It'd be a real help." Selina began to cry again, and then Margaret gave way to tears; and, presently, out came the dreadful story of the lover's fight and jailing; and Margaret, of course, promised to see that he was released at once.
When she went to her own room, the maid following to help her efface the very disfiguring evidence of their humble, emotional drama, Margaret had recovered her self-esteem and had won a friend, who, if too stupid to be very useful, was also too stupid to be unfaithful.
As it was on the same day, and scarcely one brief hour later, it must have been the very same Margaret who paced the alley of trimmed elms, her eyes so stern and somber, her mouth and chin so hard that her worshipful sister Lucia watched in silent, fascinated dread.

At length Margaret noted Lucia, halted and: "Why don't you read your book ?" she cried fiercely.

"Why do you sit staring at me ?" "What a temper you have got--what a NASTY temper!" Lucia was goaded into retorting.
"Haven't I, though!" exclaimed Margaret, as if she gloried in it.

"Stop that staring!" "I could see you were thinking something--something--TERRIBLE!" explained Lucia.
Margaret's face cleared before a satirical smile.

"What a romancer you are, Lucia." Then, with a laugh: "I'm taking myself ridiculously seriously to-day.