was telling him about my past life and how poor and forlorn we had
been and how I had told Millie all about it and then how Millie
had just treted me as if I were as good as she was. As I talked
he became so white I thought he'd faint. Suddenly he burst out
despairingly, 'I hoped she was proud but she isn't--I could overcome
pride. But what can I do when I'm just detested? There, I've made
a fool of myself,' he said savagelike after a moment, and he hurried
away. For the last two days he's been so quiet and looked so stern
and sad that his family don't know what to make of him, but I know
what's the matter, and I feel sorry for him, for he seems to me
more like a man than any of the young fellows I've seen in town.
Don't tell Millie for I don't want to even seem to meddle."

But Belle had no gift of reticence, and she not only showed her
sister the letter, but overwhelmed her with reproaches for her
"heartless treatment of Roger." As a natural result Mildred was
only more irritated and prejudiced against the young man than ever.

"You are all absurdly unreasonable," she cried. "What have I ever
done to make him turn white or red, or to 'burst out despairingly,'
and all that kind of sentimental nonsense? Because he is lackadaisical
and is experiencing strange, vague emotions, must I be afflicted in
like manner? Must I break faith with one I do love and do violence
to my own feelings, just because this farmer wants me to? You know
what's the matter with him--Clara saw at a glance--and the course
I'm taking is the only way to cure him. All his talk about friendship
is transparent folly. If I took your advice it would make him only
more and more infatuated; and now I haven't it on my conscience
that I gave him one bit of encouragement. I'm sorry for him, of
course. I shall be more sorry for his mother and sister if he is