“They had better not laugh in our hearing at least. This house is sacred to those who live in it, and anyone who comes here with such hideous miserable gossip may be prepared for a bad reception. Those vulgar cads!” cried Katherine. “Oh, that word is vulgar too, I suppose. I don’t care--they are so if any men ever were, who think they can trifle with a girl’s name and make her father come down--with what? his money you mean--it would be good sound blows if I were a man. And for what? to buy the miserable beings off, to shut their wretched mouths, to----” “Katherine!” cried Stella, all aglow, detaching herself from her sister’s arms. “Here’s heroics!” said Mrs. Seton; but she was overawed more or less by the flashing eyes and imposing aspect of this young woman, who was no “frump” after all, as appeared, but a person to be reckoned with--not Stella’s duenna, but something in her own right. Then she turned to Stella, who was more comprehensible, with whom a friend might quarrel and make it up again and no harm done. “My dear,” she said, “you are the one of this family who understands a little, who can be spoken to--I shan’t notice the rude things your sister says--I was obliged to tell you, for it’s always best to hear from a friend what is being said about you outside. You might have seen yourself boycotted, don’t you know? and not known what it meant. But, I dare say, if we all stand by you, you’ll not be boycotted for very long. You don’t mean to be rude, I hope, to your best friends.” “Oh, Lottie! I hope you will stand by me,” cried Stella. “It was all an accident, as sure, as sure----! I only took them to the yacht for fun--and then I thought I should like to see the sails up--for fun. And then--oh, it was anything but fun after that!” the girl cried. “I dare say. Were you sick?--did you make an exhibition of yourself? Oh, I shall hear all about it from Algy--Charlie won’t say anything, so he is the one, I suppose. Don’t forget he’s a very bad boy--oh, there isn’t a good one between them! _I_ shouldn’t like to be out with them alone. But Charlie! the rows he has had everywhere, the scandals he has made! Oh, my dear! If you go and marry Charlie Somers, Stella, which you’ll have to do, I believe----” “He is the very last person she shall marry if she will listen to me!”