“I reckon it’ll mean being kept in, Aunt Lucinda; that’s what the ‘rankin’’—Miss Rankin seems to do to them when they fail too badly. It’s very silly of her, I think; she just has to stay herself.”
“I should not like it to be that, Elizabeth; particularly under the circumstances. For this time, you may go down to the parsonage after supper, and study with Sarah. Delia shall call for you at nine o’clock.”
“That’ll do finely, Aunt Lucinda.”
So, after supper, Blue Bonnet presented herself at the parsonage.
“But how came you to leave your books at school, Elizabeth?” Sarah asked.
“Forgot them,” Blue Bonnet answered, serenely. “One can’t remember everything all the time.”
“But—” Sarah’s tone was suggestive.
“And sometimes one can’t remember anything any of the time,” Blue Bonnet added.
They went into Mr. Blake’s study, where Sarah lighted the low reading-lamp and drew two very straight-backed chairs up to the table.
“I wish you wouldn’t look so businesslike, Sarah,” Blue Bonnet said. “You make me feel tired.”