"Yes, ye do everything possible TO me—"
"What?"
"I mean—FOR ME. I should have said FOR me, aunt!" and Peg's blue eyes twinkled mischievously.
"Then why do you constantly disobey me?" pursued the old lady.
"I suppose it is the original sin in me," replied Peg thoughtfully.
"WHAT?" cried Mrs. Chichester again taken completely aback.
"Oh, I say, you know! that's good! Ha!" and Alaric laughed heartily. Peg joined in and laughed heartily with him. Alaric immediately stopped.
Ethel took absolutely no notice of any one.
Peg sat down beside her aunt and explained to her:
"Whenever I did anythin' wilful or disturbin' as a child me father always said it was the 'original sin' in me an' that I wasn't to be punished for it because I couldn't help it. Then he used to punish himself for MY fault. An' when I saw it hurt him I usen't to do it again—for a while—at least. I think that was a grand way to bring up a daughter. I've been wonderin' since I've been here if an aunt could bring a niece up the same way." And she looked quizzically at Mrs. Chichester.