“How good in him!” she murmured; glad, grateful tears chasing each other down her cheeks.
“Uncle,” said Dorothy, as they walked along together, “I think those children need some clothes; excepting Harry, perhaps. Did you notice what a neat, new suit he had on?”
“Yes; it was a present this afternoon from his Uncle Albert. It would be no more than my share to provide for the girls whatever may be needed.”
“Well, uncle, if you’ll furnish the money I’ll do the work. Aunt and I have been working for the Dorcas society—helping to clothe the poor—and it really seems to me that the needy ones of our own family have the very first claim.”
“That is my view of the matter,” he said, “and I am ready to pay for all the material you and your aunt may think it best to buy and make up for them.”
“Oh, thank you, sir! Shall we not have a talk with aunt about it when we get home?”
“Certainly. She will be apt to know just what should be bought, and, if you like, you can do the buying to-morrow. I will furnish the funds.”
On reaching home they went directly to Mrs. Eldon’s room, gave a detailed account of their visit and the discoveries made regarding the needs of Ethel and the others, then of their plan for affording relief, of which Mrs. Eldon highly approved, and which she and Dorothy began carrying out the next morning.
The result was a joyful surprise to the three girls and a lightening of Ethel’s burden of care which greatly assisted her recovery. She strove, and with some measure of success, not to think of business cares and anxieties for some days, but as soon as she was able to be up and at work again, she proposed to her partner that they should go over their books, take an inventory of goods on hand, and find out exactly how they stood with their creditors. They did so and discovered to their dismay that, so far from having made anything, they were in debt.
“There,” exclaimed Carry, “I shall just stop right here; for if we go on I’ll only get deeper and deeper into debt.”