Scarcely had she done so ere she heard her aunt's step
approaching.
"I came to congratulate you, my dear," said Mrs. White warmly. "Most of
the success of the entertainment was due to-- Why--what--you are almost
crying," and she stopped in some confusion.
"Oh, aunty!" wailed Dorothy. "I seem to be so misunderstood lately. And
Agnes Sinclair made such a queer--such a strange remark to me--just as I
was leaving the last tableau."
"Why, what could she say, child?"
"She said--she said," and Dorothy hesitated, while the warm blood coursed
to her pale cheeks--"she said--everybody knew Tom Scott was in--in love
with me!"
Mrs. White simply stared at her niece. Then she shook her head ruefully,
but she hardly knew what to say, for fear of further embarrassing Dorothy.
"Why, you dear, precious baby!" she exclaimed at length, as she placed her
hand caressingly on Dorothy's head. "Doesn't everybody know what Agnes
thinks of Tom? She is old enough to have such thoughts, and her reason for
inflicting them on you, my dear, is merely a consequence of you--of you
doing the work that older girls usually do. I should not have allowed you
to take so much responsibility, Dorothy. We know, however," continued Mrs.
White very gently, "that the pretty Agnes admires Mr. Scott very much. So
you must excuse her seeming indiscretion."
Dorothy's mind was instantly relieved.
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