"No, very badly. There was not enough to satisfy the claim by two hundred pounds. Finally, Aunt Bettina advanced that."
"Does she know of this?" he exclaimed, in a startled tone.
"No, I kept it from her. It was difficult to do, but I contrived it."
"You were a brave girl, my sister! I don't know who would have acted as you have! All this trouble upon you, and never to worry me with it in your letters!--never to ask me for money to help in the need!"
"I thought you had none to give," she simply said.
"True enough: I had none; but most sisters would have asked for it. I shall repay at once Aunt Bettina; I shall repay, more gradually, to you the half of what my father possessed before this trouble was brought by me upon him. What do you say?--my wife's money? Tush, child! Do you know the amount of the fortune we have come into? It will be but a drop of water in the ocean of that amount. If I did not repay it to you, she would."
Sara looked up.
"My wife knows all. I told her every word."
"O Edward! Before your marriage!"
"Not before. I suppose I ought to have done so, but it would have taken a greater amount of moral courage than I possessed. I couldn't risk the losing her. I told her, partially, a short time after our marriage: the full particulars I did not give her until last night."