"Norah is quite sick this morning, Ethel, but I am not afraid of anything. I can go alone."
"That is right, for—oh, Precious, I want a little favor from you!"
The maid had retired and closed the door. Ethel beckoned her sister nearer.
"Have you any pin-money left?" she asked eagerly.
"Oh, yes; do you want some?" bringing out a little silk net purse with gold coins gleaming through its violet meshes.
"Not for myself, Precious, though I spent all mine the day after papa gave it to me. But it was for charity, and you know mamma likes us to be kind to the poor."
"I would like to help, too, Ethel. Tell me how to spend this."
"You remember my old maid, Hetty Wilkins, that mamma dismissed so suddenly at Rosemont? Well, her lover deserted her, and she sank into ill-health, and is dying of a broken heart. She is very poor, and lives with an old grandmother that keeps a tobacco shop. She came to see me once since we returned here, and I gave her some money. In fact, I have been to see her twice, and all my pin-money goes on poor Hetty, for I do not like to see her suffer for the necessaries of life after the way she was turned out of her place on an unjust suspicion," and Ethel sighed deeply over poor Hetty's fate.
"And you want me to give the poor girl some money? Oh, I will do it gladly. Tell me her address, and I will send it to her this morning," cried Precious, her sweet blue eyes glowing with sympathy.