But Helen will have it so.

Oh, dear, dear, dear! Heaven save us from willful women!" Gifford broke the news to his aunts as wisely as he knew how, but he did not hide the truth.

It was not until the day before he went back to Lockhaven that he told them; he had put it off as long as he could, hoping, as Dr.Howe had done, that John Ward would see how useless it was to carry out his plan.

Gifford had found the sisters together.

Miss Ruth was at work in her studio, while Miss Deborah sat in the doorway, in the shadow of the grape-vines, topping and tailing gooseberries into a big blue bowl.