"Cousin is it? Well, so long as he remains only that I have no complaint to make of him. I suppose now we shall have to have more respect for him than ever."
Linda had to laugh at the aggrieved tone. "I certainly have," she answered emphatically. "I think he was perfectly splendid."
"Berk, or any other half way decent man would have done the same thing under like circumstances," argued Miss Ri. "I don't see that it was anything for him to crow over."
"I think it was decidedly." Linda stood her ground.
"Well, we won't quarrel over it," continued Miss Ri. "Let's change the subject. I was just thinking, Linda, that I have discovered something since I have had you here with me, though, by the way, one does that all through life; some truth, some moral of living is suddenly revealed at a given stage. Life is nothing more than a series of revelations."
"And what has been revealed to you, wisest of Aunt Ris." Linda came over and took her friend's face between her hands.
"That one must have somebody to work for in order to get the best out of existence."
Linda's hands dropped; her face grew wistful. "And I have no one but myself to work for," she shook her head sadly.
"You have me, in a certain sense, and it is too early yet for you to despair of having someone else." Miss Ri laughed wickedly.
Linda pretended to box her ears. "You are a naughty old thing. I am going out to talk to Mammy, and leave you to meditate upon your sins," she said.