Miss Slome blushed then.

"Oh, you sweet little thing, then you know--" she began.

Maria interrupted her. She became still more traitorous to her father.

"Father has a real bad temper, when things go wrong," said she.
"Mother always said so."

Miss Slome only laughed harder.

"You funny little darling," she said.

"And Wollaston has a real good disposition, his mother told my aunt
Maria so," she persisted.

The room fairly rang with Miss Slome's laughter, although she tried
to subdue it. Maria persisted.

"And father isn't a mite handy about the house," said she. "And Mrs.
Lee told Aunt Maria that Wollaston could wipe dishes and sweep as
well as a girl."

Miss Slome laughed.

"And I've got a bad temper, too, when I'm crossed; mother always said
so," said Maria. Her lip quivered.

Miss Slome left her desk, came over to Maria, and, in spite of her