My Pretty Sister 



vaguely recognised as unusual ; for Mary 

 was no chatterbox, speaking but moder- 

 ately, and always to the point. 



Then of a sudden I remembered that I, 

 too, had a piece of news to tell, and turning 

 my head round towards the bed as well as 

 I could with Mary screwing the corner of 

 the towel into my ear, I said, '' I say, 

 Esther, do you know John Mtiller's 

 drowned ? " 



No one spoke ; Esther turned her head 

 on the pillow away from us and lay quite 

 still. Then Mary recovered herself, and 

 before I knew, I was huddled out of the 

 room, wet and soapy as I was, with a towel 

 round my shoulders. " How could you ? 

 how could you ? " said Mary, breathlessly, 

 shaking me and glaring at me outside the 

 door. " You wicked little fool, you ! " 



For a moment I believe she hated me. 

 I was so miserable and frightened I rubbed 

 the soap in my eyes and hid my face in the 

 towel, and Mary returned softly and quickly 

 to the room : the sisters were alone to- 

 gether for hours. 



When I went to bed that night I won- 

 dered if Esther hated me and thought me 

 wicked, and I was glad when Mary came 

 and told me quite gently that Esther sent 

 me a loving good night and a kiss and a 

 170 



