You see, even though this house is large, I am, in a way, cramped for
room. I always have to keep three guest-rooms ready for immediate
occupancy. I am a member of four clubs and six charitable and religious
organizations, besides the church, and there are always ministers and
delegates whom I feel it my duty to entertain."
"But that is all the more reason why I should go upstairs, and not put
all those children out of their rooms," begged Jane.
Mrs. Pendergast shook her head.
"It does them good," she said decidely, "to learn to be self-
sacrificing. That is a virtue we all must learn to practice."
Jane flushed again; then she turned abruptly. "Julia, did you want me
to--to come to see you?" she asked.
"Why, certainly; what a question!" returned Mrs. Pendergast, in a
properly shocked tone of voice. "As if I could do otherwise than to want
my husband's sister to come to us."
Jane smiled faintly, but her eyes were troubled.
"Thank you; I'm glad you feel--that way. You see, at Fred's--I wouldn't
have them know it for the world, they were
so good to me--but I
thought, lately, that maybe they didn't want--But it wasn't so, of
course. It couldn't have been. I--I ought not even to think it."
"Hm-m; no," returned Mrs.
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