“To save me! To save me!” said Pauline.
Her tone was dramatic; her action was more so. She fell on her knees by Briar’s bed; she clasped her arms round the little girl’s neck; she laid her head on her shoulder and burst into tears. The birthday queen was weeping. Could emotion go beyond that fact? Patty bounded out of her bed and knelt by Pauline’s other side. The two little girls clasped their arms round her. She had exercised a glamour over them all day, which now became greater than ever. Was she not their queen? Oh, yes, until midnight she was their own dear and absolutely beautiful queen. An hour was still left of her sovereignty. She had quite stolen their hearts; they loved her like anything.
“What is it, Paulie?” said Briar.
“I must tell you,” said Pauline. “I know you won’t betray me.”
“Indeed we won’t,” they both answered.
“Well, then, this is what has happened.”
She began to tell her story. She told it quickly, for the time was short. If they were to meet Nancy they must steal away almost at once. Pauline told her tale with scarcely any comment. When it was finished she looked at her sisters. The moonlight was in the room, and Pauline’s face looked ghastly, but it looked beautiful also. Her eyes were very big and dark and solemn and beseeching. Briar and Patty glanced at each other.
“Shall we?” said Briar.
“It seems the only thing to do,” said Patty.
“All the same, it is awfully wrong,” said Briar.