She had been so humiliated, poor child, by the insufferable rudeness of that Western girl that she naturally wished to make good.

And how modest and unselfish she had been to make the attempt to exalt another author when she herself was so much greater.

Wilbur fully exonerated Margaret for what she did in the case of Martha Wallingford in the light of this revelation.

His modest, generous, noble wife had honestly endeavoured to do the girl a favour, to assist her in spite of herself and she had received nothing save rudeness, ingratitude, and humiliation in return.

Now, she was asserting herself.