``Nor I--nor anybody else,'' declared a
severe voice--both the words and the severity
being most extraordinary as coming from the
usually gentle Aunt Hannah.

``Oh, well, never mind,'' spoke up Billy, quickly.
``Everything's all right now, so let's forget it.
She always meant it for kindness, I'm sure.''

``Even when she told you in the first place
what a--er--torment you were to us?'' quizzed
Cyril.

``Yes,'' flashed Billy. ``She was being kind to
_you_, then.''

``Humph!'' vouchsafed Cyril.

For a moment no one spoke. Cyril's eyes were
on Marie, who was nervously trying to smooth
back a few fluffy wisps of hair that had escaped
from restraining combs and pins.

``What's the matter with the hair, little girl?''
asked Cyril in a voice that was caressingly irritable.
``You've been fussing with that long-
suffering curl for the last five minutes!''

Marie's delicate face flushed painfully.