Into this distracting scene, came Grandma.  She stood looking in amazement at the three children and the debris on the floor.

At first Mrs. Sherwood naturally thought it an accident due to Stella’s carelessness, but Marjorie instantly confessed.

“It’s my fault, Grandma,” she said; “I scared Stella, and she couldn’t help dropping her things.”

“You are a naughty girl, Mischief,” said Grandma, as she tried to comfort the weeping Stella.  “I thought you would at least be polite to your little guests, or I shouldn’t have given you this tea party.”

“I’m awfully sorry,” said Marjorie, contritely; “please forgive me, Stella, but honestly I didn’t think it would scare you so.  What would you do, Molly, if I said ‘boo’ to you?”

“I’d say ’boo yourself’!” returned Molly, promptly.

“I know you would,” said Marjorie, “but you see Stella’s different, and I ought to have remembered the difference.  Don’t cry, Stella; truly I’m sorry!  Don’t cry, and I’ll give you my—­my paper-doll’s house.”

This was generous on Marjorie’s part, for just then her paper-doll’s house was her dearest treasure.

But Stella rose to the occasion.

“I w-wont t-take it,” she said, still sobbing, though trying hard to control herself; “it wasn’t your fault, Marjorie; I oughtn’t to have been so silly as to be scared b-because you said b-boo!”

By this time Jane had removed all evidences of the accident, and except for a few stains on Stella’s frock, everything was in order.

But Stella, though she had quite forgiven Marjorie, was upset by the whole affair, and wanted to go home.

So Grandma declared she would take the child home herself and apologize to Mrs. Martin for Marjorie’s rudeness.

“It was rude, Marjorie,” she said, as she went away; “and I think Molly must go home now, and leave you to do a little thinking about your conduct to your other guest.”

So Marjorie was left alone to think, and half an hour later Grandma returned.

“That was a naughty trick, Marjorie, and I think you ought to be punished for it.”

“But, Grandma,” argued Miss Mischief, “I wasn’t disobedient; you never told me not to say boo to anybody.”

“But I told you, dear, that you must use your common-sense; and you must have known that to startle Stella by a sudden scream at her was enough to make her drop whatever she was holding.”

“Grandma, I ’spect I was mischievous; but truly, she did look so stiff and pudgy, I just had to make her jump.”

“I know what you mean, Midge; and you have a natural love of mischief, but you must try to overcome it.  I want you to grow up polite and kind, and remember those two words mean almost exactly the same thing.  You knew it wasn’t kind to make Stella jump, even if it hadn’t caused her to upset things.”

“No, I know it wasn’t, Grandma, and I’m sorry now.  But I’ll tell you what:  whenever Stella comes over here again, I’ll try to be specially kind to her, to make up for saying boo!”