The girls ate their supper with saddened hearts. They were sorrowing for Miss Ray and her noble brother, as well as worrying over the fate which must soon overtake their own father and mother.
“I can’t bear to think of their losing the farm,” Marion said over and over, with tears in her eyes. “Mother is such a weak, helpless woman and father is so old. Oh! it makes my blood boil to think of it, and yet I cannot help it!”
“Father can hardly expect us to help him,” said Dollie, sadly. “He has never written us once, nor will he allow mother to do so. If he were a little less hard-hearted I think I should feel worse about it, Marion.”
“We must not think of that,” said Marion, decidedly. “They are our parents, dear; we must try to help them.”
“But how?” asked Dollie, in great perplexity.
Marion’s eyes grew thoughtful as she answered slowly:
“I don’t know how exactly, but it must be done! I must help my father pay off that mortgage!”
“This money will only last about a month,” said Dollie, who was doing a little figuring, “but Oh, Marion, I am sure we shall have work before then! But tell me, what did you do to-day? I have had no time to ask you before.”
“I went to five places,” said Marion, promptly. “I offered my services as laundress, chambermaid and waitress; then I tried an employment bureau, which was a regular fraud, by the way, and two applications in dry goods stores completed my day’s work, Dollie.”
“Poor Marion! You must be tired and discouraged!” said Dollie, impulsively.