“You do so! You like her because she’s—”
“You stop that, Dotty Rose! Don’t you dare say that! I’ll like her if I want to,—so there now, and you can think whatever you please! I don’t care what you think!”
A step on the porch sounded, and the angry combatants, ashamed to be caught quarrelling, ran back to the dining-room.
“Where are you, ladies of the house?” called out Mr. Fayre, as he and Mrs. Fayre stepped into the study.
“All right, be there in a minute,” called Dotty in a cheery voice, as she mopped her heated brow with her handkerchief, and straightened her rumpled collar.
And in a moment, two normally serene girls came in the room to receive their guests.
“What were you talking about as we came up the steps?” asked Mrs. Fayre, in idle curiosity; “you were speaking so loudly and excitedly.”
“We were—” began Dolly, and stopped. She was a truthful child, and since she didn’t want to state the facts, she preferred to say nothing. Dotty too, began to speak and stopped.
“Never mind, Mother,” said Mr. Fayre, laughing, “let the girls have their little secrets.”