The youthful company were convulsed with laughter. They were all aware that Molly was intentionally talking at cross purposes with her pastor; and that while he clung to the old signification of sensible, namely, to be aware of, or sensitive to, a thing, she was using it in the new, now universally accepted, sense of sagacious. The fun, of course, was enhanced by the fact that poor Mr Edmundson was totally unacquainted with the change of meaning. "I don't believe she cut it off a bit!" whispered Kitty Mainwaring. "She gave a guinea to some orange-girl who was cousin to some other maid in the Queen's laundry,--some stuff of that sort. Cut it off!--how could she? Just tell me that." Before the last word was well out of Kitty's lips, Molly's small, bright scissors were snapped within an inch of Kitty's nose. "Perhaps you would have the goodness to say that again, Mrs Catherine Mainwaring!" observed that young person, in decidedly menacing tones. "Thank you, no, I don't care to do," replied Kitty, laughing, but shrinking back from the scissors. "When I say I will do a thing, I will do it, Madam!" retorted Molly. "If you can, I suppose," said Kitty, defending herself from another threatening snap. "Say I can't, at your peril!" And Molly and her scissors marched away in dudgeon. "You are very tired, I fear, Mrs Gatty," said Phoebe, when Gatty came up to the room they shared, for the night. "Rather," answered Gatty, with a sad smile on her white face. But she did not tell Phoebe what had tired her. It was not the journey, nor the ceremony, but her mother's greeting. "Why, Betty, you are quite blooming!" Lady Delawarr had said. "It hath done you good, child. And Molly, too, as sprightly as ever! Child, did you get touched?" "I did, Madam," answered Molly, with an extravagant courtesy. "Ah!" said her mother, in a tone of great satisfaction. "Then we need apprehend no further trouble from the evil. I am extreme glad. O Gatty! you poor, scarred, wretched creature! Really, had it not been that the absence of one of my daughters would be remarked on, I vow I wish you had not gone! 'Tis such a sight to show, that dreadful face of yours. You will never give me any more comfort--that is certain." "Pos.!" echoed Molly, exactly in the same tone. "I would not mind, Gatty!" was Betty's kindly remark. "Thank you," said Gatty, meekly. "I wish I did not!" Gatty did not repeat this to Phoebe. But Phoebe saw there was something wrong.