She also paid something on the other bills, and found that she had but a few dollars left. Though there was a certain sense of relief in the feeling that she now owed much less, still she looked with dismay on the small sum remaining. Where was more to come from? She had determined that she would not go to New York again to sell anything except in the direst extremity.
That evening Hannibal gave them a meagre supper, for Edith had told him of the absolute necessity of economy. There was a little grumbling over the fare. So Edith pushed her chair back, laid seven dollars on the table, saying:
"That's all the money I have in the world. Who's got any more?"
They raised ten dollars among them.
"Now," said Edith, "this is all we have. Where is more coming from?"
Helpless sighs and silence were her only answers.
"There is nothing clearer in the world," continued Edith, "than that we must earn money. What can we do?"
"I never thought I should have to work," said Laura piteously.
"But, my dear sister," said Edith earnestly, "isn't it clear to you now that you must? You certainly don't expect me to earn enough to support you all. One pair of hands can't do it, and it wouldn't be fair in the bargain."
"Oh, certainly not," said Laura. "I will do anything you say as well as I can, though, for the life of me, I don't see what I can do."