Mrs. Harrow glanced at Betty in dismay, but she answered hurriedly.
“O, I wasn’t whispering, Rosy, but I suppose my voice was husky because of reading so long, and we were only talking about how people don’t half sew braid on skirts nowadays,” she said glibly, the while Betty’s eyes grew round with an amazement that was almost horror. “You know, darling, Betty being such a great girl and wearing long dresses has to have braid on the bottom of her skirt just as ladies do.”
Deeply shocked by such duplicity in one whom she had always respected, Betty dropped weakly into a chair. But her spirit did not fail her. And when Mrs. Harrow began to point at the open book, puckering her lips and grimacing grotesquely, though the girl knew what she meant, she wouldn’t respond. Mrs. Harrow, however, was equal to the occasion.
“What’s that, Betty?” she asked, affably rhetorical. “O—that book? I’m reading it to Rosy and it is very sweet, indeed. I want just to run out and do my marketing before Mr. Harrow gets back, and if you want to go on with the book while I’m gone, I sha’n’t feel rushed. Page 63 is where I stopped. See, right there. You might just read that sentence over to get a good start.”
Betty took the book and read the sentence in docile fashion. She went on quietly and Mrs. Harrow, after standing on the threshold a few moments, left the room. Betty read steadily until she heard the gate slam to. Then she stopped in the midst of a sentence.
CHAPTER VIII
“ROSE, I’ve got something to tell you!” cried Betty eagerly. “It’s something splendid, but I can’t do it here. Come out and take a walk, won’t you? You see I want to be sure to get it all over without your mother’s hearing. You can tell her afterwards.”
Rose’s eyes filled with tears.
“O, Betty, I couldn’t,” she protested, her voice dropping its listlessness. “I haven’t been out since—you know, except when papa takes me in the buggy.”
“Well, what of that?” demanded Betty. “All the more fun, if it’s the first time. It’s lovely to-day. Everything looks and smells so sweet. We won’t go far.”