"At his age," echoed Miss Beal.

But it did not amuse Mrs. Grumble to hear anyone else find fault with
Mr. Jeminy. "He's enjoying himself," she said. "I don't know as how
we've any call to make remarks."

"I only said 'at his age,'" replied Miss Beal hastily. But when she
thought it over, it occurred to her that she was right, and Mrs.
Grumble was wrong. Without courage on her own account, she was able to
defend with energy the general opinion. "I said 'at his age,'" she
repeated more firmly.

Mrs. Grumble folded her hands, and assumed a forbidding expression. "I
expect," she said, "that Mr. Jeminy is old enough to do as he pleases."

"Maybe he is," answered the dressmaker, nettled by her friend's tone,
"maybe he is. And maybe there's others old enough to know what's right
in a man of his years, Mrs. Grumble."

"At any rate," remarked Mrs. Grumble, "it's not for you to say."

"It's not alone me is saying it," replied Miss Beal. "What's more,"
she added, "for all I don't like to repeat this to you, Mrs. Grumble,
there's many think Mr. Jeminy is too old to teach school any longer.
There's some would like to see a young woman at the schoolhouse."

"Oh," said Mrs. Grumble.

Miss Beal laid her hand on her friend's arm in a gesture at once