Annie told Arthur something of this now, by way of warning not to say anything that would disturb the invalid just as she was about to have her dinner, for it would inevitably spoil her appetite.
"All right!" said Arthur, as he went upstairs wondering when his mother could be told of the great step he had taken.
"Don't make a noise, Arthur," murmured the invalid in a feeble, complaining tone. "I am afraid I cannot bear you talking to me to-night," she added the next minute.
So Arthur pulled Tuffy's tail, and talked to Bob, and felt quite relieved when Hannah brought in the tray, and his daily visit was over, for he was afraid he should forget his sister's warning and break out with something he had seen or heard during the day. He did not want to do this until Annie had broken the news to her gently.
"I say, Annie, tell the Mater what I have done, and get it over," he said when he went downstairs.
"I wish I could, but you do not know how weak Mamma is getting."
Arthur went to the kitchen in search of Molly. "It is a beastly nuisance! I can't open my mouth to the Mater for fear of making her faint," he said hotly.
"But what are we to do? You know she never could bear anything disagreeable. It always made her ill, and we have always had to be careful and keep everything from her that was likely to disturb her. Papa said one day it would kill her if she knew about his money."
"Well, it seems as though we had all been a set of ostriches in this house, and stuck our heads in the sand instead of facing the difficulties. Papa did it, I know. It might have been to save Mamma, or it might have been to save himself trouble, we cannot tell; but we youngsters are not likely to find things easy. So the sooner we make up our minds to do the thing we ought, whether it is easy or hard, the better it will be for everybody concerned."
Molly looked at him questioningly. "Won't you tell me what you mean, Arthur? Is this why you were in such a hurry to get a situation?"