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Bates, Arlo, 1850-1918

"The Puritans"

1.

When Maurice Wynne's bitter word stung her, Berenice Morison stood for
a second too overwhelmed to speak or move. She felt the blood mount to
her temples, and she could see reflected in the eyes of acquaintances
around a mingled curiosity and amusement. Wynne passed on, and she
shrank into her seat, which fortunately was near.
"Who in the world is that, and what did he say to you when you gave him
that favor?" exclaimed her neighbor. "I don't see how you dared to do
it!"
A gentleman took the speaker away, so that Berenice was spared the
necessity of answering. She watched Wynne advance to the group of which
Mrs. Wilson was the centre, and she understood well enough that his
being here was some contrivance of the latter's. She was angry with
Wynne and humiliated by the insult that he had flung at her, yet she
had room in her heart for rage against the woman who had brought him
there. She looked at Mrs. Wilson laughing and jesting, she watched the
comedy proceed as the black domino covered the white shoulders and the
gown of gold and crimson, yet most of all was she conscious of how
straight and strong Maurice stood among the gay group which surrounded
him.


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