Monday noon
There were a dozen bright , graceful , winning women among the dames and damsels at the fort , and Alice Renwick was a famous beauty by this time . It was more than Maman Beaubien could withstand , that her Nina should `` lead '' all these , and so her consent was won . Back they came from Chequamegon , and the stately home on Summit Avenue reopened to receive them . It was Monday noon when they returned , and by three o'clock Fanny Sutton had told Nina Beaubien what she knew of the wonderful rumors that were floating in from Sibley . She was more than half disposed to be in love with Jerrold herself . She expected a proper amount of womanly horror , incredulity , and indignation ; but she was totally unprepared for the outburst that followed . Nina was transformed into a tragedy queen on the instant , and poor , simple-hearted , foolish Fanny Sutton was almost scared out of her small wits by the fire of denunciation and fury with which her story was greeted .