"'I don't know,' returned Alice, carelessly, 'the Hall is no longer open to me.'
"'That tells its own tale,' said I sorrowfully.
"'The tale may be false, in spite of probability,' returned she fiercely. 'No one should dare openly condemn another without sufficient evidence.'
"'They need not go far for that,' said I.
"'That is your opinion.'
"'On most conclusive evidence.'
"'How charitable.'
"'How true, Alice.'
"'False as the world. As you, as every one is to the unfortunate,' she cried, with indignation in her eyes and scorn upon her lip, 'but here is Dinah—Dinah, whom you consider unfeeling and cruel. She knows me, and loves me better than you do. She does not join with a parcel of conventional hypocrites to condemn me.'
"As she ceased speaking, Dinah entered with a basket on her arm. After the first surprise at my unexpected and unwelcome appearance was over, she accosted me with more amenity of look and manner than I ever before knew her to assume.