of course," said Jane, with whimpering irony. "Let Jane do all the
nasty things first. I think it's very hard. You fancy that Jane is a
fool; but she isn't."

"You are certainly not such a fool as you look, Jane," said Agatha
gravely. "But I will record first, if you like."

"No, you shan't," cried Jane, snatching the pen from her. "I arm the
eldest; and I won't be put out of my place."

She dipped the pen in the ink resolutely, and prepared to write.
Then she paused; considered; looked bewildered; and at last appealed
piteously to Agatha.

"What shall I write?" she said. "You know how to write things down; and
I don't."

"First put the date," said Agatha.

"To be sure," said Jane, writing it quickly. "I forgot that. Well?"

"Now write, 'I am very sorry that Miss Wilson saw me when I slid down
the banisters this evening. Jane Carpenter.'"

"Is that all?"

"That's all: unless you wish to add something of your own composition."

"I hope it's all right," said Jane, looking suspiciously at Agatha.
"However, there can't be any harm in it; for it's the simple truth.
Anyhow, if you are playing one of your jokes on me, you are a nasty mean
thing, and I don't care. Now, Gertrude, it's your turn. Please look at
mine, and see whether the spelling is right."

"It is not my business to teach you to spell," said Gertrude, taking the
pen. And, while Jane was murmuring at her churlishness, she wrote in a
bold hand:

"I have broken the rules by sliding down the banisters to-day with Miss
Carpenter and Miss Wylie. Miss Wylie went first."

"You wretch!" exclaimed Agatha, reading over her shoulder. "And your
father is an admiral!"

"I think it is only fair," said Miss Lindsay, quailing, but assuming the
tone of a moralist. "It is perfectly true."

"All my money was made in trade," said Agatha; "but I should be ashamed
to save myself by shifting blame to your aristocratic shoulders. You
pitiful thing! Here: give me the pen."

"I will strike it out if you wish; but I think--"

"No: it shall stay there to witness against you. How see how I confess
my faults." And she wrote, in a fine, rapid hand:

"This evening Gertrude Lindsay and Jane Carpenter met me at the top of
the stairs, and said they wanted to slide down the banisters and would
do it if I went first. I told them that it was against the rules,
but they said that did not matter; and as they are older than I am, I
allowed myself to be persuaded, and did."

"Wha