"It's a lie—a shameful lie! I'd like to know how you dare cast your insinuations about one you never knew, sir?" and Mrs. Marier arose in her seat, excitedly. "My husband was a good moral gentleman."
"For the land's sake, Marier, do set down," the other woman cried, feeling embarrassed.
"No I won't set down!" Marier declared. "That old bald-headed, pussy fabricator said my Sammy had bunions!"
"My good woman, I never said anything of the kind," the portly party declared, getting red in the face.
"The old woman's crazy!" another man seemed to cry.
"Crazy, am I?" Mrs. Marier cried, snatching up a freshly baked pumpkin pie from the seat beside her, and holding it ready to hurl at the offenders. "I'll show you if I'm crazy. Jest ye open yer mouths, ary one of ye, an' I'll show ye how crazy I am! Oh! I'll learn ye to insult a respectable woman, who minds her own business!"
And the woman came off victor, for Fritz ventriloquized no further, and the passengers had nothing to say, having no desire to get plastered up with freshly prepared pumpkin pie.
In the course of three hours the train arrived at Atlantic City, and before the ocean's blue expanse, as it billowed away to meet the horizon.
The grand stretch of level beach was thronged with people, despite the pouring heat of the midday sun, and many queerly costumed pleasure-seekers were buffeting about in the water for recreation and health.
Fritz was among the first to leave the cars, and he stationed himself where he could watch the movements of the girl, Madge.