"I—I haven't touched them!" Eagerly she seized on the small bit of relief. "I haven't seen them."
"You surprise me!" Miss Kezia said, with a strong inflexion of sarcasm in her tone. "Hadn't you better pick up that chair?"
Molly stooped and set it erect; she blinked back tears.
Miss Kezia said: "You are a very peculiar girl, Molly. I should be obliged if you would leave my things alone. You puzzle me, but I understand that you mean well."
Molly's downcast face lightened. Impulsively she burst out, "Oh, thank you, aunt—auntie!"
"I," said Miss Kezia, "object to pet names!"
She walked from the room, leaving a scarlet and abashed niece behind her.
She went into Herr Schmidt's room to see that Sarah had dusted it thoroughly. She found Sheila Pat sitting at the table, with paper, pens, and ink of Herr Schmidt's before her.
"What are you doing in here, Sheila?"
"Writin' a private letter," said Sheila Pat.