Helleny, I do, I swow! And when she capers round she makes me
think of the way you danced 'High putty Martin' the time you stuck a
sliver in your heel--"

Up to this point 'Lena had stood immovable, amid the loud shouts of
her companions, but the fire of a hundred volcanoes burned within and
flashed from her eyes. And now springing forward, she caught the
letter from Carrie's hand, and inflicting a long scratch upon her
forehead, fled from the room. Had not Durward Bellmont been present,
Carrie would have flown after her cousin, to avenge the insult, and
even now she was for a moment thrown off her guard, and starting
forward, exclaimed, "the tigress!"

Drawing his fine cambric handkerchief from his pocket, Durward gently
wiped the blood from her white brow, saying "Never mind. It is not a
deep scratch."

"I wish 'twas deeper," muttered John Jr. "You'd no business to serve
her so mean."

An angry retort rose to Carrie's lips, but, just in time to prevent
its utterance, Durward also spoke, saying, "It was too bad to tease
her so, but we were all more or less to blame, and I'm not sure but
we ought to apologize."

Carrie felt that she would die, almost, before she'd apologize to
such as 'Lena, and still she thought it might be well enough to give
Durward the impression that she was doing, her best to make amends
for her fault. Accordingly, the next time her cousin appeared in the
parlor she was all smiles and affability, talking a great deal to
'Lena, who returned very short but civil answers, while her face wore
a look which Durward construed into defiance and hatred of everybody
and everything.

"Too passionate," thought he, turning from her to Carrie, whose
voice, modulated to its softest tones, rang out clear and musical, as
she sported and laughed with her moody cousin, appearing the very
essence of sweetness and amiability!

Pity he could not have known how bitterly 'Lena had wept over her
hasty action--not because _he_ witnessed it, but because she knew it
was wrong! Pity he could not have read the tear-blotted note, which
she laid on Carrie's work-box, and in which was written, "I am sorry,
Carrie, that I hurt you so. I didn't know what I was about, but I
will try and not get so angry again."

Pity, too, that he did not see the look of contempt with which Carrie
perused this note; and when the two girls accidentally met in the
upper hall, and 'Lena laid her hand gently on Carrie's arm, it is