146 THE GARDEN OF A 



annual soak in pearline, the execution of which 

 makes them weak for several days afterward." 



At this she shifted the subject. 



" I must say, Barbara, that I was surprised to 

 hear that you were coming home to live. You 

 know I've always held the opinion that there was 

 no house large enough for two families. My 

 brother, though easy-going in general, is most 

 set in some things, and from what I have seen of 

 your husband, I should say that he was not only 

 set, but high spirited." 



She had endeavoured to cross swords with Evan 

 at the time of our marriage and had never forgiven 

 him for declining to argue. 



" Two families in one house ? Surely, Aunt Lot, 

 you do not practise what you preach ; for you have 

 gone into a house with another family, and a large 

 one at that. This, however, is really one household, 

 a big house, the dearest father in the world, with 

 a son and daughter to keep him young." 



" Then, too," she continued, as if she had not 

 heard, " you are beginning most extravagantly, 

 three women in the house and two men outside. In 

 the old times I only had one woman, until your 

 father got the notion of having the office door waited 

 upon, and making patients send in their names 



