ave put the money into it."

"God knows I did."

"Well, the best business men in the world make mistakes. It is
nobody's business whether you took the money out or not, or what you
used it for, father."

"I don't see how the bills are going to be paid, and there's your
poor aunt," said Andrew. He was leaning more and more heavily upon
this new tower of strength, this tender little girl whom he had
hitherto shielded and supported. The beautiful law of reverse of
nature had come into force.

Ellen set her mouth firmly. "Don't you worry, father," said she. "We
will think of some way out of it. There's a little money to pay for
Aunt Eva, and maybe she won't be sick long. Does mother know,
father?"

"She don't know about anything, Ellen," replied Andrew, wretchedly.

"I know she doesn't know about your getting thrown out of work--but
about the bank?"

"No, Ellen."

Ellen rose. "You stay here, where it is cool, till I ring the
dinner-bell, father," she said.

"I don't want any dinner, child."

"Yes, you do, father. If you don't eat your dinner you will be sick.
You come when the bell rings."

Andrew knew that he should obey, as he saw the girl's light dress
disappear among the trees.

Ellen went back to the pump, and carried her pitcher of water into
the house. Her mother met her at the door. "Where have you been all
this time, Ellen Brewster?" she asked, in a high voice. "Everything
is getting as cold as a stone."

Ellen caught her mother's arm and drew her into the kitchen, and
closed the door. Fanny turned pale as death and looked at her.
"Well, what has happened now?" she said. "Is your father killed?"

"No," said Ellen, "but he is out of work, and he can't get a job at
Lloyd's, and he took all that money out of the savings-bank a long
time ago, and put it into that gold-mine that Uncle Jim lost in."

Fanny clutched the girl's arm in a grasp so hard that it left a blue
mark on the tender flesh. She looked at her, but did not speak one
word.

"Now, mother," said Ellen, "you must not say one word to father to
scold him. He's got enough to bear as it is."

Fanny pushed her away with sudden fierceness. "I guess I don't need
to have my own daughter teach me my duty to my husband," said she.
"Where is he?"

"Down in the orchard."

"Well, ring the bell for dinner loud, so he can hear it."

When Andrew came shuffling wearily up from the orchard, Fanny met
him at the corner of the house, out of sight f