But if Nora didn't understand how Betty felt, I did. Of course the
Ervengs meant it kindly asking her; but _I_ wouldn't have wanted to go
off alone visiting people that were almost strangers,--for that's what
Mr. and Mrs. Erveng are to us, though we do know Hilliard so well,--and
I just said so to her, and gave her my best feather-top. As I told her,
she might play it times when she was alone in her own room, to keep up
her spirits. I'd have given her something nicer, but all my things were
packed up, except my locomotive, and I knew she wouldn't care for
_that_,--she's always making fun of it.
Betty's one of the kind that just hate to cry where people can see them,
so she went away without the least fuss--though I know her heart was
full--when the Ervengs called for her the next morning. Hilliard was as
merry as a lark. "It's so good of you to come," he said, beaming on
Betty when he met her on the steps. "We are going to take the very best
care of you, and help you to enjoy yourself immensely; I only wish all
the others were coming with us, too,"--with a glance at us (the whole
family had crowded out on the stoop to see Betty off).
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