"I believe they are; but what does that matter?"
"What does that matter!" echoed Matilda, with a curl of her lips. "Dear, dear! I think you must have taken leaves out of Kate O'Connor's book. By the way, they say—stoop down and I'll whisper to you—that that young lady will be obliged to stoop to charity, after all; that sainted grandfather of hers did not leave her much money, and her illness has swallowed up a considerable portion of what was reserved for her educational expenses here."
"Surely that is not our affair."
Molly turned scarlet as she spoke; she had to place the most violent control upon herself to remain another moment by Matilda's side.
"I do want to be good to you," she said. "I am sure we all at St. Dorothy's want to be good to you, Matilda,—at least, I think we all do,—but oh, please, if you wish to have a nice time here, you must give up that sort of thing."
"What sort of thing?" asked Matilda.
"You must not repeat what you think other people have said; you must try hard not to make mischief. As to Kate, I will not listen to a word against her; in fact, I won't talk about her to you at all."
"Oh, hoity toity!" said Matilda, tossing her head.
Molly soon afterward left her.