"But that dollar was to last you all the week."
Beth took down a brush and brushed out the snarls while she talked.
"Yes, I know it was, but you see, Marian, Julia and Harvey were with me to-day. They were my guests. Papa gave me the tickets to take them. Well, it was dreadfully hot, and we did want some ice cream awfully, so I asked them to have some. There was thirty cents gone."
Marian looked judicial. "Well, what about the other seventy?"
Beth brushed snarls so vigorously that she winced once or twice.
"Well, you may think me dreadfully foolish, but I invited them to the Punch and Judy show. That took thirty cents more."
"Well, but you still should have forty cents."
Beth stopped brushing and clasped her hands.
"Well, I just couldn't help it. I—well, this is how it happened. You know papa gave Gustus tickets for the Fair for himself, his brothers and sisters, and mamma let him have the afternoon off. Well, just as we came out of the Punch and Judy show we met them. You know mamma gives Gustus clothes, but the others looked dreadfully ragged. I stopped and spoke to them and asked them if they were going into the show. Marian, tears came into Gustus's eyes, as he said, 'Missy Beth, the likes of us don't go to shows. I'se never been to a show in my life.'"
"Never been to a show in his life? How was that, Beth?"