"But I've brought Flossie, Flossie Griffiths. I cannot leave her out." "Take Flossie with you, and both have a cup of tea." "I'll go with pleasure, if you'll come with me." "But I can't. Do speak for me, Bertie," she continued, turning to the boy. "Say that I cannot." "Miss Penelope is engaged to play a set of tennis with me," said Bertie Pearson, trembling as he uttered the words, for Nesta's aggressive manner frightened him. "She shall have her set with you as soon as I have said what I have come to say. It won't take long; I can say it if you will come as far as the house with me, Pen. You won't get rid of me in any other way." Penelope fairly stamped her foot. "If I must, I must," she said. "Bertie, keep a set open for me, like a good fellow. Come at once, Nesta." They turned down a shady walk. "Oh, Nesta, how could you?" said Penelope, her anger breaking out the moment she found herself alone with her companion. "To come here to-day--to-day of all days, and to look like that, in your very shabbiest!" "Oh, you're ashamed of me," said Nesta. "You're a nice friend!" "I am not ashamed of you," said Penelope stoutly, "when you are fit to be seen. I like you for yourself. I always have; but I don't think it right for a girl to thrust herself on other girls uninvited. Now, what is it you want? I am busy entertaining friends." "Flirting with Bertie, you mean." "I don't flirt--how dare you say so? He is a very nice boy. He is a gentleman, and you are not a lady." "Oh, indeed! I'm not a lady. My father's daughter is not a lady! Wait till I tell that to Marcia." Penelope was alarmed. She knew that if this speech reached her father's ears he would be seriously displeased with her. "I didn't mean that, of course, Nesta, you know I didn't I like you for yourself, and of course you are quite a lady. All the same you oughtn't to have come here now and--and force yourself on us." "Well, I'll go if you give me what I have come for." "What is that?" They were now approaching the house by a side entrance. "You needn't be bothered about your tea, for I don't want it," said Nesta. "I'm choking with thirst, but I don't want your tea--you who have said I'm not a lady. As to Flossie, she doesn't want your tea either. We'd rather choke than have it. There's a shop in the High Street where we can get ginger beer and chocolates. The ginger beer will go pop and we'll enjoy ourselves. It's fifty times nicer than your horrid tea. But I'll tell you what I do want--my yellow-boy." "Your what?" said Penelope, looking at her in bewilderment. "My beautiful, precious, darling twenty shillings. Only they must be given me in gold of the realm." "Nesta, what do you mean? Your twenty shillings!" "Come," said Nesta, "that's all very fine. But did you, or did you not make a bet with me?" Penelope seemed to remember. She put her hand to her forehead. "Oh, that," she said, with a laugh. "But that was pure nonsense!"