me," said Phyllis. "Our
positions are different. However, if you choose to be ungrateful you
must."

And she walked away, leaving Hetty sitting alone reflecting sadly on her
words. So after all it was not kindness and liking for her that had made
these people include her in their invitation. It was only the desire to
have their party made more amusing by her performance. She wished she
could do what was required of her, so that she need owe them nothing.
But she could not; and how hateful she must seem.

All her pleasure was over now, and she was glad when the moment came to
get away. Her silence was not noticed during the drive home, for every
one else was too sleepy to talk. But Hetty was too unhappy to be sleepy.

The next morning Miss Davis asked at breakfast if the party had been
enjoyable.

"It was all very nice," said Phyllis, "until towards the end, when Hetty
put on fine airs and refused to be obliging. After that we all felt
uncomfortable."

"That is not true, Miss Davis," said Hetty bluntly.

Her temper had suddenly got the better of her.

Phyllis's blue eyes contracted, and her lip curled.

"Please send her out of the room, Miss Davis," she said.

"Hetty, I am sorry for this," said Miss Davis, "I could not have
believed you would speak so rudely."

"You have not heard the story, Miss Davis."

"I have heard you put yourself very much in the wrong. Phyllis would not
tell an untruth of you, I am sure."

"She said I put on fine airs," said Hetty, trembling with indignation.
"I did not put on airs. They wanted me to perform, and I could not do
it. If I had done it Phyllis would have been the first to blame me. I
remember how she scorned me for doing it long ago."

"I hope you will make her apologize to me, Miss Davis," said Phyllis
quietly. The more excited poor Hetty became, the quieter grew the other
girl.

"She is ungenerous," continued Hetty, striving valiantly to keep back
her tears; "she knew her mother would not approve of my performing; and
besides, I told her I was afraid. If I had done it she would have
complained to Mrs. Enderby of my doing it."

This passionate accusation hit Phyllis home. She knew it was true--so
true that though she had arraigned Hetty before Miss Davis for the
pleasure of humbling her, she yet had no intention of carrying the tale
to her mother, fearing that Mrs. Enderby would say that Hetty had been
right. Had Hetty made "a show of herself" by performing, Phyll