"Why, I'm having a good time now," said Fanny, just beginning to enjoy
herself. "Polly Pepper is real nice to me. I don't want to go home a
bit." All this as they slowly filed out in the throng.

"Well, you're going; and, oh, those Peppers and those Kings, I'm sick
to death of their names," muttered her mother, frowning on her.

"Why can't we wait for Polly?" asked Fanny, not catching the last
words, and pausing to look back.

"Because you can't, that's why. And never say a word about that Polly
Pepper or any of the rest of that crowd," commanded her mother, trying
to hurry on.

"Polly Pepper is the sweetest girl--the very dearest," declared Fanny,
in a passion, over her mother's shoulder, "and you know it, Mamma."

"Well, I won't have you going with her, anyway, nor with any of them,"
answered her mother, shortly.

"Because you can't," echoed Fanny, in her turn, and with a malicious
little laugh. "Don't I know? it's the same old story--those you chase
after, run away from you. You've been chasing, Mamma; you needn't tell
me."

"Oh, Jasper," Polly was saying, "did you really speak to me?"

"Three times," said Jasper, with a laugh, "but you couldn't answer, for
you didn't hear me."