love with at least
a dozen people, and was quite ready to discuss every one of her
flirtations, but she was disappointed to find that her cousin was either
very reserved on the subject, or else had nothing to say.

Erica sat listening with a sort of wonder, not unmixed with disgust.
Perhaps she might have shown her disapprobation had she not been
thankful to have the conversation diverted from the dangerous topic;
besides, the cruel words were still rankling in her heart, and woven in
with Rose's chatter she heard continually, "whose audacity outweighed
her modesty." For the first time she fully understood why her father
had so reluctantly consented to her scheme; she began to feel the sting
which lay beneath the words, the veiled "hints," the implied evil, more
wounding, more damaging than an outspoke lie. Now that she understood
the ways of society better, she saw, too, that what had seemed to her
an unquestionable duty would be regarded as a grave breach of custom
and etiquette. She began to question herself. Had she been right? It
mattered very little what the writer of a "society" paper said of her,
if she had done the really right thing. What had she done? To save
her father's friend from danger, to save her father from unmerited
suspicion, she had gone out late in the evening with a man considerably
over fifty, whom she had known from her babyhood. He had, it is true,
been in the disguise of a young man. She had talked to him on the
platform much as she would have talked to Tom, and to save his almost
certain detection, had sprung into the carriage, thrown her arms round
his neck, and kissed him. HAD audacity outweighed her modesty? Why, all
the time she had been thanking God for having allowed her to undertake
the difficult task for her father on that particular evening. She had
done it in the sight of God, and should she now make herself miserable
because the world was wanting in that charity which "thinketh no evil?"
No, she had been right of that she was certain. Nevertheless, she
understood well enough that society would condemn her action, and would
with a smile condone Rose's most outrageous flirtation.

The first week in a new place always seems long, and Erica felt as if
she had been away from home for months by the time it was over. Every
one had been very kind to her so far, but except when she was playing
lawn-tennis she was somehow far from happy., Her happiest moments were
really those which she s