n waste paper. But that is not the worst. The shares make him
responsible for the bank's debts--I am sure I cannot tell you how far;
he told me, I daresay, but I was so grieved for him and for all of you,
and so confused, I could not take it in. But he says that what he will
have to pay up will be as much as he can do, with a hard fight, for the
rest of his days."

"I am so sorry for father," murmured May in an awed tone, but with a
little of a parrot note, just as she had pitied Mr. Carey, who was only
an old acquaintance and the father of her friends. The fact was that the
young girl, brought away suddenly from her girlish interests and her
whole past experience, and plunged into the cares of older people, was
thoroughly staggered and bewildered, in spite of a small head which was
capable of construing Latin and conjugating Greek.

There was a moment's pause. "Will it make a great difference to father
and the rest of us?" asked Rose, in spite of her quickness, and in spite
of what her mother had said.

"Certainly," Annie took it upon her to answer, with a mixture of fire
and conviction, "we'll all have to earn our living."

"Oh, don't make such sweeping statements, Annie, frightening your
sisters," said their mother reproachfully; and unquestionably May looked
scared, and dropped her gloves without noticing it. "You must do what
you can to help your poor dear father, and I am sure you'll do that
willingly, but so long as he is spared to work for all of us----" She
stopped short, unable to say any more.

Then her daughters closed round her, from the youngest to the eldest,
and told her in concert that she was not to be concerned for them. They
were ready for the occasion and equal to it, and they would not mind in
the very least.

"Mind!" declared Rose, with her eyes beginning to shine and her cheeks
to flush like Annie's. "Why, it is the one great comfort that we'll have
to make our way in the world, and push our fortunes like boys. We'll
have plenty of adventures and rise triumphant over them all, and be such
a help to you and father. Think of that, May, you little coward,"
appealing to her younger sister who, in spite of her small dabbling in
masculine acquirements, did not look as if the prospect of pushing her
fortune like a boy was full of unmixed charm for her. But she
brightened up at the visionary honour and delight of being a great help
to their father and mother, and cried, "Yes, yes, Rose," with subdu