ey."

Marian looked at her in surprise. "Why, Beth Davenport, how is that?"

Beth seated herself upon the floor. "Well, Marian, you know both you
and I decided to buy mamma's birthday present before the Fair began for
fear we wouldn't have anything left to buy it with. Well, after that I
had only a dollar."

"But that dollar was to last you all the week."

Beth took down a brush and brushed out the snarls while she talked.

"Yes, I know it was, but you see, Marian, Julia and Harvey were with me
to-day. They were my guests. Papa gave me the tickets to take them.
Well, it was dreadfully hot, and we did want some ice cream awfully, so
I asked them to have some. There was thirty cents gone."

Marian looked judicial. "Well, what about the other seventy?"

Beth brushed snarls so vigorously that she winced once or twice.

"Well, you may think me dreadfully foolish, but I invited them to the
Punch and Judy show. That took thirty cents more."

"Well, but you still should have forty cents."

Beth stopped brushing and clasped her hands.

"Well, I just couldn't help it. I--well, this is how it happened. You
know papa gave Gustus tickets for the Fair for himself, his brothers
and sisters, and mamma let him have the afternoon off. Well, just as
we came out of the Punch and Judy show we met them. You know mamma
gives Gustus clothes, but the others looked dreadfully ragged. I
stopped and spoke to them and asked them if they were going into the
show. Marian, tears came into Gustus's eyes, as he said, 'Missy Beth,
the likes of us don't go to shows. I'se never been to a show in my
life.'"

"Never been to a show in his life? How was that, Beth?"

"That was just what I asked him, Marian. I knew mamma paid him for
waiting on us. He told me that he took all his money to his mother.
Marian, I just couldn't help it. I spent my last forty cents for four
Punch and Judy tickets for four of them, and Harvey and Julia bought
some for the others. Do you think we were foolish?"

Marian hesitated for an instant.

"I suppose I should have done the same thing in your place. I am
awfully sorry, though, you haven't any money to lend me."

"Maybe my dress and cake will take prizes. Then I'll have some to lend
you."

Beth could hardly wait for the last day of the exhibition to see if she
would be awarded any prize. She thought that nothing could mar her
happiness if she received one.

The prices were decided upon