While Frances was speaking, Janet turned rather pale. She had foreseen this great difficulty, and was much puzzled to know how to get over it.
"The fact is," said Dolly, "there are only two really rich girls in the school. Evelyn is one, and that poor wild little Biddy is the other."
"Is Bridget O'Hara rich?" asked Janet suddenly.
"Rich? I should think so. Mrs. Freeman told me one day that the poor child is an heiress, and will have more money than she knows what to do with."
"Why do you talk of an heiress as 'a poor child,' Dorothy?" said Janet. "That kind of speech sounds so affected and out of date."
"Well, you needn't be cross to me," said Dorothy. "I do pity Bridget very much; she will have a lot of responsibility by and by, and up to the present she certainly has no wise ideas with regard to her future."
"Poor dear," said Janet, with a little sneer, "her position is truly afflicting."
"Well, well, do let us return to business," said Frances. "Is Evelyn to be asked to join or not? We all know that Janet doesn't love her; we can't make out why, but we are not going to trouble ourselves on that score. I repeat that it is a slight to Evelyn not to ask her to join, but that fact may be glossed over by making a great deal of the fact that she was not here at the beginning. We might support you, Janet, in this, in order that you might retain your dearly coveted position as head of the fair."
"I don't care a bit about that," said Janet, coloring high.
"Now, my dear; now, my dear, don't let that graceful little tongue lend itself to a wicked story. However, to return to business. If we exclude Evelyn from taking an active part in the arrangements of the fair, who is to provide the needful? Now, Janet May, there's a puzzler for you; answer it if you can."