der
ordinary circumstances the ladylike Nora would have hated climbing
trees, but now all was forgotten in her fierce desire to lay hold of the
daring, exasperating little Kitty and to force her secret out of her.
How dared Annie Forest snub Nora and then confide in a baby like Kitty?

"Unless you come down this minute, I'll follow you into the tree and
drag you down," said Nora. "Now you know what I mean to do, so come down
this instant."

"Not I, not I," laughed Kitty. She had been rather frightened while Nora
was taunting her on the ground, but now she felt so secure that she
could afford to laugh, and even in her turn to use taunting words.

"I knew you were too much of a coward, fine, ladylike Miss Nora, to
climb up here," she said; "and I'm going to stay here just as long as I
please."

"Oh, are you?" said Nora. "There'll be two people to decide that point."
She was in a blind fury now, and, before Kitty could say another word,
began to swarm up the tree. She managed to catch the branch where Kitty
had planted herself, and in another instant would have caught hold of
the little girl's dress; but Kitty and Boris could both climb like
monkeys, and it did not take the little girl an instant to swing herself
on to a higher branch. Nora's mettle was now up. She was resolved that
Kitty should not conquer her. The spirit of defiance in Kitty made her
resolve to die rather than be taken.

"You shan't catch me--you shan't," screamed the child. "I'm lighter than
you. I'm going to creep on to the end of this bough; it will bear my
weight, but it won't bear yours, Nora. Don't attempt to get on it, Nora;
if you do the bough will break."

Kitty, as good as her word, crept on to a dead branch of the forest
beech tree; it was high above the ground and nearly bare of leaves. It
looked what it was, thoroughly rotten; but it bore Kitty's light weight
without strain. She reached almost the end, and turned her flushed,
laughing, defiant face towards Nora. Nora had reached the bough, but
hesitated a moment before trusting herself on it.

"Who said I was going to be caught?" exclaimed Kitty. "Hurrah! hurrah!
I'm safe enough."

"I will catch you!" exclaimed Nora. "You horrid, sneaking little cheat.
This bough looks firm enough. It will hold me as well as you; anyhow,
I'm going to try."

"Don't, don't!" screamed Kitty. She was really frightened now, for she
saw the danger from the position where she was sitting far more plainly