"So that is all you think about," said her governess, laughing, "Shall we ask if your cousin Edith may go with us?" she inquired a minute later.
Instantly the faces of all three fell.
"Oh!" they cried at once, and the exclamation was not now one of delight, but of dismay and dissatisfaction.
"You see she has no one to play with at her Grandmamma's. It must be rather lonely for her there, poor little girl," said Miss Jameson.
Still the three kept silence, and their faces were very expressive. At last Florrie spoke: "I would not mind if she were pleasant," she said; "but Edith is always so disagreeable."
"Yes," said Katie, slowly, "I suppose we ought to ask her. It would be doing as we would be done by; but—it will spoil all our pleasure."
Katie had thought seriously of what her governess had said on the previous night. She had tried to forgive Edith, and she hoped she had forgiven her; but she could not feel that it would be pleasant to have her company in the Park on Monday. Here was another proof that it was hard to be good, for she felt sure that it would be the right thing to ask Edith to join them.
"I think we must leave it for Gertie to decide, as it is her birthday," said Miss Jameson.
Gertie glanced anxiously at her sisters ere she spoke; but they said nothing, wishing her to have entire freedom of choice. Then, after hesitating for a few moments, she said timidly: "Miss Jameson, I would like to ask Edith. It is what Jesus would have us do, is it not? And perhaps she will not be so cross on Monday."
Miss Jameson smiled tenderly on the little girl. "Very well, dear," she said; "you and I and Harry will walk to Grandmamma's this afternoon, and ask if Edith can accompany us on Monday. Kate and Florrie are going into the town with Sarah."