'"How can you ask, child? That I may give it all to him, to be sure."
'"To that Colonel Dare?"
'"No, no. To the Duke, of course. But Colonel Dare would take it to him."
'"Bessie! To the Duke! But what does he want it for? Besides, hasn't he plenty of money of his own?"
"Oh Frances, you are such a child! How is he to raise soldiers without money? He must feed his army, and buy arms and horses and everything; and from what I have heard my uncle say, I suspect he has by no means more money than he wants, especially for such an enterprise as this. I should not wonder if that was what that gentleman wanted of Madame St. Aubert. She has a very good fortune, I know."
'These were quite new ideas to me, and rather surprising ones too; for, never having studied the subject deeply, I had always held a kind of vague belief that dukes, as a matter of course, had gold and silver to any amount they chose; while the fact that armies must eat, and that soldiers must be paid for fighting, had somehow never struck me before.
'"Frances, have you any money?" Bessie asked, rising suddenly, and opening a chest by the bedside. "Look! This is all I have left: not much, but it shall go to him. I know my uncle would give me more if I were really in need of it."
'She turned out the contents of a little Spanish leather purse upon the bed. There were three golden guineas, a crown piece, and a few small silver coins. It certainly did not look a very magnificent sum as it lay spread out upon the quilt; nor did my contribution make it much more imposing, for my whole store was but one double guinea piece, which I had meant to spend on presents for the boys, to be given when I went home at Christmas. But now I was fast catching Bessie's zeal. Who could think of Christmas presents in comparison with a great cause like this? I felt quite sure that Oliver would enter into my view of the case, if he could be consulted; so I laid my gold piece beside Bessie's, and we looked at them for a few minutes in solemn silence, which I was the first to interrupt.
'"I suppose Henrietta would not help us?"
'"Not she, forsooth!" said Bessie, with a contemptuous curl of the lip. "Nothing would induce me to ask her. But if we tarry so long, Colonel Dare will be gone. Many thanks to you, sweetheart, for what you have given;" and gathering up the little heap, Bessie put it into the purse, and tripped down-stairs with all possible speed. I leaned over the balustrade, and watched her as she met Madame St. Aubert and her visitor outside the study door, and I saw her blush and smile as he took the purse and raised her hand to his lips. Colonel Dare took his departure hastily, for all the girls from the garden were beginning to pour in, and the great bell was ringing for dinner.