"But I are," said Dreamikins, whose grammar got very bad when she was excited. "I've runned away, and if you'll keep me a few days I'll be very much obliged. Why—"
Here she stopped, gazed gravely at the farmer and his wife, then, planting her elbows on the table, rested her chin in her hands and smiled sweetly upon them.
"Do you know what you'll be doing if you take me and give me a bed to-night? You'll be doing what Jesus said we must do if we love Him; you'll be feeding a stranger—that's me—instead of Him, but He counts it just the same, and He'll make you into His sheep and put you on His Right Hand in heaven. So you see I'd better stop, hadn't I?"
"Well, of all the darlings, you are the prize one!" said Mrs. Dufty, beaming upon her. "And dearly should I love to keep you, but think of your people, what a state o' mind they'll be in."
Dreamikins' eyes twinkled.
"Annette will be running all over the place, and shaking her hands; she always shakes her hands when she's fussing; and Fibo—well, I won't think about him, because I'm going to go on being wicked!"
She shut her lips firmly together, and gave a nod at Mrs. Dufty. There was a little defiance in the nod. And then the door opened and the carter's wife appeared.
"Please, mum, Annie says the young lady comes from the Dower House. Captain Arnold be her uncle. Annie's home is in the village, she says."
Dreamikins jumped down from her chair and stamped her foot on the floor.
"I don't care what Annie says, I aren't going back to-day."