"I don't think I said anything about your not caring. It was only a question whether you were thinking of them just then. And whether your being so excited was only for their sake."
"Why should you think it wasn't?"
"I'm not setting myself to judge you," Mildred answered, putting another piece of work into Jessie's hands. "Just hem these, dear;—no, not with the machine; and it must be your best work. If you can tell me that you care as Mr. Gilbert cares, I'm bound to do my best to believe you. But it didn't look like that."
"I don't suppose I do, exactly." Jessie spoke in subdued tones. "I do care about the sailors being saved, really and truly; but just to-day I suppose I want more to know who has given the money."
"And that is what you are not meant to know. Whoever gave the money intends nobody to know his name, and it is no business of ours to try to find out. Didn't you see? Mr. Gilbert will not try. He may wonder, as you and I do, but he will not stir a finger to find out anything about it."
"Only, if one could just guess—"
"You have been guessing for the last hour. That doesn't do much good or much harm. If you tried deliberately to find out, I think you would be wrong."
"Millie! You didn't give the ninety pounds?"
Mildred laughed. "No, I did not," she said. "I have not the ninety pounds to give. All the same, I think you were wrong to ask me, if you had the least idea of such a thing being possible."
"I know one thing," Jessie exclaimed. "I wish I hadn't given my half-crown."