Page:George Weston--The apple-tree girl.djvu/53

 again and unconsciously preening herself. "I was never so surprised in my life. And this awful piece about how popular and pretty I am."

But still Charlotte said nothing.

"I wonder why they didn't print your picture?" asked Margaret, turning to her cousin, piqued by her silence.

"How could they," retorted Charlotte, "when I didn't give them one?"

"Oh! Did anybody ask you for one?"

"No! They did not."

Margaret turned and took a long, lazy look at her cousin. "Good reason why," she said.

And then she laughed!

As everyone knows, there are laughs and laughs; and in spite of all she could do, Charlotte found herself divided between anger and tears. She went to her room as soon as she could, feeling as though her cheeks had been stung with nettles; and there she threw herself