your house, and tell your mother you've run away _again_"

It was very disagreeable to Miss Dimple to be pursued in this way; but
she put on an air of defiance.

"I shouldn't think you'd want to go where you wasn't wanted, Miss
Rosenberg."

Lina had never intended to do such a thing; she had not courage enough.

"O, dear! what shall I do to make you go back with me? My mother'll scold
me awfully for letting you get away."

"Well, there; you've got the dreadfulest mother, Lina, and I'm real
sorry; but it's no use to tease me; I wouldn't go back, not if you should
cut me up into little pieces as big as a cent."

Lina was ready to fall upon her knees, right on the pavement. She
offered Dotty paper dolls enough to people a colony; but Miss Dimple was
as firm as a rock, now her face was once set towards home. Lina turned on
her heel, and slowly walked away. Dotty called after her:--

"There, Lina, now you've told an awful story! You said you'd go to my
house, and tell my mother I'd run away again; and now you don't dare go;
so you've told an awful wicked story."

With this parting thrust at her tormentor, Dotty turned again to the
misery of her own thoughts. Her home was already in sight; but the
uncertainty as to her reception there made her little feet falter in
their course. Her head sank lower and lower, till her chin snuggled into