“She is just presenting a duck-back to trouble,” thought the girl, looking rather ruefully at her shapely hands which were showing the inevitable signs of work.
[She found Douglas sitting in a forlorn heap in their tent.] Her countenance was the picture of woe.
“Helen! Helen! What are we to do?”
“Well, it wouldn’t be so bad to take a trip to the White, and you certainly deserve a change. Poor mumsy, too, is bored to death with such a long sea trip and she needs some society.”
“But, honey, the money!”
“Oh, I don’t see that we need worry so about that. Mother says that there is not a tradesman in Richmond who would not be pleased to have us on his books for any amount. I, for one, am longing for some new clothes. I don’t mind a bit working and cooking, but I do think I need some new things—and as for you—why, Douglas, you are a perfect rag bag.”
Douglas looked at her sister in amazement. The lesson, then, was not learned yet! She had thought that Helen understood about the necessity of making no bills as the bills were what had helped to reduce their father to this state of invalidism, but here she was falling into the mother’s way of thinking—willing to plunge into debt to any amount.
“But Dr. Wright——”
“Oh, always Dr. Wright!”
“But, Helen, you know you like Dr. Wright now and you must trust him.”