to try it for just one little week; besides, it will
be fun!"

"Fun for you, but what a temptation to put in your own Uncle's way!
However I don't want to be too selfish. I'll keep the purse."

"For a week. Thank you, Uncle!"

"Have you any more stray pennies to put in my charge?"

"I have exactly six cents left and I must get along on that."

"Won't you allow me to contribute an occasional quarter?"

"Well, not more than a nickel at a time. Just pretend I'm a poor
little girl who is hired to run errands at the Towers!"

"And if you demand part of the content of the purse?"

"Don't give it to me! But I shan't!"

Alene held her week's allowance in her hand until they entered the
house; then she placed it beside her plate at dinner. She found it
troublesome keeping track of it.

"I need a small purse to put it in. There's a pretty one for a quarter
at Nixon's store--ah, I forgot already, I haven't enough money."

Uncle Fred offered her the use of a flat red-morocco pocketbook, but
Alene said it was not convenient to carry, and besides, people would
expect so much from its size! She at last decided to use a small knit
bag of crimson silk with silver rings, which she kept in a box upstairs.

The next day she had a long letter to mail to her parents, and the
girls accompanied her to the post-office.

On the way back they heard music.

They soon came to where the players stood, a crippled Italian and a
little, dark-skinned boy, with a harp and violin.

At the conclusion of several numbers the boy went through the crowd,
holding out his battered cap.

Laura put in all she had, a bright new cent.

"I haven't a penny," lamented Ivy.

"I have just one solitary, shamed little fellow, done up in crimson
satin and silver buckles," announced Alene, taking the pretty bag from
her wrist.

Ivy giggled.

"Everybody is looking, Alene! They expect a piece of silver, at least,
from that gorgeous purse!"

"Well, I can't help it! I paid a nickle postage on my letter, you
know!"

"Yes, I know, but the rest of the town is in ignorance of that great
expenditure."

"You needn't laugh, Miss Bonner. Considering the amount of my capital,
it was a big payment to meet!"

"And so early, too, in your poverty-stricken career, I can sympathize
with you," said Laura.

The bright bag with its shining rings, over which the heads of the
three girls were bent, seemed to have attracted the attention of the
crowd as I