"Oh, don't speak of it, Brenda. I can't bear to think that he is really gone." And Julia's tears began to fall.
"What shall I say?" thought Brenda, and as her words of sympathy were beginning to take shape, her mother entered the room. Wisely enough, she made no comment on Julia's tears, believing that they would flow less freely if she seemed to take no notice of them.
"I have come to see if you are perfectly comfortable. To-night Eliza will sleep on the lounge in your room, and after this we will arrange a bed for her in the room across the hall. In either case you will not feel lonely."
When Julia had thanked her aunt for her kindness, Mrs. Barlow drew Brenda one side.
"Now, Brenda, we must bid your cousin good-night," and then, with a final word or two of advice to Julia, Mrs. Barlow with Brenda left the room.
"I'm going to bed now, mamma," said Brenda, as they reached the hall.
"Very well, I haven't time myself to tell you that I think you have behaved very foolishly this evening. I hope you will be more sensible to-morrow."
"Good-night," cried Brenda, without making any promises.
When she was within her own room she flung herself down on her bed.
"I know just how it will be," she said to herself. "I can never do what I want to. It will always be 'Julia, Julia.' She isn't so bad herself, but it's the way every one will treat me that I hate."