ended."

"It's a matter for all, not for any one of us. I intend to bring it up
at the Club Meeting this afternoon, and I expect you all to back me, for
the thing's a disgrace to the community, and all our girls will be
talked about. In my opinion the best thing to do is to tell her to leave
and go and live in that hot-bed of wickedness, San Francisco."

"Why Minerva, you're a regular old Puritan witch-hunter!" exclaimed Mrs.
Colton. "You never could make me believe that child had any harm in
her--"

"It isn't what one believes. It's what is. I know. I've studied human
nature. If I don't know anything else I know that. She'll get out of
Rosewater, or I'll hit her in her weak spot. I'll write her up for the
San Francisco _Illuminator_. They'd give hundreds, and they can have it
for nothing--"

"Why, Minerva Haight, I'm ashamed of you!" cried Mrs. Colton. "It's like
persecution, and you have no proof. Why should you know more of the
world than we do, I'd like to know?"

"I do, that's all. And I don't see her doing every mortal thing she
wants, while others have to walk a chalked line through life. It's all
or none. That's my creed. She'll soon wilt when she sees we mean
business--either go, or take a chaperon, or marry the man, whichever she
prefers. I don't care, so long as she ain't allowed to do as she pleases
and no questions asked and no penalty paid. But she'll knuckle, for it's
my opinion she's just making money to spend it in San Francisco--cut a
dash there like her mother did before her. Probably wants to become a
society leader and have a string of lovers. Nice product to hail from
Rosewater. I think she ought to be sent back to Europe where they don't
mind such goings on. The things you do read about the English
aristocracy! It's my opinion _that_ Lady Victoria ain't any better than
she should be. She looks it--and through us, just as if we were
window-panes."

"You are real crude, Minerva," said Mrs. Colton, crushingly, as she rose
to go. "I thought Rosewater was near enough to the metropolis for us not
to be as provincial as some folks farther up the line, who haven't the
same advantages."

"I guess we're all crude enough, if it comes to that," retorted Mrs.
Haight. "I'd like to know what's cruder than a man's staying at a girl's
house till two o'clock in the morning--and for all the high and mighty
way he carries himself--and him the born image of Hi Otis. It's too
ridiculous. I'd like to bring him