I do think she's beautiful," he finished calmly. "There's a
difference, you know."

Ellen Dix tossed her head.

"Oh, is there?" she said airily. "Well, I don't even think she's
pretty; do you, Fan?--with all that light hair, drawn back plain from
her forehead, and those big, solemn eyes. But I guess she _thinks_
she's pretty, all right."

"She doesn't think anything about herself," said Jim doggedly. "She
isn't that kind of a girl."

Ellen Dix bit a vexed exclamation short.

"I don't believe any of us know her very well," she said, after a
pause. "You know what a gossip Lois Daggett is? Well, I met her and
Mrs. Fulsom and Mrs. Whittle coming out of the Daggetts' house.
They'd been talking it over; when they saw me they stopped me to ask
if I'd been to see Miss Orr, and when I said no, not yet, but I was
going, Lois Daggett said, 'Well, I do hope she won't be quite so
close-mouthed with you girls. When I asked her, real sympathizing,
who she was wearing black for, she said she had lost a dear friend
and never even told who it was!'"

Jim Dodge threw back his head and burst into a laugh.

"Served her right," he said.

"You mean Lois?"

"You didn't suppose I meant Miss Orr; did you?"

Jim's voice held a disdainful note which brought the hot color to
Ellen's cheeks.

"I'm not so stupid as you seem to think, Jim Dodge," she said, with
spirit.

"I never thought you were stupid, Ellen," he returned quickly. "Don't
make a mistake and be so now."

Ellen gazed at him in hurt silence. She guessed at his meaning and it
humiliated her girlish pride.

It was Fanny who said somewhat impatiently: "I'm sure I can't think
what you mean, Jim."

"Well, in my humble opinion, it would be downright stupid for you two
girls to fool yourselves into disliking Lydia Orr. She'd like to be
friends with everybody; why not give her a chance?"

Again Ellen did not reply; and again it was Fanny who spoke the words
that rose to her friend's lips unuttered:

"I can't see how you should know so much about Miss Orr, Jim."

"I don't myself," he returned good-humoredly. "But sometimes a man
can see through a woman better--or at least more fair-mindedly than
another woman. You see," he added, "there's no sex jealousy in the
way."

Both girls cried out in protest against this.

It wasn't so, they declared. He ought to be ashamed of himself! As
for being _jealous_ of any one--Fanny haughtily disclaimed the
suggestion, with a bittern