"What has happened?" she asked. "What is it, Rachel?"

"She pricked herself with one of the needles," said John, taking the
explanation upon himself; "and then said I did it."

Mrs. Verner looked from one to the other. Rachel had turned quite pale.
John laughed; he knew his mother did not believe him.

"The truth is, mother, I began teasing Rachel about her admirer, Luke.
It made her angry."

"What absurdity!" exclaimed Mrs. Verner testily, to Rachel. "My opinion
is, you would have done well to encourage Luke. He was steady and
respectable; and old Roy must have saved plenty of money."

Rachel burst into tears.

"What now!" cried Mrs. Verner. "Not a word can anybody say to you
lately, Rachel, but you must begin to cry as if you were heart-broken.
What has come to you, child? Is anything the matter with you?"

The tears deepened into long sobs of agony, as though her heart were
indeed broken. She held her handkerchief up to her face, and went
sobbing from the room.

Mrs. Verner gazed after her in very astonishment. "What has taken her?
What can it possibly be?" she uttered. "John, you must know."

"I, mother! I declare to you that I know no more about it than Adam.
Rachel must be going a little crazed."