"Whatever it is," her mother continued, I want you to look nice; Betty says Rosalind Whittredge has beautiful clothes."
"I just know she is a prig," remarked Belle, caressing the kitten.
"No, she isn't!" A tumbled head and a pair of eyes very like Belle's own peered out suddenly from beneath the table cover. "If she was, she wouldn't have run away to take supper with Morgan."
"Mercy upon us, Jack! you are enough to startle the sphinx. Come out from under that table at once," commanded his mother.
"Did she do that?" asked Belle, with some interest, adding, "Is it very bad, mother? Can you clean it? How do you know she did, Jack?"
Mrs. Parton shook her head; "I'll try French chalk," she said.
"Miss Betty said so. She saw her," put in Jack.
Mrs. Parton rose. "Another time when you lose a penny, I will make it good rather than have your best dress spoiled," she remarked.
"But you see, mother, it was a church penny," Belle explained, as if she were mentioning some rare and peculiar coin. "Arthur brought the collection home because Uncle Ranney wasn't there, and when he untied his handkerchief on the porch a penny dropped out and rolled into the grass."
"Who is going to Miss Betty's?" Jack asked, as his mother left the room.