The old lady's lips tightened.
"In my days young girls did not pretend to decide where their parents should live."
"These aren't your days, grandma, thank heaven!... If a girl is going to get anything out of life—"
"You've had a great deal—"
"Thanks to the friends I've made for myself."
"It might be better if you cared less to go with folks above you—"
"Above me!" the exasperated girl flashed. "Who's above me? Nelly Kemp? Sally Norton?—Above me!"
That was the flaming note of Milly's intense Americanism. As a social, human being she recognized no superiors. There were richer, cleverer, better educated women, no doubt, but in this year of salvation and hope, 1890, there were none "above her." Never!...
Mrs. Ridge discreetly shifted the point of attack.
"It might be disastrous for your father if you were to break up his home."