In a small place like Waveland, the inhabitants, as every one knows, are very liable to go to extremes in almost everything they undertake.  Thus, if a new comer excites their favorable notice, they have nothing to do but to ride at once, upon the very topmost wave of popular favor.

If, on the contrary, they decide against them, there is no crime within the knowledge of man, of which they are not severally accused and considered guilty, without any extenuating circumstances.

So it was not so much to be wondered at, that when Clemence once fell into disfavor, she had lost the good graces of the majority at once and forever.  Within a short space of time, every house was closed against her, with the exception of a few staunch friends’ hospitable abodes, and she received a polite but cold request from the school committee to resign her situation.

“What can it mean?” she asked in despair.  “I surely have done nothing to offend these people?”

“As if the miserable, pusillanimous reprobates did not know it as well as you!” spluttered Mrs. Wynn, with her apron to her eyes.  Clemence’s white face, with its appealing look, had gone straight to her motherly heart.  “The unfeeling creatures, to take away a girl’s character, like that!  There had ought to be a place of everlasting punishment for such wretches, and I know they’ll get it, sure as the Lord reigns.  But I told you so!  I knew how it would be when you went to pickin’ that lazy, idle, shiftless, good-for-nothing thing of a Mis’ Owen out of the dirt, and settin’ her up to be somebody.  I knew there wasn’t no ambition in her no how, and she didn’t want to be anybody herself.  She’s only mad now, because you showed yourself so far above her, and she hates you for your pains.  You never asked my advice, though, and I thought I’d keep my fingers out of the mess, for once in my life.  That gossipping, old Mother Wynn made up her mind to let ’em have their fling for once, but they’ve gone and dragged me into it after all, and I mean to let the whole lot see that I’m enough for them, single-handed.

“I believe that I’ll put on my bonnet and start out.  I feel too excited to accomplish anything this morning, so, if you’ll just help Rose through with the bakin’, I guess I’ll make one or two short calls, here and there, to see what’s going on.”

Only too glad to get rid of her own thoughts, Clemence assented, and was soon so busily engrossed in her occupation, that she did not hear when there came a rap at the outer door.

“Mr. Strain,” said Rose, coming in suddenly, with a singular expression of countenance, “and, if you’ll believe it, he asked to see you alone.”

“What for, I wonder?” said Clemence, nervously, pressing her hand to her aching forehead, “I cannot imagine what he wants.”

“Nor I,” said Rose, “of you.”  And when Clemence asked her to follow immediately, declared, with a toss of the head, “she couldn’t see it, two’s a company and three’s a crowd, you know.  I wasn’t called for, and I never go where I ain’t wanted.  Hurry up, too, and get rid of him, for there’s all this work to be done before mother comes home.”