Page:Caroline Lockhart--The Fighting Shepherdess.djvu/157

 self-analytical, but honest. She had no hallucinations whatever regarding her own weaknesses and shortcomings. As she called a spade a spade, so she knew herself to be by instinct and early training a toady. Of the same type, in appearance and characteristics, in this trait, lay the main difference in the two women: while Mrs. Pantin with her better intelligence was intensely selfish, Mrs. Toomey's dominant trait was a moral cowardice that made her a natural sycophant.

No quaking soldier ever exerted more will power to go into battle than did Mrs. Toomey to answer:

"I hope so."

Mrs. Pantin's bright blue eyes sharpened. "Ah-h, they must have money!" she reflected. Aloud she said:

"Really?"

"Certainly."

This was mutiny. Mrs. Pantin lifted a sparse eyebrow — the one which the application of a burnt match improved wonderfully.

"Do you think that's — wise?"

Mrs. Toomey had a notion that if she attempted to stand her legs would behave like two sticks of wet maca- roni, yet she questioned defiantly:

"Why not?"

Undoubtedly they had made a raise somewhere!

"Why — my dear — her reputation!"

"She doesn't know any more about that murder than we do," bluntly.

"I wasn't referring to the murder — her morals."

"I don't question them, either."

"You are very charitable, Delia. She lived alone with Mormon Joe, didn't she?"

A frost seemed suddenly to have touched the perfect friendship between these kindred spirits.