Juliet did not like to refuse her mother's request, but it was with reluctance that she went to prepare for the walk. She had not walked alone in the vicinity of her home since her return from the Continent.
It was a lovely though keen September day. The crisp, autumnal feeling in the air made walking delightful. In spite of sorrowful thought, Juliet was agreeably sensible of the freshness and clearness of the atmosphere, as she walked briskly along the high road, where many of the trees were already brilliant with the golden and russet hues of autumn, and dead leaves thickly strewed the garden paths.
Juliet's way took her past the high school. Miss Tucker came out of the door as Juliet approached, but suddenly she turned and hurriedly re-entered the building. Her eyes had met Juliet's for a moment ere she turned. An uneasy sensation smote like a chill to Juliet's heart. Could it be that Miss Tucker had turned so quickly in order to avoid her? Though she had been such an unsatisfactory scholar, she had always regarded the head mistress with warm esteem, and she had believed that Miss Tucker liked her. Had she heard all, and did she condemn her late scholar so severely that she could not even vouchsafe her a greeting? Juliet's face burned with shame at the thought. Her heart sank very low. She walked slowly on, lost in painful thought, made her purchase without giving much heed to it, and turned homewards.
As she re-passed the high school, the girls were coming out. Juliet had carefully taken the opposite side of the way, but Dolly Hayes, a bright little girl of nine, who had enjoyed many a romp with Juliet, saw her and came running to her across the road. But almost immediately an elder sister followed, and as Dolly reached Juliet's side, she caught her by the skirt behind, and drew her back, in spite of her struggles and indignant protests. Juliet stood watching with amusement, thinking it only a bit of rough play, till she heard the elder one say—
"Come away, Dolly. You are not to go to Juliet Tracy. Don't you remember mother said we were not to speak to her if we saw her in the street?"
"I don't care. I shall speak to her. I love Juliet," protested the angry child.
But Juliet had heard enough. There was no misunderstanding this. She felt as if she had received a sudden stab. Her very strength seemed to go from her. In an instant she was weak, wounded, helpless. She bent her head and hurried home, scarce able to see her way for the blinding tears which would keep rising in her eyes.
At a corner, not a stone's throw from The Poplars, she ran against Mrs. Hayes, who was walking with Mr. Mainprice. Juliet lifted her eyes and met Mrs. Hayes' pitiless stare. That lady gave her a hard, scornful, deliberate glance, sufficient to show that she recognised her perfectly, but did not intend to salute her, and walked on.
Juliet dimly saw that Mr. Mainprice lifted his hat. She heard him utter her name. She believed afterwards that he had stopped and held out his hand, but she was too confused at the moment to observe anything distinctly. Conscious only of bitterest humiliation, her one instinctive impulse was to escape and hide herself from those cruel eyes.
She entered the house as noiselessly as possible, hoping that her mother would not hear her come in, and hurried up to her own room. There she threw herself on her knees beside the bed, and sobbed as though her heart would break. For she knew all now. There had been that in Mrs. Hayes' glance which had made everything clear to her comprehension. She knew how people were regarding her. She saw the impression which her conduct, revealed only in its bare details, must have made upon their minds. She understood how fatally she had marred her future. In her wilful folly, she had tarnished the good name which is a girl's most priceless possession. And what could life be worth without it?