"No, dear," answered Beatrice, quickly.
"Why not?" asked Mrs. Mackenzie, innocently; "it might amuse you, Bee."
"I doubt it," said the girl. "I'm going to help Kit."
"Cousin Rob put her out," explained Johnny, "because she told a lie."
Above everything else on earth, Beatrice hated to wash dishes, but she plunged into the work with a will after dinner, as a penance, and in spite of Mrs. Howard's protests.
"It's so good of you to help me," sighed Katherine, as the last dish was put away; "for mother is tired out, and I have a headache. None of us slept much last night, I fancy."
"I know I didn't, but I seldom sleep in the daytime. I wish you and Aunt Eleanor would go and lie down. I can take care of myself."
"All right," answered Katherine, "if you don't mind."
Beatrice sat by the window a little while after the house became quiet, then went over to Mrs. Franklin's, but there was no response to her rap. "Everybody's asleep, I guess," she said to herself.