Part 33 (2/2)
”Stop, Maggie. I have not been unjustly accused by anyone.”
”Basil, you know you didn't break the little sister's miniature, nor steal it from Miss Nelson. You know you never did!”
Basil put his arm round Marjorie's waist.
”You think not?” he said with a slow, rather glad sort of smile.
”_Think_ not? I know you didn't do it! _You_ do anything mean and horrid and wicked and shabby like that! _You?_ Look here, Basil, even if you told me you did it, I wouldn't believe you.”
”All right, Mag; then I needn't say anything.”
”Only you might just tell me----”
”What?”
”That you didn't do it. That you are shamefully and falsely suspected.”
”No, I could not tell you that, Maggie. My father has every right to be annoyed with me.”
”Basil!”
”I can't explain, my dear little Mag. You must just take it on trust with me. I am not falsely accused of anything.”
Marjorie unlinked her hand from Basil's clasp. She sprang off the window-ledge on to the floor.
”Look here,” she said, ”I can't stand this! There's a mystery, and I'm going to clear you. Oh, yes, I will; I am determined!”
”No, Maggie, you are not to clear me. I don't wish to be cleared.”
”Basil, what do you mean?”
”What I say. I don't wish to be cleared.”
”Then father is to go on being angry with you?”
Basil suppressed a quick sigh.
”I'm afraid he will, for a bit, Maggie,” he answered. ”He'll get over it; I'm not the first fellow who has had to live a thing down.”
”But when you never did the thing?”
”We won't go into that. I've got to live it down. Boys often have rough kinds of things to get through, and this is one. It doesn't matter a bit. Don't fret, Mag. I a.s.sure you, I don't feel at all bad about it.”
”Oh, look at the moon!” suddenly exclaimed Marjorie. ”Isn't she a lady? isn't she graceful? I wish those trees wouldn't hide her; she'd be so lovely, if we could have a good look at her.”
”We can't half see her here,” said Basil. ”Let's come into father's room. We'll have a splendid view from one of his windows.”
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