"And next she likes me." Charles went around and stood by her side in his manliest pose. They made a pretty picture.
"I thought you loved me a good deal," interposed Jaqueline.
"Oh, I love you all!" said the child, though she glanced doubtfully at Varina.
"But, then, girls don't marry ever, no matter how much they love each other," said the young admirer.
"And she is our sister," persisted Varina.
"Not in that sense, my little girl. And the age makes no difference. So she can be Charles' sweetheart until he goes to college and gets another one."
"But I do not mean ever to get another one. And we were playing keep house under the big hemlock. Dinah had made us some cookies. And Rene was the company—"
"I shall not be company any more," returned the child, with a toss of the head. "If you want Annis, take her then."
"There, children, no quarreling. Aren't the cookies good enough to be peacemakers?"
"But we've eaten them all up."