By dint of urging from their mother they made extra attempts at good behavior before the august visitor, but they were subject to awful relapses.

Mrs.Woodward, on her side, considered she had her trials, for her aunt had a habit of arriving suddenly, giving only a few hours' notice by telegram, and she could not forbear the suspicion that her revered godparent wished to surprise her housekeeping and catch her unprepared.

On one occasion, indeed, when the family came down--rather late--for breakfast, Aunt Harriet was discovered sitting on the rustic seat outside the dining-room window.

She explained that she had taken the 5 a.m.
workmen's train and had come to spend a long day with them, but not wishing to disturb the house at too early an hour she had remained in the garden enjoying the view until somebody arrived downstairs.

In spite of her rather angular attitude, Miss Beach was a very kind and generous friend to her widowed niece, and she was the one person in the world to whom Mrs.Woodward naturally thought of turning in time of trouble.