"There was that Lightfoot divorce case," Miss Marlenspuyk went on. "The way the Dial dwelt on that was unspeakable. I'm willing to allow that Mrs. Lightfoot was not exactly a nice person; I'll admit that she may have been divorced more times than she had been married—"
"That's admitting a good deal!" said the young woman, as the elder paused.
"But it is going altogether too far to say that, like Cleopatra, she had the manners of a kitten and the morals of a cat—isn't it?"
Miss Peters made no response. Her eyes were fixed on the carpet, and her face was redder than ever.
"Of course it isn't likely you saw the article I mean," the old maid continued.
"Yes," the younger responded, "I saw it."
"I'm sorry for that," said Miss Marlenspuyk. "I may be old-fashioned—I suppose I must be at my age—but I don't think that is the kind of thing a nice girl like you should read."
Again Miss Peters made no response.
"I happen to remember that phrase," Miss Marlenspuyk continued, "because the article was signed 'Polly Perkins.' Very likely it was a man who wrote it, after all, but it may have been a woman. And if it was I felt ashamed for her as I read it. How could one woman write of another in that way?"
"Perhaps the writer was very poor," pleaded Miss Peters.