that she had interrupted something, paused and looked uncertainly from Amy
to Mollie and back again.

"Why, Mollie," she cried anxiously, "what is the matter?"

"Oh, can't you find something original to say?" snapped Mollie irascibly.
"Seems to me that's all I hear from morning to night. 'Oh, Mollie, what's
the matter--what's the matter, Mollie?' till I could scream."

"Oh, please excuse me," said Betty, with a little freezing quality in her
voice. "I thought I might help; but if that's the way you feel about it--"

Quick as a flash Mollie had run to her and, repentant, thrown her arms
about the Little Captain's neck.

"Please forgive me, Betty," she cried. "I'm perfectly horrid, and I know I
don't deserve a friend like you. But--well, I'm just a beast, that's all,"
she finished lamely.

Betty laughed and patted her shoulder comfortingly.

"I guess we all are once in a while," she said, adding with a return of
her old cheeriness, "Now, prove your repentance by 'fessing up. It's sure
to make you feel better."

"Well, it wasn't anything much," Mollie replied, her face clouding again.
"Only--I had a quarrel with--with--somebody--"

"How very explicit," drawled Grace, who had entered the room in time to
hear the last part of the sentence.