"It's my opinion you'd done better to have gone to the insane asylum folks about her," rejoined Cap'n Ira.
"Now, Ira!" said Prudence softly.
"Seeing it as you do, Cap'n Ira," the elder remarked quite equably, "I conclude that you might think that. But you formed your judgment in the heat of—well, not anger, of course—but without sufficient reflection."
"Humph!" grunted Cap'n Ira noncommittally.
"I have talked with that young woman on two occasions," said the elder.
"With what young woman?" interrupted Cap'n Ira.
"With the girl staying at the Widow Pauling's. The girl who claims to be your niece."
"You'd better talk with the other young woman," said Cap'n Ira sternly. "Ida May! Just you come in here and sit down. You are as much interested as we be, I guess. This is Ida May Bostwick, Elder Minnett," he added, as Sheila entered.
"Yes, yes. I have had the pleasure," said the elder, bowing gravely without offering to shake hands. He turned abruptly to Prudence. "You are quite convinced in your own mind, Sister Ball, that the young woman at the Pauling's is not your niece?"
"Why, Elder Minnett," returned Prudence, "how can she be? Ida May is Sarah Honey's only child, and Sarah was only distantly related to me. There never was another girl in the family—not like that one that came here the other day, for sure!" And the old woman shook her head emphatically.