"We must have this all
nice and smooth," she said. And Adela stood still, liking it all very
much; and her hair was brushed, much as if she had been Phronsie, and
then Mother Fisher released her with a smile. "There, now you are
ready," she said.
"She didn't scold a bit," said Adela, going after her with Polly down
the stairs, and forgetting her red eyes and swollen nose.
"Our mother never scolds," declared Polly, with her head very high,
"never in all this world, Adela Gray."
And at dinner Tom Selwyn looked across the table, and when he caught
sight of Adela's face, and saw that some one else could feel as badly
as he could, and he guessed the reason, he made up his mind what he was
going to do next. And as soon as the meal was over, without giving
himself time to think, he marched up to Adela. "Say, I didn't much mind
because you laughed, don't you know," and held out his hand.
"I've been crying ever since," said Adela, "and I didn't mean to
laugh."
"I know it," said Tom to the first part of her sentence, and looking at
her nose. "Well, never mind now, so it's quits, and shake hands."
"I don't know what quits is," said Adela, putting out her hand.
"Oh, it's when things are evened up somehow," said Tom; "not exactly
that, but it will do well enough by way of explaining."
"And I'm never going to laugh again at anybody," said Adela, lifting
her red eyes.
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