"Good-evening, Marjie. I s'pose you've heard the news?"
"What news?" asked Marjie. "I haven't heard anything new to-day."
"Oh, yes, you have, too. You know all about it; but I'd not care if I was you."
Marjie was on her guard in a moment.
"I don't care for what I don't know, Lettie," she replied.
"Nor what you do, neither. I wouldn't if I was you. He ain't worth it; and it gives better folks a chance for what they want, anyhow."
Lettie's low brows and cunning black eyes were unendurable to the girl she was tormenting.
"Well, I don't know what you are talking about," and Marjie would have passed on, but Lettie intercepted her.
"You know that rich Melrose girl's gone back to Topeka?"
"Oh, yes," Marjie spoke indifferently; "she went last evening, I was told."