‘I forgot about that, mamma, I had taken off my ulster, and had my little scarlet flannel underbody, so as to make a better soldier.’ ‘Oh!’ groaned Lady Merrifield. ‘And then that dear, good Fly gave a jump and flew at him, and said, ‘Oh, daddy, daddy, it’s Mysie, and she has been telling the truth like--like Frank, or Sir Thomas More, or George Washington, or anybody.’ She really did say so, mamma.’ ‘I can quite believe it of her, Mysie! And how did Cousin Rotherwood respond?’ ‘He sat down upon one of the seats, and took Fly on one knee and me on the other, though we were big for it--just like papa, you know--and made us tell him all about it. Lady Rotherwood got the others out of the way somehow--I don’t know how, for my back was that way, and I think Ivinghoe went after them, but there was some use in talking to Cousin Rotherwood; he has got some sense, and knows what one means, as if he was at the dear, nice playing age, and Ivinghoe was his stupid old father in a book.’ ‘Exactly,’ said Lady Merrifield, delighted, and longing to laugh. ‘But that was the worst of it,’ said Mysie, sadly; ‘he was so nice that I said all sorts of things I didn’t mean or ought to have said. I told him I would pay for the glass if he would only wait till we had helped Dolores pay for those books that the cheque was for, because the man came alive again, after her wicked uncle said he was dead, and so somehow it all came out; how you made up to Miss Constance and couldn’t come to the Butterfly’s Ball for want of new dresses.’ ‘Oh, Mysie, you should not have said that! I thought you were to be trusted!’ ‘Yes, mamma, I know,’ said Mysie, meekly. ‘I recollected as soon as I had said it; and told him, and he kissed me and promised he would never tell anyone, and made Fly promise that she never would. But I have been so miserable about it ever since, mamma; I tried to write it in a letter, but I am afraid you didn’t half understand.’ ‘I only saw that something was on your mind, my dear. Now that is all over, I do not so much mind Cousin Rotherwood’s knowing, he has always been so like a brother; but I do hope both he and Fly will keep their word. I am more sorry for my little girl’s telling than about his knowing.’ ‘And Ivinghoe said my running in that way on all the company was worse than breaking the glass or the palm-tree. Was it, mamma?’ ‘Well, you know, Mysie, there is a time for all things, and very likely it vexed Lady Rotherwood more to be invaded by such a little wild colt.’