“You see, sir,” Miss Zillah went on, blurting out a family secret which Miss Adnah would have starved rather than let anyone know, “we haven’t a cent in the world. The small amount which my sister and I had in our purses has been used up during the last few days. We owe for all the expenses of our brother’s funeral. Really, I may say that we don’t know which way to turn.”
“My dear Miss Zillah,” responded Mr. Carson, “I will place a sum of money at your disposal immediately.”
Why, Miss Adnah wondered, did he turn to Zillah instead of to her? It seemed to her that it ought to be evident to anyone that she was now the head of the house.
“Moreover,” Mr. Carson went on, “I will deposit the sum in the bank and send you the bank book. I know this will be more in accord with your ideas.”
There was a little twinkle in his eye as he said this, but Miss Zillah did not catch it. She was really much flattered that he should think her a person capable of conducting things in a businesslike way, and she would not have shown by the flutter of an eyelash how frightened she really was at the suggestion.
“Then,” continued Mr. Carson, “our next business will be to find that money. I propose that you call in one or two trusty neighbors, not given to gossiping, and that they assist you in looking over the premises. The money must be here somewhere. It merely devolves on us to find it.”
Miss Adnah made a gesture of distress.
“I don’t believe, sir,” she said, “that you can have any notion of how intensely distressing it is to us to do such a thing. And I may say that we have no neighbors who wouldn’t gossip. If you have any such, please show them to me.”
Annie Laurie, who knew her Aunt Adnah’s tempestuous nature, saw that a storm was rising, and she cast about for a way of diverting it.
“Aunt Adnah,” she broke in, “let Azalea and Carin help us hunt. You know if it’s a secret they’ll never, never, tell it. We’ve pledged ourselves to keep each other’s secrets, you see. And no one can look as hard as we girls can. We’re like ferrets.”