"Oh, Ellen, jump up—there's the breakfast bell—you know nothing puts Mrs. Merrill so much out of sorts as our being too late to breakfast with Uncle Villars."
"I do not care for Mrs. Merrill's being out of sorts—cross old woman; she might just as well let me have my breakfast up here as not. I will lie half an hour longer just to spite her."
"But, Ellen, Uncle Villars—"
"Uncle Villars does not care a pin about my getting up, if he only has you to sit by him; you know that as well as I do."
"Well, I care, Ellen—"
"Oh do, Mary—go, and eat your breakfast, and let me alone."
Another ring of the breakfast bell hurried Mary off, exclaiming, "Make haste, Ellen, and you may get down yet before we are done—I will eat very slowly."
The affectionate kiss with which Mr. Villars saluted Mary was followed by the question, "Where is Ellen?"
"Miss Ellen is not awake yet, I suppose, Miss Mary."
Mary at that moment heard Ellen's step on the floor above, and answered quickly, "Oh, yes, Mrs. Merrill, she is awake and up."