She was entirely in earnest.
"Mebbe she _is_ in the police-station," sobbed Mrs.White, continuing to embrace Maria.

But Maria gave her a forcible push away, and again addressed herself to her step-mother.
"Where is she ?" she demanded.
"Oh, you poor, dear child! Your ma don't know where she is, and she is so awful upset, she sets there jest like marble," said Mrs.White.
"She isn't upset at all.

You don't know her as well as I do," said Maria, mercilessly.

"She thinks she ought to act upset, so she sits this way.

She isn't upset." "Oh, Maria!" gasped Mrs.White.
"The child is out of her head," said Mrs.Adams, and yet she looked at Maria with covert approval.