Part 6 (2/2)
”Basil, I thought you had gone with the others.”
”I wasn't ready, and Maggie has promised to send the boat back for me.”
”Maggie! As if she could give orders.”
”She can remind other people though. I'd back Maggie any day never to forget what a fellow wants.”
”Oh, yes, she's first with everyone. It's a very nasty stifling hot day.”
”Poor Ermie, you're cross, so you see everything distorted. You know whose pet you are, as well as possible--and the day is perfect, superb.”
”Am I really your pet, Basil?”
”You conceited puss, you know you are. So is Maggie, too. She's a little darling.”
The latter part of Basil's speech brought the cloud once again to Ermengarde's face.
”Oh, of course Maggie is everyone's pet,” she said.
Her brother interrupted her. ”Don't begin that nonsense over again, Ermie; it's too childish. You are under punishment, I don't know for what. Of course I'm awfully vexed. But why abuse poor little Mag? I say, though, do you like apples?”
”Apples? Pretty well.”
”You mean awfully. I have brought you some beauties.”
”How can I get them? I'm a prisoner here.”
”Oh, rot about your being a prisoner. Well, fair lady, you see if your knight can't come to your a.s.sistance. Now, catch!”
He threw up a small piece of cord which he had weighted with lead.
Ermengarde secured it.
”Pull, pull away! You will soon be in possession of the spoil.”
Ermengarde pulled, and presently a dainty basket, which she recognized as Marjorie's most treasured receptacle for her working things, was grasped by her willing hands.
”Now, good-by, Ermie. I'm off. The boat will be back by now. Of course I shan't botanize without you to-day, never fear. By-by; eat your apples, and reflect on the shortness of a single day.”
Basil bounded across the lawn, cleared the haha at the end, and disappeared from view.
His interview with Ermengarde had both a soothing and a tonic effect on her. She felt almost cheerful as she sat by the open window, and munched her apples. That basket contained more than apples. There was one large peach, and two slices of rich plumcake were stowed away under the fruit. Then, perhaps dearest possession of all, Marjorie's own special copy of ”Alice in Wonderland” lay at the bottom of the basket.
After making a hearty meal of the fruit and cake, Ermengarde drew Miss Nelson's own easy-chair in front of the window, and taking up Marjorie's book began to read. She felt almost comfortable now; the punishment was not so unbearable when a brother sympathized and a sister lent of her best. The precious little copy of ”Alice” had received a stain from the juice of the peach, and Ermengarde tried to wipe it out, and felt sorry for its owner.
After all Marjorie was good-natured, and if she had been base enough to tell, she had at least the grace to be sorry afterward. Ermengarde thought she would ask Marjorie when she had told, how she had told, and where. She felt that she must believe her little sister, for no one had ever heard even the semblance of an untruth Marjorie's honest lips.
Ermengarde sat on, and tried to lose herself in Alice's adventures.
She was not at all sorry for her disobedience of the day before, but she was no longer in a state of despair, for her punishment seemed finite, and but for the thought of the wild happiness of the others, her present state was scarcely unendurable.
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