However, Esther Clark was not so persuaded. "I am afraid Betty may be
angry with me and that you will be more uncomfortable, Miss McMurtry,"
she added after a moment's hesitation. "But this is not all the
evidence we have. You see Mollie told us yesterday that just the next
day after we girls made our trip to town and returned with the mail, she
came across Nan in our tent with Betty's bunch of keys in her hand. It
is true that Betty had left her keys out on the table, but I don't see
what Nan could have wanted with them?"
"She told Mollie that she wanted to peep in my trunk to look at a dress
I have because she wanted some day to make herself one like it and did
not know just how," Betty interposed, using no effort to hide the tears
that had been gathering in her gray eyes and were now coursing down her
cheeks. "Oh dear me, I do wish I had not brought the wretched money into
camp, for I promised Polly I would not put temptation in Nan's way and
she will be dreadfully cross with me if she hears!"
"I don't think you should blame yourself, dear," Miss McMurtry
interrupted, drawing Betty closer to her and looking almost ready to cry
herself as they both turned toward Esther for advice. For somehow
Esther might have a shy and awkward personality and not seem of much
importance when things were going happily, yet in sorrow or difficulty,
insensibly her gravity and unselfishness counted.
Pages:
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166