"If you do, I think you are downright mean not to tell me. I'm 'most as old as you, and she's my mother as much as she is yours."
These latter facts Nan could not deny, so she answered weakly, "Well, anyhow, I shan't tell."
Mary Lee was slow to wrath, but once aroused she did not hesitate to speak her worst. She deposited her roll of horse blanket upon the ground and the duck with satisfied quacks waddled forth from the encumbering folds, glad of her freedom. "You are altogether too high and mighty, Nancy Weston Corner," said Mary Lee, quite outraged by Nan's refusal. "You're a scurvy old pullet, so there!"
"I like your way of calling names," returned Nan contemptuously. "I should think any one could tell that you had been near a slop barrel; you talk like it."
Mary Lee did not wait for further words, but fled to her mother, Nan following, taking the shorter way and reaching her mother first. "I tried to tell Mary Lee without saying why," she began breathlessly, "and she called me a horrid name, so I don't know how it will turn out."
"I think we shall have to tell her," said Mrs. Corner. "I did not realize that it might be difficult for you."
Mary Lee's footsteps were hastily approaching. She burst into the room with, "Mother, is it true that you are going away?"
"What for? Nan was so mean and wouldn't tell me."
"I didn't give Nan permission to tell you why I was going."
"She needn't have been so disagreeable about it though," said Mary Lee. "Why didn't she say that you told her not to tell?"
"You didn't give me a chance," put in Nan. "You called me a scurvy old pullet before I could explain."
"What a name, Mary Lee," said Mrs. Corner reprovingly. "Where did you hear it?"
"Don't say it again. If you lose your temper like that and cannot bridle your tongue, I am afraid your mother will have many sorry moments while she is away trying to regain her health."
In an instant Mary Lee was on her knees by her mother's side. "Are you ill, mother?" she asked anxiously.
"Not very, but I may be if I do not have a change of climate, so I am going to take a trip. I have hardly left this place for eight years and more. I shall come back trig as a trivet, Mary Lee, so don't be troubled about me."