The first strong emotion they had known had been hate, one for the other. They were so different in every quality of soul and body; they saw and were on the opposite side of every conceivable question. But one thing they had in common, an admirable tenacity, which rendered them insensible to either courtesy or reason where their prejudices were at stake.
The home, such as it was, existed only by grace of Mrs. Southard's strength of character. For while their mutual dislike reached a degree of bitterness hard to comprehend, they all loved her, each in his or her own way.
“What detained you, Philip?” his mother asked when Katherine was restored to composure.
“I took a walk with Lester Royal.”
“I don't think him a very good person to be seen with,” Katherine interposed. She felt bound to raise a disturbance on moral grounds.
“Don't you?—why not?” Then as a happy after thought: “There are certain people who should be restrained from thinking.”
Katherine ignored his remark and returned to the charge.
“What sort of a reputation has he, I should like to know! But of course you are superior to a trifle like that.”
“I fancy it's what it should be.”
“You know very well he has no reputation at all. But I suppose you don't mind—you are so liberal.”