'
Mrs. Grubb was surprised, even amused, at Rhoda's exciting piece of
news, but she was perfectly tranquil.
'Well, don't they beat all!' she exclaimed, leaning against the door-
frame and taking her side hair out of waving-pins as she talked.
'No, I haven't seen them since noon yesterday. I was out to a picnic
supper at the Army Headquarters at night, and didn't get home till
later than usual, so I didn't go up to their room. I thought they
were in bed; they always have been in bed when it was bedtime, ever
since they were born.' Here she removed the last pin, and put it
with the others in the bosom of her dress for safe-keeping. 'This
morning, when they didn't turn up, I thought some of you girls had
taken a fancy to keep them overnight; I didn't worry, supposing that
Lisa was with them.'
'Nobody on earth could take a fancy to the twins or keep them an hour
longer than necessary, and you know it, Mrs. Grubb,' said Rhoda, who
seldom minced matters; 'and in case no one should ever have the bad
manners to tell you the whole truth, I want to say here and now that
you neglect everything good and sensible and practical,--all the
plain, simple duties that stare you directly in the face,--and waste
yourself on matters that are of no earthly use to anybody.
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