Part 33 (1/2)

”Oh, dear, no,” Miss South had said, ”it would never in the world do to overlook Brenda. She is an impulsive little thing, and although Mrs.

Rosa and the children might have fared badly this winter, had they had no one but Brenda to depend on, still it is a great advance for Brenda to be interested in some one besides herself, and it is excellent discipline for her to have a certain share in carrying out this plan. It is not altogether a matter of money.”

Now, Brenda, of course, in deciding to favor the plan proposed by Miss South was not acting entirely for herself. Edith, Nora, and Belle were as much concerned as she, and Nora in fact, as the rescuer of Manuel, was more interested than any of the others. Belle, the only one who might have been expected to oppose Miss South's plan, really had no objection to it. Her one thought in the whole matter had been to get as much pleasure and glory as possible out of the Bazaar itself. Edith, while practical about some things,--needlework for example, and lessons,--seldom put her mind on money matters, and Nora was as heedless about this as about other things. Brenda was almost as heedless, and yet The Four had thought it perfectly proper that she should be treasurer of their little fund.

So it happened that on the very morning when Julia was trying to find Miss South, Brenda had received from Mrs. Blair's hands four crisp one hundred dollar notes. This was a little more than had been taken at the Bazaar. But in getting the loose bills and cheques changed into more compact form, Mrs. Blair had added enough to make the sum an even four hundred dollars.

The other three girls were with Brenda as she received the money from Mrs. Blair, and immediately they sat down to count up the expenses that must be paid from their receipts. Rather to Mrs. Blair's surprise these expenses mounted up to more than one hundred dollars, and she scolded The Four a little for having engaged an expensive orchestra for the music of the preceding evening, when music was not really needed at all.

The ices and other things furnished the refreshment room made another large item in the bills, although there had been some profit from this department.

”I will take one of your one hundred dollar bills, and with it pay the expenses,” said Mrs. Blair, ”and I would advise you to take care of the three hundred dollars, for after all it is not a large sum to be used toward the support of a sick woman and five children.”

”Of course we'll take care of it, at least Brenda will,” cried Nora, as Brenda folded the money away carefully in her purse, and placed the purse in a small leather bag. Then they went home with Brenda, and they saw her lock the bag into her top bureau drawer.

After this they sat for a while as girls will, idly talking about the affairs of the day, while Mrs. Barlow's French maid bustled about, laying away some new waists and skirts of Brenda's that had just come home from the dressmaker's.

”Look,” at last cried Brenda, jumping up from her seat impetuously, ”look, Marie, did you ever see so much money,” and opening the drawer and the purse she brandished the three hundred dollar bills before the eyes of the young Frenchwoman.

”Oh, my! Mees,” cried Marie, ”three dollars, that is not so very much!”

”Three dollars!” shouted Brenda, ”three hundred dollars, what you call twelve hundred francs.”

”Oh, my!” exclaimed Marie, her eyes almost jumping out of her head, ”oh, my! I never did see so much money, let me look.” So they let her touch the bills, and they laughed at the comments she made, and especially when she cried, ”Louis would marry me if that money was mine.”

”I thought he was going to anyway,” said Belle, ”you have always said that you were engaged.”

”Oh, yes,” she replied. ”Oh, yes, sometime, perhaps, but it takes much money to get married. If I have to wait too long, perhaps Louis will find another girl with more money. But no matter.” And she went out of the room looking much less cheerful than before she had seen the money.

”How mercenary!” said Belle as she disappeared, for Belle always had a word large enough to fit every happening.

”Well, it must be hard not to have any money but just what you earn every week,” interposed Edith sympathetically.

”Oh it's better not to have much money than to have a man think only of that in marrying you,” responded Belle in her most worldly-wise voice.

”Come, I think that we are talking of things that we know nothing about,” said Nora, ”but if I were you, Brenda, I would not let every one in the house know where that money is.”

”Nonsense, I always carry the key with me, and anyway it won't be here long,” answered Brenda.

”No matter, if I were you I would give it to Mr. Barlow to take down town.”

”Yes, you ought to,” added Edith.

”Oh, what fusses you are!” cried Brenda, ”any one would think that I was a two-year-old baby.”

Just then there was a tap at the door.

”May I come in?” said a voice, which they at once recognized as Julia's.

”Yes, indeed,” cried Nora and Edith, and the former flung the door wide open and greeted Julia with a kiss.