She's followed the lead of the other girls; they've always all of 'em been jealous of Alice because she dared to try and be happy, and because she's showier and better-looking than they are, even though you do give her only about thirty-five cents a year to do it on! They've all done everything on earth they could to drive the young men away from her and belittle her to 'em; and this mean little Henrietta Lamb's been the worst of the whole crowd to Alice, every time she could see a chance." "What for ?" Adams asked, incredulously.

"Why should she or anybody else pick on Alice ?" "'Why ?' 'What for ?'" his wife repeated with a greater vehemence.

"Do YOU ask me such a thing as that?
Do you really want to know ?" "Yes; I'd want to know--I would if I believed it." "Then I'll tell you," she said in a cold fury.

"It's on account of you, Virgil, and nothing else in the world." He hooted at her.

"Oh, yes! These girls don't like ME, so they pick on Alice." "Quit your palavering and evading," she said.