"Such prevarication is useless, Elsie, he must know the truth."
Elsie began to cry.
"There, you are contradicting me already. I won't go down—I shall be sick again—my head swims now."
"Don't distress yourself, dear, don't."
"Then let me have my own way," she pleaded.
"What do you wish? Anything to content you."
"That's a good brother," said Elsie. "Go down and merely tell Tom I have been very sick, and that Bessie has gone to New York—anywhere—not a word more."
"But he will wonder at her absence during your illness."
"No, he never wonders; it doesn't make any difference."
"I detest these white lies, Elsie."