"Folks will begin to think you did come to see William if you make such a fuss when nobody accuses you of it, if you don't look out." Rebecca hastened trembling down the road.

She made no reply, but she knew that Rose was quite right, and that she had attacked her with futile reproaches in order to save herself from shame in her own eyes.

Rebecca knew quite well that in spite of her hesitation and remonstrances, in spite of her maiden shrinking on the threshold of the store, she had come to see William Berry.

She had been glad, although she had turned a hypocritical face towards her own consciousness, that Ephraim was not well enough and she was obliged to go.

Her heart had leaped with joy when Rose had proposed William's walking home with her, but when he refused she was crushed with shame.