And now Bessie saw that there was really a twinkle in the keen eyes, and that he wasn't as angry as he looked. "What's her name? Bessie, eh? Bessie King? Well, sit down, Bessie, and we'll have a talk. No use standing up--none at all! Might as well be comfortable!" "Thank you, sir," said Bessie, and sat down. She was still nervous, but her fright was lessened. He was much more kindly than she had expected him to be, somehow. "Now, let's find out all about this, Bessie. Didn't you know you oughtn't to frighten the birds? Or didn't you think they'd be frightened--eh, what?" Bessie didn't understand, fully, at first. "But I didn't frighten them, sir," she said. "They thought so. Stupid birds, eh, to think they were frightened when they weren't? But you remember they didn't know any better." He laughed merrily at his own joke, and glanced at Mrs. Chester, as if he expected her to laugh, too, and to be amused, but her eyes were troubled, and she was very thoughtful. "Come, come," he went on. "It's not so very terrible, after all! We've all of us done things we were sorry for--eh, Mrs. Chester? I'll wager that even you have--and I know very well that there are lots of things I can think of that I did just because I didn't think there was any harm in them." "Some people wouldn't admit that, General Seeley, but it's very true," said Mrs. Chester. "I know it is in my case." "Well, well, can't you talk, Bessie? Aren't you going to tell me you're sorry and that you won't do it again?" "I'm sorry the birds were frightened," said Bessie, bravely. "But I can't say that I won't do it again--" "What's that? What's that? Bless me, what's the use of saying you're sorry if you mean to do it the next time you get a chance?" The general was flushed as he spoke, and his eyes held the same angry look they had worn at first. Mrs. Chester sighed and decided that it was time for her to speak. "I don't think that was just what Bessie meant, General. I think you didn't understand her--" "Well, well, perhaps not! What do you mean, Bessie?" "I mean I can't promise not to do it again, sir, because I didn't do it at all, in the first place. Really, I didn't--" "Oh, nonsense!" said the general, testily. "I'm ready to overlook it--don't you understand that? All I want you to do is to confess, and to say you're sorry. Nothing's going to happen to you!" "I can't confess when I didn't do it," pleaded Bessie. "And if I had done it, I'd say so, whether anything was going to happen to me or not. That wouldn't make any difference." General Seeley jumped to his feet. "Oh, come, come! That's nonsense!" he said. "Who else could have done it, eh? Answer me that! I've said I'd forgive you--" "But, General," protested Mrs. Chester, "if Bessie didn't do it, she'd be telling you an untruth if she said she had--and you wouldn't have her do that?"