“Then you will do without him,” said Harriet roughly. “Go back to your play, you little silly. Run back at once.”
Curly Pate burst into loud screams and yells, and Ralph, forgetting his allegiance to Harriet, flung his arms round her and comforted her valiantly.
In the midst of this scene, Miss Ford hurried up.
“What is the matter?” she asked.
“Ralph and Pattie and I are going away for a little by ourselves,” said Harriet. “Curly Pate wants to come with us; but we don’t want her.”
“Yes, I want her,” said Ralph.
“Why can’t the child go with you?” asked Miss Ford.
“No, she can’t,” said Harriet, looking very cross. “Very well, darling,” said Miss Ford, catching the child in her arms and kissing her. “I’ve got something so nice to show you.”
She carried the weeping baby away, and Ralph, with a great pain at his heart, followed Harriet. His school-mother! Oh, yes, she was that. But did he like her? He was not sure. She puzzled him extremely. She was not half as interesting as on that wonderful day when she had devoted herself to him, and told him stories about the gipsies.
As soon as ever Miss Ford had turned the corner, and had carried the weeping Curly Pate out of sight, Harriet turned to Pattie.