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gentleman was based on evidence purely circumstantial； Janet was inclined
to believe him of a type wholly different from his predecessors； and the
fact that his attentions were curiously intermittent and irregular
inclined her to the theory that he was not a resident of Hampton。 What
was he like？ It revolted her to reflect that he might in some ways
possibly resemble Ditmar。 Thus he became the object of a morbid
speculation； especially at such times as this； when Lise attired herself
in her new winter finery and went forth to meet him。 Janet； also； had
recently been self…convicted of sharing with Lise the same questionable
tendency toward self…adornment to please the eye of man。 The very next
Saturday night after she had indulged in that mad extravagance of the
blue suit； Lise had brought home from the window of The Paris in Faber
Street a hat that had excited the cupidity and admiration of Miss Schuler
and herself； and in front of which they had stood languishing on three
successive evenings。 In its acquisition Lise had expended almost the
whole of a week's salary。 Its colour was purple； on three sides were
massed drooping lilac feathers； but over the left ear the wide brim was
caught up and held by a crescent of brilliant paste stones。 Shortly
after this purchasethe next week； in fact；The Paris had alluringly
and craftily displayed； for the tempting sum of 6。29； the very cloak
ordained by providence to 〃go〃 with the hat。 Miss Schuler declared it
would be a crime to fail to take advantage of such an opportunity but the
trouble was that Lise had had to wait for two more pay…days and endure
the suspense arising from the possibility that some young lady of taste
and means might meanwhile become its happy proprietor。 Had not the
saleslady been obdurate； Lise would have had it on credit； but she did
succeed； by an initial payment the ensuing Saturday； in having it
withdrawn from public gaze。 The second Saturday Lise triumphantly
brought the cloak home； a velvet cloak；if the eyes could be believed；
velvet bordering on plush； with a dark purple ground delicately and
artistically spotted with a lilac to match the hat feathers； and edged
with a material whichif not too impudently examined and no questions
askedmight be mistaken； by the uninitiated male； for the fur of a white
fox。 Both investments had been made； needless to say； on the strength of
Janet's increased salary； and Lise； when Janet had surprised her before
the bureau rapturously surveying the combination； justified herself with
a defiant apology。
〃I just had to have somethingwhat with winter coming on；〃 she declared；
seizing the hand mirror in order to view the back。 〃You might as well
get your clothes chick； while you're about itand I didn't have to dig
up twenty bones； neithernor anything like it〃 a reflection on Janet's
moest blue suit and her abnormal extravagance。 For it was Lise's habit
to carry the war into the enemy's country。 〃Sadie's dippy about itsays
it puts her in mind of one of the swells snapshotted in last Sunday's
supplement。 Well； dearie； how does the effect get you？〃 and she wheeled
around for her sister's inspection。
〃If you take my advice； you'll be careful not to be caught out in the
rain。〃
〃What's chewin' you now？〃 demanded Lise。 She was not lacking in
imagination of a certain sort； and Janet's remark did not fail in its
purpose of summoning up a somwhat abject image of herself in wet velvet
and bedraggled feathersan image suggestive of a certain hunted type of
woman Lise and her kind held in peculiar horror。 And she was the more
resentful because she felt； instinctively； that the memory of this
suggestion would never be completely eradicated： it would persist； like a
canker； to mar the completeness of her enjoyment of these clothes。 She
swung on Janet furiously。
〃I get you； all right！〃 she cried。 〃I guess I know what's eatin' you！
You've got money to burn and you're sore because I spend mine to buy what
I need。 You don't know how to dress yourself any more than one of them
Polak girls in the mills； and you don't want anybody else to look nice。〃
And Janet was impelled to make a retort of almost equal crudity：
〃If I were a man and saw you in those clothes I wouldn't wait for an
introduction。 You asked me what I thought。 I don't care about the
money！〃 she exclaimed passionately。 〃I've often told you you were pretty
enough without having to wear that kind of thingto make men stare at
you。〃
〃I want to know if I don't always look like a lady！ And there's no man
