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t585B55B85S
transformation had taken place in
Letty. When she was doing up Cou
sin Anne's room, a thing, which Cou
sin Anne graciously permitted, she
was heard to be singing. Cousin
Anne watched her narrowly through
out the day and detected her making
curious gestures with her fingers
"when she thought she was not ob
served. Cousin Anne had followed
her surreptitiously into her bedroom
and suddenly .pulled her hand from
behind her back. Letty was wearing
a wedding ring.
At first, as Cousin Anne said, she
was" minded to put, the girl out of the
house. But after all, if she Was mar-,
ried lier offense was not great
enough to Justify heMn losing her
paying boarder. She taxed Letty,
wlio began to cry. '
"Who is the man?" she demanded,
Lety wouldn't tell. She positively
refused to tell, saying that her hus
band had made her promise that the
anouncement should come from him.
' And Cousin Anne, persisting, found
to her amazement that some wicked
spirit had gotten into Letty. Letty
actually ordered her out of the room.
Cousin Anne resolved to be much
less kind to Letty in future.
" She told the whole family the next
morning, going from one house to
another. Everybody came to reason
with Letty. Matty Truefitt tried, and
Jane Slow and Kate Forster. By rea
soping they meant asking qeustions,
but theyfgot nothing out of Letty.
"We'll have to wait until Uncle
Truefitt comes back," said Matty.
"It will mean 48,000 more to split
among us if Uncle Truefitt cuts her
' out of the will," observed James
Slow, rubbing his hands together.
"James," said his wife, "don't be
vulgar. It's the deceiving of Uncle
Truefitt that is so ungrateful."
They waited, while Letty, supreme
ly unconscious of the blow that was
about to fall, went about with sing
ing lips and a heart that' was lifted
up above the common things of life,
.Or, rather,, transfigured" thenx
Uncle Truefitt came back nearly a
week later. He was met at the sta
tion by all his relatives. He was
struck "at once by the singular ex
pression of their faces.
"What is it?" he demanded gruffly,
Jane Slow, who had been deputed
to break the news answered. "I'll
tell you when you get home, Uncle
Truefitt. Prepare yourself for a great
shock."
"What is it? Somebody lost
money?" he asked.
"No, Uncle Truefitt It is ingrati
tude on the part of one you loved
and trusted."
"Hum! I guess I don't want no
preparing fdr that!" sneered Uncle
Truefitt, pursing his lips as he
Stepped into his carriage.
When they were all assembeld in
the" parlor Jane Slow spoke up.
"Cousin Letty has taken advan
tage of your absence to deceive you,"
she said. "She has got married!"
"Eh?" shouted Uncle Truefitt
"Married? Without my leave?"
"To-a'Scamp, Uncle Truefitt She
is ashamed to let his name be known.
That proves what sort of man he is."
"How do you know he's a scamp?"
demanded Uncle Truefitt
".Because sues ashamed of him.
Uncle Truefitt, we think you ought
to cast her out of your lhe after her
repayment of all your kindness to
her,"
"All think that?" asked Uncle
Truefitt
James Slow bowed his head. "I.
think' he said, "that the young
woman who has get her face against
your wishes has forfeited all right to
your consideration."
"Or that of any of us," added Kate
Forster. ' r-
" 'Phone for her," said Uncle True
fitt '
"Eh?" remarked James Slow.
"I said 'phone for her. We will
thrash this thing out right now," said .
Uncle Truefitt.
Letty was telephoned for and duly
appeared, while her accusers, in sul-