“Ahem! Flossie—I am amazed at you—amazed at you!” gasped Mr. Starkweather. “What do you learn at school?”
“Goodness me! I couldn’t tell you,” returned the youngest of his daughters, carelessly. “It’s none of it any good, though, Pa. You might as well take me out.”
“I’ve told that girl to use the back stairs, and to keep out of the front of the house,” went on Belle, ignoring Flossie. “If she had not been hanging about the front of the house, May Van Ramsden would not have seen her——”
“’Tain’t so!” snapped Flossie.
“Will you be still, minx?” demanded the older sister.
“I don’t care. Let’s give Helen a fair deal. I tell you, Pa, May said she came particularly to see Helen. Besides, Helen had been in Hortense’s room, and that is where May found her. Helen was brushing Hortense’s hair. Hortense told me so.”
“Ahem! I am astonished at you, Flossie. The fact remains that Helen is a source of trouble in the house. I really do wish I knew how to get rid of her.”
“You give me permission, Pa,” sneered Belle, “and I’ll get rid of her very quickly—you see!”
“No, no!” exclaimed the troubled father. “I—I cannot use the iron hand at present—not at present.”
“Humph!” exclaimed the shrewd Belle. “I’d like to know what you are afraid of, Pa?”