“I won’t decide to-day,” she said. “I will come in again.”
“There’s some mystery about this,” said Mrs. Carver to herself. “I wonder where Mary got so much money; surely, her mother could not have given it to her. If she did, all I have to say is, that she is very extravagant for a woman that keeps boarders for a living.”
Mrs. Carver was one of those women who feel a very strong interest in the business of others. The friends with whom she was most intimate were most likely to incur her criticism. In the present instance she was determined to fathom the mystery of the gold pencil.
Mary went home with her treasure. Of course she knew that its possession would excite surprise, and she had a story prepared to account for it. She felt a little nervous, but had little doubt that her account would be believed.
As she anticipated, the pencil at once attracted her mother’s attention.
“Whose pencil is that, Mary?” she asked.
“Mine, mother.”
“Yours? Where did you get it?” inquired her mother, in surprise.
“Sue Cameron gave it to me. She’s my bosom friend, you know.”
“Let me see it. It isn’t gold—is it?”