after her in the street, while their
mothers came to the cottage-doors, wiping soap-suds from their arms,
and stood staring as at a show; and even the big bland sailors
lounging on the quay expanded into broad grins or solemnly winked at
one another. Beth flushed with shame, but her courageous little heart
was instantly full of fight. "What ignorant people these are!" she
exclaimed haughtily, turning to Bernadine, who had dropped behind out
of the obloquy. "What ignorant people these are! they know nothing of
the fashions." The insinuation stung her persecutors, but that only
made them the more offensive, and wherever she went she was jeered
at--openly if there were no grown-up person with her, covertly if
there were, but always so that she understood. After that first
explosion she used to march along with an air of calm indifference as
if she heard nothing, but she had to put great constraint upon herself
in order to seem superior while feeling deeply humiliated; and all the
time she suffered so acutely that at last she could hardly be induced
to go out at all.

Mrs. Caldwell, who never noticed the "common people" enough to be
aware of their criticism, would not listen to anything Beth had to say
on the subject, and considered that her objection to go out in the
jacket was merely another instance of her tiresome obstinacy.
Punishments ensued, and Beth had the daily choice whether she should
be scolded and beaten for refusing to go out, or be publicly jeered at
for wearing a "lad's jacket."

Sometimes she preferred the chance of public derision to the certainty
of private chastisement; but oftener she took the chastisement. This
state of things could not last much longer, however. Hitherto her
mother had ruled her by physical force, but now their wills were
coming into collision, and it was inevitable that the more determined
should carry her point.

"Go and put your things on directly, you naughty, obstinate child,"
her mother screamed at her one day. Beth did not move.

"Do you hear me?" Mrs. Caldwell exclaimed.

Beth made no sign. And suddenly Mrs. Caldwell realised that if Beth
would not go out, she could not make her. She never thought of trying
to persuade her. All that occurred to her was that Beth was too big to
be carried or pulled or pushed; that she might be hurt, but could not
be frightened; and that there was nothing for it, therefore, but to
let her have her own way.

"Very well, then," said Mrs.