"Let me see them." She brought him the bills and he looked relieved. "Not so many," he ventured.
"No, but they're large."
"Why, look here, Edith," he said abruptly, "these are bills for two months—some for three, even four!"
"I know—that's just the trouble. I couldn't meet them at the time."
"Laura was here—and I didn't want to bother you—you had enough on your mind as it was. I've done the best I could, father dear—I've sold everything, you know—but I've about come to the end of my rope." And her manner said clearly, "I've done my part. I'm only a woman. I'll have to leave the rest to you."
"I see—I see." And Roger knitted his heavy brows. "I presume I can get it somehow." This would play the very devil with things!
"Father." Edith's voice was low. "Why don't you let Deborah help you? She does very little, it seems to me—compared to the size of her salary."
"She can't do any more than she's doing now," was his decisive answer. Edith looked at him, her color high. She hesitated, then burst out:
"I saw her check book the other day, she had left it on the table! She's spending thousands—every month!"