"Truth and justice be hanged!"
"In the interests of truth and justice," persisted Aunt Phœbe, "I should be compelled—compelled to speak."
Mrs. Early burst into tears and cried, "Oh, Aunt Phœbe, how can you be so horrid!"
George protested in most vehement language, but Aunt Phœbe was firm.
"I couldn't sleep at night," she said, "for feeling that I had acted wrongfully. No, I couldn't do it."
"Well, I'd sooner you kept awake," said George, unfeelingly, "if you can't trust yourself."
Aunt Phœbe prepared to serve tea, and said curiously—
"I wonder that the habit of truth was not grounded in you when you were a Sunday School teacher. May I ask how many scholars you had?"
"You may not," replied her nephew, irritably. Why the devil did she want to remind him of that bit of polite fiction!
Aunt Phœbe looked meaningly at her niece. "Were you ever a Sunday School teacher?" she said, boldly continuing the attack.