“But please understand,” said Merry, “that, although I am your friend, I cannot give up Aneta.”
“Certainly not, dear; only, don’t take what you call sides. It is quite reasonable to suppose that girls who have only 70 just come to school would prefer to be there at first quite free and untrammeled; and to belong to a certain set immediately trammels you.”
“Well, I, for one, will promise—at any rate at first—that I won’t belong to any set,” said Merry. “Now, are you satisfied, Maggie?”
“Oh, truly I am! Do let me kiss you, darling.”
The girls kissed very affectionately.
Then Maggie said, “Now I am quite happy.” After a pause, she continued as though it were an after-thought, “Of course you won’t speak of this to any one?”
“Unless, perhaps, to Cicely,” said Merry.
“No, not even to Cicely; for if you found it hard to understand, she would find it impossible.”
“But,” said Merry, “I never had a secret from her in my life. She is my twin, you know.”
“Please, please,” said Maggie, “keep this little secret all to yourself for my sake. Oh, do think how important it is to me, and how much more you have to be thankful for than I have!”