Maureen approached quite near. She laid her gentle hand on the little fiery head, and did what Henrietta required. Henrietta made some futile attempts to bite her, but Maureen was sharp enough to evade them.
"Henny," she said then in her gentle voice, "I must confess something to you."
"Lawk-a-massy me! That sounds a bit of Yorkshire relish. You—Goody-two-shoes—confessing forsooth! Well, go ahead. I'm in the mood to be pleased with any trifle; so would you, if you had been tied in this chair since early morning. It doesn't hurt a bit. It's even fairly comfy, but I can't move my hands or arms or legs or even my head much. Dinah, Dinah, isn't it time for thee to feed thy sister Quaker again?"
"Not yet, child," was Dinah's reply.
"There," said Henny. "You see for yourself the way I'm treated, and yet I'm fond of Dinah. I'm going to join her persuasion and will go to the Meeting-House with her and speak when the Spirit prompts me. I have been thinking out what my first discourse will be. It will all be about a horrid girl called Maureen, who secured for herself a great lump of mumsie's money. I'll show you up, Maureen. I rather guess it will be an exciting meeting."
"Thou must not speak of our holy Meeting-House in that fashion," said Dinah.
"Please, dear Dinah," suddenly interrupted Maureen, "let her say just what she likes for the present."
Dinah bent over her fine sewing and her lips moved in silent prayer.
"That's how she goes on all day," said Henrietta. "Lively for me, isn't it? Well, Miss Hate—Hate—Hate, and how do you find yourself?"
"Henrietta, I've come here to-day——"