"Then I would take away your wooden key and lock you, together with your books, in the closet."
"Then I would pull the shortest hair from my crown and blow on both ends and make a wish and turn into an elf—no, a gnome,—no, that isn't it either—anyhow, I would turn into something very thin and flat and slide out under the door."
"But you couldn't get your books out, dear—and it would be too lonesome and dark to study in the closet."
"But I would catch some fire-flies out thah and slide back under the door—then I would have a light, and when I study I don't get lonesome."
"Then a sad thing would happen, my dear—I would be compelled to switch you——"
Belle-Ann vented a peal of pent-up glee and pulled the prematurely white head toward her.
"Then I would kiss you thah and thah and thah—I would do what you always tell me—I would give good for evil—and I would not switch you back, and would only squeeze you hard—like this——"
The woman in turn touched the dimpled, mischievous face fondly and kissed the red mouth, so temptingly close to her. Miss Worth the while had held a free hand behind her and in this hand she secreted something.
"I really didn't come in to frolic, Belle-Ann," she said. "I came to tell you something—rather to ask you to do something for us."
"Who's us, Miss Virginia?" quizzed Belle-Ann, her roguish, child-like curiosity superseding her levity.