Mrs. Collins often wondered that her niece, when called to meals, felt so little appetite for her food, not even suspecting that she had been overloading her stomach with poisoned sweets obtained at the store.
After a few weeks, Ellen's money was gone, but not her sickly craving for sweets. She felt convinced that her aunt would disapprove, if not wholly forbid, her eating so much candy, and determined not to apply to her. She now wished more than ever that she could write and direct a letter by herself; for if so, she would beg her father or Aunt Clarissa for means to gratify her appetite; but as she could not, she concluded to run up a bill at the store, which she would be careful to pay with the first remittance from her indulgent parent.
"I want six gibraltars, and six sticks of peppermint candy," she said, one morning, to the young clerk, who stood smiling behind the counter.
He selected them as directed, folded them neatly in a small parcel, and then held out his hand for the pay.
"Aunt Collins wants you to put what I buy on a bill, and my father will pay it," she answered, with a somewhat heightened color.
"Stop a minute," he said, walking quickly to his master, who was at the other end of the counter. "Well," he added coming back, "you must tell me, though, what your father's name is. I suppose there is no doubt your aunt said so," looking keenly in her face.
"No, indeed! She said you would trust me."
"Do you eat all this candy yourself?" inquired the clerk, gayly.
"Yes—no; I gave my cousin some; but she is not very fond of it."
This was lie the second, and Ellen, somewhat provoked, turned quickly from the counter, lest she should be obliged to tell lie the third.