The child looked round with a frightened, flushed face, then raising her chin in the air, she walked steadily on as if he had not spoken.
"Have I frightened you?" he asked, with amusement.
There was no reply. The grey eyes were blinking nervously, but the face and figure retained its erectness.
"Come, come Greta, you mustn't snub me. What have I done that you will not speak to me?"
Still no signs of relenting. Rufus whistled perplexedly, then, with a laugh, exclaimed:
"I bet that old tartar has told you not to speak to me; now, hasn't she?"
He bent down to look into the flushed face, and noted the determination of the firmly-closed lips, but not a word could he get from her, till at last when she reached the school, in desperation he laid his hand upon her shoulder.
"I promise not to speak to you again till you give me leave, if you will only tell me why you are dumb this morning."
Then Greta, from her advantage of a flight of stone steps between herself and him, turned and looked at him.
Her eyes were rapidly filling with tears, but shaking the glittering drops from her long lashes, she spoke with perfect self-control.