living would try to pick me up more than once。〃 The nasal note in Lise's
voice had grown higher and shriller； she was almost weeping with anger。
〃You want me to go 'round lookin' like a floorwasher。〃
〃I'd rather look like a floorwasher thanthan another kind of woman；〃
Janet declared。
〃Well； you've got your wish； sweetheart；〃 said Lise。 〃You needn't be
scared anybody will pick you up。〃
〃I'm not；〃 said Janet。。。。
This quarrel had taken place a week or so before Janet's purchase of the
stove。 Hannah； too； was outraged by Lise's costume； and had also been
moved to protest； futile protest。 Its only effect on Lise was to
convince her of the existence of a prearranged plan of persecution； to
make her more secretive and sullen than ever before。
〃Sometimes I just can't believe she's my daughter；〃 Hannah said
dejectedly to Janet when they were alone together in the kitchen after
Lise had gone out。 〃I'm fond of her because she's my own flesh and
bloodI'm ashamed of it； but I can't help it。 I guess it's what the
minister in Dolton used to call a visitation。 I suppose I deserve it；
but sometimes I think maybe if your father had been different he might
have been able to put a stop to the way she's going on。 She ain't like
any of the Wenches； nor any of the Bumpuses； so far's I'm able to find
out。 She just don't seem to have any notion about right and wrong。
Well； the world has got all jumbled upit beats me。〃
Hannah wrung out the mop viciously and hung it over the sink。
〃I used to hope some respectable man would come along； but I've quit
hopin'。 I don't know as any respectable man would want Lise； or that I
could honestly wish him to have her。〃
〃Mother！〃 protested Janet。 Sometimes； in those conversations； she was
somewhat paradoxically impelled to defend her sister。
〃Well； I don't；〃 insisted Hannah； 〃that's a fact。 I'll tell you what she
looks like in that hat and cloaka bad woman。 I don't say she isI
don't know what I'd do if I thought she was； but I never expected my
daughter to look like one。〃
〃Oh； Lise can take care of herself；〃 Janet said； in spite of certain
recent misgivings。
〃This town's Sodom and Gomorrah rolled into one；〃 declared Hannah who；
from early habit； was occasionally prone to use scriptural parallels。
And after a moment's silence she inquired： 〃Who's this man that's payin'
her attention now？〃
〃I don't know；〃 replied Janet； 〃I don't know that there's anybody。〃
〃I guess there is；〃 said Hannah。 〃I used to think that that Wiley was
low enough； but I could see him。 It was some satisfaction。 I could know
the worst； anyhow。。。。 I guess it's about time for another flood。〃
This talk had left Janet in one of these introspective states so frequent
in her recent experience。 Her mother had used the words 〃right〃 and
〃wrong。〃 But what was 〃right；〃 or 〃wrong？〃 There was no use asking
Hannah； whoshe perceivedwas as confused and bewildered as herself。
Did she refuse to encourage Mr。 Ditmar because it was wrong？ because； if
she acceded to his desires； and what were often her own； she would be
punished in an after life？ She was not at all sure whether she believed
in an after life；a lack of faith that had； of late； sorely troubled her
friend Eda Rawle； who had 〃got religion〃 from an itinerant evangelist and
was now working off； in a 〃live〃 church； some of the emotional idealism
which is the result of a balked sex instinct in young unmarried women of
a certain mentality and unendowed with good looks。 This was not； of
course； Janet's explanation of the change in her friend； of whom she now
saw less and less。 They had had arguments； in which neither gained any
ground。 For the first time in their intercourse； ideas had come between
them； Eda having developed a surprising self…assertion when her new
convictions were attacked； a dogged loyalty to a scheme of salvation that
Janet found neither inspiring nor convincing。 She resented being prayed
for； and an Eda fervent in good works bored her more than ever。 Eda was
deeply pained by Janet's increasing avoidance of her company； yet her
heroine…worship persisted。 Her continued regard for her friend might
possibly be compared to the attitude of an orthodox Baptist who has
developed a hobby； let us say； for Napoleon Bonaparte。
Janet was not wholly without remorse。 She valued Eda's devotion； she
sincerely regretted the fact； on Eda's account as well as her own； that
it was a devotion of no use to her in the present crisis nor indeed in
any crisis likely to confront her in life： she had felt instinctively
from the first that the friendship was not founde