"We have a few paltry things, of course," she spoke on, "but barely would they pay half. They would neither save our honor, neither leave us anything for rent or bread! Our house, to be sure, is worth more than we have borrowed on it, but in the meantime--"
"In the meantime, dear, you shall--" But still Flora persisted:
"Any day, any hour, Captain Kincaid may return. Oh, if 'twere anybody in this worl' but him! For, Anna, I must take all the blame--all!" The face went again into the hands.
"My dear, you shall take none. You shall hand him every dollar, every picayune, on sight."
"Ah, how is that possible? Oh, no, no, no. Use your money? Never, never, never!"
"It isn't money, Flora. And no one shall ever know. I've got some old family jewellery--"
"Family--Oh, sweet, for shame!"
"No shame whatever. There's a great lot of it--kinds that will never be worn again. Let me--" The speaker rose.
"No, no, no! No, Anna, no! For Heaven's sake--"
"Just a piece or two," insisted Anna. "Barely enough to borrow the amount." She backed away, Flora clinging to her fingers and faltering: "No, blessed angel, you must not! No, I will not wait. I'll--I'll--"