said Charlotte, and her cheek
blazed.

Anna Carroll looked sharply at her from her drawer, then went on
folding the handkerchief.

"He is a lawyer, and as well-educated as papa," Charlotte said,
further, in her clear, brave voice, and she returned her aunt's look
unflinchingly, although her cheeks continued to blush.

Mrs. Carroll still looked bewildered. "How much did you pay him,
Charlotte, dear?" she asked.

"Twenty-five dollars."

"The whole of the check Arthur gave you?"

"Yes, Amy."

"But you might have bought yourself a hat, honey, and you did need
one. I can't quite understand why you paid the grocer, when he had
not refused to let us have more groceries, and you might have bought
a hat."

Anna, packing the drawer, began to laugh, and Charlotte, after
frowning a second, laughed also.

"My hat with the roses looks very nice yet, Amy, dear," said she,
sweetly and consolingly.

"But it is getting so late for roses," Mrs. Carroll returned.

"The milliner in New York where Ina got her hats has been paid; maybe
she will trust Charlotte for a hat. Don't worry, Amy," said Anna,
coolly.

Mrs. Carroll brightened up. "Sure enough, Anna," said she. "She was
paid because she wouldn't trust us, and maybe now she will be willing
to again. I will go in to-morrow, and I think I can get a hat for
myself."

"I saw the dress-maker looking out of the window," said Charlotte.

"She did very well," said Mrs. Carroll.

"I suppose there is no money to pay her?" said Charlotte.

"No, honey, I suppose not, but dear Ina has the dresses and you have
your new one."

"That makes me think. I think her bill is on the table. It came two
or three days ago. I haven't opened it, because it looked like a
bill. Eddy brought it in when I was in here. Yes, there it is."
Charlotte, near the table, took up the envelope and opened it. "It is
only one hundred and fifty-eight dollars," said she.

"That is very cheap for so many pretty dresses," said Mrs. Carroll,
"but I suppose it is all clear profit. I should think dress-makers
would get rich very easily."

That night Charlotte was the last to go to her room--that is, the
last except her father. He was still smoking in the little room on
the left of the hall. They had been playing whist in there; then they
had had some sherry and crackers and olives. Major Arms had sent out
a case of sherry before the wedding, and it was not all gone. Now
Carroll was smoking a last cigar before