"And we shall have enough to tell about Aunt Bets, so we can switch her off for the present."
CHAPTER XVI
Cousin Prudencia Writes
When the two girls reëntered the house they found Mrs. Manning in the sitting-room in a testy humor. "I do wish you'd get some fresh flowers, Lillian," she complained. "I am tired of seeing these. One would suppose that it was mid-winter or that we had to pay a shilling apiece for them," she said.
"I'll get some fresh ones," replied Lillian, and then wishing to interest her grandmother in something else, but unfortunately choosing the wrong subject, she remarked: "We had quite a visit with Aunt Bets. She sent her thanks for the cap."
"Naturally," responded Mrs. Manning, sarcastically.
"She had her prophecies to the fore," Lillian went on, "and predicts war."
"War! It is nothing but that foolish talk. Those two silly women who have just gone—thank Heaven they did go—they had to ding it into one's ears. Can't one hear about anything else? I am sick of it. Don't stand there like a stock or stone, Lillian staring at me. I have a right to speak my own mind in my own house. War! War! Has no one a grain of sense these days? Of course we all know it's those Germans, but if they choose to be idiots is no reason why we should be. A parcel of sheep jumping over a fence. One goes and the rest must follow. I never knew anything so utterly foolish. I don't know what the government is thinking of to let people run about recklessly and get up this scare." She sat tapping her slim fingers upon the arm of the big chair in which she was sitting. "If this keeps on," she continued, "I'll be ready to go to America; I would even consent to go to Spain till this racket is over. From what Katharine tells me it isn't a half bad place, and they have an English queen. Do go on Lillian; I am not talking to you; I am talking to Nancy."
Lillian, with a sidelong glance at Anita, went out, and as soon as the latter could escape she followed.
"Whew!" whistled Lillian, as Anita came up. "Isn't she is a pother? Poor old dear, she is like that. She will fight an idea to which she is opposed till she drops from exhaustion. After what your Perlitas said I should never have mentioned Aunt Betsy's prophecies; it was most unfortunate. I should have known better. She will hardly be safe to live with for the next twenty-four hours unless we can get her mind off on something which concerns some one in whom she is interested."