As the two children went down the stairs together, Nelly said,
“Isn’t she good, Melindy?”
Melinda was not accustomed to behave herself for so great a length of time; her stock of good conduct was now pretty nearly exhausted, so she answered rather sharply,
“Of course she is. I know that as well as you, without bein’ told.”
Nelly felt something choking her in her throat.
“I will not,” she said firmly to herself, “I will not answer back. I’ll do as Martin says, and make a friend of Melindy, if I can. She isn’t so very bad, after all. Why, I do believe I rather like her.”
They gathered their books together in the school-room. Melinda opened the door first, to go.
“Well, good-bye,” she said, gruffly, looking back at Nell.
“Good-bye,” replied Nelly; and then she added, bravely, “Oh, Melindy, we needn’t quarrel any more, need we? I don’t wish to, do you? Let us be friends; come, shake hands.”
Melinda turned very red, indeed.