"I didn't," said Emily. "I wouldn't, because I just meant to tell Florry. I think she ought to know. Florry, Tilly said you stole her watch that day you were there."
"Stole her watch!" repeated Florry, too much annoyed even to be angry. "What does she mean?"
Emily began at the beginning, and told Florry the whole story as she had heard it from Tilly. Emily was a very truthful girl, and she related the matter quietly and exactly as she had heard it.
"You see, nobody would have believed a word of it, only that Tilly said Emma Hausen told her that you had stolen some plants from her mother. She says Emma's mother told her never to tell; but Emma was angry because you went above her, and spoke of it before she thought; and then she asked Tilly not to tell. Oh, Florry, don't cry! It is not worth minding."
For Florry's head had sunk down on Jenny's shoulder, and was sobbing so violently that the girls were startled.
"What shall we do?" said Jenny.
"Shall we call Miss Van Ness, Florry? Can't we bring you anything?"
"No, don't call anybody," said Florry, trying to quiet herself. "Let us sit down here. I want to tell you something. Oh, girls, don't desert me; will you?"
"Of course we won't," said warmhearted little Jenny. "Sure, if I knew it was all true, I would stand by you just the same. What's the good of having a friend, if one is going to give them up the first minute they do anything wrong? Besides, I know you haven't done anything. I don't so much wonder at Tilly: she's not much, anyhow; but I am surprised at Emma."
"But it isn't true, of course," said Emily: "I mean what Emma said. 'We know the other isn't."