The moment they got into the garden Philip and Conrad might have been seen scudding away as fast as their little feet could carry them.  Iris, however, had watched them disappearing.

“I want to speak to the boys,” she said to Ann.

“Why?” asked Ann.

“Please ask them to come to me, Ann; I have something most particular to say to them.”

“I know what you mean,” answered Ann, turning crimson; “it was Philip and Conrad who got poor little Orion into mischief.  Oh, Iris! it was brave of you, and it was brave of Orion not to tell.  I wondered how you had the courage to defy mamma.”

“I did not defy her,” answered Iris.  “But please, Ann, I must speak to the boys.  Send them to me at once.”

“They are frightened, and are going to hide,” said Ann; “but I’ll soon get them,” she answered.  “I know their ways.”

After a minute or two she returned, leading Philip and Conrad by the hands.

“Iris wants to talk to you,” she said to them.

“Yes,” said Iris, “I want to say something to you by yourselves.”

Ann disappeared.

“I love Iris,” whispered little Ann Dolman to herself.  “I think she is beautiful; and how brave she is!  I wish I were like her.”

“What do you want with us, Iris?” asked Philip, when he found himself alone with his cousin.  He raised defiant eyes, and put on an ugly little scowl.

“I want to tell you, Phil,” said Iris, “that I know everything.  Poor little Orion would not confess, because you got him to promise not to tell; but, of course, he told me the truth.  Don’t you think you behaved very badly indeed?”

“We don’t want you to lecture us,” said Conrad.

“All right,” replied Iris with spirit.  “But please remember that I promised Orion I would not tell, only so long as you make me a promise that you will not tempt him again.  If ever I hear that you have led Orion into mischief, I will tell everything.”

“I thought you looked like a tell-tale,” said Conrad.

“No, I am not, nor is Orion; you know better, both of you.  Now, please understand that I will not have Orion made miserable nor tempted to do naughty things.  Aunt Jane thinks you are good boys, and she thinks Diana and Orion very bad little children; but neither Orion nor Diana would do the sort of thing you both did yesterday.  Neither of them would think of that sort of naughtiness.  I call it mean.”

Iris walked away with her head in the air.  The boys gazed after her with a queer sinking of heart.

CHAPTER XIII.

BIRCH ROD.