"Time for what?"

"Time for thinking--for me, I mean?"

Disregarding this, Mrs. Adams looked her over thoughtfully. "I
can't see why you don't wear more colour," she said. "At your
age it's becoming and proper, too. Anyhow, when you're going on
the street, I think you ought to look just as gay and lively as
you can manage. You want to show 'em you've got some spunk!"

"How do you mean, mama?"

"I mean about Walter's running away and the mess your father made
of his business. It would help to show 'em you're holding up
your head just the same."

"Show whom!"

"All these other girls that----"

"Not I!" Alice laughed shortly, shaking her head. "I've quit
dressing at them, and if they saw me they wouldn't think what you
want 'em to. It's funny; but we don't often make people think
what we want 'em to, mama. You do thus and so; and you tell
yourself, 'Now, seeing me do thus and so, people will naturally
think this and that'; but they don't. They think something
else--usually just what you DON'T want 'em to. I suppose about
the only good in pretending is the fun we get out of fooling
ourselves that we fool somebody."