“She is not always sweet and yielding. You should see her when Airy Tingsby is about.”
“I know she does not like Airy,” said Berty, in an amused voice, “but Airy likes her.”
The Judge looked grave. “Bethany is trying to overcome her dislike. She has Airy here a good deal lately.”
“And you have put Airy in Miss Featherby’s school, I hear,” said Berty, with slight curiosity.
The Judge smiled. “Yes, you know Dallas undertook to instruct her. He mystified me greatly, for I knew he did not mind doing it, and yet he suddenly became loath to go out to the Tingsby cottage to give Airy her lessons.”
“Of course, now, you understand that that was in consequence of his instructions from us, to keep about the house as much as possible.”
“Yes, now, I understand, but then I did not. However, I reasoned the matter out with myself. Airy would be better under a woman’s care, so I called on Miss Featherby. I had some scruples about putting Airy in a boarding school.”
“And such a fashionable one,” murmured Berty.
“But Miss Featherby is such a sensible, such a very sensible person,” continued the Judge, “that I very much wished Airy to be under her care.”
“You really like the poor little mortal, Judge, I do believe,” exclaimed Berty, irrepressibly.