“You must play for us, too; Dora says you play the piano something grand.”
“Oh, no, I don’t,” protested Gretel, blushing. “I used to play much better than I do now; I’m afraid I’ve forgotten a great deal. I shall be glad to play for you, though, if you would really like to have me.” And then, as the visitors had finished removing their out-door garments, she led the way to the parlor.
The first object to attract Peter’s attention was the candy box on the parlor table, and he opened his lips for the first time, and remarked in a rather high-pitched voice:
“Gee! you’ve got something good in that box, I bet.”
Gretel was very much embarrassed.
“I’m afraid we can’t have any of it,” she explained. “I’m very sorry, but you see, it doesn’t belong to me. A gentleman sent it to Miss Marsh, and I don’t believe she would like to have us touch it. We’re going to have some—some refreshments by and by.”
Peter—who had already lifted the lid from the candy box—looked rather crestfallen, but Lillie again came to the front.
“Never mind him,” she remarked, airily; “Peter’s an awful greedy boy.”
“Shut up,” retorted her brother. “I ain’t one bit greedier than you are.”
Lillie flushed indignantly, but before she could reply, Dora—who had lingered behind to hang the children’s wet raincoats up to dry—appeared upon the scene, and hastened to interpose.