Was it possible that she had spent
entire evenings with a man who stooped to set in unpleasant, even
suspicious light, not his own character only, but that of an ignorant
young girl?
It would not do to plead a lack of knowledge in excuse for him; he might
be ignorant of the ways of the Christian world, but no one understood
better the rules which governed society. During part of the afternoon
she had been very angry with the girl, but after listening to Dr.
Everett it began to dawn upon her that her friend had been playing with
the ignorance of a girl who probably trusted him fully. You are to
understand that Gracie Dennis was the sort of girl who would be made
very angry by such a suspicion. The glow on her cheeks was not all
caused by the fresh air of the spring day.
"Dr. Everett," she said at last, breaking the silence, "what do you
think he means by asking the girl to wear that ring, or by letting her
wear it? Does he--do you suppose that he has engaged himself to her?"
"I wish I knew what he meant!" Dr. Everett said again, a surge of
indignation rushing over him. "If he really meant anything so honorable
as that, it would be bad enough business for poor Hester; but, as I
said, I distrust the man utterly; and from my experience with the world
I have reason.
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