Elizabeth took another rather sullenly. But such a mood never lasted longer than half a minute with her, and she was suddenly struck with the notion that Sarah Emily might furnish some valuable information on the subject that was worrying her. Sarah Emily had such a vast experience with young men. "Sarah Emily," she said, rather hesitatingly, "did anybody--I mean any young man ever--kiss you?" Sarah Emily gave an hysterical shriek. She doubled up over the table, almost dipping her face into the dish-pan, and went off into a hurricane of giggles. "Oh, oh, you awful, awful bad girl, Lizzie Gordon!" she screamed, whereupon Elizabeth knew she had not been bad at all, but had said something that had mightily pleased Sarah Emily. "But did they though?" she insisted, showing her even white teeth in a sympathetic laugh. "Eh, Sarah Emily?" The young woman straightened herself and suddenly became dignified. She darted a withering glance at Elizabeth. "Not much, they didn't!" she cried righteously. "Jist let me ketch any o' them--yes, jist any one o' the whole gang up to any such penoeuvres. I'd soon fix 'em!" There was so much scorn in her demeanor that Elizabeth was disconcerted. "Why?" she asked anxiously. "Ain't it nice, Sarah Emily?" "No, it ain't!" snapped Sarah Emily emphatically. Elizabeth was much taken aback. It was surely not possible that Annie could do anything impolite or ungenteel--Annie, the only one in the family whom Aunt Margaret never scolded. She was puzzled and troubled. There was no one to whom she could take the matter for advice. Elizabeth had no close confidant. John was the nearest, but there were so few things John understood. Then one never dared tell Mary anything. Mary did not mean to be a tell-tale, but somehow everything she knew always oozed out sooner or later. Yes, this was a puzzle Elizabeth must work out alone. "Well," she said at last, determined to uphold Annie at all costs, "it's all right in stories, anyhow. I mean when people are going to get married some day. I read about it in that story about Lady Evelina in the _Chronicle_. Now, if you were going to get married to Tom Teeter, Sarah Emily----" Sarah Emily exploded in another spasm of shrieks and giggles. She leaned against the wall, overcome with laughter, wiping her eyes, and declaring that if Lizzie didn't hold still she'd be the death of her. Elizabeth became impatient. Her older self rose up, protesting that Sarah Emily was very silly, indeed. "Oh, bother you, Sarah Emily," she cried, "you're a big goose!" Sarah Emily made a leap towards her. "You jist say that again, Lizzie Gordon, and I'll give you a clout over the head that'll make you jump." Elizabeth dodged round to the other side of the table, and promptly said it again--said it many times, dancing derisively upon her toes and waving her towel; sang it, too, in the most insulting manner to the tune of "My Grandmother Lives, etc."