This was after a visit which Jeanie made one day to Agnes, coming upon her in a heated altercation with Parker. “I only wish Polly had hurt you worse than she did,” snapped the girl. “You shall not tease me. I will not stand it. I will let the chickens out when I want to.”
“But they play havoc in the garden and eat up the grain, too.”
“Plant more, then. Father does when I tell him.”
“You are unreasonable, Agnes.”
“Don’t call me Agnes. I am Miss Kennedy, if you please.”
“Miss Kennedy, then. You are unreasonable, for your fowls can be fed as well in their own enclosure as to be eating up the food we shall need for ourselves.”
“As if they could eat it all up.”
“They do not eat it all up, of course, and you know they do not have to be kept up all the year; they are free to roam where they will after the things have grown more, but we do not want them to destroy the seeds we have planted with so much care.”
“I don’t care; you shall not call me unreasonable.”
“Oh, Agnes!” Here Jeanie’s voice broke in. She had ridden over with David. “What does make you in such a temper?”