From a distance Bet heard Edith talking to a group of girls about her, "Miss Elder will make her apologize to me, and I hope it will be before the whole school. Bet thinks she can say anything, just because Colonel Baxter is rich and popular."
Bet had started toward the corner of the room where Edith was standing, but Shirley laid her hand on her shoulder.
"Come on, Bet," coaxed Shirley. "Don't listen to her. You'll only get into more trouble."
"I don't care, I'm going to tell her what I think of her."
"Aw forget it, Bet!" exclaimed Joy. "What's the matter with you today, anyway? Usually you can laugh at anything mean Edith has a mind to say to you."
"If it were about me, I could stand it. But I'll fight to the death for Kit!"
Luckily the bell rang at that moment and Bet was restrained from further quarreling.
Bet was not asked to make a public apology, as Edith had hoped. Miss Elder in her kindly way talked to the girl and made her see that to lose her temper and say unkind things was not living up to the best that was in her.
"And why did you get angry? What did Edith do?"
"Miss Elder, don't ask me to tell on her. I've never told on anyone in my life. I'll take all the punishment."
"I'm not going to punish you, Bet. I think by the looks of your unhappy face this afternoon that you have been punished enough."
"I always get sick when I get angry," said Bet shamefacedly.
"Then my advice to you is, don't get angry any more." Miss Elder had her arm about the girl and was half laughing at the serious face of the child. "Now run along home, Bet, and don't let me ever hear of you getting angry again. Promise!"
"Oh Miss Elder, I couldn't promise that. You know I get cross over the slightest thing. Dad says so! But I'll promise to try hard. Will that do? Besides I'll never be able to keep good natured when Edith is around."
"Dear girl, you must get over your habit of becoming so tense over unimportant matters. If you can't learn to like Edith, learn to be indifferent."
"I'll try ever so hard, Miss Elder but just now she's a thorn in my flesh, and oh, how she hurts!"
And Bet did try in the weeks that followed to be indifferent to Edith, but it seemed to her as if Edith went out of her way to say and do unkind things.