldest daughter of John Lovell, against the claims of Ladybird, a younger daughter of the same man." "But I make no claims," said Ladybird, who was cuddling in Miss Priscilla's arms. "If that other Lavinia wants my place, and if she has claims and papers and things to prove she has a right to it, why, let her come and take it, that's all." "That's all," said Miss Priscilla. "Well, she has," said Mr. Ward, "Yes," said Miss Dorinda; "go on."