“Aren’t you all ashamed of yourselves—rushing to stare at a stranger like that, and letting him see you, too?”
“I’d like to know why I shouldn’t,” said Annie Lee. “Anyone who is as queer as he is, deserves to be stared at.”
“What’s queer about him?” cried Lily, quite indignantly.
“Well, he never goes anywhere, and never sees anyone, and lives all alone in that big house. You may not call that queer, but I do.” returned Annie Lee.
“And he’s so handsome,” murmured Dolly, sentimentally. “I’m sure he’s had some unhappy love-affair.”
“Pooh!” said Jane, who was not romantic, “he’s no more heart-broken than I am.”
“You know very little, as yet, concerning the secret sorrows that many people hide,” said Amelia.
“When they hide them that’s one thing,” retorted Jane, “but he advertises his like a breakfast food.” Then once more she turned on Lily, remorselessly, “Do you know him, too, Miss Lily?” she repeated.
“I? Why, n-no,” said Lily, pretending to be studying her own dimpled chin in the mirror.
“He bowed to you,” insisted Jane.