"Did you?" asked Cuthbert.
Elma wondered that he could be so negligent in speaking to Adelaide Maud. She never could bear to see Cuthbert severe, and it had the effect of terrifying her a trifle and making her take the hand of Adelaide Maud in a defensive sort of manner.
Adelaide Maud held her hand quite tightly, as though Elma were really a friend of some standing.
"I didn't intend to, but I know it seemed like it," said Adelaide Maud in perfectly freezing tones.
Cuthbert looked at her very directly, and seemed to answer the freezing side more than the apologizing one.
"Oh--a small thing of that sort, what does it matter"? he said grandly.
Adelaide Maud turned quite pale.
"Thank you," said she. "It's quite sweet of you to take it like that," and she marched out of the schoolroom with her skirts swishing and her head high. No--it would never do to invite Adelaide Maud to the party.
Elma however had seen another side to this very dignified lady, and so ran after her and took her hand again.
"You aren't vexed with me, are you?" she whispered.