Mrs. Fulsom and Mrs. Whittle coming out of the Daggetts' house.
They'd been talking it over; when they saw me they stopped me to ask
if I'd been to see Miss Orr, and when I said no, not yet, but I was
going, Lois Daggett said, 'Well, I do hope she won't be quite so
close-mouthed with you girls. When I asked her, real sympathizing,
who she was wearing black for, she said she had lost a dear friend
and never even told who it was!'"

Jim Dodge threw back his head and burst into a laugh.

"Served her right," he said.

"You mean Lois?"

"You didn't suppose I meant Miss Orr; did you?"

Jim's voice held a disdainful note which brought the hot color to
Ellen's cheeks.

"I'm not so stupid as you seem to think, Jim Dodge," she said, with
spirit.

"I never thought you were stupid, Ellen," he returned quickly. "Don't
make a mistake and be so now."

Ellen gazed at him in hurt silence. She guessed at his meaning and it
humiliated her girlish pride.

It was Fanny who said somewhat impatiently: "I'm sure I can't think
what you mean, Jim."