Dulcie collapsed into a chair, and burst into tears.
“It’s all ‘the stolen child’s’ fault,” explained Molly. “She wasn’t stolen, after all, and her mother was a dreadful person, who was very rude to us, and her brother and Paul got into a fight, and——”
“Oh, Molly, how awful!” gasped Daisy. “You don’t mean Paul really fought?”
“Yes, he did, and Dulcie fought too, and sat on that horrid boy’s head, and made him stop hurting Paul, and Grandma says we’ve got to be punished.”
CHAPTER IX
MISS POLLY’S PIANO
“IT’S very humiliating to be in disgrace, and not allowed to have dinner with your family,” said Molly, with a long sigh. “I hate bread and milk, don’t you, Dulcie?”
Dulcie did not answer, but pushed away her almost untouched bowl, and rested her elbows on the nursery table. Her face was red and swollen with crying, and she looked the picture of woe. Molly regarded her critically.
“You haven’t eaten anything,” she said. “Aren’t you afraid you’ll be hungry before to-morrow morning?”
Dulcie shook her head.
“I don’t care if I am,” she said, drearily. “I can’t swallow; every time I try something chokes me.”