"All right, sir," said Louisa, taking the indiarubber bottle he had brought down; "don't you worry."
Dick took a book, and planting his elbows on the table, seemed to be reading; in reality he was blinking his eyelashes very hard, to keep back tears.
Dorothy thought the whole world was going mad. As far as she knew the only trouble in it was her own.
"Aren't you going to take any supper, Dick?" she said plaintively.
Dick pushed the egg and apples away, and cutting himself a hunch of bread, went out of the room without speaking.
"Every one is very polite to-night," thought Dorothy. However, she sat down, ate Dick's egg and helped herself to apples with plenty of sugar, and felt a little comforted.
At eight o'clock she went up to bed, glad the tiresome, miserable day was at an end. She trod very softly, but her mother heard her and called her in.
Dorothy was glad, for she spoke in her natural voice and not at all as if she were angry.
She was still dressed and lying on the bed, but her hand, which had frightened Dick by being so cold, was now burning.
"I spoke hastily to you, Dollie," she said. "You didn't know how important it was. I am going to tell you now, dear, for it may be a lesson to you."