"What are you afraid of, dear?" asked Kate, as Julia Grafton lifted the blushing child to her knee, and held her fast. "What is the reason you don't like me?"
Maggie made no answer, except by wriggling her head and shoulders, and putting up both arms, so as to cover her face as much as possible.
"Miss Kate," said Bessie gravely, "you could not 'spect Maggie to be very fond of you."
"Why not?" asked the laughing Kate. "You are very fond of me, are you not?"
"Not much," said Bessie. "But I'd be fond of you if you did not tease my Maggie. I shouldn't think you'd like to be such a trouble to any one, Miss Kate."
"I should like to know how I am a trouble to her," said Kate.
"You look at her."
"Look at her!" exclaimed Kate; "and is Maggie not to be looked at? Why, I look at you too, mousie; but you do not seem to mind it."
"You don't look at me that way," said Bessie, feeling quite sure that Kate understood what she meant. "When the doors are open, you look at Maggie in a way to tease her, and make her miss her lessons. The other day you made her miss three times."
"Pshaw! that's nonsense," said Kate, half-vexed, half-amused.