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act out of one's mind as much as might be,' said Mr. Audley, feeling himself unable to deny what had been so broadly expressed.
'And we, at any rate, had better drop talking of snobs,' said Felix.
'Hollo, Felix! I am sure you for one would not be a snob if you had turned chimney-sweeper, and let Tom Underwood nail me to his office; he'll never make one of me!'
'I trust so,' said Felix; 'but it is not the way to keep from it to throw about the word at other folks.'
'What's that?' cried Alda. 'Really, that boy must be falling upon some of them.'
It was Lance, in great deshabille, who, opening a crack of the door, called cautiously, 'Wilmet, please come here.'
Wilmet hastily obeyed, saying anxiously, as the door was shut, 'Never mind, dear Lance, he's in a horrid mood; but do bear it, and not make Felix more in a rage.'
'Bosh about Ful,' said Lance unceremoniously. 'It is Cherry; she is crying so upstairs, and Clem and I can't get a word out of her.'
Cherry, though older than the boys, had to precede them in vanishing for the night, as her undressing was a long operation dependent upon Sibby. Wilmet ran up in haste, and did indeed find poor little Geraldine with her face smothered under the clothes in an agony of weeping, very serious for so frail a little creature.
'Cherry! Cherry, dear, don't! Are you feeling solitary? Are you missing him? Oh, don't! Yes, dear, 'tis so sad; but we all do love you so.'
Wilmet would have kissed and fondled her, but the child almost thrust her away.
'Not that. Oh, not that! I wish it was.'
'My dear Cherry, you can't have been naughty!'
'Yes, yes! indeed I have. And now--'
'I can't think--O Cherry, if you would only tell me what you mean!' cried Wilmet, aghast.
And with agonised sobs. Cherry whispered, 'Mr. Rugg--O Mettie--such things as I said about him to Sister Constance--I made sure I had forgiven--long ago--and now--now, after that.'
If Wilmet h