Cousin Ann broke into the discussion by asking, in her quiet, firm
voice, "Why do you want 'Lias to know where the clothes come from?"
They had forgotten again that she was there, and turned around quickly
to stare at her. Nobody could think of any answer to her very queer
question. It had not occurred to any one that there could BE such a
question.
Cousin Ann shifted her ground and asked another: "Why did you make these
clothes, anyhow?"
They stared again, speechless. Why did she ask that? She knew why.
Finally little Molly said, in her honest, baby way, "Why, YOU know why,
Miss Ann! So 'Lias Brewster will look nice, and Mr. Pond will maybe
adopt him."
"Well," said Cousin Ann, "what has that got to do with 'Lias knowing who
did it?"
"Why, he wouldn't know who to be grateful to," cried Betsy.
"Oh," said Cousin Ann. "Oh, I see. You didn't do it to help 'Lias. You
did it to have him grateful to you. I see. Molly is such a little girl,
it's no wonder she didn't really take in what you girls were up to." She
nodded her head wisely, as though now she understood.
But if she did, little Molly certainly did not. She had not the least
idea what everybody was talking about. She looked from one sober,
downcast face to another rather anxiously. What was the matter?
Apparently nothing was really the matter, she decided, for after a
minute's silence Miss Ann got up with entirely her usual face of
cheerful gravity, and said: "Don't you think you little girls ought to
top off this last afternoon with a tea-party? There's a new batch of
cookies, and you can make yourselves some lemonade if you want to.
Pages:
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130