stay to tea we may stay."

"We? What do you mean by 'we'?"

Irene backed away, her face crimson, her eyes dancing with all their old
malignancy.

"I mean," said Rosamund, "you and I and Miss Frost."

"You mean that I am to go to the house where Carter is--Carter, whom I
nearly killed?"

"I want you to come with me. Won't you, darling?"

"I wish you wouldn't speak in that coaxing voice. People don't speak in
such a tender way to me. But no, I can't go. I really can't. I'd be
afraid. I can't meet Carter."

"But if you come with me you needn't say much. We'll go together, and
you'll find it quite pleasant. I do want to talk to other girls, for you
know I've given up all my friends for you, or practically given them up
for your sake."

"I wish you wouldn't throw in my face all that you have done for my
sake. You had better go, and let me get back to my wild ways. I had
great fun with my toads and frogs and spiders and leeches, and having
everybody looking at me with scared faces. On the whole, I had much more
fun than I have now. I was thinking about that as I was floating in the
boat, and the thought of Frost came over me, and I wondered what she
would do if I took her into a current in the middle of the lake and
frightened her as I frightened Carter. Perhaps even the thought of her
little brother and sister wouldn't keep her here any longer. Well, I
was thinking those thoughts; but then I thought of you, and somehow or
other I felt it worth while to be good just for the sake of your
presence; and in many ways you have made my life more interesting. But
if you want me to be friends with those Leaves; if you want me to see
that dreadful, that terrible Carter again; and then if you want me to go
to the Merrimans', and shake hands with that Lucy, and be agreeable to
all those people, I really can't."

"Very well, Irene, you can please yourself."

Rosamund turned on her heel and walked away. Irene stood and watched
her. She stood perfectly still for a minute, her face changing color,
her lips working, her eyes flashing. Then she took up a great sod of wet
grass and flung it after Rosamund, making a deep stain on her pretty
muslin dress. Rosamund did not take the slightest notice. She walked
calmly back to the house, went up to her own room, and sat there quite
still. Irene got back into the boat.

"I do wish Frost was somewhere near," she thought to herself. "I won't
go and see those Leaves; nothing will induce m