"Don't you mean to go to the village to-day, Alick?" asked his sister at dinner.
"No, I think not. I have some tinkering to do about the barn, so I asked Bryant to bring the mail."
"I'll go down and bring up the mail, Uncle Alick," said Marion. "I don't mind the walk a bit, and I dare say Aunt Baby has some other errand."
"That I have, but I don't see how you can go very well this afternoon," said Miss Baby. "You want your new dress to-morrow, you know, and there is the band to be put on the skirt and the fringe on the basque."
"Oh dear! Always something in the way whenever I want to do anything!" said Marion, impatiently.
"You can't say I put the fringe in your way at least, Marie woman," said her aunt, smiling. "You know I did not like it at all; but now you have calculated for it, the dress cannot be finished without it. However, you can wear your gray merino or your new gingham if the day should be warm."
"I think you might sew it on for me."
"I have my own to finish. However, I dare say my old one will serve me once more."
Marion had the grace to feel ashamed of her proposition:
"You want yours more than I do mine, if anything. No, I will stay and finish it. I'm sure I wish I had never bought the old fringe. I dare say it is all out of fashion, and that is the reason it was so cheap. Now, you needn't say 'I told you so,' Aunt Baby. It is vexatious enough without that."