nguage of those eyes, but Billy knew their
vocabulary from the smallest to the greatest word.

"I wouldn't believe it either," said Mrs. Bays, "if I had not just heard
her say it with my own ears."

"Did she say it with your own ears?" interrupted Tom.

"Now, Tom, please don't interrupt, my son," said Mrs. Bays. "She said to
her own mother, Mr. Little, 'I won't;' said it to her own mother who has
toiled and suffered and endured for her sake all her life long; to her
own mother who has nursed her and watched over her and tried to do her
duty according to the poor light that God has vouchsafed--and--and I've
been troubled with my heart all day."

Rita, poor girl, had been troubled with her heart many days.

"Yes, with my heart," continued the dutiful mother. "Dr. Kennedy says I
may drop any moment." (Billy secretly wished that Kennedy had fixed the
moment.) "And when I asked her to tell me what she did last night at the
social, she answered, 'I can't and won't.' I should have known better
than to let her go. She hasn't sense enough to be let out of my sight.
She lied to me about the social, too. She pretended that she did not
want to go, and she did want to go." That was the real cause of Mrs.
Margarita's anger. She suspected she had been duped into consenting, and
the thought had rankled in her heart all day.

"You did want to go, didn't you?" snapped out the old woman.

"Yes, mother, I did want to go," replied Rita.

"There, you hear for yourself, Mr. Little. She lied to me, and now is
brazen enough to own up to it."

Tom thought the scene very funny and laughed boisterously. Had Tom been
scolded, Rita would have wept.

"Go it, mother," said Tom. "This is better than a jury trial."

"Oh, Tom, be still, son!" said Mrs. Bays, and then turning to Rita: "Now
you've got to tell me what happened at Scott's social. Out with it!"

Rita and Dic were sitting near each other on the edge of the porch. Mr.
Bays and Tom occupied rocking-chairs, and Billy Little was standing on
the ground, hat in hand.

"Tell me this instant," cried Mrs. Bays, rising from her chair and going
over to the girl, who shrank from her in fear. "Tell me, or
I'll--I'll--"

"I can't, mother," the girl answered tremblingly. "I can't tell you
before all these--these folks. I'll tell you in the house."

"You went into the kissing game. That's what you did," cried Mrs. Bays,
"and your punishment shall be to confess it before Mr. Little." Rita
beg