"Oh! A French dictionary!" commented father.

"It isn't books, Horace," remarked Aunt Nettie, incomprehensibly.
"It's that O'Neill girl."

"What's that O'Neill girl?" demanded Missy, in a low, suppressed
voice.

"Well, if you ask me, her head's full of--"

But a swift gesture from mother brought Aunt Nettie to a sudden
pause.

But Missy, suspecting an implied criticism of her friend, began with
hauteur:

"I implore you to desist from making any insinuation against Tess
O'Neill. I'm very proud to be epris with her!" (Missy made the
climactic word rhyme with "kiss.")

There was a little hush after this outburst from the usually
reserved Missy. Father and mother stared at her and then at each
other. But Aunt Nettie couldn't refrain from a repetition of the
climactic word;

"E-priss!" And she actually giggled!

At the sound, Missy felt herself growing "deathly mute, even to the
lips", but she managed to maintain a mien of intense composure.