‘Hear I a cannon or a rifle,
That is an unessential trifle!’
‘What nonsense boys do talk!’ said Gillian, turning her back on them with regret; for much as she loved her class, she better loved a walk with Jasper, and here was Dolores on her hands in a state of exasperation, believing her to have broken her promise, and muttering,
‘You set him on.’
‘No, indeed I never did! You know I promised.’
‘There are plenty of ways of getting out of a promise.’
‘Speak for yourself, Dolores.’
There were ten minutes of offended silence, and then Gillian said, ‘This is nonsense! You may believe me, I was sorry I laughed at the first verses you showed me, and mamma said I ought not. We never spoke of it, but Miss Hacket has been giving mamma all the poems, and Jasper must have got at them. Don’t you see?’
‘Oh yes, you say so,’ said Dolores, sulkily.
‘You don’t believe me!’
‘You promised that your brothers should never hear of it.’