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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1895 Excerpt:...good grace, and as she spoke she turned to leave the room. Scarcely had she closed the door before Alex came forward from the corner, where he had been lounging in an easychair. 'I declare,' he began, 'it is almost' But the old lady interrupted him as if she had not caught his words. 'Is your sister very devoted to good works?' she asked--'"good needle-works," that is to say, in particular?' and she glanced at a large business-like basket, which Amy had deposited on a side-table in anticipation of her guest's assistance. 'If so, I trust she is not expecting much help from me, for I should be reluctantly obliged to decline anything of the kind; my eyes are not as strong as they used to be.' And readjusting her pince-nez as she spoke, she glanced up at the young man. 'No one would suspect it,' he said, drawing a chair forward, and seating himself as he did so. 'But I hope Amy will have the sense to put that hideous basket out of sight during your visit. We must find some better way of entertaining you than that. I hope you will let me take you one or two drives? Should you be afraid of my dog-cart?' Miss Ibbotson laughed softly. 'My dear young friend,' she exclaimed, 'what are you thinking of? An old woman like me mounted up on a dogcart! No, no, you must reserve such amusements for your cousin Olivia, though it is very gratifying to me all the same that you should have thought of it. It is not every young man who would be so attentive to one who might be his grandmother.' 'Upon my word,' began Alex, 'you are too' But his sentence remained incompleted, for at that moment the door opened. Miss Ibbotson raised her hand with a slightly imperious gesture. 'Here come your sisters,' she said, as Amy reappeared, followed by Bessie and Carla, both looking e...