call it extremely selfish of you and John to have had this secret all this time, and never to have told us,"said Hugh, on the morning before New Year's Day, as they all sat at breakfast.
Agnes looked up over the "cosy," a surprised hurt look overshadowing the brightness of her face.
"You do not really think it unkind, Hugh?" she asked; "you are only trying to tease me."
"I'm not joking at all," answered Hugh, dropping his eyes so as not to meet her beseeching ones. "For you and John to have kept this to yourself all this time is exceedingly selfish."
"Why, I didn't know," said Minnie.
"Nor I," said Alice.
"That's different!" exclaimed Hugh hastily; "you're girls; but I'm only two years younger than John, and I don't see any reason why you should not have told me."
"There was no reason," said Agnes gently, "except just this: Mother thought that it would be a little pleasure for New Year's Eve, and a secret that is told to everyone is no secret."
"But I might have been told; I should not have let it out like a girl."