"But, Daddy, I don't care--now--about not going back to Miss Prindle's, but I'd hate a tutor or anything like that!"
"All play and no work----"
"But I do work! Ask Aunt Pen if I haven't made my bed every morning!"
"I have some plans," Aunt Pen began slowly, "the girls ought to have some studies and----"
"And a tutor, Aunt Pen?" Aunt Pen nodded. "Not that awful Miss Gray--please, Aunt Pen!"
"No, not Miss Gray! I think I know someone whom you'll like--or at least you are very fond of her now!"
Amused at the real distress in Pat's face her father broke in:
"Aunt Pen says she has some plans! Her plans are generally very interesting," with a sidelong glance at his sister, "though I admit that sometimes she is very heartless! Let's hear them! Then if you don't like them, why----"
"Well, then," cried Pat resignedly, "let's hear them!"
Renée was listening with deep interest. She had never gone to school except for the three years following her mother's death when she had on pleasant days gone to the communal school at St. Cloud. Before that her mother had taught her; she had stored away, too, in her mind valuable knowledge from the books which had been always about her. Now the thought of going to an American school filled her with terror!