The pain was over, but the little wrist was still "a sight to behold" when Auntie Prim came home with her calico dress and "various things" in her bag; and grandma said, in a ringing voice,—
"Mrs. Prim, we have a little girl here who is quite a heroine. Yes, a heroine, I say!"
"Do you mean our little Mary? Why, what has she done?" asked auntie, coolly, as she put away her bonnet and parasol. But she wasn't quite so cool after she had heard the story.
"Why, you good, high-minded little girl! A grown woman couldn't have been braver," said she, and actually kissed Flaxie.
"It is a great pity I bound you by a promise; I needn't have done it. Some little girls can be trusted without any promises," she added, looking at grandma with an approving smile.
Flaxie blushed for joy. She had always had a vague feeling of being looked down upon by Auntie Prim, as a wild little girl who was "so fond of running"; and now to have this stern, good woman praise her so!
"But," said auntie, unrolling the dotted brown calico and laying it across her lap, "how came that bee in here, with the doors shut and the fly-screens all in?"
As she spoke, two bees buzzed and circled slowly above her head. In her surprise I must confess Mrs. Prim screamed. Flaxie was delighted. Mrs. Prim, however, was a little ashamed, for the minister, Mr. Lee, at that moment entered the door.
"Ah, what's this?" said he, laughing; "are you hiding away my bees?"