Page:The House Without Windows.djvu/94

 But Toby began to cry bitterly. "Why did you send her away, Mother?"

"I didn't, Toby. She ran as soon as I came. Who is she?"

That Toby did not answer. There were two instincts equally strong struggling within himone to obey his mother, and the other to do what the strange girl asked him to with the threat of refusing to play with him if he did not.

"I can't tell you, Mother," he said courageously. It would have been as true if he had said "I don't know," for he knew nothing but her name, after all. However, he never stopped to think that knowing her name was not all there was to knowing her.

Mrs. Carrenda wisely pursued the matter no further; but she determined to keep watch.

Eepersip was much more cautions after this. She was always on the lookout. Several times Toby asked her why she didn't want to be seen. But she would not answer him. She was, however, very kind in all other respects. Several times Mrs. Carrenda found Toby playing with her, but never spoke or let him know. She saw that Eepersip played nicely with him and that they liked each other much; no she did not interfere. Once, however, she put her hands suddenly on Eepersip's