is my own language, and it tells me how to scold just right."

"No, dear, just wrong," was the reply. Then looking at the draggled
little figure with head drooped moodily and smarting hands locked
tightly at the sides, the white mother added, "You have had a cold, hard
time this morning in the hall, I know. Have you been cross about your
work?" The gentle voice invited confidence, but it did not melt
Cordelia Running Bird.

"Yes, ma'am. I was very cross at Hannah Straight Tree and the dormitory
girls. I called the dormitory girls a name, and then a pail of very
dirty water was tipped over on my stairs, so again I had to clean them,
and I screamed at Hannah Straight Tree in Dakota."

"Did Hannah tip it over?"

"No, ma'am, I tipped it over."

With all her sense of injury, Cordelia Running Bird would not tell tales
to divide the blame.

The white mother saw that there was more than she knew of connected with
the trouble in the hall, but seeing that the race mood was upon
Cordelia, she forbore all further questions.

"It has often been explained that if the older pupils spoke Dakota very
much the little ones would speak it, too, and not learn English as they
should," she said. "I'm sorry that the cross thoughts caused you to
forget, Cordelia Running Bird."