CHAPTER XVII.
To learn that her mountain retreat had been invaded and that she had been spied upon filled Ma Briskow with dismay, but when Allie found fault with her behavior the elder woman burned with resentment.
"We're queer enough," the girl said, "without you cutting up crazy and making folks talk.

If you want to dance, for goodness' sake hire somebody to lear--to teach you, same as I did." Mrs.Briskow had silently endured her daughter's criticism up to this point, but now her lips tightened and there was a defiant tilt to her head.
"Who says I want to dance ?" she demanded.

"I can dance good enough." "What was you up to the other day?
That Delamater man said you was acting plumb nutty." "I wasn't doin' anything." "Where do you go every day, Ma?
You stay around nice and quiet till Miz' Ring or I look the other way, then--you're gone." "I kinda--visit around." "Who d'you visit with?
You don't know anybody.

Nobody ever speaks to us.

You ain't in earnest about those fairies and things, are you ?" "It ain't anybody's business where I go or what I do," Ma declared, in sullen exasperation.