beg your pardon. I didn't mean to be impolite, but every word I said about Laura was true."
"I shall not accept your apology," said Mrs. Milligan, rising to depart, "until you've sent a written apology to Laura and have retracted everything you've said about her, besides."
"It'll never be accepted then," said quick-tempered Mabel, "for we haven't done anything to apologise for."
"No, Mrs. Milligan," said Jean, in her even, pleasant voice, "no apology to Laura can ever come from us. We stood her just as long as we could and then we turned her out just as kindly as anyone could have done it. I told mother all about it last night and she agreed that there wasn't anything else we could have done."
"So did mamma," said Bettie.
"So did Aunty Jane."
"Well," said Mrs. Milligan, pausing on the porch, "I'd thank you young gossips to
