Sairy, who had begun by bridling and looking askance at the two who talked so easily about things with which she was not conversant, soon tossed her head and began to talk with others who gathered around. And when Mr. Somers went to the desk to preside again Sairy was not sitting in the same row with the Bray girls and left them to their own devices for the rest of the evening. Lucas, the faithful, came back to 'Phemie's side, however. Some of the other girls were laughing at Sairy Pritchett and their taunts fed her ire with fresh fuel. She talked very loud and laughed very much between the numbers of the program, and indeed was not always quiet while the entertainment itself was in progress. This she did as though to show the company in general that she neither cared for the schoolmaster's attentions nor that she considered her friendship with the Bray girls of any importance. Of course, the girls with whom she had wrangled on the schoolhouse steps were delighted with what they considered Sairy's "let-down." If a girl really came to an evening party with a young man, he was supposed to "stick" and to show interest in no other girl during the evening. When the intermission came Mr. Somers deliberately took a seat again beside Lyddy. "Well, I never!" shrilled Sairy. "Some folks are as bold as brass. Humph!" Now, as it happened, both Lyddy and the school teacher were quite ignorant of the stir they were creating. The green-eyed monster roared right in their ears without either of them being the wiser. Lyddy was only sorry that Sairy Pritchett proved to be such a loud-talking and rather unladylike person. But 'Phemie, who was younger, and observant, soon saw what was the matter. She wished to warn Lyddy, but did not know how to do so. And, of course, she knew her sister and the school teacher were talking of quite impersonal things. These girls expected everybody to be of their own calibre. 'Phemie had seen the same class of girls in her experience in the millinery shop. But it was quite impossible for Lyddy to understand such people, her experience with young girls at school and college not having prepared her for the outlook on life which these country girls had. 'Phemie turned to Lucas--who stuck to her like a limpet to a rock--for help. "Lucas," she said, "you have been very kind to bring us here; but I want to ask you to take us home early; will you?" "What's the matter--ye ain't sick; be you?" demanded the anxious young farmer. "No. But your sister is," said 'Phemie, unable to treat the matter with entire seriousness. "Sairy?" "Yes." "What's the matter with _her_?" grunted Lucas. "Don't you _see_?" exclaimed 'Phemie, in an undertone. "By cracky!" laughed Lucas. "Ye mean because teacher's forgot she's on airth?" "Yes," snapped 'Phemie. "You know Lyddy doesn't care anything about that Mr. Somers. But she has to be polite." "Why--why----"