Page:Carroll Rankin--Dandelion Cottage.djvu/182

 160  keep your tongues and your hands off my children in the future."

Jean closed the door and the four girls looked at one another in silence. None of their own relatives was at all like Mrs. Milligan and they didn't know just what to make of their unpleasant experience. At last, Marjory gave a long sigh.

"Well," said she, "I came awfully near telling her when she forbade our playing with Laura that my Aunty Jane has forbidden me to even speak to her poor abused Laura."

"As for me," said Mabel, with lofty scorn, "I don't need to be forbidden."

"Come girls," said Jean, "I'm sorry it had to happen, but I'm glad the matter's ended. Let's not talk about it any more. Let's have one of our own good old happy days like we had before Laura came."

"I'll tell you what we'll do," said Bettie, "we'll each write out a bill of fare for Mr. Black's dinner party, and we'll see how