"Sophy Grouch! Sophy Grouch!" Julia repeated, teasingly.
The mark on Sophy's left cheek grew redder. Julia laughed mockingly. Sophy looked down on her, still very grave.
"You do look pretty to-day," she observed—"and happy."
"Yes, yes! So I tease you, don't I? But I like to see you hang out your danger-signal."
She held out her arms to the little girl. Sophy came and kissed her, then sat down beside her.
"Forgive?"
"Yes," said Sophy. "Do you think it's a very awful name?"
"Oh, you'll change it some day," smiled Julia, speaking more truth than she knew. "Listen! Mother's consented, consented, consented! I'm to go and live with Uncle Edward in London—London, Sophy!—and learn elocution—"
"Learn what?"
"E-lo-cu-tion—which means how to talk so that people can hear you ever so far off—"