Page:Stella Dallas, a novel (IA stelladallasnove00prou).pdf/160

150 we're all supporting and protecting to the best of our ability, should be carrying on an affair of that sort with a man of that sort in a place of that sort. As one of the trustees of Miss Fillibrown's School there's only one course open to me. A thing like that cannot be known about a woman, and countenanced, can it?"

"Certainly not," was the general dictum.

"I for one won't countenance it anyhow," announced Mrs. Kay Bird, with emphasis. "Either Mrs. Dallas moves out of the King Arthur or I do. I had to play bridge with her twice last winter!"

"And either her child is removed from Miss Fillibrown's or mine is," another voice proclaimed.

This conversation took place in Myrtle Holland's living-room a few days after her return to Milhampton, in late September. There were half a dozen women gathered round the tea-table.

"But," feebly observed one of them, "there's just a possibility that you're mistaken, Myrtle, isn't there?"

"Oh, sweet protector of the innocent, virtuous defender of the maligned," laughed Mrs. Kay Bird.

"My dear Mabel," Myrtle replied, "there's just a possibility a man who frequents corner saloons doesn't drink, but it's rather slight, I fear; and anyhow, whether he drinks or not, the fact that he enjoys the company and atmosphere of corner saloons is sufficient to bar him from certain drawing-rooms. Dear me, Mabel, haven't we all endured Stella Dallas years enough in this town to satisfy you? I, for one, don't enjoy torturing animals even though some of them don't seem to mind it very much. That