"Who was your companion home?"

"Oh, don't be angry with me! It was Alfred."

"Alfred! His Christian name! You try my patience too hard."

"Forgive me. I was not to blame this time, indeed! indeed! You frighten
me. What will become of me? What have I done for my own mamma to look at
me so?"

Mrs. Dodd groaned. "Was that young coquette I watched from my window the
child I have reared ? No face on earth is to be trusted after this. 'What
have you done' indeed? Only risked your own mother's esteem, and nearly
broken her heart!" And with these words her own courage began to give
way, and she sank into a chair with a deep sigh.

At this Julia screamed, and threw herself on her knees beside her, and
cried "Kill me! oh, pray kill me! but don't drive me to despair with such
cruel words and looks!" and fell to sobbing so wildly that Mrs. Dodd
altered her tone with almost ludicrous rapidity. "There, do not terrify
me with your impetuosity, after grieving me so. Be calm, child; let me
see whether I cannot remedy your sad imprudence; and, that I may, pray
tell me the whole truth. How did this come about?"

In reply to this question, which she somewhat mistook, Julia sobbed out,
"He met me c-coming out of the school, and asked to s-see me home. I said
'No thank you,' because I th-thought of your warning. 'Oh yes!' said he,
and _would_ walk with me, and keep saying he loved me. So, to stop him, I
said, 'M-much ob-liged, but I was b-busy and had no time to flirt.' 'Nor
have I the in-inclination,' said he. 'That is not what others say of