“Betty,” said Dorothy, “we know Martha never has spending-money. And for that to be a new bill that she had yesterday does look queer. And she did act awfully funny about it all.”
“I know it, Dorothy,” said Betty, in a tone of despair; “I think it looks awfully queer. But I wouldn’t own up to Maude that I thought so. And, even if it does look queer, I won’t believe Martha took Maude’s money unless she tells me so herself—so there, now!”
Betty had unconsciously raised her voice in her indignation, and as they turned a corner of the path, they came upon the other girls, sitting on a settee, waiting for them.
“What are you saying, Betty?” asked Martha, her face perfectly white.
There was no blushing embarrassment now; Martha looked horrified, and even incredulous, but she was calm and self-possessed. Betty quite forgot what Maude had said of Mrs. Halstead’s orders, and spoke right out to Martha.
“Martha,” she said, “did you see Maude take some money out of her purse and lay it on her table yesterday?”
“Yes, I did,” said Martha.
“Did you take it from the table—to—to put it in a safer place—or anything?”
“No, of course I didn’t! Why should I?”
“Well, it wasn’t a very safe place,” began Betty.