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 admit that it is rheumatism, but it does ache. As for the children, they and the Merediths are planning a gay summer before they have to go back to studies in the fall. They are such a fun-loving little crowd. They keep this house in a perpetual whirl of merriment.”

“Is Rilla going to Queen’s when Shirley goes back?”

“It isn’t decided yet. I rather fancy not. Her father thinks she is not quite strong enough—she has rather outgrown her strength—she’s really absurdly tall for a girl not yet fifteen. I am not anxious to have her go—why, it would be terrible not to have a single one of my babies home with me next winter. Susan and I would fall to fighting with each other to break the monotony.”

Susan smiled at this pleasantry. The idea of her fighting with “Mrs. Dr. dear!”

“Does Rilla herself want to go?” asked Miss Cornelia.

“No. The truth is, Rilla is the only one of my flock who isn’t ambitious. I really wish she had a little more ambition. She has no serious ideals at all—her sole aspiration seems to be to have a good time.”

“And why should she not have it, Mrs. Dr. dear?” cried Susan, who could not bear to hear a single word against anyone of the Ingleside folk, even from one of themselves. “A young girl should have a good time, and that I will maintain. There will be time enough for her to think of Latin and Greek.”

“I should like to see a little sense of responsibility in her, Susan. And you know yourself that she is abominably vain.”