The one fault of which the elder “Miss Pickel” had been most painfully self-conscience was her own selfishness and love of ease.
Wise Grandmother Kinsolving had seen this, and had put the girl at the head of affairs, believing that a position of trust would best counteract Paula’s tendency to indolence and fault-finding. Mother Amy had found that congenial labor is a happy antidote to the poison of sin, and believed implicitly in the old “word” that “Satan still will find some task for idle hands to do.” Well, then, whoever fell under the guidance of the far-seeing Friend was rarely left to be a victim of the evil spirit’s wiles.
But, as soon as she heard that her aunt had arrived, Paula reflected with no small degree of pride on her excellent management. She considered that she had earned a right to be a bit self-complacent, since, during her brief reign, accidents had been fewer than usual, and “the children” had really acquitted themselves very well indeed.
So, delaying only long enough to complete the very pretty afternoon toilet she was making, “Miss Pickel” descended to receive her aunt, with what Uncle Fritz would have judged a very graceful greeting, and of which his loving heart would have been most proud.
But prejudiced Aunt Ruth saw only a prim little maiden, dressed far beyond the necessities of the occasion, and read in the momentary delay that dressing had occasioned the tardy welcome of one who was conscious of having something to hide.
Even the unobservant Christina noticed the coldness of the aunt’s kiss, as compared with that she had bestowed on each of the others, who had not tarried for any toilet making before they bade her welcome home. As for Octave, she looked up in such visible surprise that honest Ruth was convicted of unfairness, and tried to remedy the mischief by scrupulous inquiries after Paula’s health.
“I am perfectly well,” answered Paula, thanking her relative sweetly, and inquiring in her own turn after their grandmother and her home-coming.
“She will not return for some time yet, if I can prevent it,” answered Ruth, with considerable sternness. “She is used to quiet, and I should not like to have her improvement all for nothing, as it would be if she came back just yet.”
“Will you have lunch or dinner now?” asked the deputy house-mistress, trying to be perfect in her behavior.
It was very odd, Ruth thought, to have anyone asking her in her own house if she would have something to eat, as if she had been a stranger; and somehow it did not strike her at all pleasantly. The pretty young Quakeress was, in reality, a little out of temper. She had been vexed at having to take this unexpected journey home, and, with her propensity for worrying, was already fancying a thousand evils which might have befallen her precious mother at the hands of that ignorant serving-maid to whom she had been entrusted.