"That large parcel that came home yesterday," said Daisy. "It is for papa, so mamma said it wasn't right for me to peek; and now it's in the hall-closet where I can't even see the outside of it. I asked mamma if I couldn't just open the closet door and look at it, but she told me I'd better not, 'cause, if I did, it might be a temp-ta-tion," repeated Daisy with a justifiable pride in the long word and her correct pronunciation of it.
"Yes, I know," said Nellie, turning to kiss the chubby, befloured little face at her side. "I know, darling; and you were a wise girl to keep away; you've been very good yesterday and to-day. Don't put in any more flour till I come back. I am going into the store-room for another paper of ginger."
"Carrie," said Daisy, when Nellie had gone, "did you ever have a temp-ta-tion?"
Carrie did not like this question; innocently as her little sister put it, it brought back to her too plainly that yielding to temptation of which she had so lately been guilty.
"Of course, child," she answered pettishly, "everybody does."
"Did it make you do somefing naughty?" was Daisy's still more unwelcome question.
"Mind your own business," snapped Carrie. "Daisy, I never did see a child who talked so much."
Daisy ventured no further remark, but stood gravely regarding Carrie with reproving displeasure till Nellie returned, when she turned to her and said,--
"Nellie, isn't it more politer to say, 'Please wait and talk a little more anofer time,' than to say, 'Mind your own business, you talk too much!'"
"I should think it was. O Daisy, what a funny child you are!" said Nellie, much amused, and without the least suspicion that Carrie was the offender in question. "Who has been so rude to you, darling?"
"Never mind," said Daisy. "Carrie, I won't tell tales 'bout you, if you was rude to me,--oh, so rude!"
Nellie laughed merrily again over Daisy's fancied concealment of Carrie's sins against her.
"I don't see what there is to laugh about," said Carrie, angrily. "You think Daisy is so smart."
Nellie was grave in a moment, wondering, as she had had occasion to do many times during the last twenty-four hours, what could make Carrie so cross and ready to take offence.
"No more now," answered her sister. "Catherine, the receipt don't _say_ cinnamon, but papa likes it so much, I think I will put some in. It can't do any harm, can it?"