“Oh, well! what does it matter who’s at fault?” Agnes demanded, impatiently. “The money’s gone.”
“Yes, it’s gone,” repeated her sister. “And poor Mrs. Eland and Miss Pepperill, who need it so much, will never see it.”
“You girls worry a lot over other folks’ troubles,” said Barnabetta. “And those women you tell about don’t even know that their grandfather left the money, do they?”
“Their uncle,” corrected Ruth.
“Of course not,” said Agnes, in reply to Barnabetta, and quite subdued now by Ruth’s revelation regarding the probable owners of the fortune. “But, you see, Barnabetta, they are our friends; and we wanted very much to help them, anyway.”
“And it did seem as though Providence must have sent us to that corner of the garret that evening, just so Agnes should find the old album,” added Ruth.
“But I wish I hadn’t found it!” wailed Agnes, suddenly. “Just see the trouble we’re in.”
“Then I guess ’twasn’t providential your goin’ there, was it?” demanded Barnabetta.
“We can’t say that,” responded Ruth, thoughtfully.
“You Corner House girls are the greatest!” burst out the trapeze performer. “I never saw anybody like you! Do you spend all your time tryin’ to help other folks?”