which I was arranging and tying up
in bunches in order to carry them home more easily. I heard footsteps,
which I recognised by their briskness and firmness, and looking up I saw
my brother approach, walking, as usual, erect, with his head well thrown
back but with stern lines in his face which I had not seen there before.
I looked up smiling, expecting his usual kind greeting, but instead of
that he strode straight up and stopped in front of me.

"'I was just thinking of you, Elfie,' he said, looking down at me, 'I
have something to say to you which I can as well say here as any place
else. I don't know why you should be so unamiable and discourteous to my
aunt, as you are, and I cannot allow it to continue. I will say nothing
of your manner to me. You receive here nothing but kindness. My great
desire is to make you happy, but it does not seem as if I succeeded very
well. At any rate, Aunt Evangeline must not be made uncomfortable, and I
should be doing you a wrong if I allowed you to behave so rudely.'

"'Why can't she leave me alone?' I exclaimed angrily, 'I don't want to
play to her.'

"'One does not leave little girls alone,' he answered calmly and
sternly, 'and such behaviour from a young girl to an old lady is most
unbecoming. It must come to an end, and the sooner the better!
To-night,' he continued in a tone that made me look up at him, 'you will
apologise to my aunt and _offer_ to play.'

"'I shall do nothing of the sort!' I exclaimed, turning crimson.

"'Oh yes, you will,' he answered quietly, 'I am accustomed to be obeyed,
and I don't think my little sister will defy me.'

"And with that he strode away, leaving me in a perfect turmoil of angry
feelings. I jumped up, scattering my lapful of violets, and started to
walk in the opposite direction. At lunch we met, he ignored me
completely, but I did not care, I felt hard and defiant.

"After dinner, he conducted Aunt Evangeline to the drawing-room as
usual, and as soon as she was seated he turned and looked at me, and
waited. I made no move, though I felt my courage, which had never before
forsaken me, ebb very low. He waited a few moments, and then said in a
tone, which in spite of all my efforts I could not resist:

"'Now, Elfie!'

"I rose slowly, with his eyes fixed on me all the time, crossed the room
to Aunt Evangeline, and stopped in front of her. 'I am sorry, Aunt
Evangeline, that I have been so rude to you,' I said in a low, trembling
voice.