o and economize."

"How much have each of you saved altogether since papa began paying us?"
asked Beatrice. "I have nine dollars and thirty-four cents."

"Whew!" whistled Kittie. "I've got just three. I tell you caramels are
disastrous to my pocket money."

"I wear out my gloves, love butter-scotch, and lost my head over a
certain pair of slippers; consequence, two dollars and eight cents in my
treasury," moaned Kat, with great self reproach.

"Well, I do everything that is frivolous, and unwise, and extravagant,
but I have a good time, and the result is that I haven't a cent, and am
in debt a dollar," laughed Ernestine, kicking out her pretty foot with
its fancy little slipper, as if in defiance to anyone's criticisms or
reproofs.

"Two more to hear from yet," said Beatrice, as silence fell. "Jeanie,
have you spent all your quarters?"

"No," said Jean slowly and with much hesitation, "I had two dollars and
spent one for a sash."

"And I borrowed the other," interrupted Ernestine, seeing that the child
did not want to tell on her. "How much have you, Olive?"

"I made no promise to tell," leaped to Olive's lips; but instead of
speaking it, she electrified them by saying, with a quiet smile of
satisfaction, "Thirty dollars."

It did more than surprise them; it was almost a stun for a minute or
two; then Ernestine slowly opened her lips: "Why, Olive Dering! wherever
did you get it? If you'd never spent a cent of your allowance, papa
hasn't been paying us long enough for it to amount to that."

"I suppose, for a girl that isn't a fool, there are more ways of getting
money than sitting down with her hands folded and letting her father
give it to her," retorted Olive with a snap.

"That's so, Olive," echoed Beatrice, with a heartiness that made them
jump. "But what did you do? tell us quick; see every one of us stiff
with curiosity."

It just occurred to Olive to let them remain stiff with curiosity, but
perhaps an amount of satisfaction in the way she had earned her money is
what changed her mind; at any rate, she began more readily than the
others expected: "I sold the old iron out in the barn, and several bags
of rags; then I've done some writing for papa's clerk, because he was
hurried; and last week I sold my picture. Of my allowance I only spent
enough for two pairs of gloves, that have lasted me with mending; so
that's how I made my money."

"Blessings on you!" cried Kat enthusiastically. "I look upon y