"Nellie," said Maggie, "you need not guess by what Gracie has told you, for she is not right."
"I'll put my question another way," said Nellie. "Can I ask Gracie once again?"
All agreed and Nellie asked,—
"Was she celebrated for her beauty and her misfortunes?"
"I shan't tell you," said Gracie snappishly. "If I do, I shan't be believed, but they'll all go and contradict me. I suppose I know what I know; and any of you might be proud if you knew as much history as I do and had kept the head of the class so long."
Gracie had for a moment forgotten how disgracefully she had lost her place at the head of the history class, but the silence that followed her ill-tempered speech brought it back to her and increased her vexation.
"You all think you know so much," she said, throwing herself back sullenly in her chair.
Bessie had begged Lily to bear with Gracie and not to aggravate her as she seemed so miserable and out of spirits, and Lily had been very forbearing; at least, so she thought. But now her small stock of patience was quite exhausted and she exclaimed vehemently:—
"Gracie, we try to stand you; we do try with all our might and main; but you use up every bit of standing there is in me!"
This did not mend matters in Gracie's present state of mind, but led to a pretty severe quarrel between her and Lily which the others vainly tried to heal, Lily being rather provoking, and Gracie obstinately sullen and ill-tempered.