The bath-room door was ajar. Charlotte pushed it open and looked in. One
glance showed her he havoc which had been wrought. She stopped short,
staring with wild eyes into the bath-tub; then she caught her treasures
out of it, held them dripping before her for an instant, and let them
drop on the floor. She turned and ran out of the room to look for Ellen.
The baby sat calmly on a rug, in the middle of Charlotte's room, engaged
in pulling the leaves, one by one, out of a small sketch-book which had
been on the table with the drawings. She looked up, a most engaging and
innocent expression on her round face, and smiled at Charlotte. But she
met no smile in return.
"You little wretch!" breathed Charlotte, between her teeth, as she
seized the sketch-book and whirled the baby to her feet. "_Oh!_ Is this
the way you pay me for all I've done for you? You
_wicked--cruel--heartless_----"
It was the explosion of a blind wrath which made the girl shake the tiny
form until Baby Ellen roared lustily. Charlotte set her upon the floor
again, and stood looking down at her with blazing eyes.
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