rrs relinquished the new public
library project when it became noised about that Jasper Grierson and his
daughter were moving in it.

Miss Margery possessed her soul in patience up to the final day of her
home staying, and the explosion might have been indefinitely postponed
if, on that last day, the Raymers, mother and daughter, had not
pointedly taken pains to avoid her at the _lingerie_ counter in
Thorwalden's. It was as the match to the fuse, and when Miss Grierson
left the department store there were red spots in her cheeks and the
dark eyes were flashing.

"They think I'm a jay!" she said, with a snap of the white teeth. "They
need a lesson, and they're going to get it before I leave. I'm not going
to sing small all the time!"

It was surely the goddess of discord who ordained that the blow should
be struck while the iron was hot. Five minutes after the rebuff in
Thorwalden's, Miss Grierson met Raymer as he was coming out of the
Farmers' and Merchants' Bank. There was an exchange of commonplaces, but
in the midst of it Miss Margery broke off abruptly to say: "Mr. Raymer,
please tell me what I have done to offend your mother and sister."

If she had been in the mood to compromise, half of the deferred payment
of triumph might have been discharged on the spot by Raymer's
blundering attempt at disavowal.

"Why, Miss Margery! I don't know--that is--er--really, you must be
mistaken, I'm sure!"

"I am not mistaken, and I'd like to know," she persisted, looking him
hardily in the eyes. "It must be something I have been doing, and if I
can find out what it is, I'll reform."

Raymer got away as soon as he could; and when the opportunity offered,
was besotted enough to repeat the question to his mother and sister.
Mrs. Raymer was a large and placid matron of the immovable type, and her
smile emphasized her opinion of Miss Grierson.

"The mere fact of her saying such a thing to you ought to be a
sufficient answer, I should think," was her mild retort.

"I don't see why," Raymer objected.

"What would you think if Gertrude did such a thing?"

"Oh, well; that is different. In the first place Gertrude wouldn't do
it, and----"

"Precisely. And Miss Grierson shouldn't have done it. It is because she
can do such things that a few of us think she wouldn't be a pleasant
person to know, socially."

"But why?" insisted Raymer, with masculine obtuseness.

It was his sister who undertook to make the reason plain to him