"How nice to have a maid!" said Annabel, as she settled herself with much commotion. "Still, dear, you must be very lonely, and feel the need of a bosom friend."
"I have my cousins," began Rose, with dignity, for her visitor's patronizing manner ruffled her temper.
"Gracious, child! you don't make friends of those great boys, do you? Mamma says she really doesn't think it's proper for you to be with them so much."
"They are like brothers, and my aunts _do_ think it's proper," replied Rose, rather sharply, for it struck her that this was none of Miss Bliss's business.
"I was merely going to say I should be glad to have you for _my_ bosom friend, for Hatty Mason and I have had an awful quarrel, and don't speak. She is too mean to live, so I gave her up. Just think, she never paid back one of the caramels I've given her, and never invited me to her party. I could have forgiven the caramels, but to be left out in that rude way was more than I could bear, and I told her never to look at me again as long as she lived."
"You are very kind, but I don't think I want a bosom friend, thank you," said Rose, as Annabel stopped to bridle and shake her flaxen head over the delinquent Hatty Mason.
Now, in her heart Miss Bliss thought Rose "a stuck-up puss," but the other girls wanted to know her and couldn't, the old house was a charming place to visit, the lads were considered fine fellows, and the Campbells "are one of our first families," mamma said. So Annabel concealed her vexation at Rose's coolness, and changed the subject as fast as possible.
"Studying French, I see; who is your teacher?" she asked, flirting over the leaves of "Paul and Virginia," that lay on the table.
"I don't _study_ it, for I read French as well as English, and uncle and I often speak it for hours. He talks like a native, and says I have a remarkably good accent."
Rose really could not help this small display of superiority, for French was one of her strong points, and she was vain of it, though she usually managed to hide this weakness. She felt that Annabel would be the better for a little crushing, and could not resist the temptation to patronize in her turn.
"Oh, indeed!" said Miss Bliss, rather blankly, for French was not _her_ strong point by any means.