Ellen!" expostulated Mrs. Dodge briskly. "Of course
you'll get out, and you, too, Fanny. The horse'll stand."

"Please do!" entreated Lydia.

Thus urged, the girls reluctantly descended. Neither was in the habit
of concealing her feelings under the convenient cloak of society
observance, and both were jealously suspicious of Lydia Orr. Fanny
had met her only the week before, walking with Wesley Elliot along
the village street. And Mrs. Solomon Black had told Mrs. Fulsom, and
Mrs. Fulsom had told Mrs. Deacon Whittle, and Mrs. Whittle had told
another woman, who had felt it to be her Christian duty (however
unpleasant) to inform Fanny that the minister was "payin' attention
to Miss Orr."

"Of course," the woman had pointed out, "it wasn't to be wondered at,
special, seeing the Orr girl had every chance in the world to catch
him--living right in the same house with him." Then she had further
stated her opinions of men in general for Fanny's benefit. All
persons of the male sex, according to this woman, were easily put
upon, deceived and otherwise led astray by artful young women from
the city, who were represented as perpetually on the lookout for easy
marks, like Wesley Elliot.

"He ain't any different from other men, if he _is_ a minister," said
she with a comprehensive sniff. "They're all alike, as far as I can
find out: anybody that's a mind to soft-soap them and flatter them
into thinkin' they're something great can lead them right around by
the nose. And besides, _she's_ got _money!_"

Fanny had affected a haughty indifference to the doings of Wesley
Elliot, which did not for a moment deceive her keen-eyed informer.

"Of course, anybody with eyes in their heads can see what's taken
place," compassionated she, impaling the unfortunate Fanny on the
prongs of her sympathy. "My! I was telling George only yesterday, I
thought it was a _perfect shame!_ and somebody ought to speak out
real plain to the minister."

Whereat Fanny had been goaded into wishing the woman would mind her
own business! She did wish everybody would leave her and her affairs
alone! People had no right to talk! As for speaking to the minister;
let any one dare--!

As for Ellen Dix, she had never quite forgiven Lydia for innocently
acquiring the fox skin and she had by now almost persuaded herself
that she was passionately in love with Jim Dodge. She had always
liked him--at least, she had not actively disliked him, as some of
the other gi