THE SUGARING-OFF
"I'm afraid, Don, she does not understand our ways," said Mrs. Murray, apologetically.
"Be off, Don," said his mother. "Kiss Marget there, if you can—it will not hurt her—and leave the young lady alone."
"It's just horrid of them, auntie," said Maimie, indignantly, as the others went back to their games.
"Indeed," said Mrs. Cameron, warmly, "if you will never do worse than kiss a laddie in a game, it's little harm will be coming to you."
But Maimie ignored her.
"Is it not horrid, auntie?" she said.
"Well, my dear, if you think so, it is. But not for these girls, who play the game with never a thought of impropriety and with no shock to their modesty. Much depends on how you think about these things."
But Maimie was not satisfied. She was indignant at Don for offering to kiss her, but as she stood and watched the games going on under the trees—the tag, the chase, the catch, and the kiss—she somehow began to feel as if it were not so terrible after all, and to think that perhaps these girls might play the game and still be nice enough. But she had no thought of going back to them, and so she turned her attention to the preparations for tea, now almost complete. Her aunt and Ranald were toasting slices of bread at the big blazing fire, on forks made out of long switches.
"Let me try, auntie," she said, pushing up to the fire between her aunt and Ranald. "I am sure I can do that."
111
