“I certainly do,” returned Elizabeth calmly.
“Well, I should think you would be ashamed to be seen in it. Mother,” she called, “do come here and see this child. I declare, I don’t know what she will do next. Where did you get that hideous waist? I don’t recognize it.”
“You should, for it used to be yours,” returned Elizabeth.
“Mine? I never possessed a queer fadey blue thing like that. Of all combinations—with those sky-blue hair-ribbons. I don’t see what induced you to put them together.”
“It was the best I could do,” Elizabeth told her. “I had nothing blue and so I dyed the waist, and the ribbons were on a hat of yours that you got wet. You gave them to me for my dolls and ’Lectra pressed them out for me.”
Kathie gazed at her with an expression of helpless despair. “Mother,” she said, as Mrs. Hollins entered the room, “do look at this child. Can you believe she went to school dressed that way?”
“Why did you do so, Elizabeth?” asked her mother quietly.
“I did it to mortify the flesh,” returned Elizabeth defiantly, but speaking to Kathie. “I think you are very wrong to discourage me from keeping a vow and trying to be good. I can’t take pilgrimages and do things like that, and you go to work and cast wet blankets upon my holy purposes.”
Kathie had to laugh at the very injured expression. “I don’t see the point yet,” she said, “but I do see that you are the most absurd child that was ever created. Have you an idea of what drove her to this absurdity, mother?”
“I think I have, perhaps. She will tell me, I am sure. Go on and eat your dinner, Elizabeth, and we will see about this afterward.”