"Now, my dear Iris, what is all this mystery?" she asked.
"Orion has told me all about it, Aunt Jane, but I don't think I'll tell. Please don't ask me."
"It was not his fault, Aunt Jane, and I am almost sure he will never do it again; he is very sorry indeed. I think he will try to be good in future."
Mrs. Dolman was about to reply angrily, when a sudden memory came over her. She recalled words her brother had used.
"I will give you the children," he had said, "but you must try to be gentle with them."
She looked at Iris now, and did not speak for nearly a minute.
"Very well," she said then; "you are a queer child, but I am inclined to trust you. Only please understand that if ever there is any misconduct in the future, I shall insist on knowing everything."
"I am greatly obliged to you, Aunt Jane. I could love you for being so kind. I will promise that Orion never does anything of that sort again."
The children all filed out of the dining room. They had now, according to the rule of the day, to return to the schoolroom and lie down for an hour. This part of the daily programme was intensely distasteful to the little Dolmans, and certainly the Delaneys did not appreciate it a bit better, but at long last the wearisome lessons were over, and the little people were free.
The moment they got into the garden Philip and Conrad might have been seen scudding away as fast as their little feet could carry them. Iris, however, had watched them disappearing.
"I want to speak to the boys," she said to Ann.
"Please ask them to come to me, Ann; I have something most particular to say to them."
"I know what you mean," answered Ann, turning crimson; "it was Philip and Conrad who got poor little Orion into mischief. Oh, Iris! it was brave of you, and it was brave of Orion not to tell. I wondered how you had the courage to defy mamma."
"I did not defy her," answered Iris. "But please, Ann, I must speak to the boys. Send them to me at once."
"They are frightened, and are going to hide," said Ann; "but I'll soon get them," she answered. "I know their ways."
After a minute or two she returned, leading Philip and Conrad by the hands.
"Iris wants to talk to you," she said to them.
"Yes," said Iris, "I want to say something to you by yourselves."