"There, I've done all this this month."
"That's very good for you," said Belle, patronizingly, "but I'd be willing to bet——"
"Don't say 'bet,'" murmured Edith.
"I'd be willing to bet anything," continued Belle, "that you'll never finish it."
"Why, Belle," continued the others.
"No, you won't," repeated Belle, "you never could, you'll get tired of the pattern or of the color, or you will spoil it in some way, and throw it into the fire, or worse into that bottom drawer of yours with all those other specimens."
Brenda, instead of growing angry at this, only laughed.
"Well if I don't wish to finish it, I certainly won't," she replied. "But it happens that I have made up my mind to finish it this Autumn, before Christmas, in fact, so you can make your bet as large as you please, and pay the money into the fund for Manuel's benefit, for I shall win."
The girls were all a little surprised at Brenda's reply. She was more ready usually to answer pettishly any criticism made by Belle.
"Very well," said Belle, "Edith and Nora are my witnesses, and we shall watch to see when you finish that centrepiece."