“She’s as good as anybody. You don’t like her, nor care to play with her at all, or you would not be so obedient all at once.”
Just then the door opened, and Mary appeared.
“Don’t you want to go and slide? It is fine on the ice, Lillie,” she exclaimed.
“Miss Lane and papa don’t like Lillie to go on the ice alone,” answered Jennie, quickly.
“That was when the ice was thinner,” interposed Lillie, angry at her interference.
“What a baby you are, to care for everything Miss Lane says. I don’t see what right she has to rule you.”
“She don’t rule us,” cried Jennie, indignantly; but Lillie, whose wrong-doing had not been without its effect upon her sense of justice and natural nobleness, began to consider herself an ill-used person, and flushed crimson at the thought of being “ruled.”
“She does,” continued Mary; “why, the other afternoon, Lillie was afraid——”
A quick, imploring gesture from Lillie stopped her words, and Jennie, facing round, eyed both girls suspiciously.
“What was she afraid of? What have you been doing?”