with her hands?"

Nyoda eyed her calmly. "She wasn't saying anything about you at
all. She and Hinpoha were playing a game, a very clever and
original game, by the way, having an auction sale in sign
language. Sahwah bought all the figures but one, and then,
wishing a diversion, refused the last one. It just happened to
be the one representing you."

"I see," cried Gladys, breaking into Nyoda's explanation, "she
wouldn't buy me."

Nyoda felt weak inside and tingled with a desire to shake Sahwah,
but she never changed countenance. "I don't believe that ever
occurred to her," she said loyally. "You are so quick to jump at
conclusions, Gladys. Just because you couldn't understand what
they were doing you thought it must be something unpleasant about
you. Your outburst at that time frightened Sahwah so she
probably thought she had done something dreadful. Now Sahwah
feels badly and so do all the girls. You don't want her to go on
feeling that way, do you?"

Gladys said nothing. Nyoda slipped her arm around her and smiled
down at her. "You know that the girls are not trying to make it
unpleasant for you, don't you, now?"

Gladys smiled faintly. It was impossible to withstand Nyoda's
pretty pleading. Nyoda, watching her face, saw that she had
gained her point. "And you'll like Sahwah and let her like you,
won't you?" she said, hugging Gladys to her.