dy knows how long. It
doesn't do anybody any good to get such a fright, and she is a thin,
delicate little thing."

"Yes, she had quite a fright," said Anderson, walking over to the
window with the defective shutter. "This shutter must be fixed," said
he.

"I think she is prettier than the one that got married, but it is a
pity she belongs to such a family," said Mrs. Anderson. "Mrs.
Ferguson was just in here, and she says it is awful, that they are
owing everybody."

"That is not the girl's fault," Anderson rejoined, with sudden fire.

"No, I suppose not," said Mrs. Anderson, with an anxious look at him.
"Only, if she hasn't been taught to think it doesn't matter if debts
are not paid."

"Well, I don't think that poor child is to be blamed," Anderson said.

"Do they owe you?"

"She came in and paid me this morning."

"Oh, I'm glad of that!" said his mother, and Anderson was conscious
of intense guilt at his deception. Somehow half a lie had always
seemed to him more ignoble than a whole one, and he had told a half
one. He turned to leave the room, when there came a loud peal of the
door-bell.

"Oh, dear, that will wake her up!" said his mother.

Anderson strode past her to the door, and there stood Eddy Carroll.
He was breathless from running, and his pretty face was a uniform
rose.

"Say," he panted, "is my sister in here?"

"Hush!" said Anderson. "Yes, she is."

"I chased you all the way," said Eddy, "but I tumbled down and hurt
my knee on an old stone, and then I couldn't catch up." Indeed, the
left knee of Eddy's little knickerbockers showed a rub and a red
stain. "Where's Charlotte?"

"She is lying down. She was frightened, and I brought her here, and
she has had some wine and is lying down."

"What frightened her, I'd like to know? First thing I saw you were
lugging her off across the field. What frightened her?"

Anderson explained.

Eddy sniffed with utmost scorn. "Just like a girl," said he, "to get
scared of a man that was fast asleep, and wouldn't have hurt her,
anyway. Just like a girl. Say, you'd better keep her awhile."

"We are going to," said Mrs. Anderson.

"If she stays to supper, I might stay too, and then I could go home
with her, and save you the trouble," said Eddy to Anderson.

Chapter XXVI

There had been a mutter as of coming storm in Wall Street for several
weeks, and this had culminated in a small, and probably a sham,
tempest, with more stage thunder and l