"Millie," she said, without any beating about the bush, "I've come to ask you to go and tell Mrs. Barnes that it was you that broke her beautiful tea-set."
Millie coloured, but she only laughed contemptuously. The rest of the little crowd looked on and listened, open-mouthed. "Dear me! Have you really, Miss Poll Pry! Well, now you have asked me you can go home again, and attend to your own affairs. We don't want you here."
Patty took no notice of her rudeness. "Millie," she pleaded, "you will tell? You won't let Mona bear the blame."
"I don't know what you're talking about——"
"Oh, yes, you do. I saw you come out. I mean, I thought that was where you came from. I was just going in to speak to Mona myself, and I found her——"
"Mona Carne's a sneak."
"No, she isn't."
"Well, she needn't tell her grandmother that she knows anything about it. It might have been the wind blew the things over, or a cat. If I was Mona I'd go out to play, and let her come in and find the things."
"Mona couldn't be so mean and underhand. Mrs. Barnes knows about it already, too."
"Then there's no need for me to tell her," retorted Millie, dancing away. "Ta-ta, Patty-preacher."