A Flock of Girls and Boys

aid Tilly Morris, indignantly, as Dora woun

, and that they are aunt and niece, and that the niece is fourteen or fifteen,-just as the paper said,-and that they are

ushing scarlet as she

t going to talk about it, either. How man

dy but you yet. I've

nst a neighbor, and the neighbor went to law about it, prosecuted the woman for slander, and they had a horrid time. The woman's daughters had to go into court and be examined as witnesses. Oh, it was horrid; and the worst of it was that even though there was some truth in the stories, there were things that were not true,-exaggerations, you know,-and so the woman was declared guilty, and he

" she began, "I haven't repeated thi

as she came up behind the two girls. Dora began to explain,

ry; "you can't frighten me that way, Tilly Morris. We can't be p

t in the newspapers that this Mrs. Smi

son article she had cut out, and read aloud: "'An older child-a daughter of fourteen or fifteen-was left behind in this country with Smithson's brother's widow, who h

and not-not these-our-my Smiths. What did your mothe

r tell mamma such things; she is a nervous invalid, and

lieve it's somebody else," flashed back Til

up for your Smiths, if you l

Agnes, I should think you'd get tired of ratt

ad come out on the piazza just as t

f him. "I think you are very rude to listen

d I didn't spring at you," he responded indignantly. "I simply me

hear?" asked A

Miss Peggy, and Tilly had been defending her." Will's bright eyes, as he said this, suddenly observed that

should answer this question, as she fully expected her to do, by producing the cutting from the newspaper and repeating her accusations. But whe

ghtful facts now about Miss Peggy

impressed Will very strongly, as Agnes fully intended; and when a minute later she slipped her hand over Dora's arm, and went off with her toward the tenn

Even, yes, even if it was true,-for Tilly, spite of her vehement defence, her stout declaration of disbelief at the first, had a shuddering fear at her heart as she thought of that last paragraph about the girl of fourteen or fifteen

uld agree with her that the story was not to be chattered about; and even if it were true that Mrs. Smith and Peggy were those very Smithsons, neither was to

and perhaps she would find some careful way to investigate the matter and prove that they were not.

d to the story; "I don't believe a word of Agnes's su

,-the girl of fourteen or fifteen, and-and the letter,-

it that Agnes fou

I don't know which one,-I on

her, she put on her spectacles and began the search for "Smithson, alias Smith." One, t

ety, and her heart sank as she noticed how serious was the exp

cried, "you do believ

it may possibly be, that's all; bu

uldn't you inquire-c

on is her father, I doubt if she has been told by anybody the facts of the case,-probably there was some very different reason given her for dropping that last syllable of the name. However it may be, it would be

r, when Agnes te

your description of the way she to

le read the pap

than I did, if Agnes's spitefu

oor Peggy

ut we needn't waste time in thinking what if this or that; the clea

are such a dear! I kne

s an informal affair that was to follow very soon after dinner on account of the youth of most of the dancers. Her heart beat more quickly as she looked across at the corner table and saw Peggy a

s will be horrid to her about it in some way or other; but

astened out to join Peggy and her aunt when they left the dining-room. But

lly, wait

ovement with them to the piazza. That it was a planned movement to separate her from Peggy, Tilly did not doubt; for once out on the piazz

wed to her with a swift little smile. Then, "How pretty Peggy Smith looks!" and "What a

can embroidered muslin,-convent work, you know,"

lly, trying to seem calm and ind

my cousins have had several of those dr

retty dress, saw with pity the di

or I was sure when she came out that she was intending to join us, and that they preven

say something rude," replied auntie, regard

spite of their disapproval," laughing a little, "that I think I ought to sti

s uninvited. Well, I must say she has nerve!" mu

erself, and by Tilly's side she seated herself. It was in doing this that the delicate materi

y gown! it's to

und an ugly little rent that had nearly

-too bad!" sym

and it won't show," ans

h American stuff so that it won'

wered Peggy, as coolly; "but a

t like it," broke forth Tilly, hurriedly, hardly knowing

ke up Agnes, "if you knew anybody out there,

said Peggy, turning to Ti

e?" asked Agnes, with an i

, meeting Agnes's stare with

id this poor Tilly to herself, "that South American gown, I suppose, proves that she must be that Smithson man's daughter; but grandmother was right,-she is innocent of the facts

and, casting a glance of scorn and contempt at Ag

ther end of the piazza and walk up a

action that probably had not been premeditated even by her jealous and bitter spirit. Tilly will never forget that action. It was just as she was turning away with Peggy, when she saw that