It was Lawyer Watson's suggestion that she was being unjust to Beth and Louise, in encouraging them to hope they might inherit Elmhurst, that finally decided Aunt Jane to end all misunderstandings and inform her nieces of the fact that she had made a final disposition of her property.

So one morning she sent word asking them all into her room, and when the nieces appeared they found Uncle John and the lawyer already in their aunt's presence.

There was an air of impressive formality pervading the room, although Miss Merrick's brother, at least, was as ignorant as her nieces of the reason why they had been summoned.

" "Go and find James, and ask him to step here," commanded the mistress, "and then guard the opening in the hedge, and see that none of my nieces appear to bother him.

Then the body was borne to the little graveyard a mile away, followed by the state carriage, containing the three nieces and Kenneth; the drag with Silas Watson and Uncle John, the former driving; and then came the Elmhurst carryall with the servants.

"We're all three your nieces, and we'll take care of you between us.

"I also found my three nieces at Elmhurst, and it struck me it would be a good time to study their characters; for like Jane I had a fortune to leave behind me, and I was curious to find out which girl was the most deserving.

"As it turned out," continued the little man, "Jane's desire to leave her money to her nieces amounted to nothing, for the money wasn't hers.

" "And the other nieces?" "Well, I don't mean they shall wait for my death to be made happy," answered Uncle John.

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AUNT JANE'S NIECES*** *******

Title: Aunt Jane's Nieces and Uncle John Author: Edith Van Dyne Release Date: November 18, 2003

AUNT JANE'S NIECES AND UNCLE JOHN

*** E-text prepared by Afra Ullah, Josephine Paolucci, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team AUNT JANE'S NIECES AND UNCLE JOHN BY EDITH VAN DYNE AUTHOR OF "AUNT JANE'S NIECES," "AUNT JANE'S NIECES ABROAD," "AUNT JANE'S NIECES AT MILLVILLE," "AUNT JANE'S NIECES AT WORK."

*** E-text prepared by Afra Ullah, Josephine Paolucci, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team AUNT JANE'S NIECES AND UNCLE JOHN BY EDITH VAN DYNE AUTHOR OF "AUNT JANE'S NIECES," "AUNT JANE'S NIECES ABROAD," "AUNT JANE'S NIECES AT MILLVILLE," "AUNT JANE'S NIECES AT WORK."

*** E-text prepared by Afra Ullah, Josephine Paolucci, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team AUNT JANE'S NIECES AND UNCLE JOHN BY EDITH VAN DYNE AUTHOR OF "AUNT JANE'S NIECES," "AUNT JANE'S NIECES ABROAD," "AUNT JANE'S NIECES AT MILLVILLE," "AUNT JANE'S NIECES AT WORK."

*** E-text prepared by Afra Ullah, Josephine Paolucci, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team AUNT JANE'S NIECES AND UNCLE JOHN BY EDITH VAN DYNE AUTHOR OF "AUNT JANE'S NIECES," "AUNT JANE'S NIECES ABROAD," "AUNT JANE'S NIECES AT MILLVILLE," "AUNT JANE'S NIECES AT WORK."

*** E-text prepared by Afra Ullah, Josephine Paolucci, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team AUNT JANE'S NIECES AND UNCLE JOHN BY EDITH VAN DYNE AUTHOR OF "AUNT JANE'S NIECES," "AUNT JANE'S NIECES ABROAD," "AUNT JANE'S NIECES AT MILLVILLE," "AUNT JANE'S NIECES AT WORK."

"AUNT JANE'S NIECES IN SOCIETY," ETC. 1911 CONTENTS CHAPTER I INTRODUCING "MUMBLES" II UNCLE JOHN'S IDEA III MYRTLE DEAN IV AN INTERESTING PROTÉGÉ V A WONDER ON WHEELS VI WAMPUS SPEEDS VII

At the period when this story opens the eldest niece, Louise Merrick, had just been married to Arthur Weldon, a prosperous young business man, and the remaining two nieces, as well as Uncle John, were feeling rather lonely and depressed.

She had evidently noticed Uncle John's two nieces, for her eyes followed them as they marched up and down the platform and when Patsy looked up and nodded, a soft flush suffused her features and she bowed her head in return.

"What is Uncle Anson's other name?" asked the latter, for Beth was the more practical of Uncle John's nieces and noted for her clear thinking.

" "I must inform you," said Uncle John, "that Myrtle Dean is just a little waif whom my nieces picked up on the train.

" Mr. Wampus was announced just then, and while Uncle John conferred with the chauffeur his two nieces went to their room to talk over Myrtle Dean's outfit and await the return of the girl from her ride.

Uncle John's nieces grew more and more indignant as they discovered the details of this selfish woman's crimefor Patsy declared it was nothing less than a crime to send a helpless child far into the West to search for an unknown uncle whose whereabouts were only conjectural.

It seems the hotel, big as it was, was fairly filled with guests, the railway running three trains a day to the wonderful canyon; but Uncle John's nieces did not mind occupying the same room, which was comfortably and even luxuriously furnished.